How Storms Affect Animal Behavior

Animals can behave erratically during stormy weather. Heavy rains and hail can be disorienting if they're caught without warning, and bad weather might make it too hard to get back to their nests. Generally, these behaviors won't pose a direct risk to your safety. But they can increase your home's risk of power outages and wildlife damage. Learn more about the risks and what you can do to prevent them.

Unusual Animal Behaviors During Storms

Your home is vulnerable to nesting birds and rodents even when the skies are clear. However, during heavy storms, animals may be even more willing to invade your home for shelter and food. During storms and in the aftermath of bad weather, keep an eye out for animals showing these disruptive behaviors:

Seeking Shelter

All animals seek shelter from rain, wind, and cold. You might see rodents running to overhangs that keep back the elements, or you might have birds clustering along your gutters and nooks because flying through the wind is dangerous. Even if they stay for just a few days, they can damage your home's exterior and invite other pests or rodents into your home.

Disorientation and Panic

Bad weather can also confuse animals. Rain can dissipate familiar smells, overwhelm their senses, and even make them aggressive. That panic can send them running into your home through open doors or up power lines instead of trees. 

Flooding and Habitat Displacement

After severe rain, animals may not be able to get back to their underground nests because of flooding. Rodents, snakes, and other wildlife might scale utility poles to get off the ground, and they can move down the lines right to your rooftops as they search for shelter. Once they're there, they can create nests, damage your home, and cause infestations.

The best defense against erratic animal behavior and storm-related nesting is proactive deterrents. At Critter Guard, we create physical barriers designed to keep animals from climbing utility poles and across power lines to access homes and other buildings. To learn more about our wildlife control products, contact us today!