Critter Control of San Antonio

WE CAN HELP YOU GET RID OF NUISANCE WILDLIFE PROBLEMS

Squirrels, bats, raccoons, snakes, lizards, rats, mice, minks, voles, armadillos, opossums and rabbits are a few of the Texas wildlife you can see roaming Bexar county. Some may be in your yard daily. While fun to watch, the wildlife is not there for entertainment purposes. They are in search of food, water and shelter. Depending on the season, they may be preparing for winter or preparing to give birth.

Wildlife can quickly become nuisance wildlife when they start damaging your property, annoying you and your family, or posing a threat to humans. Calling a wildlife removal company can help you avoid risks, like being bitten by a potentially diseased animal, further damage to your property and fines due to broken laws. 

At Critter Control, we know the local and state laws and have the best safety equipment and extensive wildlife training. Our three-step process of inspection, removal and repair effectively gets rid of unwanted wildlife from your property quickly. Below are some examples.
 

Raccoon Removal in San Antonio

Raccoons are furbearers. Many hunt them in the woods with a permit. In San Antonio, raccoons are urbanized nuisances. With their cute masks and fuzzy banded tails, they seem harmless. But as soon as the sun goes down, they go on the prowl for food and water, leaving destruction in their paths. They eat insects, bird eggs, frogs, rodents, fish, pet feed, garden crops and table scraps. They will dig holes in your yard, dumpster dive, raid gardens, scatter garbage and open feed containers looking for a snack.

Raccoons create nests in hollowed trees, chimneys and attics. Raccoons will force their way into your home by breaking screens and boards. Or they will walk right through the pet door if it is left open. Raccoons can destroy your attic, chewing wires and shredding insulation. Blocking vents and chimneys create fire hazards. They are excellent climbers but destroy siding and shingles and leave greasy smudge marks wherever they go. Calling an expert to remove a raccoon is best. They understand the laws and know if nuisance raccoons need to be documented and turned in for disease testing.

Inspection: Our experts can identify scat and trails and locate how they are entering your home or outbuilding. They can also look for damages caused by a raccoon.

Removal: Raccoons are typically removed using safe and humane traps, following local and state regulations. Direct capture is avoided whenever possible due to the potential for being bitten or scratched. If raccoon babies must be removed, we seek help from the local wildlife rehabilitation center. Raccoons may need to be tested for rabies. We will deliver the raccoon to the site if necessary.

Repair: Common repairs include replacing shingles, siding, insulation in attics, cleaning scat and applying sanitization, replacing sod, fencing gardens, and screening vents and chimneys. Exclusion methods we use to keep raccoons away from your home include sealing all holes or openings they could use for entry. We eliminate access to food and water resources. We remove bird feeders, birdbaths and debris in the yard.

Rat and Mice Pest Control

There are up to 50 species of rats and mice in San Antonio and across Texas. Outside, the Norway and roof rats are chewing holes in siding, electrical wiring, shingles and screens. They burrow underground, sometimes under trees, sheds or your home. This can make foundations unstable. The house mouse and its relatives are chewing holes in walls, baseboards, pantry cabinets and food containers inside your home.

Both rats and mice leave trails of feces and urine as they travel around your home. Because rats and mice can carry several transmittable diseases, don't risk getting bitten by removing them yourself. We can help get rid of your rat and mouse problem. Because rodents multiply quickly, the sooner you call, the better.

Inspection: Critter Control experts locate openings as small as a quarter that mice may be using to enter your home. For rats, they only need a hole the size of a golf ball. We follow trails, assessing the damage.

Removal: We use humane traps for rat and mouse removal, and we understand which bait is the correct type to use for rats and for mice. When using traps outdoors, we know how to avoid capturing other small animals. The wrong bait will only create additional problems.

Repair: Typical rat and mice repairs include filling in holes, repairing damaged wires, screens and other gnawed places. We seal every gap or crack to exclude rodents from entering your home in the future. We cover openings to chimneys, vents, pipes and other outdoor openings. Storing human and pet foods properly and clearing debris that attracts rodents is also essential.

Squirrel Removal

Texas squirrels you may see on your San Antonio property include the gray, fox and flying species. Squirrels enjoy fruits, nuts, grains, seeds, bird eggs, garden crops and even bark when times are hard.

Squirrels' teeth are constantly growing. To prevent overgrowth, they gnaw on hard objects. If squirrels are in your yard or home, hard objects can mean walls, floors, rails, pipes, furniture, electrical wires and more. Squirrels are collectors, gathering items and storing them for later. They accumulate their foods and nest items in ducts and vents, creating a fire hazard. They tear insulation for their nests, causing a rise in your electric bill. They even leave their feces and urine behind.

Outside they damage siding, fascia, shingles and your yard. They love to dig holes in your yard to store food. While squirrels are cute and fun to watch, they can also carry diseases. If you try to remove them, they may feel threatened and bite or scratch you. Our process works for eliminating squirrels.

Inspection: Locating every entry point to your home is a priority. We follow trails and tracks to determine the most popular food sources. We can identify chew marks when assessing damages.

Removal: Our experts can choose between safe and humane trapping, like with one-way doors, or if a squirrel is stuck, they may use safety tools for removal. Avoiding direct capture is a primary goal unless there are babies to remove. We reunite babies with their mothers after capture.

Repair: We often repair chewed wires, wood, shingles, siding, screens, pipes and vents. We replace insulation and install tree and roof barriers to prevent climbing. Other exclusion methods include clearing debris, removing bird feeders and sealing all entrances to your home.

Bat Removal

San Antonio bats are beneficial to the environment and are protected species. They eat thousands of insects every night, which is why they are an essential factor in our ecosystem. Also, they are excellent pollinators, and their guano is a great fertilizer. There are species of bats that live in colonies and species that are solitary.

There are over 30 species of bats in Texas. Eleven of those can live near humans and transmit diseases. Six of these species are colonies, while the others are solitary. Because bats are creatures of habit, it's important to do what you can to bat-proof your home, barn or other structures. Otherwise, you will have a bat nuisance problem every year.

If you're not using bat guano for fertilizer, it will become a problem. It will stain floors and walls, and it is so acidic it can erode metals and wood. Trying to get rid of bats yourself puts you at risk for contact with their guano, which can carry mold spores. Also, they may bite you and transmit disease. Let our experts do the dirty work.

Inspection: We search for the food sources attracting bats to your property. We also find all holes and cracks through which bats are entering your home or building. We look at potential damages caused by guano or the bats themselves.

Removal: One-way doors are used that allow bats to fly out of your home, but they cannot fly back in. It typically only takes one door or valve to complete the job. While they exist, we seal all the other holes. If a bat must be removed manually, our experts have gloves and other tools to get rid of the bats safely.

Repair: We first clean the guano from your structure and apply sanitization to the area. We then work on exclusion methods that include sealing all holes and cracks to prevent future visits. Exclusions include eliminating stagnant water, piles of manure from livestock and other sources that attract insects.

Armadillo Removal

The nine-banded armadillo is our state's official small mammal. The armadillo has great qualities, like its armor, protecting it from predators. When startled, it shoots straight up in the air, shocking its predator and giving it time to hide. It has claws for digging, which is what it does all the time. It digs only to search for food like insects and grubs.

Digging can also become a nuisance, however, when the roots of trees are destroyed, killing the tree that may fall on your home. Or, if they dig under driveways, gardens or livestock fences, damages can follow. Because they live in burrows underground, it is crucial to make sure their holes are not interfering with the structure of your home or buildings.

We take care in removing armadillos from your property. They can carry leprosy, so it's important that you don't handle them yourself. If you have an armadillo destroying your yard, give us a call.

Inspection: Our experts understand the habits and habitats of armadillos. We can assess if damages were caused by their burrows or digging.

Removal: We have tools and equipment to properly remove armadillos, like safe and humane traps to capture the animal. Every armadillo removal is different and may require different safety techniques, from live traps to fumigations and repellents.

Repair: Exclusion efforts include clearing debris, brush, and piles of wood or rocks. These are spots armadillos like to hide. We also cover burrows so an armadillo cannot return.

Q&A with Local Franchisees Russ and Lynne Van Hellen:

What are some of the most common wildlife issues that homeowners face in San Antonio?

Raccoons, squirrels, opossums, rats and bats in attics, between floors, in chimneys or vents. Noises between floors, in walls or the attic. Skunks and armadillos digging in yards, flower beds or gardens. Bees in the attic, wall or chimney.

How do the seasons affect wildlife activity in your area?
Hotter seasons generally have less animal activity in the attic. Rodents can be found year-round in the attic. Skunks and armadillos are very active with digging in the yard/flower beds in the summer season. Fall and spring bring baby season, and there is an increase in wildlife moving into attics.

What are some common signs of nuisance wildlife activity?
Digging in the yard or flower beds. Noises and scratching in the attic and walls. Finding droppings, chewed wires in the attic, or torn insulation. Smelling odors inside the house. Vents screens are pulled away or missing from the vent.

Any prevention tips for residents in your area?
Don’t feed wildlife. Keep your pet food in animal-proof containers (not plastic) and don’t leave your pet food unattended outside. Make sure garage doors are closed in the evening. Keep trees and bushes trimmed around your house. Remove any brush or wood piles. Don’t feed the birds. Make sure there are no open holes where an animal can get inside your attic. Call Critter Control to inspect your home for animal entry and have us seal every hole or entry point.

When should homeowners call Critter Control?
As soon as they hear a noise or scratching in the attic, walls or between floors. Also, as soon as they see any droppings inside the house or attic, or if insulation has been removed.

How Professional Wildlife Control Services Can Help You

Hiring a nuisance wildlife control company has many benefits, including:

• Extensively trained experts on every nuisance wildlife
• Safe removal using the right tools and equipment
• Exclusions to prevent future nuisance wildlife visits

Why Choose Critter Control

At Critter Control, our experts:

• Offer free estimates and discounts for seniors and military
• Have over 30 years of experience

Serving the following locations:

By County: Bexar, Comal, and Kendall Counties