People tend not to think much or worry about wild animals making shelter in their homes — until it’s too late, that is.

Dealing with animals trying to get into a home can feel completely random to homeowners; it seems like there’s no explanation as to why a particular home was chosen. But it’s entirely possible we are unwittingly allowing or even luring wildlife inside.

Marin County sees an influx of critter issues in the spring each year, especially with raccoons and squirrels looking for safe places to nest during their birthing seasons. And with ongoing construction raising the risk of displacing wildlife, even more wayward animals could be looking for new homes in the spring.

Thankfully, there’s plenty of things Marin County homeowners can do to protect themselves and their properties.

Step one is simply understanding that your home is fallible; it’s not the animal-proof fortress you may think it is. Homeowners should spend the spring and summer months keeping watch for the signs of animal activity in and around their homes.

At this time of year, our region is filled with wandering raccoons, looking for a safe place to give birth to their litters.

They most frequently make their homes in attics, so if you hear any rustling noises coming from your attic in the night, don’t write it off as a creaky house: It’s worth it to discern if you have a raccoon or another critter up there.

You may be tempted to just hope there’s nothing wrong, but if it is a raccoon, squirrel, rodent or another critter, it’s best to find that out and handle it as soon as possible.

These little animals can do huge damage to your home. Raccoons are much stronger than many might think and can rip up your insulation or destroy fixtures. Even worse, if rodents start making their way around your attic or walls, they can start calamitous fires thanks to their penchant for chewing on electrical wiring.

Our area is also native to a wide variety of snake species, fatally venomous rattlesnakes among them. Rattlesnakes start hanging out inside and underneath homes at this time of year to beat the heat and search for food. If you hear the hissing, buzzing or rattling sounds they’re known to make when feeling threatened, be sure not to engage and seek out professional assistance.

The best way to handle a home critter issue is to prevent it from happening altogether. Thankfully, that often doesn’t involve too much work on your end.

It sounds like a cliché, but raccoons really are often in search of food from your trash cans.

One of the best ways to get them to quickly move along from your house is to keep all outdoor trash containers sealed tight. Yes, it’s annoying to fully unseal loud, bulky trash cans every time you’re taking trash out. But you know what’s more annoying? A raccoon giving birth to a litter of babies in your attic.

Marin County is home to a greater variety of squirrel species than you can find anywhere on the East Coast (even squirrels prefer living on the West Coast), which means you’ll need to do your best to keep them all out of your home, especially at this time of year when they’re hoping to birth their litters in your home. Squirrels often attempt to access homes from the roof, so be sure to keep all nearby tree branches trimmed to the point that a squirrel couldn’t leap onto your roof. If you have a chimney, be sure to put a mesh cover over it, in case any tenacious squirrels still find a way to access it.

A snake problem is also often a sign that you have a rodent problem. Be sure to keep your home clear of crumbs and open food sources for mice to forage. Keeping the mice away is often the best way to keep the snakes away.

Unfortunately, there’s no way to guarantee that you’ll ward off all animals from your home this spring and summer, but thankfully, it really isn’t too hard to improve your chances of getting them to pass your home by in favor of easier opportunities.

Marin resident Nicole Harrington owns Critter Control of Novato.