Nevada Humane Society does not advocate the relocation of wildlife, but there are many deterrents available to keep unwanted wildlife out of areas. Some deterrents are structural and others are monthly applications of deterrent sprays or powders that you can purchase at any pet store. for more information call the animal help desk at (775) 856-200 ext. 200 or email animalhelp@nevadahumanesociety.org.
Ways to deter pests:
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Remove or tightly secure any potential food source. Keep your areas free from nuts, berries and acorns.
- Scatter fresh orange and lemon peels or spray with citrus-scented fragrances. Coffee grounds, vinegar, pipe tobacco, or oil of lavender, lemongrass, citronella, or eucalyptus also deter pests.
- Plant the herb rue to repel pests, or sprinkle dried rue over the garden.
- Use plastic carpet runners spike-side up, covered lightly in soil. They can be found at local hardware or office supply stores. Or, set chicken wire firmly into the dirt with sharp edges rolled under.
- Artfully arrange branches in a lattice-type pattern or wooden or plastic lattice fencing material over soil. You can disguise these by planting flowers and seeds in the openings. You can also try embedding wooden chopsticks, pinecones, or sticks with dull points deep into the soil with the tops exposed eight inches apart.
- Obtain Cat Scat™, a nonchemical cat and wildlife repellent consisting of plastic mats that are cut into smaller pieces and pressed into the soil. Each mat has flexible plastic spikes that are harmless to animals, but discourage digging. Available at www.gardeners.com.
- Cover exposed ground in flower beds with large, attractive river rocks to prevent animals from digging. (They have the added benefit of deterring weeds.)
- There are also sonic wildlife deterrents available online.
- Install motion sensor water sprinklers.
- Install squirrel proof bird feeders and keep the area under bird feeders clean.