Blog | Critter Control Fort Worth

The Dangers of DIY Possum Removal

Opossums like to sneak into homes and nest during the winter where it’s safe and warm. While these creatures may look cute, they can cause health and structural problems for you and your home. Because possums are normally docile, you may be considering trying to remove the critters yourself. However, hiring a possum removal professional to get rid of opossums is your safest bet.

Risks of Opossums

While possums do not carry rabies, the critters are known carriers of several other diseases, including leptospirosis, toxoplasmosis and even tuberculosis. They also can carry parasites onto your property that can be passed through contact. Their droppings contain bacteria that make you and your loved ones sick.

Opossums aren’t aggressive, but they will lash out when they feel threatened. An opossum bite or scratch can pass on these dangerous diseases, putting your health at risk. If the possum tries to flee, it could also injure itself in the process.

Get Rid of Opossums Professionally

DIY opossum removal may feel like the cheaper and better option, but it’s not worth it. At-home methods to get rid of opossums can be dangerous at best and inhumane at worst. An opossum removal professional will have access to safe and humane methods that will permanently get rid of possums in your home or business. That’s why if you’re dealing with an unwanted possum inside your Fort Worth  home or workplace, rely on the experts at Critter Control® of Ft. Worth.

Expert Opossum Removal Services Near You

At Critter Control® of Ft. Worth, our licensed team of trained professionals are experienced and equipped to efficiently remove nuisance pests from your property. We’ve been helping Texans deal with opossums and other critters for more than 30 years. Our eco-friendly removal methods ensure permanent removal and the health and safety of everyone involved.

To schedule your inspection and receive a free estimate for our opossum removal services, call Critter Control® of Ft. Worth today at 817-222-1101.

How Do Opossums Get Into Attics?

Opossums have a distinct appearance with their large, expressive eyes, hairless prehensile tail, and sharp claws. While opossums have a remarkable ability to adapt and survive in a variety of locations, including Fort Worth, Texas, they will often make their way into the attics of residential homes and commercial businesses to seek safe shelter where they can nest, breed, and gain close access to food and water. Here are some ways they manage to get inside and what you should do if you find possums in the attic.

How Opossums Climb into Your Attic

Opossums are known for their climbing ability, which allows them to scale downspouts and tree limbs to access roofs. Possums also have opposable “thumbs” on their hind feet, meaning they can grip objects in a similar fashion to humans and primates. This makes it easy for possums to scurry up the side of your home and pry their way inside through vents, windows, and loose roofing. All the critters need is a minor gap or uncovered area to gain entry into your attic.

Signs of Opossums In Your Attic

Here are three common signs that opossums are in your attic:

  1. Hissing and Scratching

    Opossums are not quiet animals, so you may hear scurrying or scratching sounds coming from overhead at night if the nocturnal animals are in your attic. Also, they often hiss and shriek when threatened.

  2. Unpleasant Odors

    Like most wildlife, opossums will leave droppings anywhere and everywhere they go. Once you start noticing the smell of animal droppings throughout your property, you can suspect an unwanted critter is in your home.

  3. Entry Points

    Check the exterior of your home and attic, especially near your roofline and eaves, for any gaps, holes, or other potential entry points that possums could use to get inside your attic.

Effective Opossum Removal Services

If you’ve noticed any of these signs of opossum activity in your Fort Worth property, do not attempt to remove the pests on your own. While opossums are generally docile, they can bite, scratch, and attack if they feel cornered or threatened. Instead, rely on the professionals at Critter Control® of Ft. Worth who have the experience and equipment to effectively remove opossums and other pests using safe and efficient methods.

Get Rid of Opossums with Critter Control® of Fort Worth

At Critter Control® of Ft. Worth, we pride ourselves in using eco-friendly and humane methods of removal when it comes to evicting unwanted critters inside your home or workplace. If you are dealing with an opossum infestation, know that we’re here to help with all of your wildlife removal and prevention needs. To schedule an inspection and receive a free opossum removal estimate, call us today at 817-222-1101.

Ways to Get Rid of Ground Squirrels

If you see a ground squirrel and think of it as a cute and harmless creature, then you’ve never dealt with the turmoil of a squirrel infestation. While these creatures may seem innocent when spotted in the wild, they are known to cause all sorts of damage to residential and commercial properties when searching for food and shelter. To make matters worse, ground squirrels can also cause damage below the surface as they burrow unsightly tunnels and holes in your yard, putting your property’s infrastructure at risk. To avoid serious damage on your Ft. Worth, TX property, here are some ways to get rid of ground squirrels.

Ground Squirrel Removal Tactics

  • Use Castor Oil

Castor oil isn’t just great for your hair and skin, it is also great for ground squirrel removal. All you have to do is mix about ¼ cup of castor oil with about two tablespoons of liquid dishwashing soap. Then, mix about two tablespoons of this mixture into a gallon of water. Pour the mixture into a spray bottle to douse problem areas as needed. One benefit to using a castor oil mixture is that it will help remove ground squirrels while also helping prevent other burrowing pests from infesting your property.

  • Mount Owl Statues

Most rodents, including ground squirrels, are easily-frightened critters. One effective method for removing ground squirrels is scaring them away with decoys of their natural predators. One popular option is placing a realistic-looking owl statue in your backyard to scare away nuisance ground squirrels. You can even purchase one that has a spinning head to create an even-more realistic effect.

  • Hire Professional Ground Squirrel Removal Services

While the above methods may offer temporary relief from ground squirrels, the best way to get rid of ground squirrels and keep them off of your property for good is to hire the effective and humane services of a ground squirrel removal expert.

Get Rid of Ground Squirrels with Critter Control® of Ft. Worth

At Critter Control® of Ft. Worth, all of our ground squirrel removal services are conducted by licensed and trained wildlife removal experts that are experienced and equipped to remove nuisance ground squirrels and implement preventative measures to ensure they won’t return to infest your yard again.

For more information on our eco-friendly and humane methods for getting rid of unwanted ground squirrels, contact Critter Control® of Ft. Worth today  at 817-222-1101 and receive a free estimate for our safe and efficient services.

How to Prevent Rats in Backyard

Having a rat infestation in your backyard can keep you from going outside and enjoying your property. Fortunately, there are ways that you can deter rats and prevent the destructive rodents from entering your backyard. 

Preventing Rats from Entering Your Backyard

Here are a few prevention tactics to help keep rats out of your backyard:

  1. Use Plants to Repel Rats

    Common rat repelling plants include mint, spearmint, pennyroyal, citronella, sagebrush, oregano, sage, rosemary, basil, black pepper, and cayenne pepper. You can also deter rats from your backyard by applying any of these scents to cotton balls and placing them in areas of high rat activity.

  2. Try Motion-activated Devices

    Rats are easily scared and will run away if they trigger motion-activated sprinklers, lights, or ultrasonic devices as they scurry across your backyard.

  3. Set Outdoor Rat Traps

    There are several different kinds of rat traps, each providing different levels of effectiveness at deterring and eliminating rat infestations.

    • Snap Rat Traps

      The most common and traditional way of catching rats, snap traps can be baited with cheese, peanut butter, or a hazelnut spread to attract and kill rats.

    • Rat Bait Boxes

      Bait boxes are good to use outside because nuisance rats will digest the poisoned bait from the box and die outdoors instead of inside your home.

    • Electric Rat Traps

      The most modern trap for rodents, electric traps use a bait to lure the rodents inside onto a metal plate that immediately electrocutes them

    • Live Catch Rat Traps

      This method traps the rats but keeps them alive, making it easy to relocate them

    • Glue Rat Traps

      Made with natural or synthetic glue, these traps are available in strips, boards, or trays. However, glue traps are the least humane rat removal approach because it may take several hours or days for the rodent to die.

Effective and Humane Methods to Prevent and Remove Rats

If your backyard rat infestation has become a growing problem, contact Critter Control® of Ft. Worth. Our rat removal professionals are experienced and equipped to effectively remove rats and other rodents from your Texas property using safe and efficient methods that include:

  1. Inspection

    Your property will be fully inspected to identify the location of the rats and how they got in.

  2. Exclusion

    Our trained professionals will create a removal plan to evict all unwanted pests from your property.

  3. Restoration

    Any damages that the rats have caused will be repaired and all contaminated areas will be sanitized.

  4. Prevention

    Any rat entry points will be sealed to keep nuisance rats from returning.

Your Local Rat Removal Professionals 

At Critter Control® of Ft. Worth, we pride ourselves in using eco-friendly and humane methods of removal when it comes to unwanted critters inside or outside of your home or workplace. If you are dealing with a rat infestation, know that we’re here to help with all your wildlife removal and prevention needs. Give us a call today at 817-222-1101 to schedule an inspection and receive a free rat removal estimate.

What Does Bat Feces Look Like?

What Does Bat Feces Look Like?It’s important to identify a bat infestation on your property as soon as possible to avoid serious damage and contamination. If you suspect you have bats living in your Fort Worth home, knowing what their feces looks like can help you quickly confirm their presence. Here are some facts about invasive bats and their toxic droppings.

Facts About Bat Feces 

Also known as guano, bat feces is:

  1. Small and dark in coloration
  2. About 1-3 cm in length or the size of a staple
  3. Mushy and soft when fresh
  4. Very crumbly and dusty white when dry

The Dangers and Damages of Bat Feces

Allowing bat feces to linger in your home can be dangerous not only to your home, but to your family’s health as well. Dried bat droppings can cause respiratory problems from the growth of histoplasmosis fungus. If ingested or inhaled, bat feces can be fatal. Roundworm is another health issue transmitted directly from bat feces. Bats are also common carriers of the rabies virus. 

With all of the dangers that bats and their feces can pose to your safety, it is important to act fast and contact Critter Control® of Fort Worth for all your bat removal needs.

Our Legal Bat Removal Process

Many species of bat are protected by law in the United States, especially during bat maternity season; therefore, their removal must only be handled by wildlife professionals. At Critter Control® of Fort Worth, our licensed and trained bat removal technicians can ensure a safe and effective removal process that is in compliance with all state and federal wildlife exclusion laws. Our four-step bat exclusion method can effectively get bats out of your home and keep them out. Our process includes:

  1. Inspection – We begin by inspecting your property to identify the location and scale of your bat infestation.
  2. Exclusion – Our trained professionals will develop a plan to remove all unwanted bats from your home using one-way exclusion devices.
  3. Restoration – Once the bats have exited your property, our team of professionals will repair any damages left behind and sanitize any areas that were contaminated.
  4. Prevention – The final step is to ensure all entry points are sealed to keep bats from re-entering your home.

Effective Bat Removal Services Near You

At Critter Control® of Ft. Worth, we pride ourselves in using eco-friendly and humane methods of removal when it comes to unwanted pests inside your home or workplace. If you are dealing with a bat infestation, give us a call today at 817-222-1101 to schedule an inspection and receive a free bat removal estimate.

 

How to Get Rid of Mice in the Attic

If you are hearing squeaky noises, scratching, or little footsteps coming from your attic, then you most likely are dealing with a mice infestation. It is important to act quickly to get rid of mice because, even though they are tiny little rodents, they can cause harmful and expensive damages to your Ft. Worth home. 

Common Entry Points Mice Use to Access Your Attic

Mice can crawl through holes in exterior walls as small as the width of a nickel to get into your attic. Common entry points mice may use to enter your home include ventilation ducts, gaps in siding, ventilation and plumbing pipes, or chimneys.

Damages of Having Mice in the Attic

Many homeowners are surprised that a critter so small can create such large, and costly, property damages. Mice-related destruction to look out for includes, but is not limited to:

  1. Soiled attic floors due to the accumulation of mice droppings and urine
  2. Shredded boxes and damaged items stored in your attic
  3. Risk of electrical fires due to chewed through wires 
  4. Higher electrical bills due to destroyed attic insulation 
  5. Foul smell throughout the home

On top of damage, mice can also affect your health by contaminating the food you eat and the air you breathe with their waste. 

Ways You Can Get Rid of Mice in the Attic

  1. Trim Overhanging Tree Limbs – The first step toward getting rid of mice starts outside by trimming back trees and shrubs near your home. This eliminates mice hiding spots and their ability to climb onto your roof and access entry points into your attic. 
  2. Seal Up Mice Entry Points – Examine your attic for holes and exposures that mice can squeeze through to access your attic. Use a rodent proof sealant to close all entry points preventing the mice from entering your home. 
  3. Try Using Baited Mouse TrapsLay out traps strategically by placing them in areas of high mice activity. However, make sure they are out of reach of pets and children. Also check on your traps regularly to remove any dead mice and reset them, if needed.
  4. Remove Mice Food Sources – If mice are in your attic, then they are likely elsewhere in your home. Make sure all food and trash is properly stored and sealed. Do not leave any food out in the open and clean up any crumbs or food stains around the house. 

If you’re struggling to get rid of mice in your attic, contact the mice removal experts at Critter Control® of Ft. Worth. 

Contact Your Local Mice Removal Professionals 

At Critter Control® of Ft. Worth, we pride ourselves in using eco-friendly and humane methods of removal when it comes to unwanted rodents inside your home. If you are dealing with a mice infestation, give us a call at 817-222-1101 to schedule an inspection and receive a free mice removal estimate.

How to Get Rid of Rodents in My Garage

Rodents like rats, mice, and squirrels regularly invade the garages of residential Ft. Worth homes in search of food, water, and safe shelter from predators and harsh weather. Once inside your garage, rodents will quickly establish a nest and begin to breed. Unfortunately, their presence usually goes undetected until they have grown into a widespread infestation. Therefore, it is essential to deal with these invasive animals as soon as you notice signs of a rodent infestation

Rodent Removal and Prevention Tips

Here are a few ways to get rid of rodents in your garage.

  1. Seal off any possible entry points. Secure any spaces or gaps between your garage door threshold and the ground. Rodents can easily squeeze view these types of areas as safe spaces to stay warm and to enter inside your garage.
  2. Properly store food and seeds. Keep any stored pet food, bird seed, and grass seed tightly sealed while in your garage. Rodents are instinctively attracted to the smell of food and can easily chew through cloth or plastic bags.
  3. Keep your garage clean, clutter-free, and organized. Rodents enjoy small, warm spaces, and will conceal themselves within your clutter.
  4. Maintain your yard vegetation. Trim back any bushes, tree branches, or shrubs that rodents can use to access your home or hide within outside your garage.
  5. Keep your trash cans locked. To keep rodents out of your garbage, invest in trash cans with lockable lids and store them outside versus in the garage.
  6. Store firewood away from your garage. Rodents like to hide and nest in debris piles, so stack your fireplace logs outside and far from your home.

The Dangers of a Rodent Infestation

Rodents can infect you and your family with fatal diseases, such as hantavirus, leptospirosis, and rat-bite fever. The pests can also cause structural issues within your garage and home. However, dealing with rodents can be an extremely risky task to attempt on your own, which is why it’s best to leave their removal to licensed and trained wildlife removal experts. To protect your home and maintain a rodent-free garage, rely on professional rodent removal and prevention services.

Get Rid of Rodents with Critter Control® Ft. Worth

At Critter Control® Ft. Worth, our team of experienced rodent removal technicians will act fast to effectively rid your property of rodents. We also use eco-friendly and non-toxic rodent removal methods that are safe for humans and pets. To schedule an inspection and receive a free estimate for our rodent removal services, call us today at 817-222-1101.

How Do I Get Rid of an Armadillo?

While they aren’t typically aggressive toward humans, armadillos are still capable of considerable damage to your yard. If you are dealing with nuisance armadillos on your Texas property, here are some helpful armadillo removal tips to get rid of them.

How to Go About Armadillo Removal

  • Get Rid of Their Hiding Spots

Although they have a tough outer shell, armadillos still like a little extra coverage. Bushes, shrubs, and other debris in your yard could be the perfect shelter for an armadillo. Trim your bushes short and clear any fallen leaves or branches from the ground to keep them from getting cozy.

  • Remove Their Food Sources

Your yard could be an all-you-can-eat buffet for hungry armadillos. Typical garden insects, such as worms and termites, are an easy and delicious meal for an armadillo. While getting rid of all insects in your yard wouldn’t be productive, you could use insecticides to curb your yard’s bug population. 

  • Install In-Ground Fencing

If removing the armadillo’s resources doesn’t do the trick, you may need to install a physical barrier. In-ground fences can deter digging armadillos from getting into your yard. If they see they can’t reach the food they’re trying to get, chances are they’ll move on to a different yard. 

  • Hire an Armadillo Removal Professional

Most of the time, these DIY hacks to get rid of an armadillo on your property end up resulting in wasted time and money. The easiest option to deal with a pesky armadillo, and the best use of your cash, is to hire a professional to remove the animal safely and humanely. 

Ft. Worth’s Armadillo Removal Experts

Armadillo removal doesn’t have to be such a chore, so let it be our job. Here at Critter Control® of Ft. Worth, our team of licensed and trained technicians are committed to helping you and your property steer clear of an armadillo infestation. We use non-toxic, eco-friendly, and humane methods of removal that keep the safety and best interests of both you and the animal in mind.

If you’re having an armadillo problem, know that Critter Control® of Ft. Worth has the solution. To schedule an inspection and receive a free armadillo removal estimate, give us a call today at 817-222-1101.

How to Get Rid of Raccoons in the Garbage

Raccoons are scavengers that will eat anything they can find—including your trash. Here are a few ways to keep them out of your garbage and away from your home. 

Tricks and Tips to Keep Raccoons Out of Your Trash Cans

  • Scare Them Off

While they may seem brave, raccoons are skittish and will run away from human contact. Trick them into thinking you’re there by planting a noise maker or playing a radio near your garbage can. Sudden movements and bright light also keep raccoons away. Motion-activated lights or sprinklers can scare them off as well. 

  • Change the Scent

Smell is one of a raccoon’s strongest senses, and it uses its nose to find your garbage. An easy way to mask the attractive odor of your garbage is by double-bagging your trash. If you want to change the smell, ammonia and mothballs are also unpleasant to raccoons. Sprinkle a small amount of ammonia around your garbage, or spread mothballs around the outside of the can. 

  • Take Away Their Food Source

Homes are an easy target for raccoons because they provide convenient access to food and water sources. An improperly sealed garbage can is easy for raccoons to use, and birdbaths, pet dishes, and leaky hoses all provide a water source. Make sure your trash can lid is tightly sealed, and consider adding a lock to make it more difficult for raccoons to open. Empty out birdbaths and pet bowls when they’re not in use, and tighten up any leaks around your home. 

  • Hire a Raccoon Removal Professional

The best and most effective way to keep raccoons out of your garbage is by hiring a pest control expert to remove them. Wildlife removal professionals will use are safe and effective methods to get rid of the animal quickly and efficiently. 

Fortunately, Critter Control® of Ft. Worth is here to help. Our four-step CritterSafe® method includes inspection, removal, prevention, and property restoration that permanently rids your property of nuisance raccoons while keeping the health of you, your property, and the animal in mind.

Ft. Worth’s Raccoon Removal Experts

At Critter Control® of Ft. Worth, we pride ourselves in using eco-friendly and humane methods to remove unwanted critters from inside your home or workplace. To schedule a property inspection and receive a free raccoon removal estimate, give us a call today at 817-222-110.

The Danger of DIY Snake Trapping

Finding a snake on your property is not uncommon in Texas. With over 105 native species and subspecies, knowing what to look for and whom to call is vital. While only 15 species of snakes in Texas are potentially dangerous to humans, non-venomous snakes can also pose a threat with their bites. Although trying to trap a nuisance snake yourself may seem tempting, the danger of doing so can harm you and your family.

Dangers of DIY Snake Removal

Attempting a snake removal on your own can cause many challenges. Snakes, when left alone, will not actively prey on humans. According to Texas Parks and Wildlife, most snake bites result from people taking unnecessary risks when encountering a snake. If you spot a snake on your land or in the wild, slowly move away—as not to startle it—and retreat to a safe place. Approaching any animal in the wild is not recommended and should be avoided at all costs. However, knowing what to look for is equally as important.

Signs You May Have a Snake Infestation

If you’re not sure if a snake is trespassing on your land, keep an eye out for these common signs:

  • Slither tracks in the dust or dirt
  • Shed snakeskins on your property
  • Snake droppings
  • Snake holes in the dirt
  • Strange smells

Instead of attempting to capture a snake on your property, try these simple, yet effective prevention techniques.

Snake Prevention Techniques

1. Keep your property maintained.

  • Snakes love to find hiding places, commonly under a rock, in thick brush, or in overgrown vegetation. By eliminating these preferred spots, you reduce the risk of a snake making your yard their home.
  • Snakes are commonly attracted to cluttered areas. Tidy up your garage and surrounding property of debris or areas where snakes can inhabit.

2. Remove snake attractants from your property.

  • Rodents are a snake’s preferred prey. Taking care of any rodents in your yard and around your property will help reduce the risk of a snake encounter.

3. Use snake repellants.

  • Distribute snake repellant in areas that you suspect a snake is nesting
  • If you have pets or kids, make sure to read the labels and select the best option for your family

Professional Snake Removal Services in Ft. Worth

If an unwanted snake has taken over your property, it’s crossed the line! Call our experts at Critter Control® of Ft. Worth to remove nuisance snakes quickly and humanely from your property. Our knowledgeable staff will safely remove the invasive snake and install safeguards to reduce the risks of another snake making its home on your property. Schedule an inspection with one of our snake removal experts by calling 817-222-1101 today.

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