No doubt, many have had the opportunity over time to live in a multiple family complex whether an apartment, townhouse or condo. We may realize at some point such living accommodations don’t work for various reasons such as loud noises or distracting odors.
Our recent experience began with our dogs barking at something they knew had set up residence. With noses to the vent under a tall cabinet in the master bath, they soon rushed to the area near the sunken tub.
Columnist Marty Coffin Evans
Strange sounds from either or both areas caused our two now on-guard-dogs to react! They began scratching at surfaces near the tub. Depending on the degree of underground disturbance, our canines began scratching at the walls flaking the paint near the baseboards. Eventually, strange smells began to rise in the tub area. Our noses soon knew what the dogs had known for months – there’s a nursery here. Noises from family squabbles periodically interrupted the quiet in that part of our house.
Finally, the young and their parents, or other relatives, decided it was time to move out into the bigger, brighter world. “Whew and thanks” we said with the odor and noise now gone. Realizing our landlord skill set didn’t enable us to know how to prevent these unwanted residents from setting up winter housekeeping again, we contacted Animal & Pest Control Specialists.
Not long after, the entry point was identified and two traps were set. Shortly thereafter, seven would-be-residents (a harem of one male and six females) had been trapped, relocated, and won’t be living with us this year. An exploring eighth “wanna be” tenant became trapped before the area was closed.
We can now relax knowing we’re no longer landlords for these unwanted squirrel tenants. Do you have any uninvited residents joining you this year?
Martha (Marty) Coffin Evans, Ed.D. is a freelance writer with MACE Associates, LLC. She can be reached at itsmemartee@aol.com.