Wildlife Animal Control: Which Animals Cause Concern?
Virginia is home to an abundance of wildlife. But as we continue to expand into their habitats, we start to encounter them more around our property. Luckily, we don’t have many animals that are dangerous to humans, they are just more of a nuisance. Some of these creatures have adapted pretty well to humans and can cause some major problems when they make their homes in our yards or houses. The animals we will cover today are:
- Raccoons
- Bats
- Squirrels
What Are the Benefits of Wildlife Control?
Wildlife can be a real nuisance to homeowners when they get into their homes. Animals such as raccoons, rats, and squirrels can cause major damage when they get inside. Damage caused by wildlife includes:
- Urine stains
- Chewing through drywall
- Gnawing on wooden beams
- Chewing up insulation
- Chewing through electrical wires
- Introduction of pathogens and parasites
- Allergies
Our wildlife control services will give you peace of mind knowing that wild animals can’t get into your home.
Common Wildlife Control Animals
At Connor’s Pest Pros, we have over 70 years of experience dealing with Virginia wildlife. The most common pests that we are called in to remove are raccoons, bats, and squirrels. All three of these animals can cause damage once they move in, and most times they will take some effort to get rid of.
Raccoons
Raccoons are crafty creatures that dig through your trash, destroy your lawn and garden, damage the interior of your home, and even transmit dangerous diseases to you and your pets. Raccoons are nocturnal animals, which means they’re only active at night. Because of this, it can be hard to know if you have raccoons until you spot the damage they cause. In the wild, raccoons make their homes in hollow trees and rotting logs, but they are not above putting down roots in your attic or crawl spaces.
How to Get Rid of Raccoons
Seal all gaps and openings: If raccoons have found their way into your attic, the first thing you need to do is figure out how they got there in the first place. Do a full inspection of your house to find any entry points the raccoons could be using. Seal off openings with chicken wire or caulk.
Check for babies: Even before you start taking measures to control raccoons, you must find out if there are any babies present. If there are, we recommend letting them grow. Baby raccoons will die without their mother. If you really need to get rid of them then it is highly recommended that you hire a professional wildlife control service like Connor’s Pest Pros.
Live Traps: Using live traps is a humane way of removing raccoons. All you do is set the trap and add some bait such as cat food or lunch meat. Once the raccoon is caught it can be safely transported to another location. Use caution when releasing the animal. If you need help removing a trapped raccoon, call a professional.
Bats
Bats are spectacular to watch outdoors and they can even help with controlling mosquitoes in your yard. But bats can become a problem if they decide to move into your attic. Even though bats don’t go out of their way to bite humans, they are known to carry rabies and other life-threatening diseases. Bats can also bring parasites into your home, such as fleas and ticks that can cause a host of other problems for you.
How to Get Rid of Bats
Seal Openings: If you have bats living in your attic, you don’t want to seal their only way out. One cool device for getting rid of bats is called a one-way exit valve. So when the bats all leave for the night to find food, they won’t be able to find their way back in. After all the bats are gone, seal up all entry points.
Use Smells To Deter Them: Bats have a very acute sense of smell and don’t like the smell of certain scents including mothballs, white phenol, cinnamon, or eucalyptus.
Visual Deterrents: Since bats prefer the dark, Install bright lights in your attic or crawl spaces to help deter them. Bats also are turned away by flashing or reflected light. Try hanging strips of aluminum foil, mirrors, or old CDs as bat repellent.
Call a Professional: Bats can be dangerous if you try to handle them. If you are attempting to remove bats from your home or other building, you should call a professional wildlife control service to remove them safely.
Squirrels
Squirrels and other rodents are notorious for sneaking into our homes and making a mess of things. Squirrels seek out warm places to hide starting in the fall when temperatures drop, so if you start hearing strange noises in your attic, they may have found a spot to hide out. They tend to find weak spots and openings along roof lines and attic vents. Squirrels and rodents are known to make a mess of insulation, cardboard boxes, and paper materials to make their nests.
How to Get Rid of Squirrels
Trim trees: If trees grow close to your home, make sure to cut or trim any branches that hang over your roof. This provides an easy way for Squirrels to access your roof.
Seal openings in your attic: Squirrels are able to fit through the smallest entry points in your attic. Seal off vents and openings on the inside with wire mesh or caulking.
One-way doors: One-way doors are becoming an increasingly attractive option for getting rid of animals without interacting with them.
Hire a professional pest control company: The easiest way to deal with squirrels living in your home is to hire a professional pest control company. At Connor’s Pest Pros, our experts are trained to get rid of squirrels and other wildlife. We incorporate live traps and other methods to prevent squirrels from coming back.
Expert Wildlife Control at Connor’s Pest Pros
Wild animals are lovely to watch from a distance, but they can be unpredictable and dangerous if they feel threatened. In certain cases, it is in the best interest of the animal and yourself to call a professional wildlife control service. The expert exterminators at Connor Pest Pros are capable of dealing with any animal that has invaded your home. We offer same-day servicing and a 100% satisfaction guarantee, so you can be confident we'll do the job right.