Muskrat Removal
Muskrat Removal and Control
Did you know that muskrats can easily give birth to 1 to 3 litters with 5 to 10 pups per year?
With their high birth rate, it’s easy for an area to get overrun with muskrats. These so-called water rats can cause much property damage and financial issues.
Muskrats are large rodents that can grow up to two feet long and weigh two to four pounds. They are covered in short, dense fur, typically in shades of gray, blonde, and brown. The tail is vertically flattened, working as a rudder to help it swim in lakes, ponds, and slow-moving streams.
Muskrats are often called the “dainty feeders” due to their herbivorous diet. They can feed on aquatic plants like sedges, duck potatoes, tubers, and cattails.
Muskrats can be aggressive, attacking minks, dogs, and even humans if they feel cornered or threatened. You may contract tularemia, giardiasis, leptospirosis, or rabies if you get attacked. Also, you must be careful during twilight, as muskrats are nocturnal.
Signs of Muskrats
It’s common to see signs of muskrats if your property is near shallow bodies of water because they love to build lodges using mud and aquatic plants.
They also often make burrows with entrances that are about six to eight inches in diameter. Unfortunately, their burrowing often leads to leaking dams, collapsed banks, and drained ponds.
Muskrats also love to eat grain crops, leaving many partially eaten crops and aquatic plants. You may also find gnaw markings on trees, docks, and wooden platforms near water bodies.
Be sure to look for their tracks, which show four toes in the front and five in the back with visible tail marks and claws. For their droppings, they are typically on dry and high surfaces like logs, wood stumps, and rocks.
Our Muscrat Removal and Control Process
We begin our services by inspecting the property and surrounding area for any signs of muskrats.
The inspection will help us understand why the muskrats moved to that area and how we can reduce their numbers. It also allows us to list the damaged sites for repair or replacement.
Once the inspection is over, when we find muskrats are present, we use humane to get rid of them. Don’t worry about the trapping methods as they are humane and do not injure the animals and environment.
In addition to trapping, we will discuss a few control methods, such as using electronic repellants and installing fencing.
Why Choose Us
Since muskrats can reproduce rapidly, it is crucial to quickly call for muskrat removal and control services. If you live near shallow-bodied water, routinely check your property for signs of muskrats.
If you suspect the large furry wild animals lurking on your property are muskrats, trust Wilkins Wildlife to offer you the best, most affordable, safe, human and effective muskrat removal and control services.
We service the Eastern Shore of Delaware, Maryland and Virginia.