Monday-Friday 7:30 a.m. – 5:30 p.m.
Saturday and Sunday Closed
Dayton, OH, is nestled in the western portion of the state near the Miami River. Residents encounter a variety of wildlife here, which often become a nuisance when found in or near homes.
Opossums frequent yards and may hiss or bare their teeth if cornered. Both skunks and opossums den under porches and sheds.
Although coyotes are common in Dayton, they aren’t native to the Southwest Ohio area. The animals are able to survive and even thrive in most habitats. These hunters will exploit yards for small prey such as voles, shrews, or mice. While they are curious, coyotes generally avoid people. Pet owners with large-breed dogs often have trouble with coyote packs out on the hunt. The wildlife pests may view other canines as a threat to their territory or their pups during breeding season. Dayton homeowners with rabbit hutches or chicken coops also have conflicts with these predators.
White-tailed deer are plentiful in Dayton and other Ohio cities. These animals cause problems when they destroy gardens or landscaping. In addition, white-tailed deer move to new areas at dusk and dawn, often crossing roadways and causing vehicle collisions. While some Ohio homeowners use frightening devices or repellents to deter white-tailed deer from their lawns, these methods become less effective over time. Large herds can quickly overrun a neighborhood.
Below are some of the most common wildlife we deal with on a daily basis.
Easily recognizable and well-adapted to residential settings, raccoons are common in Dayton neighborhoods. The pests can access food in nature, but they also forage in trash cans and dumpsters. Raccoon feces in yards and on decks can spread roundworm and other pathogens.
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.
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.
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.
Squirrels thrive in urban habitats like Dayton and are never far from trees or buildings. Agile climbers, these animals can scale a house and enter through damaged roofing. Homeowners should avoid sealing any holes without checking for wildlife first. Squirrels trapped indoors may become frantic and cause damage in the attempt to escape.
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.
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.
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.
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).
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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 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.
Mice, raccoons, squirrels, birds and bats in attics, moles in the lawn, and animals under decks or in crawl spaces.
Cold weather makes animals enter homes, and warm weather entices animals to go under decks and sheds.
Noise in the attic, insulation in the lawn, and visible damage to the home or yard.
Make sure all vents and openings are screened, covered, capped, and sealed.
Call if there’s any idea that something is causing damage. It’s much easier and cost-effective to prevent rather than repair damage.
This franchise is independently licensed and operated by MKF Enterprises, Inc., dba Critter Control of Dayton.
