When it’s time to clean your grill and prepare for the first barbecue of the season, the last thing you expect to see is a wildlife nest. Find out why birds and squirrels are motivated to build a nest in your outdoor appliances and where to turn for humane wildlife removal.

Why Do Wildlife Build Nests in Outdoor Appliances?

Squirrels and birds look for a comfortable place to build a nest in the spring. This spot needs to be safe, hidden and have access to a food source.

Your grill and other outdoor appliances are covered from the elements. It’s also hidden from the watchful eyes of birds of prey. Unless you’ve been using your appliance all winter long, it’s likely to seem like an unoccupied area of your property.

If your grill wasn’t thoroughly cleaned, it has a few tasty morsels for birds, squirrels or mice. A little food incentive is all these animals need to start moving in.

Once in your appliance, wildlife can be very difficult to safely remove. Destroying a nest could cause harm to the babies or eggs. Squirrels, birds and other wildlife can carry diseases. Feces, urine and fur can be difficult to fully clean out of appliances, and failure to do so could risk spreading diseases.

What Are the Signs That An Animal Is Building a Nest?

Squirrels and birds are messy homeowners. Once they build a nest in your outdoor appliance, you can expect to see droppings and pieces of nest material all around it

Listen for sounds of wildlife in your outdoor appliances. These animals are noisy neighbours, so you can expect to hear chattering, chirping and rustling.

A key step in wildlife prevention is spotting the signs of an animal looking to nest. An outdoor appliance isn’t always the first choice for animals. Clayton Mallett, a Skedaddle technician, recently worked with a customer who saw starlings flying around his backyard for some time. The customer tried to remove a nest and discourage the starlings from moving into his shed. “The next thing he knew,” recounts Mallett, “He had a nest with eggs and a few days later, newborn baby starlings!”

Don’t attempt to remove wildlife on your own or identify a nest location without professional assistance. Trust your local team at Skedaddle Humane Wildlife Control to safely remove nests, and find a humane way to deter wildlife in the future.

How Can You Prevent Nests in Appliances?

There are some steps you can take to make your grill look less like the perfect nesting site. Consider taking one or more of these steps to protect your property from wildlife tenants:

• Clean appliances after every use
• Place a zipper cover over your grill
• Remove any cardboard, newspaper and other nesting material
• Close vents and other openings

These strategies provide some protection against wildlife, but they may not be enough for determined birds and squirrels. Don’t attempt to remove a nest already in place or clean up your appliance after finding a nest in it. Choose a professional solution for thorough prevention, removal and sanitation services.

If prevention is too late, your team at Skedaddle can humanely remove nests and clean up after your unwanted animal neighbours. After removing nest materials, a technician can assist you with prevention strategies to keep your grill clean and ready for your first barbecue of the season.

Who Offers Humane Nest and Wildlife Removal?

There are a lot of unique places where wildlife can build nests, but there’s only one Skedaddle. Contact us today to schedule an inspection or to remove a nest from your grill or other outdoor appliance.