Dangers of Raccoons living in Your Home

Raccoons can gain entry into any home via several areas most often through the roof. Raccoons will use their paws with nimble fingers to pull away flashing, soffits, wood and even aluminum to gain entry into the home. The creature commonly claims the attic space as its own and homeowners soon find out they have unwanted squatters taking up space in their attic. It is never good to have raccoons living in the same space as humans as they can cause major damage to the home as well as carry disease. Learn the dangers of allowing a raccoon to live in your home so you can easily see why removal is essential.

Costly Repairs due to Damage
When a raccoon begins living inside the home, it will use its claws and teeth, chewing and scratching away at materials. Once the raccoon den is spotted, you can find damage to the roofing and wood area of the roof line and pitch. All of the damaged materials will need to be repaired which can get quite costly. Imagine if the raccoon opened up a huge hole in your roof space. You may end up with more damage due to rain water entering into the home, never knowing about the damage until it is too late!

Babies
Raccoons who are living in your home may also decide to breed which can lead to even more unwanted guests in the home. Baby raccoons can be very messy and cause alot of damage to the attic while trying to begin their new life in an odd place. It is best to have raccoons removed as soon as possible to ensure that no babies are born under your roof!

Baylisascaris
Raccoons are also known to be the carriers of disease including Baylisascaris which is a type of roundworm. This disease can cause serious illness if eggs are ingested. The disease is found in the home due to raccoon feces. If there is feces in your home and it leaks into your HVAC system, you may have a big problem on your hands. Any leftover feces and contaminated areas of the home after a raccoon removal need to be dealt with. Your family needs to be protected from this illness which can affect anyone living in the home.

Prevention
As a homeowner, it is best to try and prevent raccoons from gaining entry into your space. Secure your home by finding all potential entry points and sealing them off with heavy gauge screening. This can be done by you or by a professional wildlife management company.

If you do have raccoons in your area and think they are accessing your home, have your property evaluated by an expert. The professional wildlife expert will be able to view your home and find evidence of a raccoon visit if the creature is taking up residency in your home. If a problem is found, every measure will be taken to safely capture the creature and relocate it to a safer environment.

To learn more about raccoon prevention or to schedule an appointment for an inspection, contact Skedaddle Humane Wildlife Control. The experts in wildlife removal will be able to assist you with your personal pest problem.

Continue

Identify your Common Backyard Birds

Living in Canada means you are exposed to a great deal of wildlife, with one category being birds. There are many species of birds that call Canada home and particular birds of the region can become pests when near the home. From the crow to swallows and sparrows, birds commonly seen in your backyard can quickly become pests to your home.

Birds build nests in order to have somewhere to live and hatch eggs. Such nests can be created in the attic space of a home as well as on the roof, in gutters and other areas that can become a nuisance. You may be hearing the birds constantly chirping or rustling within the walls of your home. Nests can be a fire hazard to the home, especially when placed near vents or chimney areas. It can be difficult to get rid of birds in the attic or other areas of the home, so the professionals will have to contacted. It is important for homeowners to be able to identify birds seen in the backyard and differentiate as to which species may be a problem.

House Sparrows

 
A small bird that is abundant in Canada is the house sparrow. This bird is not actually a sparrow per say but fits into the Old World Weaver Finches category. The bird is small in stature and has light brown and cream coloring. House sparrows can create large and messy nests, commonly on rooftops and near chimneys that can be a fire hazard to the home. Because a sparrow is small, the bird has the ability to fit into small spaces. Holes as small as a golf ball provide access for the bird which can lead to nests in the home.

Pigeons

 
A bird that many people can recognize is a pigeon. Pigeons are commonly featured in movies and television shows and are known for not being afraid of humans. Pigeons enjoy calling a backyard home as they will have access to an easy food source. A pigeon is a larger bird that has a gray head with black/green or black/white coloring along its feathers. This bird will easily move into your home and land on porches and window seals, leaving droppings as the bird searches for food.

Being Proactive

 
These are just two examples of birds that are commonly found in Canadian back yards that can wreak havoc on the home. When you have a bird control problem in your home, you will benefit from bird removal services. Have the experts come to your home and evaluate the issue at hand. After an inspection of your property, products will be suggested to rid the home of birds. Some homes need netting to keep birds from landing on the rooftops while others can benefit from visual or audio tools. The experts will know just what tactics to use to ensure that birds are no longer calling your home, their own!

Contact Skedaddle Humane Wildlife Control today to schedule an appointment for bird removal services or to start the prevention process for birds in your home. Whether you have an existing bird problem or want to avoid one, Skedaddle Wildlife is ready to assist.

Continue

Trapping those Cute Flying Squirrels

You may have noticed a very cute little creature running around your home. Perhaps you’ve even commented on how cute those creatures are. Did you know that those adorable little flying squirrels can cause havoc to your home and property if not taken care of? Learning how getting rid of squirrels can protect your home is vital to removing the risk of damaging your attic or insulation. If you have squirrels in the attic or around your home, it’s important to keep these facts in mind.

Damage They Can Cause
Did you know that squirrels can cause damage to the inside of your home? Just like other rodents or wildlife, these cute little creatures can wreak havoc on your attic areas. They can cause your insulation to be degraded or destroyed by building their nests or leaving their excrement behind. You may find that wires are not working in your home as they should do to them being chewed up in the attic. Not only can it cause your home to not work properly, these electrical wires can cause a fire hazard if they are exposed due to the squirrels.

Live in Colonies
When you are hearing scurrying at night in your attic, you might believe you have one or two squirrels that have taken up residence. In reality, it’s more like 20 or more have taken your attic as their home. These types of squirrels live in colonies of large numbers and most often times they are altogether in your home.

They can cause a lot of noise to keep your family awake at night as they are nocturnal. You must realize that in getting rid of squirrels in your attic, you must get rid of each one that is in the colony. If you leave any behind your problem will not be solved.

Squirrel Traps
There are many options when you look at purchasing a squirrel trap. Most want to remove the squirrels in a humane way from their property. One of the best ways to do that is by working with a wildlife control expert such as Skedaddle Humane Wildlife Control. They have years of experience in trapping these squirrels alive and safely removing them from your property. Getting rid of flying squirrels is an involved process that must be taken with care and caution. They understand what it takes to safely remove all the wildlife from your attic and get your home back for you to enjoy.

Not only does Skedaddle remove the pests, you can also count on them to remove the mess left behind by the squirrels as well. They will leave your attic cleaned up and clear from any debris left behind by the animals in the process.

Rely on the knowledge and expertise of Skedaddle today and let them help you remove the unwanted pests. Contact their offices today to see how they can humanely remove all the adorable flying squirrels that are wreaking havoc on your attic and home. Remove the chance for damage by working with this team of experts in all your pest removal needs.

Continue

Mice Around Your Home: What to do?

There are many ways to get rid of a mouse but for most new homeowners, it can be intimidating. Individuals can have very few fears but see a mouse in the house, and instantly jump up on the couch in fear. These tiny creatures are essentially harmless but can lead to damage as well as health issues in the home. Once a mouse has been spotted, steps need to be taken to have the mouse removed. Below are a few tips to get you started.

Evaluating the Situation
To begin, you will need to evaluate the situation. How many mice have you seen? Can you tell where they are entering the home? Have you seen droppings or other indications as to where the mice are living or moving throughout your home? Consider where you have seen the mice and where clues are left to know where to begin the removal process.

DIY Removal
If you plan on trying to get rid of a mouse in your house yourself, there are several options. You can set up a basic trap that will catch the mouse, but many feel this is inhumane as it kills the creature. You can set up glue traps and try to catch the mouse but this is also a way that can end the life of the rodent. Handmade traps can also be used which will catch the mouse and the rodent can be released into the wild. These are your options when you want to try and catch the mouse yourself.

Professional Assistance
It is recommended that you work with the professionals when it comes to mouse removal. Mice can easily take up residency in the home and trying to remove them by yourself can lead to a bigger headache. The problem needs to be handled quickly so that you and your loved ones are not affected by mouse droppings or urine. A professional wildlife removal company will be able to provide humane options for removal.

The professionals will evaluate your home, determining where the mice issue stems from. Removal steps will be taken as well as advice on what to do to clean the area as well as avoid mice in the future. By working with the experts, you will be able to avoid having mice in the home as the rodents will be removed straight away.

Avoiding Mice in the Future
Once the mice have been removed, you want to take precautions to avoid having any more rodents in your home in the future. Take time to clean up all food in the home after meals or snacks. Even the smallest crumbs are an invitation to a mouse to enter your home. Have any holes or cracks in your walls, foundation, windows and doors sealed so mice are unable to enter the home. Periodically walk around the exterior and interior of your home looking for such areas.

When you do find that you are in need of rodent or other pest services, contact Skedaddle Humane Wildlife Control. They will be able to provide you with the essential removal services to ensure you do not have mice in the home.

Continue