Living in Alexandria’s West End, we’ve had our fair share of wildlife encounters in the past few years: Two squirrels in the house, a snake in the basement, deer eating still-green tomatoes from our garden and a few mice. Several neighbors have dealt with raccoons in the attic. We’ve seen foxes, opossums and turtles on our street.
Most of the time, animals keep to themselves and stay away from people, but as people encroach on animals’ homes in our woods and parks, wildlife encounters in Alexandria become more common. What to do when residents and wildlife meet depends on the animal and the situation.
The City of Alexandria contracts with the Animal Welfare League of Alexandria’s Animal Services to provide assistance and support to wildlife. If you live in another jurisdiction, their Animal Control teams may also be able to help with wildlife concerns.
“Virginia law forbids our officers from interfering with animals in the wild that are not ill, injured or presenting a threat to people around them,” according to the Animal Welfare League of Alexandria.“ Animal Services can also assist Alexandria residents with wild animals loose in their homes, though if those animals are trapped in contained spaces (such as in chimneys or under floor-boards), officers are not allowed to cause potential home damage to apprehend those animals and can provide information for a licensed wildlife removal specialist.”
Particularly in the spring, you may find baby animals that seem abandoned or birds who can’t fly (yet). Keep your distance. In most cases, the mom will come back or the bird will figure out how to use its wings. Stop, wait and observe from a good distance before calling animal services.
Squirrels
A neighbor discovered the first squirrel in our house while we were on vacation, and he managed to shoo the squirrel out through the back door. The second squirrel came down our chimney a few years later and eventually scurried out our front door after taking a running tour of the living room, dining room and kitchen (much to the delight of our kids, who thought the whole situation was hysterical).
If you have a squirrel in the living area of your home, try to contain it in a room or area and open the door or a window for the critter to escape to the outside. (If it’s on an upper story, only open windows that are near trees or grass to the squirrel doesn’t get hurt falling onto a hard sidewalk.) You may also put a rope down your chimney to give the squirrel a way to climb out.
If there are squirrels nesting in your attic insulation, try to make them want to leave with loud noises, bright lights or the smell of apple cider vinegar. Once they leave, you can figure out how they came in by looking for tracks, nests and other clues. Call a home repairperson to seal up those entry points. Keep your chimney flue closed, too.
Raccoons
Raccoons are generally nocturnal, but, like foxes, they are often active during the day — and that doesn’t mean the raccoon is sick or a danger. Raccoons live in the woods, often in a tree or a burrow. The key to keeping raccoons away from your home is to make sure your garbage cans are securely closed, compost bins are covered and any dog or cat food is brought inside nightly. Motion-detecting lights can help keep raccoons away, too.
Raccoons are very skilled at climbing and digging, and can claw their way into your attic. If you have a raccoon in your attic, it’s best to call in the professionals to have the animal relocated humanely.
Snakes
Snakes, like mice, can squish themselves into surprisingly small spaces, letting themselves into your home through ground-level cracks and holes. They come inside searching for prey, and homeowners often find them in dark corners of the basement.
While most snakes in Virginia are not venomous, snake bites still hurt and can become infected, so it’s best to remove them by setting a humane snake trap or calling a professional. Try to keep snakes out by sealing up those small holes at ground level that they can crawl through.
Bats
Bats have a bad reputation, but they do a lot of good, particularly by keeping the mosquito population under control. However, if you find a bat in your home that may have had contact with a human, do not try to catch it. Call animal services, which will determine whether the bat needs to be tested for rabies.
Like other animals, bats can come in through your chimney or through small holes in your attic, porch or basement, so make sure any holes are sealed up.
Before beginning any deterring measures, you should contact the Virginia Wildlife Helpline (703-440-0800) or the Animal Services/Animal Control team for your jurisdiction.
For more information on wildlife in the City of Alexandria, visit alexandriaanimals.org/wildlife. In Fairfax County, visit fairfaxcounty.gov/wildlife.
