Understanding Rat Behavior for Effective Control

A small rat problem often begins quietly. A sound in the wall. A few droppings in the garage. A single rat seen darting across the yard. Many homeowners hope the activity will fade on its own, but rats rarely leave once they find safe shelter and steady food sources. Their natural behaviors help them multiply quickly and remain hidden long enough for the issue to grow.

At Critter Control, we understand how unsettling this can feel, especially when you want to keep your family safe. A closer look at rat behaviors shows why early action is so important. Their intelligence, reproductive habits, nesting instincts, and chemical communication create the perfect conditions for a small group to turn into a colony if the problem goes untreated.

1. Intelligence That Helps Rats Stay Hidden

Rats are highly intelligent animals capable of problem-solving, memory formation, and social learning. Their caution around unfamiliar objects, known as neophobia, is well-documented in research on food neophobia in wild rats.

Neophobia helps rats avoid traps, bait stations, and any sudden changes in their environment. They wait until objects feel safe—long after they have already found entry points or expanded deeper into the home.

Rats also learn quickly from each other. They memorize protected pathways through wall voids, insulation, and storage areas. Once they establish these hidden routes, they move quietly and confidently. By the time homeowners notice activity, rats may have already settled into multiple parts of the structure.

2. Rapid Breeding That Enlarges a Small Problem

Rats reproduce at a pace that surprises many households. Data shows that rats can produce several litters per year, and young rats mature in just a few weeks, allowing new breeding pairs to form quickly.

Healthy female rats can become pregnant again within mere days of giving birth, and average litter sizes often include half a dozen pups or more (up to 18 pups per litter!).

When food sources are abundant—pet food, stored goods, fruit trees, gardens, or garbage—rats thrive. Well-fed litters develop quickly, and populations expand long before homeowners realize a group has formed.

As numbers increase, rats spread into attics, crawl spaces, basements, and behind appliances. Droppings and urine accumulate, raising health risks and creating odors that are difficult to remove without professional cleaning.

3. Nesting Close to Food and Shelter

Rats build nests in places that stay warm, dry, and undisturbed. When inside your home, they often use insulation, cardboard, paper, and similar materials available throughout the space to form nests.

Inside a home, nests often develop in walls, under flooring, in attics, behind stored items, or inside quiet corners of garages. Outdoors, they form under porches, in brush piles, or near sheds.

Rats choose nesting spots close to reliable food sources. Short, familiar travel routes reduce the risk of exposure. Once a nest is established, it becomes the colony’s center of activity. As the environment stays stable, rats may build secondary nests nearby, increasing their footprint and making removal more complex.

4. Pheromone Trails That Organize Their Food Network

Rats communicate through scent, leaving pheromone trails that guide others to safe pathways, food, and water. Those chemical signals reinforce foraging routes and help rats navigate complex environments with ease and efficiency.

Once pheromone trails form, travel becomes more predictable. Safe pathways become routine. Food supplies become easier to share, and the entire colony becomes more organized and resilient.

These scent trails can remain even after individual rats are gone. If entry points remain unsealed, new rats may follow existing pheromone pathways directly into the home.

Why Early Intervention Matters

A small rat problem rarely stays small. Rats’ intelligence helps them avoid early detection. Their reproductive pace accelerates quickly. Their nesting habits anchor them in hard-to-reach places, and their pheromone trails create a highly efficient system for accessing food.

Early signs—chewing sounds, droppings, gnaw marks, unusual pet behavior—often reflect more activity than homeowners realize. Addressing issues quickly helps prevent property damage, protects your family’s health, and stops the colony from expanding.

We take this seriously because your peace of mind matters. Understanding rat behavior allows us to approach every situation with effective, humane, long-term solutions.

Professional Help Makes the Difference

Our team conducts detailed inspections to identify nests, food sources, pheromone routes, and entry points. Once we understand how rats are using the space, we remove them safely, seal openings, and repair damaged areas. This complete approach helps prevent rats from returning.

If you’ve noticed signs of rat activity—or even if you’re unsure—we’re here to help.

Contact us today to schedule an inspection and prevent a small problem from becoming something more serious.

Spring

North Carolina is home to thousands of wild species, from the mountains to the oceans. Black bears, beavers, raccoons, deer, fox, squirrels, and frogs are some of these key players in springtime. Bears usually come out of hibernation in early to mid-April, while other species are more commonly seen year-round. With these animals, there are several notes to be aware of, especially if you own or rent property and like to open doors and windows.

For indoor settings, chimneys and vents become hot spots for wildlife. By regularly checking them for activity, you can decrease the chances of animals nesting and raising their young indoors. Windows, lawns, trees, and building sidings are also common areas for wildlife visitors. Small steps like adding window screens, surveying your lawn for habitats before mowing, and trimming your tree branches, are helpful to ensure your safety as well as the animal’s safety.

Summer

A grueling, sticky, hot and humid North Carolina summer day doesn’t just make for potentially cranky kids at the pool or a sweat-soaked polo on the golf course – summer’s heat affects the animal population just as much as it does citizens of the state. Since so much of the area is made of suburban areas rich with greenways, natural areas, and stretches of woodland, it’s likely that people spending time outdoors will come across some wildlife, and it’s important to know if and how the heat may affect those encounters.

Shelter

The first thing that animals – and most people – will do when the thermometer creeps over 100 degrees is to seek shelter. And both animals and people usually find a nice, air-conditioned house to be an excellent choice of shelter to cool off. Moving into summer, be aware if your home has any openings that pests or other animals might make use of in order to survive the hottest days of the year. The good news, of course, is that you’re less likely to run into animals in the wild in severe heat.

Eating

Wild and domestic animals will show a shift in their eating habits once the heat kicks into high gear, because seasonal changes in daylight and temperature trigger significant hormonal changes in mammals. These shifts alter the animal’s metabolism and greatly influence food intake. As temperatures increase, mammals become less active and therefore burn less energy. As days get longer during the warmer months, mammals will show decreased food seeking behavior and shifts in cellular metabolism.

What’s that mean? Your dog won’t be as hungry. But, a lower bill for pet food isn’t the only benefit you’ll see with animals eating less in the heat – you’ll see a tapering of pests scavenging for food. So, the tradeoff is a few 100 degree days for fewer raccoons flipping over your trash cans.

Fall Animal Problems

Autumn in North Carolina marks a major transition period for nuisance wildlife. As temperatures cool and daylight shortens, many animals shift from summer foraging to denning, nesting, and overwintering behaviors. This seasonal change increases the likelihood of wildlife entering homes, attics, crawl spaces, sheds, and chimneys. Homes with gaps, roofline damage, uncapped chimneys, or accessible crawl spaces are especially vulnerable during this time of year.

Most Common Fall Pests in North Carolina

• Rats and Mice: Mice and rats move indoors to escape cooler nights and secure steady food sources.
• Squirrels: Squirrels stockpile food and seek safe nesting sites before winter.
• Raccoons: Raccoons seek warm, dry den sites and reliable food sources.
• Bats: Bats move between summer roosts and winter hibernation sites.
• Skunks and Opossums: These animals forage heavily to build fat reserves.

Nuisance Wildlife and Pests in the Winter

Pests often see your home as a pretty attractive place to go to get out from the cold, too. North Carolina has some pretty unpredictable winters, one minute it’s snowing, the next you’re tempted to pull your shorts out from storage. But, winter animal behavior is relatively predictable and knowing what you’re up against can keep your home full of guests rather than pests.

During the colder months, many animals look for a place to lie low. They want an area that is dry, away from cold winds, dark and maybe a little warmer than the surrounding temperatures. The crawlspace and attic match their goals perfectly. Raccoons, foxes, opossums, rats, mice and many other animals would love nothing better than to hole up in that prime real estate. Don’t let them. They can cause damage, spread waste and bacteria and possibly gain access to the rest of your home.

Although many bat species leave for warmer areas in the winter or go underground to caves, some hibernate all winter in homes, especially big brown bats. Squirrels, rats and other rodents also enjoy attics as a place to make nests. If you hear scratching from above, that’s a good sign of unwanted guests in the attic. Chewed boxes, nests, droppings and strong odors are an even better sign.

Every want to be a fly on the wall? What about a cluster fly inside a wall? Some species of insect (like cluster flies) have a habit of “overwintering” between walls. They find a warm place, reduce their movement and just hang out. They may not come out from behind there, but it can also be disturbing to realize thousands of insects have infested the space between your walls. If a few dazed, lethargic bugs (usually ladybugs, box elders, stink bugs and cluster flies) wander out from time to time, you may have an infestation behind the walls.

Rodents, especially mice, sometimes will take up residence in between walls too. The danger here is that they can spread disease as they come out to find food. Also, they are known to chew on electric wires, causing damage and power outages.

Most Common Winter Pests in North Carolina

Here are the main categories of pest that you should watch out for this winter in North Carolina. 

• Lager mammals: If you think about it, the crawl space is really the perfect place for many animals to shelter for the winter. This is especially true if you have moisture in your crawl space.Foxes, raccoons and opossums will find crawl space attractive. Because it’s out of sight, it can become out of mind, and you can soon have an entire ecosystem living under there. 
• Rodents: The most common rodents you will find in your home in Raleigh, Durham and the surrounding areas are the house mouse, the black rat (also known as the roof rat), the Norway rat and the gray squirrel. Black rats and gray squirrels are more common in attics and gutters, while house mice and Norway rats are common in garages, between walls and anywhere else they can hide. All of them carry diseases with their waste and their bites (which is only likely if they’re cornered). They can also chew wiring, which causes damage and even a fire risk.
• Overwintering bugs: “Overwintering” is a term used for bugs that is similar to the concept of hibernation. But many bugs “overwinter” between the walls of homes. For the most part, because they are inactive, you won’t see them and they won’t cause many problems. But their presence can be frightening if you uncover their nests and find hundreds of bugs packed together in your home. The most likely culprits for overwintering behind your walls are boxelder bugs, ladybugs and stink bugs. 
• Active bugs: It’s not just hibernating insects that invade your home in the colder months though. Other insects and spiders that remain active all year round will find a warm home as the perfect place to get out of the cold. Cockroaches, bed bugs, certain flies and many varieties of spider are known to move indoors for the winter. 

Find Critter Control Near You in North Carolina

Critter Control in Raleigh

Critter Control in Winston-Salem

Critter Control in Wilmington

Critter Control in Asheville

Critter Control in Greensboro

Critter Control of Charlotte

To the dismay of many homeowners, rat infestations are more common than most people realize. Thriving in urban, suburban, and rural settings, rats have lived alongside humans for thousands of years and have perfected the art of helping themselves to the shelter, food, and water our homes provide.

According to the American Housing Survey, approximately 16 million homes and 38 million people report a rodent issue annually. They cause an estimated $6 billion in structural damage to homes by gnawing on beams, walls, insulation, and electrical wires. In addition to structural damage, they contaminate food and spread disease.

The odds of a home having a rat infestation at some point are high, at around 30 percent. And while a wildlife or pest control company such as Critter Control can humanely and quickly rid your home of rats, one smart step you can take is to learn how to lessen the odds that rats choose your home to invade.

Why Are Rats in My House?

Rats don’t show up at a home on a whim. Certain conditions make a home appealing to them. While many people believe cleanliness is the primary factor, it’s only one small piece of the puzzle. Even the cleanest of households can find themselves needing rat control.

Like most wildlife, rats are looking to cover their necessities: shelter, safety, food, and water. When you inadvertently make these basic needs easily available, you leave yourself open to these unwanted houseguests. Make your home unattractive to rats, and you’ll find you’ve made it unappealing to many of the creatures looking to have their basic needs met.

Smart Steps for a Rat-Free Home

Remove Water Sources

• Repair leaking pipes and faucets.
• Don’t leave standing water in sinks, tubs, or pet bowls overnight.

Declutter

• Minimize stored clothing and newspapers.
• Store items in sealed plastic cartons instead of cardboard boxes.

Repair Entry Points

• Seal gaps around doors and windows.
• Repair roof, soffits, and shingles.
• Cap vents and chimneys.
• Seal any cracks in the walls and the foundation.

Routine Monitoring

• Inspect your attic, basement, and crawlspace periodically for droppings, gnaw marks, and oily rub marks.

Do-It-Yourself Prevention

Rats are smart and cautious creatures, and there are many products on the market that seem like easy fixes. While most of these are affordable and convenient, they rarely work and also don’t address the root problems that bring rats to your home.

Ultrasonic pest repellents emit high-frequency sound waves intended to repel rodents. Unfortunately, rats adjust to the stimuli, and it just becomes background noise to them. In addition, walls and furniture block the waves and create areas where they do not reach.

Essential oils are supposed to irritate rats, but the scent fades and requires constant reapplication. Rats will endure a smell they don’t like if all their other needs are being met. Mothballs are another scent-based DIY solution with limited use, as the chemicals needed to work are at a higher concentration than what is safe for indoor use and are also unsafe for children and pets.

Rat poisons are unsafe both indoors and outdoors as they pose significant risks to pets, wildlife, and children. When a rat dies in your wall, the terrible smell will linger for weeks.

Make Critter Control Your Rat Prevention and Rat Control Partner

Critter Control is one of the most widely recognized and respected names in humane wildlife control. Critter Control technicians are highly trained professionals who understand rodent biology and behavior, and their expertise extends to building science and the ways wildlife enter homes. They know the federal, state, and local ordinances that oversee wildlife removal.

Critter Control’s focus is on long-term rat control solutions that include prevention, exclusion, removal, sanitation, and restoration of rodent infestations. Most pest exterminators only remove rats from your home; Critter Control delivers a comprehensive plan with proven methods that bring you peace of mind.

Contact Critter Control for a free inspection and custom plan today to keep your home safe and rat-free.

When you first hear scratching in the walls or spot droppings under the sink, it’s natural to hope a simple DIY fix will make the problem disappear. We understand the appeal: quick, inexpensive solutions feel practical and empowering. But rat control is more complicated than many homeowners expect. As wildlife professionals, we’ve seen firsthand how intelligent, cautious, and adaptable rats can be, and how often DIY efforts fail to resolve the root of the issue.

In this article, we break down why DIY approaches fall short for rodent control, how professional wildlife management makes a lasting difference, and why trusting experienced specialists is ultimately the safer and more dependable choice for your family and home.

Most Common DIY Rat Control Strategies

1. Snap Traps
2. Bait Stations
3. Electronic Traps
4. Glue Boards
5. Natural Repellents
6. Exclusions

The Challenges of DIY Rat Control

Before deciding whether DIY rat control will fully resolve the problem, it helps to understand how rats behave and why common at-home tactics often fall short. The challenges below are the ones we see most often when homeowners try to tackle infestations on their own.

Rats Are Smart, Trap-Averse Problem-Solvers

Rats don’t simply wander into traps. They’re wary of anything new in their environment, often testing, avoiding, or outsmarting devices placed in their path. When a homeowner sets a trap in the wrong place — or catches one rat while others learn to avoid the setup — the infestation can continue unnoticed.

Most DIY Methods Don’t Address the Cause

Catching a rat won’t stop new ones from entering. Rats can slip through openings as small as a quarter and use vents, gaps in siding, spaces around plumbing, or tiny cracks in your foundation as entry points. Many homeowners seal the obvious holes but miss the subtle ones (the ones rats prefer). Without thorough exclusion, the infestation often returns.

Repellents and Poisons Create Their Own Risks

Store-bought solutions may appear convenient, but they often create more problems than they solve, including:

• Poisons: Can cause rats to die in walls or attics, leading to severe odors and sanitation hazards.
• Repellents: Tend to be inconsistent and temporary — rats often ignore or adapt to them.
• Improper Placement: Can put pets or children at risk.

DIY options often seem straightforward, but they can introduce new safety concerns and leave underlying issues unresolved.

Why Professional Rat Control Delivers Better Results

Choosing professional wildlife control goes beyond convenience. It means relying on proven methods that resolve the entire problem and safeguard your home for the long term. Our structured, science-backed approach delivers better outcomes.

At Critter Control, we take a comprehensive, humane, and strategic approach to rat removal. We go further than simply removing the rats. We also focus on stopping hidden activity to end the problem and prevent future intrusions.

Inspection

A successful plan begins with knowing exactly how rats entered, where they’re nesting, and how far the damage has spread. Our team examines:

• Entry and exit points
• Nesting sites
• Food and water sources
• Structural vulnerabilities
• Signs of long-term activity

This gives us a complete picture of the infestation and the safest, most effective way to resolve it.

Rat Removal

Our specialists understand rat behavior and place traps accordingly: along established travel paths, near nesting sites, and in positions designed to maximize effectiveness. We never rely on guesswork to remove rats from your property.

We also avoid hazardous chemical treatments, keeping your family and pets safe throughout the process.

Rat Exclusion

Exclusion is one of the most important steps in rat control, and it’s where DIY approaches struggle most. We use durable, wildlife-resistant materials to seal:

• Siding gaps
• Roofline and soffit openings
• Foundation cracks
• Crawlspace and attic entry points
• Vent and pipe gaps

This step helps ensure rats can’t simply return once the immediate issue is handled.

Damage Repair and Restoration

Rats can leave behind hazards such as chewed wiring, contaminated insulation, and structural damage. We provide professional animal damage repair services to help restore your home to a clean, safe condition and reduce long-term risks.

Caring for Nature While Protecting Your Home

Many homeowners want rat problems solved in a responsibly and humanely —and we share that priority. Our approach balances effective wildlife control with environmental stewardship, ensuring your home is protected without unnecessary chemicals or harm to the animals or the surrounding ecosystem.

We prioritize:

• Humane trapping and removal
• Responsible habitat modification
• Avoiding unnecessary chemicals or harsh treatments
• Long-term solutions that reduce future conflicts

We believe wildlife management should protect both your home and the natural world around it.

DIY vs. Critter Control: A Quick Comparison

Why the Difference Matters

For rat control, the real distinction isn’t just between doing it yourself and hiring a professional. It’s between temporary relief and lasting protection. Understanding that difference helps you make an informed decision that protects your property and peace of mind.

A rat infestation is a threat to your home’s structure, your family’s safety, and your peace of mind. DIY attempts may feel convenient, but incomplete or ineffective efforts can allow infestations to spread.

Our team is committed to being the reliable partner homeowners can trust. With our training, experience, and focus on humane, responsible wildlife management, we make sure the job is done thoroughly, safely, and with lasting results.

We’re Here When You Need Us

A rat problem can grow quickly, but you don’t have to face it alone. We’re here with the expertise and support to make the process clear, manageable, and effective. When you choose professional wildlife control, you gain a dependable, safety-focused partner committed to humane solutions and a safer home.

Most people know that Critter Control is the go-to company for wildlife removal, including raccoons, squirrels, and bats. But some don’t realize the value we provide because we can handle any pest problem. When you bundle all your pest control services with us, we can efficiently and effectively handle them.

For this homeowner, on one trip, we helped protect their house from carpenter bees, rats and mice, and woodpeckers.

Pest Control Application

During the summer, carpenter bees were causing significant damage to the siding above their front door. Our initial treatment eliminated the carpenter bees. Then we repaired the holes left and painted them to match her house color. Through the summer, we apply pest control applications to keep the carpenter bees away.

Rodent Control in the Yard

The homeowners had experienced a rat problem last year. They were crawling up the siding and found a way inside the attic near the chimney. The rat trapping took a little less than a week to exterminate the rats inside the attic.

We installed exclusions along the flashing near the chimney to keep the rats out.

We installed these tamper proof bait stations to control the population outdoors. It stops the rats outside before they can get inside and cause more damage. We check these bait stations once a month and monitor for any additional rodent activity.

Woodpecker Deterrents and Repair

In East Cobb, homes like this, built in the late 1970s and early 1980s, are susceptible to carpenter bee and woodpecker damage. These folks also had a woodpecker problem.

We repaired the holes by filling them in and color-matching the paint. This was on the back of their house.

Trying to catch or trap a woodpecker is not feasible or legal. The best bird control for woodpeckers is to scare them away. This installed bird deterrent on the back of their home kept the woodpeckers away and stopped the constant drilling into their home.

Squirrel Signs and Damage in Westminster Attic

A homeowner in Westminster was experiencing scratching sounds early in the morning.

One of the most common squirrel signs people notice is sounds above their ceiling early in the morning. The scampering noises can be loud enough to wake you up and make it difficult to fall asleep. Our first step in an inspection is to hear your concerns. Wherever you’re experiencing a nuisance like sounds or strange odors, that’s where we start. We don’t stop there, though. Our inspection covers the entire house. There’s a reason all of our trucks have ladders on them! From the roof to the crawlspace, we’ll investigate each nook and cranny to find evidence of nuisance wildlife.

Squirrel Damage to the Exterior of the House

During our inspection, we found a suspicious gap above the portico on the front of the house.

Squirrels can be tenacious. They only need a gap the size of a golf ball to squeeze inside your home.

Signs of Squirrel Entry from Inside the Attic

You can spot squirrel entry holes inside the attic by looking for sunlight. They won’t keep to just one entry hole. Squirrels will explore your whole home and find or create several entry gaps. If you miss an entry hole and don’t seal it, your home will remain vulnerable to infestations.

Squirrel Damage to HVAC

Our inspection covers the entire house and property. We identify all the damage caused by the invading critter. This homeowner was experiencing trouble with the HVAC unit.

Whole Home Exclusion for Squirrel Pest Control in Westminster, Colorado

Once squirrels have identified a home as a good place to shelter, they’ll return to access it again. We found evidence of squirrel entry spots along the roof eaves, but the roof vents were vulnerable, too. Uncovered roof vents and plumbing stacks are common entry spots for squirrels and raccoons, rats, and bats. Our exclusion services protect your home from all types of nuisance wildlife.

A local power plant in Seattle was having problems with pigeons. Pigeons can be quite a problem for anyone, especially those who have to battle them roosting in a building they are trying to work in. They can be destructive, bringing in toxic spores that thrive in their droppings.

Pigeon Problems

The pigeons were roosting in the rafters of the plant. While seemingly benign they were causing problems to the building and for the employees, which included:

• Health risks: Pigeon droppings can harbor a host of pathogens that can pose a threat to human health. They can carry various diseases, such as histoplasmosis, cryptococcosis, and psittacosis, which may be transmitted to people via contact with contaminated surfaces or inhaling airborne particles.
• Structural damage: Accumulated pigeon droppings can corrode commercial buildings, slowly destroying materials like metal, wood, and stone. This compromises the building’s structural integrity and can open the door to water damage and issues with mold, mildew, and rot.

Bird Netting for Pigeon Control

We installed bird netting under the roof to keep the pigeons from roosting. It took 2.5 days, three lifts, and almost a whole Seattle Critter Control team to net a couple of their outbuildings against some pesky pigeons!

Understanding the Value of Pigeon Control Maintenance

While resolving a pigeon infestation is an integral first step in keeping these birds at bay, it’s only part of a long-term solution. Ongoing maintenance is equally essential in preventing them from returning and causing the same problems.

At Critter Control, we design a comprehensive maintenance plan tailored to your needs. From regular inspections to deterrent installations, we’re here to help you keep pigeon populations under control. Pigeons have a strong homing sense, so control isn’t a one-and-done situation. Ongoing maintenance is often necessary to ensure the birds don’t become a recurring problem.

Chimney swifts are migratory birds that spend the summer months in the eastern United States, including Philadelphia, before returning to their wintering grounds in South America. In Philadelphia, chimney swifts can often be seen flying around and roosting in the city’s many old brick chimneys, which provide them with suitable nesting and roosting sites. These birds play an important role in the local ecosystem by helping to control insect populations, particularly mosquitoes and other flying insects.

With this recent warmer weather, these homeowners heard twittering in their chimneys. After some investigation, they noticed birds flying out of their chimney during the day. They gave us a call, and during our whole home inspection, we found evidence of chimney swifts nesting in their chimney.

Birds nesting in your chimney can cause homeowners a variety of issues. Professional bird removal from your chimney is needed. Learn more about the problems associated with birds in chimneys and our effective solutions for bird control.

Signs of Chimney Swifts in Chimney

Flying Birds

If chimney swifts are living in your chimney, they will fly out to feed in the early morning and return to your chimney in the evening. It is easy to mistake swifts for bats. Unlike swifts, bats have an opposite schedule. Bats are nocturnal. If you see flights out of your chimney at sunset, it’s most likely to be bats.

Chimney Swift Sounds

Common chimney swift sounds primarily consist of a twittering call produced by a series of rapid, high-pitched chirps. Each call lasts about three seconds. In groups, the chirping can sound like buzzing insects. When their colonies are disturbed, adult chimney swifts slap their wings together to create a loud booming noise, while nestlings make raspy sounds.

Chimney Swift Droppings

They are often found in clusters or lines on the chimney, as the birds tend to roost and nest in chimneys. The droppings can accumulate and create a noticeable buildup on the exterior of the chimney, especially around the top or opening.

Chimney Swift Problems

Just because chimney swifts are a protected bird doesn’t mean you have to ignore an infestation. Chimney swifts can damage your chimney and spread diseases to you and your family.

Bird droppings contain bacteria, parasites, and allergens affecting the lungs. Dried bird droppings grow fungi that cause respiratory diseases such as histoplasmosis and tuberculosis and can also worsen existing respiratory illnesses such as asthma. Chimney swifts build their nests using twigs, saliva, and other materials, which can accumulate over time and block the chimney flue.

Chimney Swift Control Solutions From Critter Control of Philadelphia

Birds are federally protected by the Migratory Bird Treaty Act. It is unlawful to kill, capture, or harm them in any way. When you need bird removal from your chimney, the professionals at Critter Control are your best solution. We have over 40 years of experience in the humane and lawful removal of any nuisance animal in and around homes.

Bird exclusions are physical barriers that keep birds out or away from certain areas. Exclusions are employed after birds have been eradicated from your chimney to keep them from returning. Exclusion is a more permanent solution.

Chimney caps are protective coverings that fit on top of your chimney. In addition to keeping birds out, they will keep other wildlife, such as raccoons and squirrels, out. Made of metal, they come in different sizes and will keep rain and snow from damaging your chimney’s bricks and dampers, prevent downdrafts, and keep embers from flying out onto your roof.

Placing a chimney cap has to be done in the fall after chimney swifts have left on their migration south. When they return in the spring, they will not be able to enter the chimney to take up residence again. Repairing and sealing around your chimney ensures chimney swifts cannot find an alternate entrance into your chimney.

A Note on Chimney Swifts in Philadelphia

Chimney swifts are beneficial birds to have around the yard when nesting outside and away from your home. When you see them soaring back and forth high in the air, they are catching bugs mid-flight, eating as many as 12,000 insects—mosquitos, wasps, and aerial spiders—daily. Chimney swifts are in decline, and many chimney swift supporters build a chimney swift tower in their yards or advocate for them in parks.

Support Local Chimney Swift in Philly:

• Weavers Way Coop
• The Woodlands
• Manayunk Chimney Swift Roost
• Carnegie Museum of Natural History

One of the first questions many people ask is, “How much does pest control cost?” The answer depends on several factors. The type of pest, the severity of the infestation, the size of the property, and the frequency of service all play a role in determining the price. A small ant problem in a kitchen, for example, will cost less to treat than a severe rodent infestation spread across multiple rooms.

We also offer both one-time services and recurring plans. A one-time treatment may be enough for minor infestations, but recurring services provide long-term protection that saves money by preventing larger issues down the road. Many of our customers find that a year-round plan offers the best balance of cost and peace of mind.

At Critter Control, we believe in transparency. Our technicians explain pricing clearly during your free inspection, so you understand exactly what you’re paying for before any work begins. There are no hidden fees, no surprises—just straightforward answers and guaranteed service. Contact us today to schedule your free inspection and learn more about the options available for your property.

Meg Pearson, Wildlife Training Manager

The house mouse is also known as the Mus musculus. It is known for its large ears, pointed snout, and virtually hairless tail. 

Mice are typically attracted to kitchens; we highly recommend storing all food in airtight containers for this reason. Mice will also gnaw on virtually any surface or material to get into a home, such as insulation, wiring, and wood. It’s not uncommon to also find mice in attics, crawlspaces, and garages. 

Home owners will see signs of mouse damage typically before seeing an actual mouse. This is partly due to mice being more active at night. But it is not uncommon to see the mice scampering throughout their house.

The top 3 signs of a mice infestation:

1. Droppings
2. Nests
3. Damage to food packaging

Mouse droppings are small and dark and usually found on kitchen floors near baseboards. Their nests can be found in hidden areas such as inside drawers or even mattresses. Pantry foods are the most common target for mice that have infiltrated a home, so start by checking the integrity of your food packaging in your pantry. Other evidence of a mouse infestation in the attic include damaged insulation, stripped electrical wires, and gnawed PVC pipes.

Where Do Mice Live in a Home?

Mice prefer warm, dark, and sheltered areas, such as wall cavities, attics, basements, and storage sheds. Mice can squeeze through holes 1/4 of an inch in diameter or larger. Because mice have powerful teeth and are highly motivated by available food and warm shelter, they can also easily create holes or enlarge existing holes to get inside. 

How do mice get inside my house?

The most common entry points for mice are pipes, vents, and doors or windows attached to either the main house, or the garage. 

Mice can climb any textured vertical surface and can jump over a foot off the ground. They can access uncovered vents, chimneys, windows with broken screens, and through utility pipes that run through exterior walls.

Mouse Infestation Prevention

It’s best practice to keep food stored in pantries in air-tight containers and to always clean up crumbs. Wipe down your cabinets and the insides of your cabinets regularly. However, cleaning the space where a mouse was found will not necessarily prevent mice from coming back; the only way to do this is by sealing up entry points.

Stop mice from getting into your home by making your yard less attractive to mice. Mice use dense underbrush and debris like leaves and twigs to take shelter from predators. Clearing yard debris will remove shelter for mice to hide under. Mice outdoors don’t pose as much of a threat as those indoors. However, the pests always have the potential to find their way inside homes to look for a meal or a place to nest. 

How Critter Control Gets Rid of Mice

Mice trapping typically lasts five to fourteen days but that can change depending on the size of the house and how well established the mice are. The most effective mouse control method is exclusion repairs. This involves sealing off any current or possible entry points on the home, followed by a thorough inspection and sanitation process. It’s important to repair any damage the mice may have done to the house and disinfect any areas with mouse droppings. 

About the author

Meg has over 13 years of experience in the wildlife industry. She started as a wildlife technician and was district manager and technical training manager supporting the Southeast Region.  She currently is one of the company’s wildlife training managers. As one of the training managers, her primary focus is special projects and leading Women in Wildlife.

Critter Control Reviews

Meg Pearson, Wildlife Training Manager

Skunks are attracted to areas with accessible food sources and shelter. By eliminating these attractants and implementing certain deterrents, you can reduce the likelihood of them entering your yard. 

Lawns, especially newly created ones, are immensely attractive to skunks, as they tend to be heavily watered and loaded with worms and grubs. Skunks dig small holes where grubs are located, which can make your lawn ugly quite quickly.

How do you know a skunk is in your yard?

You can typically tell when a skunk is in your yard by their pungent/distinct odor. If you see signs of digging or upturned soil in your yard, it may be the result of skunk foraging.

When are skunks a problem in the yard?

Skunk problems are typically at their peak during three times of the year:

• Mating season (mid-February through mid-March)
• Birthing seasons (May–June)
• Winter foraging (approximately October–November) when skunks dig up lawns searching for grubs and worms

Skunk Mating Season

Mating season involves skunks seeking mates — and this often occurs nears homes. Homeowners report skunk tracks in the snow or smell skunk spray. Skunks secrete spray when they are mating and males often spray when they’re fighting and feel threatened.

Birthing Season

The season of skunks’ birth is a precarious one for removal — we can either relocate the entire family, including mother and babies, or we can seal off the areas that skunks are inhabiting and install a one-way valve that allows the family to exit but not re-enter. This can only be done when young are able to walk (3+ weeks).

The very last thing we want is to separate a mother from her kits. When we trap skunks, we always inspect the gender of the animal to ensure we aren’t accidentally relocating a mother who may get separated from her young on your property Many wildlife companies may not attempt the extra care of not separating mothers from their babies, but Critter Control of New Hampshire considers it a necessary step.

Skunk Winter Foraging

When skunks forage in lawns, it can often look like someone ran a rototiller across your yard. In some parts of the country, fall brings rain, which saturates the soil and brings earthworms to the surface. This provides easy access to a food source for skunks. 

Skunk control for your yard

Skunks are attracted to the worms and grubs in your lawn and garden. Lay down 1-inch mesh chicken wire, securing it with stakes or heavy stones.It’s also important for homeowners to prevent access to denning sites, as skunks will readily den under houses, sheds, or porches if given the chance. Close off these areas with ¼-inch hardware cloth, boards, or metal flashing. Make all connections flush and secure, and you’ll keep out smaller animals like mice and rats, too.

Each state has their own laws and regulations regarding skunk removal. Homeowners should avoid attempting skunk control themselves and should instead call a professional due to the risk of rabies and diseases transmitted through skunk bites, as well as potential property damage from their foraging and sharp claws.

About the author

Meg has over 13 years of experience in the wildlife industry. She started as a wildlife technician and was district manager and technical training manager supporting the Southeast Region.  She currently is one of the company’s wildlife training managers. As one of the training managers, her primary focus is special projects and leading Women in Wildlife.

Critter Control Reviews

Raccoons seem like an ideal pet. They’re cute, clever, and resourceful critters. There are several popular social media channels showcasing the inquisitive and intelligent behavior of pet raccoons. One man in Kansas has made it his mission to change the local laws so people could have a pet raccoon legally in Kansas.

But raccoons do not make good pets.

From the serious health risks they pose to the extensive damage they can cause, adopting a raccoon is fraught with challenges that far outweigh any perceived benefits. This article will explore seven key factors that demonstrate why raccoons should be appreciated from a distance, rather than welcomed into our living spaces.

Here are seven reasons to resist the urge to adopt one of these masked bandits as a pet.  

1) Rabies and Other Infectious Diseases

 Studies show that raccoons make up nearly 30% of all rabies cases in the United States. Raccoons also carry zoonic parasites and infectious diseases that can spread to you, your family, and your pets.

Raccoons also carry fleas and ticks. Both of which can spread to people and pets introducing another whole host of problems.

 Additionally, raccoon droppings can cause raccoon roundworm (baylisascaris procyonis); a parasitic worm that can harm both humans and pets. The egg spores in the raccoon droppings are light and can quickly become airborne, resulting in a dangerous infection.

Common Raccoon Diseases:

• Rabies
• Baylisascaris procyonis (raccoon roundworm)
• Leptospirosis
• Giardiasis
• Salmonella
• Canine distemper

2) Behavior and Temperament

Raccoons are smart, curious, active, and playful animals. However, they are also demanding, attention-seeking, and unpredictable.

Born to roam wild, raccoons act out when held captive. When trapped in confinement, they will use their long, dexterous, tapered fingers and nails to pry their way out.

Simply put: Adopting any wild animal as a pet is extremely dangerous. Their instincts will often override any “training” you try to impart on them, and they will always act in unpredictable ways.

3) Known to Act Out if Unhappy

Once a raccoon reaches sexual maturity, the cute and cuddly baby becomes unpredictable.

When upset or moody, raccoons can act like hormonal teenagers. These selfish critters can turn vengeful, aggressive, and territorial in an instant all to assert their dominance. 

Their tendency to act out makes interacting with others close to impossible. In a human home, raccoons often feel trapped—which can stir up extra agitation and hatred to fuel the fire.

Raccoons cannot be tamed! It is unsafe to have an adult raccoon trapped in your home with children (or anyone) present!

4) Damage to House

Raccoons are roamers. The natural range for a raccoon is one to three miles. Locking them inside of a house goes against their nature. They need large, open spaces.

Wild animals get irritable if caged in one place for too long. Trapped raccoons will reach out from the cage, grab onto anything within reach, and destroy it. Once let out, they will explore every square inch of your house.

 Translation? Say hello to torn and scratched furniture, chewed-up cords, and broken valuables everywhere.

 Everything must be not only child-proof but also raccoon-proof. Now that’s a lot to ask for.

5) Say Goodbye to Your Time and Money

Taking care of a raccoon as a pet is a full-time job that can break the bank over time. To ensure a raccoon doesn’t escape; you would need to invest in an expensive cage that locks and is sturdy enough to handle a lot of shenanigans.

What do raccoons eat?

A captive raccoon is prone to obesity.

Grocery stores do not carry a bag of raccoon feed in their pet aisle. Raccoons are omnivorous animals, meaning they eat both plants and meat. If you are considering keeping a raccoon as a pet, it is important to provide a varied and balanced diet to meet their nutritional needs. Raccoons should be fed a combination of:

• High-quality commercial raccoon or omnivore diet
• Fresh fruits and vegetables (e.g. apples, berries, carrots, lettuce)
• Cooked lean proteins (e.g. chicken, turkey, eggs)
• Nuts and seeds
• Clean, fresh water at all times

Raccoons also require a lot of fiber in their diet, so it’s important to include plenty of leafy greens and other high-fiber foods. Additionally, their diet should be supplemented with vitamins and minerals to ensure they are getting all the nutrients they need. Proper nutrition is crucial for a raccoon’s overall health and well-being when kept as a pet.

What about vets?

It is legal in less than 20 states to have a raccoon as a pet. If you live in one of the other 30 states, you won’t be able to find a vet to legally treat a raccoon. You will most likely need to travel to find a vet to care for your raccoon. Then, add on the cost of house damage repairs from emotional outbursts and mischievous behavior. It all adds up.

6) Nearly Impossible to Potty Train

Due to their stubborn nature, raccoons can be difficult to potty train.

While they can be trained to use a litterbox if you irritate them, they will willfully punish you by having accidents around the home; raccoons hold grudges!

7) Adapted to a Nocturnal Lifestyle

As a nocturnal species, raccoons are most active at night. For raccoons held in captivity, this can pose a problem, as most humans sleep during the day. Pet raccoons may keep you up at night by scratching their cage or escaping and causing trouble in your home while you sleep. 

Inevitably people will get a raccoon, realize it’s a mistake and let it go. The raccoon will not be equipped to live outside and therefore it could starve, die of disease, or destroy the property looking for a way in. 

Meg Pearson, Training Manager

What’s the Difference Between Keeping an Adult Raccoon as a Pet and Caring for an Orphaned Baby Raccoon?

Wildlife rehabilitators care for orphaned juvenile raccoons to release them back into the wild. Depending on the raccoon kit, it usually happens around 12 weeks but a healthy 10-week-old raccoon kit can be released.

• Providing a safe, secure, and comfortable enclosure: Rehabilitators create a spacious, enriched environment that mimics the raccoon’s natural habitat, with hiding spots, branches, and toys to encourage natural behaviors.
• Feeding a nutritious diet: Raccoons are omnivores, so rehabilitators provide a balanced diet of high-quality commercial raccoon food, fruits, vegetables, and occasional protein sources.
• Administering medical care: Rehabilitators closely monitor the raccoons’ health, providing veterinary treatment for any injuries or illnesses, and administering necessary medications or supplements.
• Socializing and preparing for release: Rehabilitators work to maintain the raccoons’ natural wariness of humans, while also socializing them with other juvenile raccoons to learn important survival skills.
• Gradual release to the wild: When the raccoons are healthy and have developed the necessary survival skills, rehabilitators will release them back into their natural habitat, often in a protected area near where they were found.

As winter approaches and cold weather settles in, animals are looking for places to stay warm.  There are a number of ways that nuisance wildlife will den or nest on our properties and in our homes, and there are a few measures that can be taken to help prevent and address these behaviors.

Like humans, critters prefer to stay warm and protected from the elements during cold weather. Attics and crawlspaces provide wildlife with warmth, nesting materials, and safety they need to survive during cold temperatures.

Common Winter Pest Animals

The most common pests we see moving indoors during the colder months are squirrels, rats, mice, raccoons, and opossums. None of these animals must hibernate. So if they are in your home to escape the cold weather, they’ll continue to be a nuisance.  

Bats in the winter can pose a unique problem. Some bat species hibernate while other species migrate. If you live in a colder climate, you might have hibernating bats in your attic.

We do not remove hibernating bats, we will repair everything on the structure with the exception of where the bats are roosting until temperatures warm up and the bats start moving again. There are some parts of the U.S. that will have migrating bat problems. For example, homeowners in the Rio Grande area of Texas can have migrating bat problems. In those cases, we can remove bats immediately.

How to Prevent Nuisance Animal Problems During the Winter

 It is important to keep a well-manicured lawn year-round, but especially during seasonal changes. Piles of leaves, debris and overgrown bushes and branches can offer a warm, safe environment for critters to nest or den. Additionally, keeping all food/household waste in tightly sealed garbage bins, along with keeping up any outdoor pet food will help deter nuisance wildlife from being attracted to the property. 

It’s crucial to conduct routine inspections of your property and to have any entry points sealed by a wildlife control professional to stop and prevent unwanted pests from coming in.

All structures, whether houses, apartments or commercial properties, can have a variety of entry points for pests to make their way inside for warmth and shelter. Chimneys, ground and roof vents, soffits, rooflines, decks and siding all have different types of intentional and unintentional gaps as a part of their structures. As a reference point, both mice and bats can get into spaces less than an inch large.

Costs of Nuisance Wildlife Damage

Nuisance animals can cause hundreds or even thousands of dollars worth of damage to wood, plastic, metal, and insulation in your home such as electric wiring, plumbing pipes. They can also cause this damage very quickly. If you believe you have a nuisance wildlife issue, it is recommended to call a wildlife control professional immediately. This winter, stay one step ahead of these critters and take the proper steps to transition your home to keep the warmth in and the critters out!

Testimonials

Meg Pearson, Wildlife Training Manager

The house mouse is also known as the Mus musculus. It is known for its large ears, pointed snout, and virtually hairless tail. 

The Virginia opossum is the only marsupial the lives in North America. Opossums have adapted to live in urban and suburban environments. 

Benefits of Opossums in Your Yard

Opossums provide natural pest control. Opossums are omnivores and will eat a wide variety of foods including pests such as insects, ticks, small rodents, and even scavenge animal carcasses and roadkill. The opossum diet changes slightly depending on the season. For example, the pests eat a lot of insects in the summer while they mostly consume small mammals in the winter.

How to Attract Opossums to Your Yard

Providing resources for food, water, and shelter can attract opossums. They prefer to nest in tree cavities or abandoned dens of other animals but will often times take up residence in unoccupied attics, garages, sheds, or beneath porches. Opossums are opportunist and will take advantage of any area that they deem suitable for shelter.  With that being said, the same things to attract opossums can also attract raccoons, skunks, squirrels, and other nuisance wildlife. 

Are Opossums Dangerous?

Opossums are not likely to attack humans unless provoked, but they can damage your property, especially if they take up residence in an attic, barn, shed, etc. Opossums will steal eggs from chicken coops. They make a mess rummaging in garbage cans and eating left out pet food.

How to Prevent Opossums

To keep opossums out of your yard, you need to keep in mind what initially attracts them to it to begin with: food. Opossums are willing to eat just about anything, so be sure to keep your yard food-free:

• Keep all garbage and food scraps tightly sealed, so there’s no obvious food sources lying around for them to inspect and chow down on.
• Keep your yard well groomed. Be sure to pick up sticks, keep your leaves raked and your grass mowed. Failure to maintain your lawn could attract snakes, rodents and other critters that will, in turn, attract opossums to come along in hopes of eating them.

The best way to keep opossums from getting into your home is to physically prevent them from entering. This can be done by conducting annual inspections of your home’s exterior. Amid that process, be sure to:

• Plug any gaps along your home’s foundation
• Cover vents with metal vent covers
• Attach metal flashing or quarter-inch hardware cloth to protect other openings that must be maintained for airflow or exhaust.

Biggest Opossum Myth Debunked

The biggest misconception surrounding opossums is that they are carriers of rabies. Opossums are rarely known to contract rabies and are even less likely to pass it on to other organisms. One interesting fact about Opossums is they are the only marsupial (pouched mammal) in North America. Additionally, Opossums are known to “play dead” when frightened.

About Meg Pearson

Meg has over 13 years of experience in the wildlife industry. She started as a wildlife technician and was district manager and technical training manager supporting the Southeast Region.  She currently is one of the company’s wildlife training managers. As one of the training managers, her primary focus is special projects and leading Women in Wildlife.

Critter Control Reviews

Georgia is home to sixteen bat species, and they can live in every region of the state. A suitable bat habitat has close acccess to water, ample food supply, and a safe place to roost during the day. Natural roosting locations include caves and hollowed trees. 

Suburban and agricultural landscapes provide similar habitat requirements. Bats will roost in mines, under bridges, in bards, in your attic, inside the walls, or on your roof. Of the sixteen bat species in Georgia, only three bats typically roost in homes. If you have bats in it is likely the little brown bat, big brown bat, or Brazilian free-tailed bat.

Who should call for bat removal in Atlanta, Georgia?

You should call a licensed Nuisance Wildlife Control Operator in Atlanta because bats must be removed from structures through a process of exclusion, not extermination. As per our state laws, intentionally capturing, killing, and harming bats are illegal. This restriction applies to all 16 bat species found in Georgia.

Why are Bats Protected in Georgia?

Out of the 16 local bat species, five are tagged as species of concern within the state. The Indiana bat and the gray bat, meanwhile, on the list of federal and state endangered species.

Bat species currently listed as endangered on the federal level include the Indiana, hoary hat, gray, Florida bonneted, and little Mariana bats. In addition, the Mexican long-nosed, Pacific sheath-tailed, Virginia big-eared, and Ozark big-eared bats are listed for protection.

The federal threatened list includes the Mariana fruit bat and the Northern long-eared bats, while the tri-colored and little brown bats are under review for being endangered.

Benefits of Bats in Georgia

All bats in Georgia are insectivores (no vampire bats).  Some small bats can consume up to 1000 small insects in a single hour. A nursing female bat can consume more than 4000 insects a night. It is estimated bats save U.S. farmers roughly $23 billion each year by reducing crop damage and limiting the need for pesticides.

Bat Populations in Georgia Threatened

Despite the benefits bats provide, the bat populations are threatened. 

• White-nose syndrome is a fungal disease that spreads through bat colonies and has almost eliminated the Northern long-eared, little brown, and tri-colored bats.
• Bats do not reproduce as quickly as other wildlife. The females typically give birth to one or two pups a year. Slow reproduction puts the species at risk for population decline.
• Pesticides used by farmers reduce the number of bugs available for bats to eat.
• Wind turbines kill hundreds of thousands of migrating bats around the world.

Roosting Bat Concerns in Atlanta 

Bats provide tremendous value; however, you do not want bats roosting in your house. Bats pose very little direct danger to people, but they can spread diseases and damage your property.

Bats defecate where they roost. Bat droppings, or guano, can accumulate within walls and attics as well as on the ground and roof tiles. The nutrient-rich droppings cultivate the growth of histoplasmosis fungus, which causes severe respiratory problems in humans.

Bats are indeed capable of contracting and transmitting the rabies virus. Rabies is transmitted via scratch, bite, or when infected saliva comes into contact with human eyes, mouths, or open wounds. So if you find bats in your house, avoid contact!

Bats also harbor ticks and fleas. Those parasites can find new hosts like your family and pets.

Bat Removal in Atlanta, Georgia

To get rid of bats in Georiga, you need to use exclusion not exterminator. In the state of Georgia, not only is it illegal to kill or trap bats, but also you should avoid evict bats from your home if flightless pups are present.

Bat Exclusions Restrictions in Georiga 

Bat issues can happen to any home at any time of the year, but they are most common during maternity season.  Bat maternity season in Atlanta, GA lasts from April 1st–July 31^st. During this time, you should avoid bat removal. During this time of year, bat pups are too young to fly and may become trapped and die inside structures. If exclusions must be completed during this maternity period they must be completed by a licensed Nuisance Wildlife Control Operator like Critter Control.

Spring is ideal for bat removal as it coincides with their return from hibernation or migration but before maternity season starts. After maternity season, the bat colony disperses. Some bats return to the same roost year after year.  If you want to prevent bats from entering your home, preventative exclusion is the best precaution you can take.

How to Get Rid of Bats

The most effective and humane way to remove bats is by utilizing a bat valve with a full home exclusion. Exclusion, not bat exterminator. A bat valve allows for bats to exit your home but not re-enter. Since each bat removal is unique, our specialist will use or create a bat valve specifically for your home. 

Once the bat valve is installed, all other entry points will be sealed, allowing bats to exit only through the valve. The removal process typically takes 3-7 days. Our specialist will perform a final attic inspection before removing the valve. After removing the valve, the final entry point will be sealed, leaving your home bat-free.

Pictures of Bats in the Attic

Bat Guano Identification  – Signs of Bats in Attic

How Bats Get into Your House

Reviews of Critter Control in Atlanta, Georgia

Bat Removal in Chicago, IL

To get rid of bats in Illinois, you need to use exclusion not exterminator. Bats may not be shot, trapped, transported, or held in confinement except when a bat is found in an area where they may have contact with humans or domestic pets.

Bat Exclusions Restrictions in Illinois

You can remove a bat from your living space any time of the year. A living space is any room in your house that you actively use. If a bat or bat colony is in a non-living space, such as an attic, permanent eviction can only occur from March 15 to May 15 when outdoor temperatures exceed 50° F at dusk, and August 5 through October 30 when outdoor temperatures exceed 50° F at dusk. This guideline is in place to protect pups while they are still unable to fly.

How to Get Rid of Bats

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. Since each bat removal is unique, our specialist will use or create a bat valve specifically for your home. 

Once the bat valve is installed, all other entry points will be sealed, allowing for bats to exit only through the valve. The removal process typically takes 3-7 days. Our specialist will perform a final attic inspection before removing the valve. After removing the valve, the final entry point will be sealed, leaving your home bat-free.

Bat Removal during the Winter in Illinois

During the winter they usually roost in mines and caves. If natural habitats aren’t available, bats will winter inside buildings. If able, leave the bats alone for the winter and install exclusions once it gets warm. 

They enter a state of bat hibernation called torpor. To survive long periods without a meal, the animals slow their breathing and heart rate to fall into a deep sleep. Unlike true hibernation, bats in this state can wake briefly on warmer days and leave their roost to find meals.

If bats are evicted during one of these warmer months, they won’t have a safe place to return when the temperatures drop again. 

Meg Pearson, Wildlife Training Manager

Raccoons, like most animals, are attracted to homes and yards that provide water sources, food sources or shelter. Raccoons will drink water out of puddles, bird baths, buckets, or water bowls.

Raccoons are omnivorous and are not picky when it comes to food. Your yard provides plenty of food sources. Raccoons are attracted to vegetables gardens (especially sweet corn), fallen fruit, birdseed, compost, outdoor pet food dishes, or, most famously, unsecured trash cans.

Other sources of food for raccoons are grubs in your yard, fish ponds, and chicken coops (raccoons will eat chickens and their eggs). If you have any easily-accessible sources of food in your yard it is likely you will run into nuisance raccoon issues at some point.   

What are some signs that a raccoon has been on your property recently?

 The telltale sign is damaged or overturned garbage cans, garden damage, or holes in your yard. Homeowners can also find damage on the siding of their house, in the eaves, soffit, and along the roof. 

What kind of damage can raccoons do both indoors & outdoors?

Raccoons are very strong and can quickly cause damage to both indoor and outdoor areas of the home.

On the exterior, Raccoons can ruin vegetable gardens and tear up lawns looking for food like insects, grubs, and earthworms. Additionally, they can cause damage to crawlspaces and sheds if they decide to use them as a denning space.

Raccoons will use their intelligence and know where to use their strength to exploit your home’s weaknesses. If raccoons cannot find easy access inside, their paws allow them to grip and rip into materials commonly found on homes to create access points.

Raccoons are excellent climbers and can climb onto your roof. They can tear up the shingles in your roof to get into your attic and, once inside, they can destroy vents, soffits, insulation and much more, while establishing their dens.

What dangers should homeowners be aware of when dealing with a raccoon problem?

Raccoons are very dangerous to interact with. Though they are typically shy animals that retreat when they sense nearby humans, many of them are growing more and more accustomed to human interaction, as their natural habitats are threatened and decrease. Raccoons can be aggressive. They are most likely to behave aggressively if backed into a corner or are in a situation where they are protecting their young.

Before attacking, they will try to intimidate you by rounding their backs, sticking their fur out, elevating their tails, jumping repeatedly and showing off their claws. They’ll also growl, hiss and shriek at you, in an effort to get you to back off, before they’re forced to physically engage.

Even if a raccoon seems cute and friendly, homeowners should never approach them inside or outside their home (and definitely do not keep them as a pet!).

Do raccoon deterrents work?

 Deterrents can be hit or miss; it all depends on the raccoon. Remember: these are very intelligent wild animals; what works to deter them one day might not work the next. If they want to get into your house, they might try several different ways and look for many different entrance points, so deterrents, both natural and manmade might not always be effective.

Homeowners can try repellents like peppermint oil, spicy peppers, garlic, vinegar, citrus peels, ammonia, and fox or coyote urine, but, again, these likely will only work in the short term, if at all.

 How do you actually keep raccoons away?

If you want to stop them from hanging around your house altogether, you need to have them rule out your property as a potential shelter, food and  source. So, homeowners should:

• Secure their trash cans
• ​Remove any pet food during the overnight hours
• Remove birdfeeders
• Empty standing water
• ​Block areas under porches 

 The most effective way to keep raccoons out of your house is to:

• Seal all vulnerable areas such as roof returns, any loose soffit, and holes that a raccoon might see as a way to enter your home
• ​Secure vents, chimneys, crawlspaces and basements
• Install tree and roof barriers to prevent climbing
• Keep all tree limbs trimmed back away from the house

At the first sign of a raccoon infestation, it is recommended to reach out to a wildlife control professional right away. The more established an adult raccoon den is on your property or in your house, the more damage it causes. A wildlife removal professional will use a combination of raccoon traps and exclusions to get rid of the raccoons.
About the author

Meg has over 13 years of experience in the wildlife industry. She started as a wildlife technician and was district manager and technical training manager supporting the Southeast Region.  She currently is one of the company’s wildlife training managers. As one of the training managers, her primary focus is special projects and leading Women in Wildlife.

The most effective squirrel control is exclusion repairs. Squirrel trapping on solves the immediate problem but still leaves your house vulnerable.

Squirrels’ damage usually comes from their chewing and gnawing. Squirrels can squeeze through a hole the size of a golf ball. Squirrels can chew through siding, wood, metal, and shingles to gain access to your attic. 

Squirrel Damage Repairs

Squirrels only need a gap a few inches to gain etnry to your home. Their sharp teeth can gnaw through most house materials, and a squirrel won’t stop gnawing just because the hole is big enough. Once the squirrel has been removed, you need to repair the entry points to keep other squirrels out.

Squirrel Entry Points	Squirrel Exclusions

Critter Control specializes in returning your attic to pristine condition after a nuisance animal infestation. Critter Control technicians have the training and experience to safely remove an animal, repair the damage, and install exclusions for a long-term and holistic solution.

Animals in Attic Damages

If an animal has been living in your attic, it has damaged it. Damage can include contaminated insulation, destroyed insulation, or damaged air ducts. An animal in your attic also introduces health risks like histoplasmosis or leptospirosis.

Dens and Nests

Wildlife will create dens and nests with the available materials in the nooks and crannies of your attic space. Dens and nests are often made using your insulation or HVAC ductwork, but animals can also use cardboard boxes, clothe, paper, and anything available. Dens and nests can reduce the energy efficiency of your home and destroy stored items.

Squirrel’s Nest in Insulation



Insulation Removed by Squirrel

Droppings in Attic

Feces and urine from any animal infestation not only create terrible odors but also cause structural damage to your home. Animal droppings will contaminate the insulation and reduce the r-value. Feces and urine can rot and contaminate wood, and ruin stored personal items in the attic. Animal feces in the attic may also lead to stained ceilings and drywall. and terrible odors.

Rodent Droppings in Attic 


Raccoon Damage in Attic

Attic Remediation

When considering attic remediation, you want a service provider that can do more than install insulation. Our attic remediation services restore your attic to its original condition. We clean up any debris introduced from squirrels and raccoons. We will clean up any animal droppings and remove soiled insulation. Finally, we can replace the attic insulation

Attic Insulation Replacement

The proper amount of attic insulation will help reduce your energy bills. Contact Critter Control to inspect your current insulation level. Our technicians can install new insulation to bring your attic up to the recommended level of insulation.

Many insulation materials can be difficult to work with. Let the professionals at Critter Control of Indianapolis complete your attic insulation installation. We will remove attic insulation that has been soiled and damaged with wildlife droppings and dispose of it.Raccoon Damage in Attic Repair 

New Insulation Installation

Full Attic Restoration Process

In certain cases, a full attic restoration is necessary.

Step 1: Remove all current insulation in attics and remove large feces by hand with protective gloves or an industrial vacuum

Step 2: If necessary, remove the small feces from the attic using a HEPA-filtered vacuum.

Step 3: Fogging the entire attic with a disinfectant-virucide-deodorizer.

Step 4: Replace soffit baffles and recessed light covers as necessary.

Step 5: Install new, energy-efficient insulation.

Benefits of Using Critter Control’s Attic Restoration Services

For more than forty years, our team has been committed to providing humane methods when removing animals from any property. We take special care to think about an animal’s mating cycles, offspring, and nearby habitats where these animals can make a new home.

Our CritterSafe program uses tactics such as non-lethal animal removal, no-trap animal control, wildlife release on-site, and one-way doors to let animals leave on their own to minimize stress.

Critter Control personnel are expertly trained and maintain ongoing learning to keep up with best practices and new methods. In addition, we have a satisfaction guarantee extended to all customers. Every animal infestation is unique. We’ll create a custom wildlife damage control plan specific to your situation.

All photos courtesy of Critter Control of New Hampshire

Porcupines venture into residential areas for a surprising reason—they crave salt that they cannot get from their diet of leaves and bark, and there is plenty of it near humans. Some of their favorite sources of salt include car tires that have driven through salted streets, tool handles and boat oars found in sheds, horse saddles, and plywood that is glued with a sodium-based material. Porcupines are an uncommon home intruder. If one is a regular in your yard, it is likely because of unusual circumstances such as a drought or food shortage.

We trapped and relocated these two porcupines.

The biggest nuisance is when dogs bother them. They will defend themselves. Porcupines can strip and kill an ornamental tree in less than a week. In the forest,this helps with opening the forest floor as well as providing food sources for woodpeckers. They find food in the decaying tree. Nature has its process.

Owls will use the cavities opened by woodpeckers.