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Critter Control of South Bend

Get them out. Keep them out.®

Call for an Estimate Today

(574) 261-3305
(No Cats & Dogs)

Call to schedule our industry leading whole home inspection. We offer military and senior discounts.

(574) 261-3305

Hours of Operation

Monday-Friday 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.

Saturday and Sunday 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.

Serving the following locations:

By County: Elkhart, Kosciusko, Marshall and Saint Joseph

  • Atwood
  • Bourbon
  • Bremen
  • Bristol
  • Burket
  • Claypool
  • Cromwell
  • Donaldson
  • Dunlap
  • Elkhart
  • Etna Green
  • Goshen
  • Granger
  • Gulivoire Park
  • Indian Village
  • Lakeville
  • La Paz
  • Leesburg
  • Ligonier
  • Mentone
  • Middlebury
  • Milford
  • Millersburg
  • Mishawaka
  • Nappanee
  • New Carlisle
  • New Paris
  • North Liberty
  • North Webster
  • Notre Dame
  • Osceola
  • Pierceton
  • Plymouth
  • Roseland
  • Shipshewana
  • Silver Lake
  • Simonton Lake
  • South Bend
  • Syracuse
  • Topeka
  • Wakarusa
  • Walkerton
  • Warsaw
  • Winona Lake
  • Wyatt

Testimonials

Wildlife Removal Services in South Bend

We prioritize your peace of mind throughout every phase of the wildlife removal process. From comprehensive inspection to swift and humane removal, as well as full home exclusion and repair services, we offer a complete solution to rid your property of raccoons, rodents, and other nuisance critters.

At Critter Control, we understand the importance to restore your peace of mind. Our integrated approach includes a comprehensive inspection, humane animal removal, and whole home exclusion.

 

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.

Wildlife
STEP 2

Wildlife Trapping & 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.
Wildlife Removal
STEP 3

Wildlife Control and Exclusions

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.
Prevention and Repair

In Michiana, the St. Joseph River provides food and water for many types of wildlife. The most common nuisance wildlife in South Bend are skunks, bats, rats, squirrels, raccoons, rabbits, snakes, opossums, and groundhogs. As South Bend continues to develop and expand, natural habitats are increasingly fragmented. Wildlife adapt to their new environment and find food, shelter, and water in an urban habitat.

Identifying signs of nuisance wildlife presence early to ensure the safety and well-being of your loved ones. Physical evidence like damage such as gnaw marks and torn insulation or droppings and urine stains indicate a wildlife problem. Foul odors and strange pet behavior can be a signal of critters in your house. The most common sign of a nuisance animal in your house is unusual sounds, like scratching or rustling noises, especially during the night.

Recognizing these signs early and taking appropriate measures, such as contacting Critter Control, a professional wildlife removal service, is crucial to prevent further damage and ensure the safe and humane removal of wildlife from your premises.

These critters possess the potential to become disruptive if left unaddressed. Their presence may lead to damage within and around your home, potentially compromising the safety and comfort of you and your family.

 

South Bend Raccoon Removal

We don’t see the nocturnal, masked bandit of South Bend too often, only the evidence of its existence, like scattered trash, tipped garbage cans, opened feed bags, and missing chickens. They dig holes in your yard searching for insects, raid your garden and literally break and enter your home.

Raccoons will tear screens or doors blocking an entrance and even crawl through windows or open pet doors. Once in your personal space, raccoons will set up two places: a bathroom and a nest. To create these, they will use their nimble hands to rip insulation, scratch flooring and walls, and destroy stored personal items.

There are regulations regarding the removal of raccoons. Calling wildlife control experts is the best option to get rid of a raccoon problem.

Inspection

Inspection

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

Trapping and Removal

Raccoon Trapping

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

Repairs

Repairs

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

Squirrel Removal

South Bend mammals include the Northern and Southern flying squirrels, red squirrel, gray squirrel, and fox squirrel. They can all be found scavenging in your property for garden crops, nuts, fruits, seeds, grains, and even tiny bird eggs. Squirrels are collectors, stealing treasures to store for winter months.

You may hear squirrels chirping, growling, hissing, and making other sounds in your walls, attic, or ceiling. Prioritize getting rid of squirrels in your home  because they can create fire hazards by storing items in your vents and ducts and gnawing on electrical wires. They like to raid bird feeders and strip bark from trees to nibble on the sap. In their daily scurries, they dent gutters and spouting, chew through the siding and break roof shingles.

We know how to handle issues with squirrels.

Inspection

Inspection

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

Trapping and Removal

Squirrel Trapping

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

Repairs

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

Bat Removal

The big and little brown bats are two of thirteen bat species in Indiana. The brown bats are the ones you may hear or smell roosting in your attic. Bats are loud and when roosting in colonies, it will make it hard for you to ignore them.

Bats eating insects are not nuisances at all. We love that about them. We need them. It’s their guano that is the primary nuisance. They poop while roosting, so most of their guano is inside your attic, shed, barn, or other man-made structure. Bat guano can grow a mold that, if inhaled, can lead to respiratory issues. Also, when they feel threatened, bats may act aggressively and bite you. While rare, some bats can carry diseases like rabies.

Bat roosts are easy to locate. Getting them to move out of the roost is challenging. That’s where our experts can help.

Inspection

Inspection

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

Trapping and Removal

Bat Removal

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

Repairs

Bat Exclusion

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.

Rodent Control

Rats can pose significant problems for homeowners in South Bend, Indiana. Rats damage property, spread diseases, and contaminate food. Effective rat control measures, including sanitation practices, exclusion techniques, and professional integrated pest management services, are essential for mitigating these issues and maintaining a safe and healthy living environment.
Inspection

Inspection

During an inspection, we identity where in the house rats are hiding. They tend to stay close to their nest and venture out for food. Based on this information, we create a plan for removal and control.

Trapping and Removal

Rat Trapping

Our strategic approach to rat removal starts with an effective trapping solution. Rats are naturally cautious of new elements in their environment which makes trapping difficult. Coupled with their breeding rate, an effective rat trapping program takes between five to fourteen days.
Repairs

Rat Control

The most important aspect of rat control is to stop future infestations from starting. We identify all potential entry holes and block them with materials rats cannot chew through. We also implement a maintenance program that includes bait stations to stop rats from getting close to you again.

Skunk Control

Nocturnal by nature, striped skunks are plentiful in South Bend and the surrounding areas. Skunks prosper in and around neighnorhoods, taking advantage of pet food and trash left outside by residents. Skunks do not hibernate and may be active year-round. They can cause plenty of lawn damage when burrowing for food and can cause a smelly situation if confronted by a person, or pets. Not only is their spray foul-smelling and hard to remove, but skunks in the South Bend area also have been known to 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

Skunk Trapping

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

Skunk Control

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

Other Common Wildlife Issues

Animal Damage

Animal Sounds in Attic

Attic Restoration & Insulation

Wildlife Control

Call to Schedule an Inspection

(574) 261-3305
(No Cats & Dogs)

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.
Critter Control Guarantee Your satisfaction is always guaranteed. We provide reliable prevention from future intrusions. Resolving a nuisance wildlife issue calls for more than trapping and removing the critter. Our exclusion services offer immediate and long-term wildlife solutions.
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.

Q&A With Local Critter Control Expert Shane Dietrich

What are some of the most common nuisance wildlife issues that homeowners in South Bend face?

The most common nuisance wildlife in South Bendare are raccoons, bats, squirrels, and mice gaining access into customers attics, walls, and crawlspaces/basements. Also skunks, opossums, raccoons, and other wildlife living under decks and sheds and damaging landscaping.

How do the seasons in Northern Indiana affect wildlife activity?

Most nuisance wildlife is active throughout all the seasons.However, there are times that we see peak activity. Just before winter we will see an uptick in wildlife entering homes to find a place to overwinter. Also during spring and fall wildlife are giving birth to their young causing homeowners to hear more activity.

What are some common signs of nuisance wildlife activity?

The most common sign of wildlife activity is noises being heard by a homeowner. Additional signs of wildlife can be droppings or nesting material in or on the home and/or holes the animals have created to enter the home.

Any prevention or exclusion tips for residents in your area?

The best advice for prevention or exclusion is to call Critter Control for a whole home inspection to determine the needs of the home to prevent and or exclude wildlife.

When should homeowners call you?

The best time to take action and call Critter Control is the first time you notice or think you may have a wildlife problem. Delaying will likely result in the animal creating more damage to the home. Homeowners can also call for an inspection to seal the home before wildlife becomes a problem. Being proactive versus reactive to wildlife issues will save homeowners money and headaches in the future.

This franchise is independently licensed and operated by Dietrich & Sons, LLC, dba Critter Control of South Bend, IN.