A Survival Guide: Pet Safety Tips For Cicada Season

May 08, 2024
A Survival Guide: Pet Safety Tips For Cicada Season

Ah, Nashville – known for honky-tonks, hot chicken, and every 13 years the most raucous party thrown by none other than Mother Nature herself. Yes, folks, it’s that time again. The cicadas are coming! Many neighborhoods are already seeing the quirky critters crawling out of the ground and putting on their party clothes.

Every 13 years, these exuberant insects of Brood XIX emerge from the ground for their musical jamboree, and this year, it’s Nashville’s turn to host. Now, before you go into a panic, let’s be clear: Cicadas are harmless to humans and pets. In fact, they bring some benefits to our lawns and gardens by aerating the soil and providing nutrients as they decompose. But the sheer volume of their noise—and their tendency to fluster your furry friends—can be a bit overwhelming. No matter how cool we think we are, it’s hard not to jump and freak out when a large, buzzing bug clumsily bounces off our face and lands on our head. So, we’re here to help you and your pets navigate the Cicada-palooza with some light-hearted humor and essential safety tips.

What to Expect from the Cicada Party Crashers

Cicadas aren’t subtle. They’re loud, proud, and they show up in droves. Imagine a billion miniature Elvis impersonators, each with a built-in microphone, singing the same three-note song over and over. Their clumsy wings might spook your pets, and their “chorus” could make you consider hiding in the house until the curtain closes on their dramatic performance.

The noise will be unbearable at times. Most embarrassingly, you may let out a high pitched scream when they inevitably land on you. But don’t panic! We will all survive this emergence of creepy creatures. The next 5 to 6 weeks will prove to be noisy, annoying, and possibly embarrassing for us humans who have to deal with the visitors of Brood XIX, but we will survive—and so will your pets.

A Survival Guide for Pet Parents During Cicada Season

Cicada Facts: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly

    1. Harmless: Cicadas don’t bite or sting. They’re here for a good time, not a long time. They terrify and annoy some, intrigue and amaze others.
    2. Nature’s Free Soil Conditioner: As they emerge, cicadas leave little tunnels that aerate the soil. Their remains add organic matter to the ground—your lawn will be partying long after they’ve gone.
    3. Comedy or Horror Show: Your dog or cat might think cicadas are the coolest toys ever but some pets (like humans) will be afraid of these big, clumsy bugs. Many find them fun to play with, even making a protein-packed snack out of them. Others run and hide from them.
    4. Overindulgence Hazards: Once the initial disgust factor passes when you hear that crunching sound, you can relax. As long as your dog or cat refrains from stuffing themselves, they should be just fine. However, in larger quantities, cicadas can cause intestinal blockages since the hard exoskeleton is not digestible. They can also cause digestive issues, such as vomiting and diarrhea.

Pet Safety Tips for Cicada Season

Keep these easy cicada season survival tips in mind so you can spend more time perfecting your “Aaack! A cicada just bounced off my head” dance and less time worrying about your pets:

    1. Maintain a Good Grip: When walking your dog, maintain a good grip on the leash and be prepared for sudden lunges when your dog tries to grab the flying bugs.
    2. Distract with Toys or Treats: Bring along your dog’s favorite squeaky toy or some tasty treats to distract them from chasing or eating cicadas during walks.
    3. Supervise: Keep an eye on your pets when they are outside in the yard to be sure they aren’t overindulging on their new favorite snack. Call your veterinarian if your pet exhibits signs of illness after eating cicadas, including multiple episodes of vomiting, diarrhea or constipation.
    4. Monitor For Allergies: It’s rare, but some pets may have allergic reactions to cicada proteins. Watch for signs like itching, swelling, or sneezing, and contact your vet if symptoms arise.
    5. Inspect Screens and Windows: Since many cicadas will be clinging to window screens, ensure screens are secured or windows are closed to prevent pets from pushing out screens in pursuit of the creatures.
    6. Anxiety Solutions: If your pet is noise-sensitive or nervous, create a cozy, quiet spot inside where your pet can retreat if the cicada noise becomes too overwhelming. Try playing soothing music indoors to mask the cicada songs. Consider calming products like ThunderShirts or pheromone diffusers to ease their nerves.
    7. Keep Outdoor Time Minimal: If your pet can’t control their cicada-crunching habit or is freaked out by the bugs, keep outdoor time limited to quick potty breaks and replace outdoor playtime with indoor enrichment games like these:
      • Hide and Seek: Hide your pet’s favorite toys or treats around the house and let them sniff them out.
      • Puzzle Toys: Stuff a Kong toy or use treat-dispensing puzzles to keep your pet mentally stimulated.
      • Towel Find-It Game: Roll treats inside a towel, then fold and twist it up. Let your dog unravel the towel to find the treats.
      •  Box Search: Fill a cardboard box with crumpled paper, then hide treats or toys inside. Your dog will have fun digging through the paper to find their prizes.
      • For more enrichment ideas check out this blog from Wear Wag Repeat.

Pet Safety Tips for Cicada Season

Leave the Buggy Walks to Us

Rain, shine, or cicada emergence, our team at Home Run Pet Care is here to help. Just give us a call, and we’ll brave the buggy walks for you. Just don’t laugh too hard when you hear a high pitched scream and see us bust out our best “Aaack! A cicada just landed on my head” dance. Trust us; it’s amusing. But we’re still the coolest dog walkers in town!

Conclusion

In the grand scheme of things, cicadas are just another quirky chapter in Nashville’s vibrant, unpredictable book. While their noisy celebration can be a bit much, it’s also a reminder of nature’s incredible rhythms and cycles. If you give them a chance, cicadas are really pretty entertaining and amazing creatures. Here at Home Run Pet Care, we’re ready to help your pets safely navigate this insect hootenanny with wagging tails and stress-free smiles.

Need a hand during the cicada storm? Give us a call or send an email. We’ll be your trusty sidekick through the buzzing 2024 emergence. After all, we’ve survived worse—like your dog’s embarrassing habit of peeing on the neighbor’s garden gnomes.

Keep calm, leash up, and let’s make it through Cicada Season together!

About Home Run Pet Care

Home Run Pet Care offers premier pet care services in the Nashville area, from pet sitting to dog walking, we’ve got your bases covered. Whether it’s a cicada invasion or just a rainy Wednesday, we’re here to make sure your pets feel like they hit a home run every day. For more info view our pet care services.

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