The marten comes at night and in fog: First you hear pounding on the attic and loft, then you find droppings and remains of prey. We’ll tell you how to get martens out of the attic.
The stone marten (Martes foina) belongs to the order of predators. It is smaller and shorter-legged than a cat and has a slender body with a bushy tail.
The fur is milk chocolate brown with white markings in the neck area that forks on the front legs. The oval paw shape with five toes make his prints easily recognizable on loose ground or in the snow.
Especially in cities and settlements, the marten rummages through garbage cans and compost heaps in search of food. Dog or cat food that well-meaning people may have left out to feed hedgehogs is also popular as food.
Keep martens away
In order to keep martens away, you should therefore make sure that all garbage cans are always tightly closed and that no food remains on the compost. Those who do not have to be considerate of their own pets can also place repellants for dogs and cats, as their smell also drives away martens.
In order to prevent the marten from nesting in the attic or in the shed, you must also close all loopholes with wire mesh. The slender and agile animals get through the smallest gaps with a diameter of five centimeters.
Also remove climbing aids and cut back the branches of the trees near the house, which can serve as a climbing aid for the marten.
Possible access for the Mader can be a tree near the house or any attached roof and greenery. Anything leaning against the house is also a welcome climbing aid for the Mader. Loose roof tiles, bent lead seals and roof transitions also serve as access to the attic.
As additional protection against martens, you can also secure the downpipes of the rain gutter with wire spirals or crumpled wire mesh. If you keep having problems with martens, it is worth putting up a special electric fence to ward off martens.
Drive away martens with home remedies
Once the marten has established itself, it is difficult to get rid of it. The best method is to disturb him until he voluntarily leaves his hiding place.
Home remedies to drive away martens primarily target the animals’ sensitive sensory organs. For example, the following methods have proven effective:
- Loud noises: A radio or other source of noise in the attic disturbs the marten. Since the animals are very intelligent, the device should be able to be switched on and off at different times so that the marten does not detect a pattern and learns to avoid the noises. Ultrasound devices that drive martens away are also commercially available.
- Disturbances: go to the attic several times a day, step loudly, and move items around. The constant changes and unrest make your attic unattractive as a marten hideout.
- Odors: Toilet stones or dog hair have long been known as home remedies to keep martens away from the car. The effects of these fragrances can also be used in the attic. In severe cases, you can use special pest control agents to repel marten, which for example target the animals’ taste perception. However, these measures are only suitable for driving away martens in the short term.
Important: It is best to drive away martens in the winter months, under no circumstances in spring or summer. Otherwise it can happen that the marten mother escapes from the attic and leaves her young behind.
Catch martens
Martens are difficult to catch. If you cannot drive the marten away, do not resort to draconian measures, but instead contact the responsible hunter. As a specialist, he has the necessary know-how as well as traps and materials to catch the marten.
Martens are wild animals and are subject to hunting law. Private individuals are not authorized to catch or kill martens. For this reason you should never poison the marten – otherwise you will be liable to prosecution.
As soon as the marten has been caught and you and the hunter have checked that the attic is free of marten, close all entrances immediately. This will prevent more martens from nesting in the attic.
Under no circumstances should you close the entrances as long as the marten lives in the attic. Otherwise, the animal will starve to death and retreat to an angle to die, exposing you to the smell of putrefaction.
