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Raccoons are moderate sized wild animals and they are known for their wit and agility. These animals are omnivores so are able to hunt and survive on a variety of types of foods. They usually prefer to stay in the wild and hunt there for a living but they are also easily attracted to any place with a lot of foods. Especially if these foods fall as part of their diet range, they are more likely to reside in these places. So if you are looking to keeping your house away from raccoons, the main factor you need to tackle is the easily reach to food at your place. As long as the raccoons have an easy reach to food, they would easily get into your house and would not leave that easily.

The problem with these animals is that they don’t come alone and they bring along with them many bacteria and viruses like rabies and this can be dangerous to especially children in the house. Moreover, these small animals are unpredictable and they might attack anytime, so it is risky to handle with them alone if you are trained to do so.

What kind of areas do raccoons like to be in?

Raccoons naturally reside in tree cavities, and this is especially true for mother raccoons who like to sit in hidden areas and look out for predators to guard their families and litter. Raccoons generally like quiet and dark environments so they choose places which are usually free of human movement or any other living creature for that matter.

This is why then raccoons enter our houses, they come in and reside in places which resemble their natural living habitats. They will come into our houses through the same way with which they reach to their tree cavity hideouts, which is basically by digging and climbing. These two methods are what they use often to get to sneaky little places they want to squeeze into. Below are a few of the common places in a house that raccoons might seek shelter at.

In the basement

Although this is not a common area where raccoons hide in, it is a very suitable area for them to seek shelter at if they are aware of this place in your house. The basement is dark and quiet and it is free of human movement during most of the day or even week. We only go down to our basements when we need to take something out of our storage, and most of us do not live in our basements so it is a good spot for the raccoons to stay in away from their predators and it is a good place for them to hide their food and also mate with each other. Therefore the basement is especially advantageous for female raccoons that are guarding their litter away from danger from predators.

In the attic

This is a very common place for not just raccoons but many other small animals and pests. Attics with food items in storage would be an even better target for hiding and again the attic is dark and quiet and away from human movement so it’s safe for mother raccoons especially for hiding with its litter. Moreover, the attic is easier to reach to than the basement, by climbing in with their agility. Especially if tree branches are touching the windows of your house and if your chimney is open without any mesh coverage, the raccoons can very easily reach to your attic.

In the crawl space

If your house in a raised level ground, then there will be crawl space under your house and raccoons can easily dig into that space and hide there. Just like the basements and attics, the crawl spaces are also very quiet without anyone around and they are also dark and warm for these nocturnal creatures to happily reside in. Although dry, they can dig through and create warm and moist holes in the ground for them to stay in.

In the spaces in between the walls

Raccoons can easily reach to and hide in the cavities in between the walls. Many walls nowadays are built with two materials and a gap between them. The space in between these two layers is a nice warm spot which conserves heat and moisture for the raccoons to safely reside in.

In the bathroom

This is rather rare because there are still humans moving around in the bathroom and area around it. But they are still likely to hide behind the pipes in the bathroom because it is one of the most wet, warm and cosy areas in the house.

In the chimney

This is also one of the most common areas in the house that raccoons would hide in. Chimneys resemble the hollow tree environment which makes it naturally a suitable place for their residence.

Inside the ceiling

There is actually a lot of space in the ceiling that we are not aware of and many animals and pests actually reside there. This is why we might hear some noises especially at night coming from our ceilings. Raccoons too are one of the many types of creatures and pests which seek shelter inside our house ceiling.

If you require assistance regarding raccoon infestations, contact Sande Wildlife Control today and allow us to help you through your raccoon problems!

Many of us wonder what the big attraction in our attics is that raccoons just seem to love making it their home. But somehow the answer to this is much simpler than what we expect it to be. Naturally, raccoons love to hide in holes, like tree cavities. This is especially true for mother raccoons that are in this way able to look out for predators and thus protect their families. Your attic’s environment resembles that of a tree cavity. Moreover, your attic is a much warmer environment for raccoons to seek shelter at, and it is also free from close by predators unlike their tree cavities, so naturally raccoons are going to be more attracted to come to your attics.

Why is it a bad idea to allow raccoons to stay in your attic?

This is simple, raccoons, although seemingly harmless, can cause a lot of noise and damage to your attic. Even for animal lovers who might find raccoons cute to have them around in your attic, we have to remember that raccoons are wild animals at the end of the day and they are unpredictable and temperamental.

These raccoons can attack anytime and they also carry a lot of dangerous viruses and pathogens like rabies. Although for a bunch of adults this would seem like no threat, if you are living as a family and if you have children around, it is best to keep them protected against this avoidable threat. Raccoons also bring in mites, fleas and ticks and other kinds of small insects which can also be deadly.

Raccoons are small, wild and very smart creatures and it can indeed be a trouble to figure a way to keep them out. But let’s run through some ways which might work for you to keep your attic raccoon free.

So how can we keep raccoons out of our attic?

Raccoons are like tiny thieves. They have very tactical skills and agile fingers which can open many things like latches, locks and they can use their hands to climb through small areas and even slippery pipes. So keeping the doors and windows to your attic with a good lock can be a start to keeping them out of your attic.

Some other ways to keep raccoons out will be:

• Use an abrasive wire brush and keep it around external piping and downspouts.

• Make sure all your garbage is closed up with animal resistant cans. This can keep raccoons away from smelling the food and other things in your trash and coming towards it. Or you can also get your garbage out of the area and keep it in your shed or outside your house, or you can clear them right away.

• If you have any pet doors in your house, keep them locked when your pets are asleep at night.

• Try not to leave food outside as it can attract not just raccoons but also other small animals to come into your place.

• Get tree branches cut from touching to your house and its doors and windows. This is a good route with which raccoons and other small animals and insects can easily climb into your house.

• Cover your chimney with a wire mesh as this is also another possible route with which raccoons can climb inside to your fire place.

Stay vigilant to prevent further infestations

These are just the basic and simple ways to keep raccoons and some other animals and insects away from your attic and house. After trying all these methods, you might need to slowly observe and see how raccoons or other animals or insects enter your house. Try to look around your house and see where their habitats lie. Also take note with which routes they take to easily come into your house. Check all your doors and windows and change the latches and locks if they are easily being opened by the raccoon’s witty fingers.

If despite all this you still end up with raccoons or other animals in your attic, do not try to get rid of them or lure them out all by yourself. Although they are cute, they are also dangerous and as mentioned before we won’t know when they would start attacking us. It would be best to call for professional help and for people who are trained to handle animals like raccoons. Make your call to Sande Wildlife Control today and allow us to help you through your raccoon problems!

It is very disconcerting to hear noises from your attic consisting sounds of activities such as scampering, rolling, chewing or scratching. You may be asking yourself what exactly is up there making all those noises, how much damage has been done to your attic and how many are there up there to cause such a racket in your attic. Below is a list of common suspects that loves to dwell in attics and the noises they make to help you identify the culprit when you call in the professionals as well as put your mind at ease.

Raccoons

Raccoons are nocturnal animals. Hence, if you hear hissing, scampering, wrestling or scratching noises at night, then raccoons may be a likely suspect to be dwelling in your attic. In addition, during early spring or from March to October which is the birthing season of raccoons, you may also find pregnant female raccoons nesting in your attics to rear their young in a safe haven. Raccoons can be extremely destructive and you will find signs of their dwelling in your attic from broken soffits or torn insulation.

Flying squirrels

Flying Squirrels are nocturnal animals too. They do not actually fly but rather, they glide from tree to tree and possibly into your attic. So, if you hear a thump against your roof around dusk or dawn, it may be you have a flying squirrel landing on your roof. You may also hear them making chewing noises, scampering or rolling acorns on the floor and foraging outside of your house.

Gray squirrels

Gray squirrels make the same noises as flying squirrels. However, gray squirrels are not nocturnal and will rest at night instead. This means you will tend to hear gray squirrels creating a racket in your attic or at your home during the day. It is possible to have both gray squirrels and flying squirrels living together in your attic.

Bats

Bats are also nocturnal animals. You will hear them squeaking and scratching around dusk and dawn. Some species of bats will migrate so you will most probably hear from them during warmer months. However, it is also possible for a few of the bats to stay and hibernate in your attic. As bats can carry diseases and transmit rabies to human beings, you should never touch them and avoid any contact with them. Call in the professionals immediately if you discover them in your attic or house!

Rodents

Rats and mice are the most common rodents that you will find dwelling in your house or attic. You will most probably hear them making squeaking, gnawing, scurrying and scratching noises from autumn through winter. To differentiate between mice and rats is the time of the night when you hear them. If you hear the noises in the late evening or from midnight to three in the wee hours, then you probably have mice in your attic or home. Besides the racket they make, you will also find signs of their presence through gnawed furniture or their droppings around your house.

Rodents may harbour parasites or diseases and may contaminate the areas they dwell in. So, it is best to call in the professionals to remove them when you discover or suspect their unwelcome presence in your house. Rodents reproduce at alarming rate and can grow from a small group to an infestation very quickly. Hence, prevention is always better than cure, so you should always work at keeping your home free from rodents.

It is very uncomfortable for homeowners to hear ghostly sounds or a racket in the attic. Remember to take note of the sounds as well as the time when the noises or racket occurs in your attic. Such information will be very helpful to the professionals prior to their investigation up in your attic. You can get free inspection service before you engage the service of the professionals to identify and remove the culprits in a responsible manner. You should always get licensed and trained professionals to help you seal up all points of entry to prevent another unwelcome visit.

So, if you want a peace of mind knowing your attic or home is free from pests, visit wildlife removal and animal or pests control services today. At Sande Wildlife Control, we are more than happy to assist you!

Most people who intend to get animal control when they notice bats and birds on their premises do so for aesthetic purposes. For instance, you may find that the presence of the pests increases the desecration of buildings, which becomes expensive to fix in case the droppings become excessive. Though this is a legitimate reason to get animal control services, there are other very important reasons why you should not allow too many bats and birds to inhabit your premises.

One of the most obvious of these is that the droppings from the animals are likely to cause various illnesses, some of which are usually very difficult to treat. Making sure that you manage the infestation as a matter of urgency will therefore keep you healthy. Some examples of such diseases include:

Histoplasmosis

This is a fungal disease that is most often caused by transmission of spores from bird and bat droppings. The spores are normally airborne, which means that even if the droppings are some distance away (such as in another part of your compound), you are still likely to get infected by them. Though the majority of illnesses caused by this fungus are mild, there are times when they can become more severe, and will manifest as a very high fever, pneumonia and even death. This is especially so if the individual who inhaled the spores had some form of immune compromise, and did not seek the right medical help in time.

Cryptococcosis

This is yet another fungal disease, and is usually caused by Cryptococcus neoformans. Most people who are healthy usually don’t get a severe illness when exposed to this fungus. However, in case of exposure to people who have weak immune systems, it could lead to a host of conditions including lung infections and spreading to other parts of the body. Examples of people who have depressed immune systems and who are likely to get this condition include those with diabetes, the very young and the very old, as well as people with HIV. Other common locations that the fungus can affect in addition to the lungs include the skin and the central nervous system.

Fungi problems

In addition to the above, the presence of bird and bat droppings in the home can also encourage the growth of other fungi. Remember, the droppings are usually very rich in organic matter, and often tend to have some moisture as well. This offers the perfect opportunity for mold to grow, and this will manifest as the presence of a musky smell in the home. As you can imagine, this can make your home a lot more uncomfortable than usual, and is something that should be avoided as much as possible.

In addition to the infections that are transmitted in droppings, there are others that are directly transmitted from the parasite to human beings. Most of the time, these are more severe than the ones mentioned above, and often end up causing more morbidity and mortality. Examples of these include:

Rabies

Rabies is a condition characterized by a viral infection that infects the central nervous system. Some of the manifestations of the condition include changes in mental status as well as muscle rigidity that can sometimes lead to difficulty in breathing. Bats are a very common cause of rabies infection, so if you notice them increasing in number in your premises then it might mean that you should get them exterminated. In addition to humans, rabies can also affect other animals. For instance, if you have a pet and the bat ends up biting it, it could get rabies and then transmit this to you and your family members.

Ticks and mites

Most bats are usually infested with lots of ticks and mites as well. If these come into contact with you, you may end up suffering from a wide variety of illnesses depending on the nature of your immune system. If you are allergic to many things, for instance, you may notice that you get a very vigorous immune reaction towards bites by these pests.

The presence of ticks and mites in your home can also be the source of embarrassment. For instance, if some of the mites get in your clothes, you may end up itching a lot when you wear these clothes. Most people might consider this to be a sign of poor hygiene, and your social standing might be reduced on account of this.

As you can see, there are many health issues that are associated with bats and birds. If you happen to notice an increasing number of them in your home and are feeling uncomfortable about them, all you need to do is get quality animal control services. This will enable you to not only get rid of the problem, but also do so in such a manner that you will never have to worry about it again!

Opossums have the potential to cause some damage to a home as well as inflict any degree of injury to pets and people, especially if they feel stressed and cornered. Getting rid of them is therefore an excellent idea once you notice their presence. How you do this will have an influence on how much you spend on the venture. If you want to get rid of the opossums once and for all, it would be important to first get a qualified animal control specialist to get rid of them for you. Such parties are usually very skilled in pest removal, and will waste less time compared to when you try to remove the opossum on your own or get an unskilled animal control provider to do it.

However, this is not the end of the road. Once you have removed the opossum, you should also put in place measures to ensure that the infestation is not repeated in future. The alternative to this is having a recurrent opossum infestation, which is not only annoying but can also cost you a lot of money in the long run. Some of the strategies you can employ to prevent this re-infestation include:

Trimming branches on trees around your home

In many cases, opossums gain access to a home via the branches that overlie the home. By trimming these branches, you would reduce the chances of having to find another one in your home any time soon. Of course, there are other benefits of trimming the branches, including reduced roof damage and better aesthetics overall. The fact that it has so many other associated benefits means that trimming the branches should not be neglected.

Protect any vents in the home

Having too many vents that are not protected around the home will result in the opossums gaining access through them to the home. Once you have gotten rid of the ones you have seen, you should then inspect the house thoroughly, taking note of any potential points of entry from the outside to the inside. These should then be sealed, such as by using mesh or a vent cover that allows air entry. The vents that are closer to the ground level are particularly important. Sealing them will not only protect your home from opossums, but also from other rodents and pests that are likely to crawl through the vents into the home.

Proper deck design

These pests tend to hide under decks, especially when there is enough space there. Unfortunately, there are times when they might die, and their decomposition will then result in a smell whose source you might not be able to identify. Protecting the bottom part of the deck is therefore important. This can be done by simply placing a metal barrier beneath the deck.

Keep the environment hygienic

Most opossums are attracted to environments in which there is a lot of food for them to thrive on. In fact, if you have a tendency of leaving a lot of food available for them, they might end up multiplying and causing even more of a problem later on. Measures such as making sure that your dust bins are emptied on a regular basis, and that they are always shut will go a long way in preventing such incidences.

In the same vein, you could also eliminate any vegetation that might act as cover for the pests. This is as simple as mowing your lawn as well as trimming any large bushes. The beauty of doing this is that in addition to making your home less inviting for the opossums, it will also do the same for other kinds of pests and also make your home more beautiful in the process.

The use of motion sensing sprinklers and lights

These days, lights and sprinklers with motion sensors can be bought for relatively low prices. Investing in them can have a safety benefit, since it means that any burglars who walk into the compound will be scared off by the lights or sprinklers coming on.

This can also act as a deterrent for the opossums, which will retreat every time the lights and sprinklers come on. The advantage of this deterrent is the fact that it’s usually not very labor intensive. As long as you have installed these devices in strategic places, you will not need to keep an eye on them.

Using homemade remedies

Some homemade remedies can be used as opossum repellants. These include making a mixture of molasses and dish soap, which is then squirted on some of the vegetation that the opossum might come into contact with. You can also substitute this with a mixture of something hot, such as pepper. The strategic placement of mothballs in the path of the opossums has also been found to work by some home owners in preventing opossums from infesting the home.

Although some homemade remedies are “claimed” to be effective, we strongly urge you to make use of proper animal control services to curb an opossum infestation because this is the best way to get rid of them as well as prevent their recurring infestations.