Wild animals are resilient, and they will find shelter any way they can to ensure their survival. Unfortunately, sometimes their chosen shelter is your house, particularly vulnerable areas around the structure of your home, like attic vents or crawlspaces. To free your space of animals, you need to contact and work with humane wildlife control services like our Skedaddle team in Hamilton. Our highly trained technicians help to ensure the safety of your property and the continued survival of animal species.

Wildlife control experts and homeowners alike often notice one peculiar thing that seems to occur during severe weather or heavy rainstorms: Most calls for help cease. Does wildlife have a reason to avoid your house when bad weather strikes? Where do all the animals go? To understand wildlife’s emergency response during storms, and discover more about the behaviour of several common species of wildlife, read more below.

Raccoons

Raccoons make their dens in tree trunks and underground. During heavy storms, raccoons, like most people, wait out the weather, burrowing into their dens. However, it depends on the severity of the storm. If you only have light rain in your area, then the animal will probably still be out scavenging and hunting. Also, when the rain subsides, the raccoons come out quickly because they can find prey roaming about.

Bats

While you may not think rain affects bats, think again. Storms and especially rain interfere with bats’ echolocation. Sound waves ricochet off the droplets, making it nearly impossible to navigate and find prey. The rain and wind can also affect a bat’s energy level because of increased blood flow and challenging flying conditions. Bats use nearly double the energy to fly during a storm, which is why they typically hunker down instead.

Squirrels

Squirrels also dislike rain. They will forage for food when it is only sprinkling, but when heavy rain starts, they return to their nest. Young squirrels in particular rarely leave their nest during storms. However, if a squirrel is in a makeshift nest, high winds can be detrimental, which is why many squirrels generally have multiple shelters to move to if one gets blown apart.

Birds

Did you know that most birds are virtually waterproof? They have oil glands that coat their feathers, allowing water just to roll off their bodies. While many birds can fly and hunt during the rain, several species do not have this waterproofing advantage, such as owls.

Snakes

While there are several species of water snakes, many snakes dislike the water and do all they can to avoid the rain and storms. Many hide in bushes or dens or under structures until the storms pass.

Other Small Mammals

Like most species, small mammals like mice avoid the rain and inclement weather. They burrow and hide in place to protect themselves from a storm.

Sheltering in Human-Made Structures

Many animals find human-made structures convenient shelters from poor weather. In fact, your home may house several wildlife species without you even knowing. During nasty weather, animals do not like to move around. They tend to hunker in place and stay together to keep warm. You will not hear them scurry around in your walls, attic or crawlspace until the weather is nice, which is why most people do not notice their need for wildlife control during storms.

Prevention

To prevent your home from becoming a wildlife sanctuary during inclement weather, you need to secure the premises. Make sure you seal off any entry points, but before you do, contact a humane wildlife specialist to assess your property and remove any existing animals.

Do you suspect that you have a wildlife problem in your house? Have you heard animals rustling around in your walls? If you believe you have an issue, then contact our Skedaddle Humane Wildlife Control team in Hamilton for help. A wildlife specialist can assess your property and offer solutions.