At some point, all home or business owners will want to take steps to keep wild animals off their property. There are various methods to choose from, but using a wild animal repellent is typically a simple way to do the job yourself without having to pay for a professional to keep the animals away. Of course, you will also want to clean your property to remove any items that make the area more attractive for wild animals by providing food or shelter. If either of these things are present, the wild animal repellent will be much less effective.

Cautions Against Repellent
It is true that animal repellents are generally fairly affordable and sometimes effective at getting animals off your property, but they are not always the best option. The thing to remember is that if an animal has food and shelter, they will feel safe on your property. This may make them willing to put up with the minor discomfort caused by whatever deterrent you choose to use.
Additionally, if you do successfully keep the animal in question away from your property and it was used to this area, you may be unknowingly decreasing its chance of survival. The animal will be used to finding food, water, and shelter near or on your property and will know exactly how to hide from predators in the area. If they move, they will have to discover all these things again, leaving them at risk of starvation or becoming prey. Depending on the species, it is also possible that they will have to enter another animal's territory, leading to a physical confrontation that can cause injury.
With those cautions in mind, a repellent can still be a useful way to deter animals and there is a possibility that the animal will survive their move. You simply have to select the ideal deterrent for the situation from one of the following options.

Store Bought Repellents
For the majority of people, buying a repellent will be easier than making your own as it requires less effort. You can find store-bought repellents in the form of sprays, liquids, pellets, and powders. Each of these has been formulated to repel wild animals, typically via the scent. When looking at store-bought options, however, you must pay close attention to the ingredients and formula. Many will contain harsh chemicals that can be harmful to the environment or your family. If you select a store-bought repellent, it is ideal to pick a natural one. Keep in mind, however, that even many of these purchased deterrents, whether natural or chemical in nature, will not be effective. They may simply be a minor annoyance to the wild animals and in some cases they won't have any effect at all. As such, you should treat these methods as a first step that may or may not give you the results you want.

Natural Repellents
A more affordable type of wild animal repellent is a homemade natural one as these can typically be mixed from items you already have at home. You can boil a crushed garlic to make a spray that will be fine for your plants and completely natural, but deter deer and rabbits.
Another common natural repellent is using human hair or dog fur. This method will work as a temporary animal repellent, but the major disadvantage is that the scent will naturally evaporate within three or so days, meaning you have to reapply it. Unless you have been saving up your hair and/or dog fur for months, you will probably run out quickly.
You can also create your own natural repellent using soapy water, urine (human or predator), a solution with dissolved chilis, or specific herbs and essential oils, including geranium, pyrethrum, mint, and lavender.
Keep in mind, however, that no matter which of the natural repellents you use, you will have to reapply it at least every few weeks and most likely after every rainfall. While chemical-based repellents will last longer, they can be toxic to the environment and your family.

Sounds And Light
When you start looking at wild animal repellents, both store-bought and ones you can create yourself, you will most likely see many suggestions for those that utilize light or sounds. Ultrasonic deterrents in particular are very popular and these claim to operate at a frequency that only the animals can hear so you won't be disturbed. While manufacturers of ultrasonic repellents will tell you that they work, you will find very mixed reviews and no concrete studies to back up their claims.
The other common option is using bright lights, which will theoretically scare away the wild animals, particularly nocturnal ones. As with the ultrasonic deterrents, they may not actually be effective and it is likely that an animal will put up with the annoyance of added light to have access to food and shelter, especially if young are present. If the bright lights do keep away the wild animals, they will probably still attract other, smaller pests, such as mosquitoes. Instead of using a wild animal repellent, your best option is to consult a professional as they will help you come up with an effective solution that doesn't endanger the health of your family or the animal in question.

Read the Pest Wildlife Home Page page for helpful information and to learn more about Wild Animal Repellent