Critter Control in Norfolk

Raccoons in Hampton Roads like to fish in backyard ponds, raid trash cans, steal pet feed, dig holes in your yard searching for insects, and swim in local swimming pools.

Removing a raccoon from your property in Norfolk requires obtaining the correct permit outside trapping season, having a valid license in season, and following local ordinances. You cannot relocate a raccoon to another property due to its potential for spreading disease. You may need to contact the local DWR to see if testing the raccoon for a disease is necessary. Virginia is one of six states where raccoons have been found to carry diseases that affect the central nervous system.

Because getting rid of raccoons requires following permitting and licensing laws set by the state, calling an expert for help is a great idea.

The City of Norfolk lists the Norway rat, house mouse, and roof rat as public health concerns in our area. They recognize the rodent population is growing too fast and that something must be done to control it. If you see one mouse or rat on your property, there are likely ten or more living nearby. Rats and mice reproduce often and can have six or more litters in twelve months. With each litter, six or more newborns can arrive. The math is frightening. Just one female rodent can have at least 36 babies in a year.

Even worse, female rodents can begin reproducing after six weeks. If the original litter has at least three females, six weeks later, you could have four rodents pregnant with six or more babies simultaneously. Most rodents will only travel up to 300 feet away from their nest to find food and water. They travel this same route repeatedly, making them extremely wary of anything new, like a bait trap.

Because rats and mice spread multiple diseases directly and indirectly, it is essential to know the right baits and traps to use and how and where to place them when getting rid of rats and mice. Type, size, location, preferred baits, and number must all be considered. Rat and mouse removal can take weeks or months when done correctly, longer if not.

You will know if you have a mouse or rat problem if you notice nests, droppings and urine trails, scattered food pieces, gnawed or chewed wood, plastic, carpet, drywall, etc. Rats and mice have teeth that continue to grow as they age. They chew on anything, even siding and metal screens, to keep them filed. Do not wait to contact a wildlife control expert when you see rat or mouse activity signs.

Squirrels are rodents, but their activity differs slightly from rats and mice. Getting rid of squirrels is much different than other rodents. A permit from the Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources is required in some circumstances, and in hunting season, a license may be required to remove squirrels. All activities must follow local ordinances.

All five Virginia squirrels love to raid bird feeders, bird nests for eggs, and gardens for fruits and vegetables. They eat seeds, grains, nuts, flowers, and tree bark. They dig holes in the yard, scrape trees, break limbs, climb chimneys, dent gutters and soffits, and chew on everything.

Like rats and mice, squirrels gnaw to keep their teeth filed, making their teeth and bite stronger as they age. They will chew wires, siding, shingles, thin metal screens, wood, and plastic. Because they can chew through most materials, they can easily access your attic, chimney, crawlspace, or basement. Flying squirrels are the biggest culprits. Once inside, they create nests, sometimes in hazardous locations like vents and pipes.

Squirrels collect treasures to store near their nests, leaving a big mess on your property. While cute and fun to watch, squirrels can cause damage, costing you a lot of money.

Remember when a squirrel chewed through wires at Norfolk High School, causing a power outage and sending happy students home early?

At least 17 bat species have been documented in Virginia. It is illegal to transport, release, or relocate a bat to any other property than where it was found. It is against federal law to harass, hunt, capture, or harm a bat on a state or federal protection list. Currently, seven bats are federal or state-protected. For example, the little brown bat is on Virginia’s endangered species list due to the white-nose syndrome killing many of them.

The most common bats in Norfolk neighborhoods are the big brown, little brown, Brazilian free-tailed, and evening bats. Some roost alone, and others roost in colonies mostly made of mothers and their babies. During maternity season, which begins in the Spring and ends in the Fall, you must leave bats alone.

Bats are essential for the ecosystem. Every bat can eat thousands of insects a night. If you have bats on your property, start searching for sources of insects, like outdoor lighting that comes on at night, stagnant water, and animal manure.

The problem with bats is their guano and the fact that they can grow mold spores that, if inhaled by humans, can cause respiratory problems. Guano also contains an acid that can erode wood and metal and leaves ugly stains on walls, floors, and siding.

Removing a bat on your own is not recommended for several reasons. One is to prevent being bitten. While less than 1% of bats carry rabies, they can harbor bacteria that will cause an infection. Bats roost upside down, meaning their guano runs down their entire body, covering their fur, before landing on the floor. If you touch a bat, you will be handling the guano. You are right; it’s gross.

Like raccoons and skunks, opossums will eat most anything they can catch, including insects nuts, grains, fruits, vegetables, small rodents, reptiles, and amphibians.

Opossums don’t usually stay in one place too long unless you have an excellent resource for food. Backyard ponds and outdoor night lights attract insects. Also, unfenced gardens, birdseed, free-range chickens and unprotected eggs, open trash cans, and accessible pet or livestock feed.

Opossums do not hibernate, so you may find them creating a den under your porch, deck, or in your basement or crawlspace throughout the year. They can carry diseases that can be transmitted to you or your pets.

Both spotted and striped skunks are found in the state of Virginia. While the less common eastern spotted skunk is found in the western part of the state, the striped skunk is commonly found in the eastern part of the state and is the species Virginia Beach homeowners could encounter. These adaptable, nocturnal creatures known for their pungent spray can wreak havoc if one too many discover a consistent food source on your property. If you smell a skunk on your property, please do not attempt to remove it yourself, as these animals can become aggressive and spray when threatened.

Birds are an important part of our natural environment in the area.

• As predators, they feed on insects, rodents, worms, fish and countless other animals.
• Game birds, song birds, hawks and other bird species contribute to outdoor recreation and the overall enjoyment of nature.

Birds may be beneficial, neutral, or harmful to man’s interests, depending upon time, location and activity, and certain birds (sparrows, woodpeckers, waterfowl, pigeons and black birds) are more likely to become pests and require bird-proofing and bird control. Pest bird situations that require bird control and bird proofing include:

• Feeding on agricultural products
• Roosting or nesting around human habitations
• Destroying vegetation and contaminating foods
• Noise, droppings, odor and feathers
• Diseases or ectoparasites affecting man including histoplasmosis and cryptococcosis
• Unpleasant or hazardous working conditions

According to news reports, living in the Hampton Roads area can mean seeing a lot of Canadian Geese droppings on the sidewalks, streets, driveways, and rooftops of homes. Geese can release a pound of dropping every day. If you have 20 geese in your area, that’s 20 pounds of waste daily. Where are residents supposed to put all this waste, and how do they keep up with getting rid of it?

Unlike some other animal feces, goose excrement is not a good fertilizer. It can contaminate water sources. Geese can spread diseases and parasites, destroy landscaping, and deter people from visiting an area overrun with them.

Currently, there are 180,000 Canadian geese in Virginia. They exist in four populations: the Atlantic Flyway Resident, North Atlantic, Southern James Bay, and the Atlantic.

Virginia adopted depredation orders, like hunting seasons, the Nest and Egg, or the Agricultural orders, but only if you register with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services. For many, these actions seem cruel and unnecessary. Other options include hiring a wildlife control services expert to teach you how to exclude Canadian geese from your property.