Critter Control of Northern Arizona

Get them out. Keep them out. ®

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Northern Arizona is a beautiful and diverse region in the United States known for its temperate climate with high altitudes and intense sun exposure. This area is home to a wide variety of animals that are often spotted trying to inhabit inside your home or on your property.
Wildlife encounters in rural and urban areas are happening more often today for many reasons, including land development, climate change, and invasive species. With over 800 species of wildlife in Arizona, it becomes more difficult for them to find food, water, and shelter. They begin adapting to an environment that includes humans, finding what they need in Flagstaff neighborhoods.

Critter Control Wildlife Removal Process

Critter Control is here for you every step of the way in the wildlife removal process. From inspection to removal—and even exclusion and repair—we have the services you need to get rid of raccoons, rodents, and other nuisances fast. First, we identify the animal on the property, then use humane methods to remove the animal and secure weak points where more could enter. If damage has been done, we can make those repairs for a complete restoration. Contact a Critter Control office near you today.

STEP 1

Wildlife Inspection

During the inspection we try to ascertain how many animals there are, where they are located, and how they got in. Based on what you have seen, heard and smelled, we start the inspection where you have noticed signs of animal activity. Evidence of animals inside your home include nests, dens, feces, and animal tracks. We investigate the exterior of your home looking for possible entry points, any evidence of animal damage, tracks, fur, animal waste, or rub marks.

STEP 2

Removal

We use several methods to humanely remove the animal from your home. Depending on the species, the number of animals, and the condition of your property, we develop a custom wildlife removal plan. Humane wildlife removal strategies include animal traps, one-way doors, and repellents. Once we guarantee all animals are gone, we implement exclusion techniques. Exclusion techniques provide a safe, long-term solution to nuisance wildlife in your home. We create barriers to prevent animals from getting to resources. We only apply exclusions once we are sure all animals are gone from your home.

STEP 3

Exclusion and Repair

Wildlife will damage your home. Exclusion techniques repair any damage the animal causes getting into your home. Inside your home, animals build nests and dens out of readily available material. They will create runs through the insulation. Rodents will gnaw on anything including electrical wires and pipes. Animals can also spread diseases. We apply sanitation agents to clean up feces and urine. Mammals can host pests like fleas, ticks, and mites. Ectoparasite treatments exterminate those pests so you don’t become their next host.

Raccoon Removal

Raccoons in Flagstaff are omnivores, meaning they will eat whatever they can find. Examples include insects, fruits, nuts, human food, pet food, and fish. Raccoons use their human-like hands to unlatch food storage boxes, tip over trash cans, steal garden crops, snatch chickens from a coop, dig holes in sod, grab fish in ponds, and climb trees or chimneys.

Raccoons will travel a few miles each night in search of food. They are nocturnal, but seeing them during the day does not always mean they are diseased. Raccoons have features that make them easy to identify, like their permanent black mask and striped tails. Don’t let their cuteness fool you, though. If raccoons can get into your home, they will cause a lot of destruction.

Raccoons enjoy building nests in your attic. In the process, they scratch flooring, shred insulation, rip drywall, and destroy sentimental items. They may also clog vents and ducts with materials, creating fire hazards.

In Arizona, raccoons are fur-bearing animals that may require permits during trapping seasons. Following the laws is crucial, like using correct traps and releasing them on your property. They cannot be relocated due to the potential for spreading disease. Keeping mamas and babies together is essential if a raccoon has recently given birth.

Raccoons create a space in your home where they leave feces and urine. The area should receive sanitization and ectoparasitic treatments.

Inspection

Inspection

During the inspection, we determine the severity of the raccoon infestation. We look for physical evidence like footprints in or around the home, stains from raccoon feces and urine. On the exterior of the house, we look for damage like scratches on boards, broken vents and screens, ripped apart shingles, destroyed soffits, and every possible entry point.

Trapping and Removal

Raccoon Trapping

Live trapping is one of the most efficient ways to get rid of a raccoon. Depending on the situation, a one-way door or excluder valve can be installed. An excluder valve works by allowing the raccoon to leave but blocks its reentry. The choice of device is largely dependent on the season and location of the raccoons on your property. Direct capture is not commonly used because raccoons are a rabies vector species. If we must trap, we place traps strategically to safely catch the raccoons and we check traps frequently, based on state laws.

Repairs

Repairs

We provide a wide range of repair and restoration services. We can repair raccoon damage like broken screens on vents and chimneys and broken boards on decks and porches. It is essential to apply cleaning agents and ectoparasite treatments on areas inhabited by raccoons.

Squirrel Removal

Squirrels are rodents, and multiple species of tree, rock, and ground squirrels exist in Arizona. The one you see daily in your backyard is likely the rock or tree squirrels. They are attracted to easy food sources like bird feeders and open gardens. Squirrels enjoy seeds, grains, fruits, vegetables, bird eggs, nuts, and some flowers. Some may strip bark from your trees to eat or use it as nesting materials.

Squirrels create dens where they hoard their findings. Rock squirrels will burrow underground, making a tunnel system with multiple entrances. Burrows are dangerous when they exist under driveways, foundations, and walkways. Encountering a burrow can cause injury to humans, horses, and farm equipment.

Squirrels will make the attic a den when possible and chew through siding, shingles, wire vents, and wood to get there. Squirrels must constantly gnaw on items to prevent their teeth from overgrowth, which can be painful. This can be bad news for your home and property. We can get rid of squirrels.

Squirrels are usually easy to flush out of spaces, but sometimes a trap is needed. You must obtain proper permitting when necessary. The mating season of squirrels in Arizona is usually March and July. Thirty days later, they give birth to a litter of between five and seven. When removing squirrels, ensure mothers and babies stay together.

Inspection

Inspection

Wildlife specialists look for signs such as chewing on, in, or around your home, small openings leading to the attic or the crawl space, droppings, and debris like nuts or nesting material. Beams, wires, pipes, and insulation may all show signs of damage from squirrels.

Trapping and Removal

Squirrel Trapping

Live trapping or one-way doors are the most effective and humane ways to get rid of squirrels. One-way doors should never be used during birthing seasons (Spring & Fall), so our specialists will decide which is the best tool for the job. If we have to trap, we place traps strategically to safely catch the squirrels and check those according to state laws.

Repairs

Repairs

We can restore your home or office by squirrel proofing all entry points after we have removed the offenders. We can also clean-up the nesting sites and remove any debris, food, feces and soiled insulation.

Bat Removal

The little brown and free-tailed bats are the most prevalent in Flagstaff. Bats are great for the ecosystem. One bat consumes thousands of insects each night. They also pollinate plants. Bats don’t typically threaten humans, but they can be a nuisance.

One of the biggest problems is bat guano or feces that contains uric acid, enough to stain and erode woods and metals. Guano also has a foul odor and can grow mold spores that, if inhaled, may cause respiratory issues in humans. An example is Histoplasmosis.

All bats have a special status in Arizona, either endangered or threatened. Diseases like the white-nosed syndrome are impacting bat populations everywhere. Their status prevents you from removing them during the maternity season, which typically runs from May to September in Arizona.

Once out of your home, you must clean areas where there was bat guano. It’s critical to apply ectoparasitic and sanitization treatments.

Inspection

Inspection

We perform a full interior and exterior inspection and search for signs such as rub marks, guano, a strong scent of ammonia, and small openings. The most common sign is the accumulation of guano (feces).

Trapping and Removal

Bat Removal

The most effective and humane way to remove bats is by utilizing a bat valve in conjunction with a full home exclusion. A bat valve allows for bats to exit your home but not re-enter. We follow all local ordinances for humane bat removal. We will never abandon flightless pups in your attic.

Repairs

Repairs

After removing the bat valves, we seal the entrance hole(s) so bats can no longer enter your home. If there is substantial guano in your attic, you should consider taking advantage of our attic remediation services to remove the soiled insulation and replace it.

Skunk Control

In recent years, skunks in Flagstaff, AZ, have been at the center of rabies outbreaks in urban and suburban areas. These pests are scavengers that eat carrion, including the carcasses of rabid bats. Once it contracts the virus, a skunk can spread rabies to other wildlife, pets, and even humans.

Flagstaff neighborhoods offer both food and shelter for these animals, bringing them in close proximity to homes and yards. Rabies spreads quickly when healthy and infected skunks den in the same areas or compete for resources.

To avoid a skunk’s spray rely on professional handling and skunk trapping. Removing food supplies is one of the most effective ways to prevent a skunk from entering your property.

Inspection

Inspection

In addition to noting any pungent odors that signal the presence of a skunk, we will inspect the condition of your landscaping, as skunks are known for tearing-up lawns and shredding grass while hunting for grubs and insects. We will also inspect the perimeter of your building’s foundations and under decks, to locate burrows.

Trapping and Removal

Trapping and Removal

Never try to remove a skunk from your property yourself. Getting sprayed is a very unpleasant experience. Furthermore, these animals may carry diseases that can spread to humans and pets, such as rabies. Our specialists will use live traps to capture and remove skunks for you, or they’ll use a one-way exclusion device to evict skunks from their harborage areas. The most effective ways to control a skunk problem is exclusion and habitat modification.

Repairs

Skunk Control

The most effective ways to control a skunk problem is exclusion and habitat modification. Methods like sealing foundation gaps, replacing and screening broken foundation vents and installing hardware cloth (rat walls) around unprotected sheds and decks are the most effective and permanent ways to keep skunks out.
We recommend keeping pet food inside and securing any trash bins.

Controlling Pocket Gophers

Gophers are prevalent throughout Northern Arizona and are usually detected when they excavate burrows in your yard forming an unsightly, large horseshoe shaped mound of dirt.  They feed upon roots of plants and particularly like rare landscaping flowers, shrubs, and irrigated lawns.  Gophers have been known to completely destroy a garden in week by eating all the vegetables above and below ground.  They will also chew on irrigation lines causing leaks and expensive repairs.

Underground tunnel systems can also be dangerous for people, pets, and livestock when they collapse not to mention the undermining of foundations that occurs.  At the first sign of gophers, call your local Critter Control office to address the problem promptly before costly damages occur.

Inspection

Inspection

During the inspection, we survey your property for signs of gopher activity. We look for mounds and burrows to measure the extent of the issue and the population density. It is also important to determine the likelihood of re-infestation, by viewing adjacent properties for source populations.

Trapping and Removal

Removal

A combination of techniques can be used to rid a property of gophers. Trapping, baiting and burrow treatment are often combined to provide the most comprehensive approach to eliminating the current population and then deterrents and regular inspections can help prevent, or quickly treat new infestations.

Repairs

Repairs

During the removal process, the unsightly mounds will be leveled out to begin the restoration process for the lawn or landscaped area. We also suggest tilling of the soil in garden areas to destroy existing tunnels. Newly planted shrubs and trees should have a wire basket installed in the hole prior to planting the plant to discourage gophers from getting to the internal root ball. Wire mesh can also be installed around an area to reduce the likelihood of gopher invasion but requires a trench 2-3 feet deep to be at all effective.

Pack Rat Removal

Pack rats are very common across Northern Arizona especially in the Verde Valley and throughout the Prescott area.  They are primarily nocturnal animals rarely active during the day.  They are aptly named for their tendencies to collect items and “pack” them into their nests.

They can build large nests under decks, in attics, or just about any place that is a protected cavity.  They especially love to inhabit prickly vegetation and old junk piles in the yard.  Pack Rats are notorious for chewing car wiring, electrical lines and water pipes, causing thousands of dollars of damage very quickly.  The first sign of a Pack Rat infestation is usually the large “banana-shaped” droppings and urine stains which they will leave prominently throughout their travel areas.  Call Critter Control when you notice these signs or hear something in your attic to get the problem taken care of quickly.

Inspection

Inspection

We will inspect the areas of activity, as well as likely places throughout the property like the crawlspace underneath your home, the attic above your ceiling, your outbuildings, under decks, and around wood piles, heavy vegetation and junk piles. Pack Rats leave behind distinct feces, nest materials, urine stains, and an unique odor.

Trapping and Removal

Trapping

Trapping in areas of activity is advised to reduce the population. Pack Rats should not be translocated to new areas as they are very particular to their home ranges and relocating them could also spread diseases to separate populations.

Repairs

Repairs

A wide range of repairs may be necessary to keep Pack Rats from accessing your roof, attic, crawlspace, and outbuildings. We provide solutions to exclude pack rats from buildings and offer ongoing services to control populations around your property. We also provide feces removal, sanitizing treatments, and pack rat nest removal.

What are some of the most common wildlife issues that homeowners face in your area?

We mostly have issues with skunks, gophers, bats, woodpeckers, pack rats, mice, ground squirrels and snakes.

How do the seasons affect wildlife activity in your area?

Bats and woodpeckers migrate away in winter months (Nov-Feb), Skunks are breeding (Feb – April), bats are roosting (March thru October).

What are some common signs of nuisance wildlife activity?

Bat feces/urine on walls, woodpeckers damaging siding, pack rats chewing car wiring, gophers eating garden plants & burrows/mounds in the yard, skunk smell, noises in crawlspaces and attics.

Any prevention or exclusion tips for residents in your area?

Contain pet food, remove bird seed, park cars in garages, keep caulking and painting up to date on home exterior, trim vegetation up off the ground and away from the home and keep foundation vents in good repair with metal screening.

When should homeowners call you?

Anytime.

Call to Schedule an Inspection

The Critter Control Difference

Trained Specialists Animal removal is a highly sophisticated job. As such, we vet and train our team members to ensure they have the knowledge and skill to remove any pest from your building. Our wildlife experts utilize advanced removal and exclusion techniques and damage repair.
Guaranteed Work Your satisfaction is always guaranteed. Critter Control® takes great pride in providing quality workmanship resulting in customer satisfaction.
Residential and Commerical Invading nuisance wildlife can wreak havoc on property. If left unattended wildlife and pests can cause costly property damage. Whether a residential property, apartment buildings, retail stores, office buildings, industrial plants, medical facilities, or warehouses, our trained professionals can handle any wildlife removal problem.
Critter Control Guarantee Your satisfaction is always guaranteed. We provide reliable prevention from future intrusions. Resolving a nuisance wildlife issue calls for more than trapping and removing the critter. Our exclusion services offer immediate and long-term wildlife solutions.

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This franchise is independently licensed and operated by Bald Mountain Services, LLC, dba Critter Control of Northern, AZ.