Frequently Asked Questions About Muskrats

Posted on November 30, 2021 by Budgetanimal

Is it a beaver? A rat? A rodent at all? Many people are confused about these semi-aquatic animals known as muskrats. If you are one of these people, then you are in the right place!

Continue below to review some of the most common questions and answers surrounding these interesting and misunderstood herbivore animals, including what to do if they have become a nuisance to your residential or commercial property.

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Muskrat FAQS You Want to Know

Are Muskrats Rodents?

Muskrats (Ondatra zibethicus) are semi-aquatic rodents. That’s right; rodents. They are members of the “Rodentia” order, which they share with several other species of rodent. As semi-aquatic animals, muskrats live near bodies of water. This includes rivers, marches, swamps, lakes, canals, and even drainage conduits.

If the area has 4 to 6 feet of slow-moving, calm waters and abundant vegetation, you are likely to find evidence of muskrat activity. In marshes, they build dome-shaped lodges made of plants that can span up to 6 feet across or more! These lodges can have inner chambers, portals, and underwater access holes. In other habitats, like rivers and lakes, they dig burrows in the banks for shelter.

What Does a Muskrat Look Like?

They are an average of 1 to 2 feet long, with stocky bodies, round heads, thick fur, and long black scaly tails. Their tails can reach lengths between 7 and 12 inches long! And more interestingly, their tails are laterally-flattened, meaning they are vertically flat.

This style of tail works like a rudder on a boat, helping them swim through water with speed and agility. Their rear webbed feet are a big help with this too. They also have long sharp front teeth that allow them to rip through meat and plant fibers with ease. They can even use their chompers effectively under water!

What Do Muskrats Eat?

Muskrats, as semi-aquatic animals usually do, eat mostly an aquatic-based diet. They are crepuscular foragers, meaning they are active during the dawn and dusk hours of the day; and they are omnivores as well, eating fish, shellfish, and amphibians, as well as cattails, sedges, and other aquatic vegetation.

In detail, they eat snails, crayfish, mussels, clams, frogs, fish, cattails, and more. Once they find their food, they take it to a communal platform (made of mud and plants and usually out in the water) to store it there for later. This is their feeding station where they can enjoy their meals without fear of predators or thieves.

Do Muskrats Have Predators?

Like many animals, muskrats have to watch out for predators preying on them. Although minks and otters are the most common predators of muskrats, other species of wildlife also hunt them, including flying predators like eagles, hawks, owls, and osprey, as well as grounded ones like raccoons, coyotes, and foxes.

How Do I Get Rid of Muskrats That are a Nuisance?

Muskrats can become a nuisance animal on your property in many ways. Mostly, they burrow excessively around or along riverbanks and reservoirs, damaging shorelines, dams, and levees. This can lead to property flooding, excess water runoff, and ecological and agricultural implications.

To get rid of muskrats that are disturbing your property, you will need to hire a professional Indianapolis critter control company to implement some strategic environmental modifications. Such modifications may include lowering the water level of your pond and live animal trapping and relocation.

Are you looking for a safe and humane way of dealing with nuisance muskrats on your Indiana property? Contact Budget Animal Removal at 317-875-3099 for professional critter control for muskrats in Indianapolis and its surrounding regions. We serve residential and commercial clients.

Top Recommended Raccoon-Proofing Strategies

Posted on November 19, 2021 by Budgetanimal

Raccoons are known to use our homes and outdoor spaces as a source for food and shelter. Because they are excellent climbers and retain dexterous paws for gripping, clasping, and grabbing, raccoons are highly capable of accessing any area they choose, and even more capable of causing extreme damage and mayhem. If you live in a region with heightened raccoon activity, it would be wise to consider animal-proofing. Start by incorporating some preventative maintenance systems around your property to build a basic level of animal intrusion and tampering security.

Continue reading to learn some top-recommended animal-proofing strategies that will protect your home and property against nuisance raccoons.

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How to Get Rid of Raccoons

There are several ideas homeowners and raccoon control specialists have thought of to keep raccoons away and stop them from getting inside our homes. Most of these remedies have proven to be quite effective as long as they are executed properly. Never, under any circumstances, attempt to catch, trap, harm, or kill a raccoon.

If you already have raccoons in your house and need them removed, contact a licensed and insured Indianapolis critter control company for 24 hour emergency animal removal service for raccoons. They will use safe and humane methods to extract raccoons and transport them to a faraway habitat.

Animal Proofing Tips for Raccoon Control:

► Homemade Raccoon Repellent

These homemade, nontoxic raccoon repellents do not harm raccoons, but they will irritate their senses and disgust their taste buds. Tastes, scents, and sensations that are most hated by raccoons include ground red pepper, ammonia, cinnamon, paprika, eucalyptus, menthol, and black pepper. Add these ingredients into a spray bottle filled with water, or simply sprinkle a mixture around the perimeter of your property and in areas of heightened raccoon activity.

► Store-Bought Animal Repellent

If you do not wish to make your own repellent, there are a few store-bought products that work just as well. One such product is called, “Shake Away”. It is a granular predator urine-based product. You apply it the same as the homemade repellent mixtures. It gives off the scent of predator urine, such as fox, coyote, and bobcat; making raccoons and other critters believe there is danger nearby. This product is worth the extra money because it stays in place longer. It will not wash right away in rain or bad weather. They do not smell or create a mess either.

► Exterior Sealing and Fortification

Windows, porch cracks, garage doors, sheds, barns, and more need to be inspected to ensure there are no access areas or vulnerable spots. As mentioned before, raccoons have very dexterous paws and can manipulate door handles and pry open windows and more. It is vital to have a professional inspect your home entirely to be sure there are no access points that a raccoon can enter through. If there are, these spots need sealed right away. Included in this inspection are also roof shingles, crawl spaces, attics, and even children’s jungle gyms.

► Environmental Modification

Environmental modification means making changes to your surrounding environment by removing anything that might attract raccoons to your premises, namely food, water, and shelter. For example, do not leave your trash or garbage outside overnight. Raccoons are nocturnal and will smell your trash from a mile away. This is like leaving out a free meal for the local raccoon colony. Always take trash out the morning of garbage pickup day. Also, do not leave pet food dishes outdoors. Raccoons love pet food because it is a protein-rich tasty meal to them. They love it and will remember to come back for it, night after night.

► Professional Raccoon Control Service

Are you looking for a more professional and advanced approach to long-term raccoon control? Contact Budget Animal Removal at 317-875-3099 to get rid of raccoons in Indianapolis, Indiana at a price you can afford. We serve residential and commercial clients.

How to Get Rid of Rabbits Without Hurting Them

Posted on November 16, 2021 by Budgetanimal

Rabbits are native here to the Tennessee regions, and they are certainly among the cutest local wildlife in our state. However, rabbits are also highly destructive, sadly making them a nuisance animal to residential properties. If you are having problems with garden pillaging and lawn mauling rabbits, find solace in the fact that there are effective ways you can control them, or even get rid of them altogether. Most importantly, you can use these techniques to get rid of rabbits without hurting them.

Continue reading to learn how to safely trap and release rabbits, repel them with non-toxic methods, or change your environment to thwart their interest or access entirely.

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Rabbit Control Methods That are Non-Lethal

Rabbit Trapping and Release

One the most effective methods of getting rid of nuisance rabbits on your property is to trap and release them. Not only is this an effective approach, but it is also safe. Catch and release traps should not harm rabbits if they are properly set up. It is important to also practice safety when releasing them from the trap. Trapped rabbits should be released in a faraway habitat that is compatible with their lifestyle.

Be sure to purchase critter control traps that are specifically designed for rabbits. Set them in areas where you have spotted the most rabbit activity and use a rabbit-specific bait, such as Brussels sprouts, carrots, apples, and lettuce. You can also spritz the inside of the cage with apple cider vinegar, which has a strong aroma of ripened apples that commonly works well to attract rabbits.

Non-Toxic Rabbit Repellents

Aside from rabbit traps, you can purchase or even make your own non-toxic rabbit repellent. Like many animals, rabbits do not like certain smells, scents, or sensations. You can use their food and smell of versions to your advantage by adding them into a water bottle of water. Mix in ingredients like cayenne pepper, ground black pepper, garlic, Tabasco sauce, and even egg. Then squirt your solution around the perimeter of your property and generously in the areas of heightened rabbit activity. Just be sure to keep children and pets away from treated areas, as certain ingredients can irritate their eyes, nose, and throats.

Environmental Modifications and Strategies

In addition to rabbit traps and repellents, you can incorporate rabbit-specific environmental modifications that are designed to divert their interest in your property. Think about what rabbits want with your property then remove it or block it off. The most common elements to focus on are food and shelter.

Look for areas that rabbits are pillaging for food, such as your gardens and foliage areas, as well as places they can hide, like log piles, tall weeds, crawl spaces, beneath porches, and hollowed tree trunks. You can also consider installing a fence, but it is important to ensure it is deep enough in the ground to prevent them from digging their way in. Motion-detecting sprinklers are another common strategy, often used by businesses and commercial properties.

When nothing seems to work, your best bet is to enlist licensed professionals for strategic rabbit control and removal service in Nashville, Tennessee. Contact Budget Animal Removal at 615-337-9165 for TWRA licensed and insured Nashville, Tennessee animal removal you can trust. We serve commercial and residential clients.