I have been asked many times how to deal with wildlife that make our backyards their homes. Many people look on deer, raccoons and armadillos as unwelcome visitors. Squirrels, possums and rabbits also make the cut for animals that some people regard as pests. As I have noted before, because of the diversity of species involved and their myriad impacts, no generic response will suffice. Each visitor presents a different problem and different solution, if there is one. Having been faced with such backyard wildlife problems myself, including deer eating the pansies, possums drinking the hummingbird mix and endless squirrels at bird feeders, I appreciate the search for solutions. Following are three suggestions for how to deal with a pesky wildlife visitor.

Solution 1. Eliminate the pest. Most people are unwilling or unable to take the steps necessary to eliminate a pest animal. Some cite moral reasons. Some would be under legal constraints because of game species regulations or county ordinances. Some simply do not have a gun or the necessary traps. Besides, removing the culprit may be only a short-term solution as, more often than not, replacements will fill the void. Transporting a raccoon a mile away may not be far enough to prevent a return to its home—and yours. And if it is permanently removed, other raccoons in the area will appreciate having a vacancy to fill. Removal is not a viable option for most homeowners.

Solution 2. Remove the target that attracts the pest. A second level of defense is to remove the object of interest. When suburban wildlife causes a problem, people are usually the ones who set up the situation that attracted the unwanted guest in the first place. We object when deer eat nonnative horticultural plants that we planted to replace native vegetation that had already adapted to being grazed by deer. One way to deal with deer is not to invite them to the dinner table. If you do, then don’t expect them not to eat the food. Likewise, when we put out seed intended for birds, squirrels can become abundant in the yard, not to mention overweight. Raccoons and possums follow up with nightly raids to finish off any food that’s left at the feeders or in outdoor pet bowls. And rabbits? Who planted the garden the rabbit is munching on?

Removing access to a food source can be permanent or temporary. Bird feeders can be brought inside at night and put back in the morning. Proper fencing can ward off hungry deer and rabbits. But these solutions are time-consuming and expensive, and they offer no relief to people who only want to attract birds. And the problem some people have with squirrels outcompeting their favorite birds cannot be solved by removing the feeders. Armadillos present a different problem. These prehistoric-looking mammals have now spread across the Southeast. They can show up for no apparent reason, root around for grubs in the yard and dig a burrow or two. In a natural wooded area, armadillos leave a little trail through the woods with occasional diggings and burrows that other animals get to use when the armadillo leaves. But suburban communities generally have immaculate lawns rather than natural woods. My own approach to armadillos is to leave them alone and let them wander from my yard to my neighbor’s yard. They never stay for long.

Solution 3. Accept the animal. T his is my approach: to remind myself that many native species consider our home to be their home because it was theirs before it was ours. Most people know this but nonetheless feel a sense of entitlement. Acceptance of all wildlife is almost certainly the least stressful approach to dealing with uninvited visitors. And when we recognize that the food we put out or lawn conditions we have created is what attracted them, it’s the most logical too. Just enjoy having so many friends.

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