Squirrels
Squirrels are the number one invaders, while raccoons are
five to six times more prevalent in suburban areas than in
the wild. These critters are described as nuisance animals.
But sometimes they can cause a lot of damage to your home
and sometimes fires. (By chewing on electrical wires.) If
you think you have a nuisance animal in your home give us a
call.
We pride ourselves on fast and effective animal
removal. With our Licensed Trapper you can be assured of
receiving a safe and humane solution to your nuisance animal
problems.
Nuisance concerns: Squirrels have easily adapted to humans. They frequently use buildings as nesting areas. Squirrels love to stay in an attic or soffit. They often find a small opening and will chew a wider hole to gain access to the building. They bring nesting material into the home, and make quite a bit of noise scurrying around and catching nuts. They often fall down the chimney flu and make a lot of noise or enter the fireplace. Sometimes they fall down a wall from the attic and get stuck. They often chew their way into commercial buildings or apartments. They often enter the attic through the gable vent. Squirrels can cause a fire hazard in homes by bringing in nesting material, and by chewing on power lines. Squirrels can leave behind a lot of droppings and urine in the attic. The droppings not only smell bad, but they pose a biohazardous risk, and the smell attracts new squirrels. I highly recommend attic decontamination services if you've had squirrels living in your attic.
Wondering how to get rid of squirrels? There is no magic spray or device that you can use to make them go away. Some people try to sell predator urine, such as coyote or fox urine to get rid of squirrels, but that doesn't work. They also try to sell ultrasonic sound emitters. These devices are worthless at eliminating squirrels. Some old wive's tales recommend the use of mothballs or ammonia-soaked rags to make them leave, but I've been to countless homes where these techniques failed - biologists know that these attempts won't work. The ONE AND ONLY WAY to take care of your problem is with trapping and removal of the animals.
Raccoons
Raccoons are usually classified as a pest species due to
their habits of living in human dwellings. The most common
complaints include the following:
• Raccoons living in
the attic
• Raccoons living in the chimney
• Tipping
over garbage cans
• Stealing pet food or bird seed
•
Sick, potentially rabid raccoon
• Presence is alarming
dogs/pets
For these reasons, many people wish to have
this nuisance animal trapped and removed. BEHAVIOR: Raccoons
are talented animals, and very well-adapted to live in
almost any setting with ample food and water sources -
including urban and suburban areas. Raccoons have a variety
of skills that allow them to exhibit a variety of behaviors,
most revolving around the basics: foraging for food and
seeking shelter. Regarding the former, raccoons are
omnivores, and opportunistic. They will eat from garbage
cans (which they open the lids of or tip over) and dumpsters
(which they sometimes get stuck in), and they will often
steal pet food. Dog or cat food left outside is pretty much
an open invitation to a raccoon, as the animal has no fear
of any dog or cat, or oftentimes, human. If the pet food is
indoors, the crafty raccoon will still get to it - they will
rip open a screen to get inside the patio where the food is
laid out, and will often find the food storage, and break
into that as well. I've frequently observed raccoons
entering pet doors and eating the pet food inside the house.
In one case, raccoons were entering the pet door, going
through the kitchen, down the hallway, across the living
room, into the parlor, and up on the piano to the cat food
bowl. Amazing! Raccoons are primarily nocturnal, so most of
this mischief happens at night.
RACCOON FACTS:
ARE
THEY BAD ANIMALS? Certainly not. They can be described as
cute and talented, and are well adapted to survive in both
the forest and the city. They get into trouble with people
because they are so adaptable, clever, and handy. As with
all animals, they usually just do what they need to do to
survive. Oftentimes this means ripping a hole in your roof
and living in your attic. It's true that once inside, they
can really trash the place. They will usually rip up the
duct work, tear the insulation off of pipes, rip up wires,
trample or pull up the insulation, rip off any paper lining,
and sometimes even damage wood joists. The bigger problem
may be the biohazardous contamination they cause. They
urinate and defecate in the attic, and the droppings can
contain raccoon roundworm - transferrable to humans, or
diseases such as canine distemper, transferrable to your
pets. They also may bring in the fleas and other parasites
associated with wild animals. It's just the way they are.
They also get into trouble with those nimble hands. They'll
break into and open anything they can find, so people may
find the trash cans knocked down, or the pet food bag in the
garage ripped apart. They're just looking for food.
BUT
DON'T THEY HAVE RABIES? Many people seem to believe that all
raccoons carry rabies - a disease that is highly
misunderstood. First of all, rabies is a virus, contracted
in via an infected animal - raccoons are not born with
rabies any more than you are. Second, if a raccoon does
contract rabies, it's going to die. It doesn't just happily
go about its business, ready to infect any person it comes
close to. Third, the virus is only transferrable in the very
short-lived contagious stage, in which the animal is in the
throws of death - walking in circles, hind legs possibly
paralyzed, foaming at the mouth, etc. At this time, the
virus is transeferrable via saliva. I, along with almost
every nuisance wildlife expert in the country, I'm sure, am
called constantly with reports of rabid raccoons: "but I saw
it outside in the daytime!". If it looked healthy, it didn't
have contagious rabies. Sometimes raccoons simply forage
during the day - after all, haven't you ever gotten out of
bed for a midnight snack? Finally, for whatever reason,
there's only been one documented case of rabies transmission
from raccoon to human in the US. Most cases of human
infection are due to bats.
HOW DO I REMOVE THEM MYSELF?
There's a reason professional wildlife trapping companies
exist. First of all, it's probably illegal for you to trap
and remove and relocate armadillos on your own in the state
you live. In many states, because the raccoon is a rabies
vector, it's often illegal to relocate them. Most private
citizens don't have the means to humanely euthanize trapped
wildlife and properly dispose of or cremate the carcass.
Other regional laws regarding wildlife trapping may prevent
you from self-trapping as well. Second of all, for those
that lack experience, mistake abound. I've seen firsthand my
share of big mistakes - from catching non-target animals
like the neighbor's cat, to setting the trap in the wrong
area and seeing a trapped raccoon tear up adjacent screens
or wires, to causing the animal to suffer, to being badly
bitten while attempting to move the
Opossum
Opossums are unique for several reasons. They are the only North American marsupials. This means that females have a pouch on the belly where the young, up to 13, are carried and nourished for a time after their birth. Opossums also have a prehensile tail, from which they occasionally hang. They are also known for "playing possum", or feigning death, as a defense tactic. Adult opossums are typically about two feet long and about ten pounds. They are omnivorous, and will eat almost anything, including carrion and garbage. Opossums are excellent climbers, and have a very strong immune system. They are nocturnal.
Nuisance concerns: The opossum complaints received are usually due to one of four reasons:
1) They have taken up residence under a porch or shed.
2) They are stealing garbage, pet food, or harassing pets.
3) They have taken up residence in an attic.
4) They have invaded a home.
I frequently deal with possums in attics, a fact which surprises many people. Opossums in attics can leave quite a mess with their large droppings. Opossums can also carry various parasites and diseases. They are not the cleanest of animals, and carry a strong odor.
Wondering how to get rid of opossums? There is no magic spray or device that you can use to make them go away. Some people try to sell predator urine, such as coyote or fox urine to get rid of possums, but that doesn't work. They also try to sell ultrasonic sound emitters. These devices are worthless at eliminating opossums. Some old wive's tales recommend the use of mothballs or ammonia-soaked rags to make them leave, but I've been to countless homes where these techniques failed - biologists know that these attempts won't work. The ONE AND ONLY WAY to take care of your problem is with trapping and removal of the animals.
