Martens have very sensitive noses, which is why they are particularly sensitive to smells. This can be used to keep martens away from cars, attics and barns. Find out below which scents martens do not like and how to use them effectively.

Martens have a very sensitive nose

Which smells do martens not like?

There are two types of smells that martens don't like: one they are afraid of, the other they just don't like.

smell of enemy

Martens have enemies. This includes animals that are the same size or larger than you and have sharp teeth, such as cats, dogs, bears or foxes. These animals generally avoid martens, which is why their scent can be used to repel martens, e.g. in the form of hair, faeces or urine. For example, you can distribute used cat litter in your attic, put your dog's leftovers in window openings (for hygiene reasons, it is best to use a bag) or distribute hair in the engine compartment of your car.
If you don't have a pet handy, you can buy fox urine or special anti-marten sprays from specialist retailers or online. Human urine is also said to have shown success.

tips

Of course, a real pet works even better than any dog or cat hair. However, the cat or dog should be of a good size, especially if there is a marten, so that they can emerge victorious in the event of a dispute. An aggressive marten can certainly kill a cat.

Unpleasant smells

In addition to smells of danger, there are a number of other scents that martens don't like. Among them are fragrances that are very pleasant for us, such as:

  • citrus scents
  • essential oils (especially with citrus notes)
  • toilet balls
  • mothballs
  • cloves

and others that we don't like either:

  • vinegar
  • petroleum
  • diesel

Easily flammable fragrances such as diesel or petroleum should be placed in safe containers and far away from any source of fire.

Use scents sensibly against martens

Scents dissipate quickly, especially when it comes to essential oils. Therefore, perseverance is required when using scents to deter martens: It is best to renew your scents every two to three days and combine different scents. Use the scents primarily at entry points such as windows, gutters or crevices in walls.

Special case engine compartment

Fragrances can also help in the car, but their use here is limited because the substances evaporate when the car is moved. Did you know that martens usually only bite hoses if there was another marten in the car in front of them? Therefore, most of the damage is reported during the mating season, when martens leave their territory to look for a partner. For this reason, it often helps to clean the engine compartment more often, especially at this time (June to August). This removes scent notes from rivals and should a marten settle down here to sleep, it will not cause any damage.

tips

For additional protection, prepare scented bags (made of fabric or plastic with holes) that you add various scents that martens don't like. Put several of these bags in the engine compartment in the evening and remove them again in the morning. Renew the fragrances in the sachets at least once a week.

Category:

Animals in the garden