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!