Critter Control of Chicagoland

Get them out.
Keep them out.®
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(847) 908-5163

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The collar counties around Chicago provide an attractive area for wildlife because of the flat land, easy access to water and an urban tree canopy of over 172 million trees. Chicagoland has experience rapid expansion since the 1960s.   
 
The Chicago River and Lake Michigan have kept the Chicago area as an attractive habitat for a variety of wild animals(Opens in a new window)(Opens in a new window) such as coyotes, raccoons, bats, squirrels, foxes, snakes, and a variety of birds. 
 
Due to urban sprawl, these animls have adapted to the urban and suburban landscape. One way to be good neighbor to the urban wildlife in Chicago is protecting your home from their entry or ensuring a safe and humane removal of the animal. 

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 are thriving in Chicago. The population continues to explode in Illinios. Populations of 9 to 45 are common in Illinois, but in Kane county populations have been recorded as high as 98 to 101 raccoons! Densely populated areas like Aurora, Naperville, Joliet, Elgin, and Waukegen offer plenty of food and shelter for raccoons

Attics, crawl spaces, and chimneys resemble similar spaces found in nature that raccoons use to make dens. Generally, a female raccoon will make a den during breeding season. In Illinois, raccoon breeding season lasts from January through March and peaks in February. Most baby raccoons are born in April or early May.  
 
If you hear loud thumping and chittering noises during the first half of the year or see a raccoon active during the day, you likely have a family of raccoons in your home. While adorable and clever, raccoons carry health risks to you and your family. Raccoons are a known rabies carrier and across the Illinois test positive for raccoon roundworm, a parasite that may be life-threatening to people and pets

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.

Raccoon Trapping

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.

Bat Removal

There are 13 bat species commonly found in Illinois, and all are protected by under the Wildlife Code (520 ILCS 5/1.1) Bats are an important part of the ecosystem (a single bat can consume 3,000 insects in one night!). You can remove a bat from a living space you actively use at any time. If a bat colony is in a non-living space (attic), bat removal can only take place 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. 
 
Bats are known vectors for rabies, but the greatest risk is from guano. The accumulation of bat guano can weaken home structures. Mold that leads to Histoplasma can grow in bat guano. 
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).

Bat 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.

Squirrel Removal

The Eastern gray squirrel is one of the most common animals in Chicagoland. Squirrels break into Chicago attics to escape cold weather and raise their young. Once indoors, the pests will gnaw on walls, insulation, and wiring. Their constant chewing can damage property and even create a fire hazard. A squirrel may also shelter fleas and ticks in their fur.
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.

Squirrel Trapping

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. 

Rodent Pest Control in Chicago

Norway rats  live in colonies and enter Chicago suburb homes to find meals and warmth. The stronger rat colonies get the better locations. If your home has plentiful resources (food, shelter, water), you might be attracting large rat colonies. Norway rat infestations usually occur in crawl spaces and basements. 
 
Once inside, Norway rats and other rodent pests like mice pollute pantries and kitchens with droppings which can lead to illnesses. Rodents also cause damage by gnawing on wood, wiring, and other materials. 
 
Any gaps or cracks (larger than 1/4 of an inch) in home foundations and siding can allow rats inside. Norway rats are burrowing pests, so tracks or tunnels in yards may be the first sign of a rodent problem.  
 
The most effective means of rat control is trapping and sealing your home. 
Inspection

Inspection

During a rodent inspection, we thoroughly inspect your attic and provide a complete exterior home inspection. The most common signs of rodent activity are gnaw marks, feces, rub marks, nesting material, runs in insulation material, and small entry points.

Rodent Trapping

Rodent Trapping

A Critter Control wildlife specialist will create a strategic trapping plan to remove the rodents found in your home. Critter Control specialists may use snap traps and live traps to capture and remove mice and rats. Rodent trapping can usually takes between five to fourteen days. 
Repairs

Repairs

The best way to reduce the possibility of letting unwanted rodents into homes is to seal possible entrances. Exclusion methods include caulking cracks in foundations, capping chimneys, and installing mesh covers over vents and crawl space entrances. We also strongly recommend a maintenance service. Rodents have front teeth that continuously grow, which means they can gnaw a new way back into your home.

Skunk Control

Skunks are a common pest in Bentonville, Fayetteville and the surrounding NW Arkansas area. These animals are known for foraging for food in trash bins and pet food bowls. They're also profound and efficient diggers, and can mutilate an entire yard in a single night searching for grubs. They're distinctive black and white fur, and their pungent odor that can linger for days, are unmistakeable. If you happen to cross paths with a skunk, do not try to scare it away. Please also remember that skunks can carry rabies; therefore, it’s best to let a professional handle removal for you.
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.
Skunk Control

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.

Beaver Control

Beaver dams create thriving ecosystems, but nuisance beavers also cause flooding in residential areas and on public lands. 
 
Due to certain state and federal laws, attempting to remove beaver dams can result in costly fines or jail time. Beavers can become hostile if threatened. 
 
Beavers are extremely diligent workers and will continue causing issues until they are removed from the property. Trutech will undertake an intense trapping session and trap for a specific number of days or until activity stops, whichever comes first. 
 
Beavers target an area and work there consistently until they need more resources. As a result, they will develop a “slide.” These are visible mud slides that the beavers create from repeatedly going in and out of the water. It’s important to locate beaver slides in order to have a more successful trapping session. 
 
The process of beaver removal typically takes 10-14 days.Removing trees or wrapping trunks in hardware cloth and controlling water level deter beavers. 

Coyote Control

There are over 4,000 coyotes in Chicago, and there is an estimated two to ten times more raccoons in Cook County then the rest of Illinois. 
 
Although coyotes adapt well to urban settings, they generally stay away from people. However, the animals do enter Chicago-area backyards to prey on small animals and may even attack cats and dogs. Coyotes are prone to diseases like rabies and canine distemper, which can affect unvaccinated pets. 

Pigeon Control

One of the most common animals is the rock pigeon, which roosts on manmade structures. The pests visit yards and patios in large flocks looking for food or a place to rest. 

Wherever these birds gather, residents will notice an excessive amount of droppings. Pigeon poop can kill plants and ruin paint on vehicles and buildings. Their waste also spreads diseases such as toxoplasmosis, salmonellosis, and histoplasmosis. 

Get them out.
Keep them out.®
Call For A FREE Inspection
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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.
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