Think you have squirrels?
Here are some common signs that squirrels may have moved in:
- Hearing unusual noises (i.e. scratching, chewing, chattering, or play wrestling)
- Foul musky odor
- Damage to your home (i.e. ceiling stains, chewing of soffit, gutters, shingles, fascia)
- Squirrel droppings
- Nests
- Discarded food dropping or hoarding of food
Squirrels are most active at dawn and dusk leaving their nest to forage during the day then coming back before night. Squirrels, like most rodents have teeth that are constantly growing, therefore; they can cause damage to your roof, electrical wires, and harm the structural integrity of your home. They can be more active in the spring and fall since they breed twice a year. If you have determined that your new roommate is a squirrel, then the only way to evict them is to trap the unwanted guests. After they have been caught it is important to seal up any holes or entrances, they have made. Squirrels are more likely to move into places other squirrels have used, so if the hole goes unchecked, you are more prone to a worse infestation the second time around. To ensure that the remaining pheromones are eliminated, it is best to vacuum out all contaminated insulation, disinfect to remove all traces of pheromones, and then install new insulation up to code.
How do you know you have raccoonS?
Some common signs of raccoons are:
- Noises such as thumping, walking, or vocal sounds
- Ripping of soffit, gable vents, ridge vents, and roofline
- Entrance holes that can be the size of a cantaloupe
Raccoon are active at night and are rarely seen during the day. Raccoons are omnivores, meaning that they will eat anything from fruits and insects to pet or people food. This can cause them to make homes in your attic, especially if your home has entrances made by other critters (i.e. squirrels). They are known to kill squirrels and take over their nest. It’s more likely to have a female raccoon in your attic in the summer and winter, when breeding is high. Females look for a safe place to have their litter of 3-5 pups and the pheromones left behind will bring them back to the same place every year. If you have determined that your new guest is a raccoon, then the best way to rid yourself of them is through trapping. After they have been caught, it is important to seal up any holes or entrances they have made. Then to ensure that the remaining pheromones are eliminated, it is best to vacuum out all contaminated insulation, disinfect to remove all traces of pheromones, and then install new insulation up to code.
Think a fox has made your backyard their feeding ground?
Some common signs of foxes:
- A pungent, musky smell
- Vocal noises (i.e. bark, scream, howl, yap, growl, or make sounds like a hiccup)
- Droppings in prominent places
- Trampled plants
- Dug up flowerbeds
- Holes in the lawn
- Chewed up shoes or toys
- Half-eaten fruit (if you have fruit trees or bushes)
- Damage to fences, wire mesh, or hose pipes
- Trash was strewn across your garden
Foxes are mostly active during early morning and early hours of the evening. They live in fairly suburban areas and are naturally shy and reclusive. They are normally solitary except for in the winter when their breeding starts until midsummer. They can create dens under your sheds or decks and the same den may be used for generations. With foxes, there is no need to worry about your pets. However, if you own chickens or a garden, they can wreak havoc. They are sneaky predators who will feed on your small farm animals or dig through your garbage.
Bats think your house is their new cave?
Some common signs of bats are:
- Smelling ammonia
- Hearing squeaks and buzz noises
- Seeing brown or black stains on the siding or overhang
Bats are nocturnal, and they sleep in roosts during the day, emerging at dusk. If they are living in your home, they will crawl to the edge and fly out. Females are more commonly known to roost in man-made structures.
This will cause your home to becoming the breeding ground for them. Look for holes along the edges of your roof. Colonies of bat droppings and urine corrode wood/metal, but the weight of them can collapse the ceiling below the attic.
Are birds causing you problems?
Are they:
- Roosting on or in building
- Leaving droppings everywhere
- Woodpeckers destroying wood home (need to be handled separately based on conditions)
- Chimney Swifts living in chimney
- Getting into your bathroom vent, microwave vent and dryer vent
Different birds pose different problems. They will often roost on ledges, sills, beams, signs, attics, AC units, ductwork, etc.
Birds nesting in your home can leave behind feathers, nesting materials, fleas, or mites, and of course droppings. Birds can either lay clutches of eggs all year around or during the spring.
Finding burrows near your home?
Groundhogs often:
- Create large burrows next to home
- Create large burrows under the deck
- Leave signs of your garden/lawn being eaten
Groundhogs are primarily active during the daytime. They create tunnels and burrows underground, where the live and can raise anywhere from 3 to 6 of their young come springtime.
They can climb and swim, but they will mostly be found on your lawn or in your garden foraging for vegetation.
They will eat through your garden and lawns for the most of the summer to fatten up for hibernation in the winter.
Snake in your boot?
Here's how you'll know if you have snakes:
You will often find a snake out in your yard on warm sunny days, since they are reptiles. Occasionally, they must bask in the sun to raise their body temperatures.
However, if they need to cool down, they prefer to hide under heavy cover, so be careful moving/lifting up patio covers, pool covers, or leaf beds. Mostly all the snake you will run into are not venomous and pretty much none of them are aggressive.
Most snakes will slither away when you approach. Some will stand their ground but if you leave them alone, they will leave you alone.
Lawn getting soft and spongy?
Signs it might be moles:
- Ridges from tunnels all over yard
- Large hill piles of dirt
- Ground feels spongy
- Lawn and landscape destruction
Moles are subterranean animals and dig a network of tunnels and chambers, unlike groundhogs they are smaller and do not emerge from the ground.
They are territorial, so your problem is probably caused by one mole. They primarily eat earthworms or underground insects.
This means moles will turn your whole yard into their feeding grounds and tunnel system.
Rats chewing holes in your food and walls?
Some common signs are:
- Scratching in the attic
- Scratching in the walls
- Leaving droppings everywhere
- Gnawing on electrical wires
Rats are nocturnal animals, and wait until its quiet to search for food. Rats are mostly found in your attic or basement where they chew and destroy electrical wires, which can cause electrical shorts, or fire risks, or sometimes chew on PVC plumbing and cause water leaks.
Rats have continuously growing teeth causing them to chew to wear down. They mate all year round and can have an average of 5 litters a year.
Garbage going missing?
Common signs of possums
- Garbage is rummaged through
- Missing pet food
- Distressed pets
- Droppings in attic
Possums are nocturnal, nomadic and opportunistic scavengers.
Possums will eat pretty much anything, meat, trash, pet food, etc. The females will often find a home in human structures such as, sheds, decks, and attics.
They will often destroy and defecate all over the area they make home.
