Uninvited wildlife in the property?
How to deal with this situation correctly
Hedgehogs, birds or martens occasionally stray into our residential areas. This is often because they are looking for food or a nesting site or, in the worst case, are sick or injured.
The correct way to deal with these unusual visitors depends on the situation. The first thing you do is keep a close eye on the animal. Is the animal lost or is it obviously injured?
If you think the animal is just lost, give it some time to find its way. If it is inside the property, pick it up gently with gloves or a cloth and take it back outside. Do not carry the animal too far away, as its nest may be nearby, possibly with young animals in it.
If you have found a sick, slightly injured or even dead wild animal, you can take it to the rescue centre responsible. This applies to small wild animals such as hedgehogs, birds or bats. For larger wild animals, such as a deer, contact your local game warden or the police.
Rescue centres are often regional. You can find them on the internet, for example by searching for the following centres in your region:
- Wildlife advisory centre
- Aviaries, bird care centre, bird rescue centre, bat protection centre
- Hedgehog rescue centre, hedgehog centre, hedgehog association
- Fox hotline
- Centres for the protection of hornets, wasps and bees
- Squirrel centre, squirrel hotline
- Animal clinic, animal ward, animal welfare centre
To transport the animal, gently pick it up with a cloth and place it in a box with an air supply or in a cloth bag. Please note that a weak or injured animal may scratch or bite due to pain and stress. Wearing gloves is therefore strongly recommended. This is because pathogens can be transmitted by all wild animals. If the animal is acting aggressively, it is better to keep a distance and talk to a specialist.
If an animal is seriously injured, it is best to take it to the nearest veterinarian. Outside veterinary consultation hours, call the emergency veterinary service.
If birds or wasps are nesting under the roof, do not remove the nests yourself. This puts you at risk and the animals are usually protected species. Please inform us or your property manager so that everything necessary can be arranged. The same applies to sharing your home with unwanted martens or dormice that have settled in the attic. If you are a Livit tenant, the easiest way to contact our property management team is by using the contact form.
Good to know – feeding wild animals
Wild animals can find everything they need in our towns and villages: food, hiding places and companions. Compost heaps, food scraps, open rubbish bins and animal feed make it easy for them to access food. In addition, there are many places where wild animals can shelter: hedges, old trees, crevices and niches in buildings and walls, cavities under roofs, garages and sheds, as well as unfenced and overgrown gardens.
Co-existence is usually unproblematic. It is important to know that wild animals can cope well with food shortages and are not dependent on our care. Because of direct or unintentional feeding, wild animals lose this ability and their fear of us humans. They can also become seriously ill. Therefore, please do not feed wild animals, and dispose of food scraps and rubbish properly.
By the way, you can find more questions and answers in our FAQ.