Category: Blog

Raccoons cause their fair share of problems for Ft. Worth home and business owners. Knowing how to identify common raccoon problems and deal with an infestation can save you plenty of time, money, and headaches. The Critter Control of Ft. Worth staff is familiar with raccoons’ food sources and behavior. We are here to help you identify and eradicate common raccoon problems in and around your home.

Why Raccoons Invade Your Space

You probably won’t find a raccoon in your home at first. Instead, you may see evidence in your yard of one of the most common raccoon problems – foraging. Raccoons often dig in yards and gardens for vegetation and other food. If those food sources are scarce or unsatisfying, they may venture onto your porch and gnaw on any plants kept there. Raccoons like pet food, so keep it secure if you have a pet you feed outside. When possible, feed your pets indoors.

Raccoons are also notorious for getting into homeowners’ garbage cans. Like similar household pests, they enjoy human leftovers and spoiled food. Spending so much time in place like dumpsters can also exacerbate diseases and parasites raccoons carry. To deal with these common raccoon problems, keep your garbage cans sealed. Do not throw spoiled fruit or meat into a dumpster on its own. Burn meat wrappers when possible and double-bag fruit.

Sometimes raccoons, especially females, seek shelter in your home for themselves and their babies. You may notice evidence of this in fall, winter, and early spring while temperatures are still cold. Check your chimneys and screens; raccoons like to use openings in these to get inside your house. If your chimney hasn’t been capped, Critter Control can do it for you. If you are experiencing these or other common raccoon problems, call or contact Critter Control today. We will humanely remove the raccoons and help you with an exclusion plan.

Most people think the best way to deal with a household pest is to kill it. At Critter Control of Ft. Worth, we want to give our customers other options. Killing pests, especially rats, may not be the best solution for your infestation problem. Extermination methods are usually not environmentally friendly, and killing rats yourself can expose you to a variety of potentially fatal diseases, including the bubonic plague. At Critter Control, we encourage rat proofing your Ft. Worth home and give you plenty of tools to do so.

How to Rat Proof Your House

Rat proofing your Ft. Worth home is easy if you have the right tools. For example, the experts at Critter Control recommends bringing natural predators into your home. The most common predator is a cat; a gifted mouser can kill 1,200 mice and rats per year. If you bring in a cat for this purpose, get a female; females are more likely to hunt rodents tenaciously.

If you are not a cat person, several rat-minded dogs can help as well. Jack Russell terriers are predisposed to chase and kill small, fluffy animals, so let them follow those instincts with rats. Jack Russell terriers and similar breeds can catch the big rats that intimidate cats.

This being said, never leave a full-blown rat infestation up to pets alone. Your pets can easily contract rat-borne parasites and diseases. Additionally, never leave pet food in the open; rats use it for their own food.

Other ways of rat proofing your Ft. Worth home include humane rattraps and careful caulking and sealing of doorways, window ledges, attic entrances, and other common entry points. Critter Control of Ft. Worth offers both these solutions. We recommend our customers use multi-capture live traps or snap traps. Once again, though, do not handle a rodent infestation on your own. Call Critter Control or fill out a Contact Us form to determine the best plan for rat proofing your Ft. Worth home and eliminating existing rodents.

Homes and residential areas are becoming increasingly popular for rat infestation. These areas offer safety, warmth, and easy access food – everything a rat could ever want to begin breeding. No matter how clean your home is, a rat infestation is still a possibility in the Fort Worth area.

Before we begin to clean and repair damage to your home, our wildlife experts will remove the rat infestation from your home and take measures to help ensure they don’t return. Once the animals have been removed and excluded from your home, our technicians can set to work making it seem like the rats were never there.

Our team is comprised of cleanup and repair technicians, as well as contractors capable of handling the toughest restoration jobs. We have environmentalists on staff as well to ensure that our practices are as effective and eco-friendly as possible.

Commonly Seen Damages

Rats are most often found in the attics of homes, which is where we see most of the damage done. One of the most common types of damage we see on a regular basis is to attic insulation. At rats begin nesting, they often tear up insulation to build their nests, soiling it in the process. This ruins the efficiency of the insulation, increasing your energy bills.

Rats also like to chew on wooden roof joists, electrical wiring, plumbing, or anything else they can sink their ever-growing teeth into.

Critter Control® of Fort Worth is your total solution for animal removal, exclusion, and cleanup. Call our office today at 817-222-1101 or fill out a Contact Us form to schedule your free home inspection.

Fort Worth, and Texas in general, is not a place most people think of when they think of rats. Texas is more commonly associated with pests such as armadillos, snakes, or skunks. While these are definitely problems for homeowners and business owners, rats are an issue as well. Building owners must stay knowledgeable about rats to protect themselves from their diseases and damage. Critter Control of Ft. Worth is here to supply you with some crucial Ft. Worth rat facts.

Facts You Need to Know

At Critter Control, we’re dedicated to helping customers learn Ft. Worth rat facts that will protect their homes, families, and pets. For example, it’s crucial to know the types of rats you may be dealing with. The most common rat found in American homes is the Norway rat, or Rattus norvegicus. These rats have several aliases – wharf rat, brown rat, and sewer rat. They are not always brown, although this is a common color. Rats have long teeth, pointed noses, and are fairly large in size. Some rats can grow to about 40 cm long.

Common Rat Damage

Our Ft. Worth rat facts also encompass the type of damage Norway rats and similar species cause. Rats chew on wires, which can cause electrical, heating, and water problems. If not caught early, chewed wiring can lead to fire hazards. Rats also commonly chew and soil insulation and building materials, especially in attics. Rat waste carries diseases that humans usually come in contact with when trying to clean it up.

Additionally, rats are notorious for stealing and contaminating food. They spend much of their time in garbage bins and other filthy areas, but like to eat grain and flour as well. Pet food is another favorite of most rats. If rats are common in your area, you should keep your food supplies as secure as possible and never leave them in the open. Contact Critter Control of Ft. Worth for assistance with rat infestations.

Attics are a common target for wild animal and rodent infestation. They offer safety, warmth, darkness, and access to food – everything a critter needs to begin nesting and breeding. Regardless of if your attic is clean or not, wild animals like mice, rats, squirrels, and bats are commonly found in attics all around the Fort Worth area.

While it is a top priority of ours to remove any offending critters from your home and prevent their return, there remains the question of what to do about the mess they often leave behind. Fortunately, Critter Control® of Fort Worth offers much more than just animal removal. Our comprehensive attic cleanup and restoration services will make it seem like the nuisance animals were never there.

Our team of experts include technicians trained in attic repair and cleanup, as well as contractors capable of handling more complex attic cleanup jobs. We work with biologists and environmental experts to ensure our cleanup practices are not only effective, but environmentally friendly as well.

Common Types of Damage

Though the critters often found in attics are small in size, the damage they often cause is anything but. As the animals begin nesting, they often rip apart insulation to use as nesting material, soiling much of it in the process. Many rodents possess large front teeth that are constantly growing, causing them to gnaw on anything around them including electrical wiring, wooden roof structures, and more.

Allow our attic cleanup and restoration experts to return your attic to like-new condition. If you suspect that a wild animal has taken up residence in your attic, Contact Us or give us a call today at 817-222-1101 to set up your free inspection.

Since mice are tiny rodents, many people think they can’t do much damage other than chewing fixtures and furniture or breaking into food supplies. In reality, a mouse infestation can lead to problems like food contamination, salmonella poisoning, and insulation and wiring damage. If a mouse has entered your home, it’s crucial to deal with the problem immediately.

Where Mouse Damage Occurs

Mouse damage typically happens in attics and basements as those spots often have easy entry points. In addition, attics and basements have many dim or hidden corners where mice can nest. Once mice enter your home, they can leave fur, droppings, and other contaminants behind. Don’t try to eradicate these materials yourself; doing so can cause illness.

How Critter Control® Can Help

When you call Critter Control® of Ft. Worth, we will perform a thorough inspection of your home to determine entry points and find evidence of mice. Once all entry points are found, we will seal them for you and get to work cleaning out mouse fur, droppings, and other remnants. If you have dead mice, we will use our safe removal process to eliminate them right away. Afterward, we will show you how to protect your home from further mouse damage. Call us or fill out a Contact Us form anytime if a squeak or scratch has you worried about a mouse invasion.

Discovering a rodent infestation in your home can turn from a minor annoyance into a nightmare in a hurry if steps aren’t taken to eliminate the problem. They are attracted to the easy source of food and water that a home provides, and love the warm and dark shelter of an attic. Unfortunately, once rodents take up residence in your attic, the damage they cause is often costly. Critter Control® of Fort Worth recommends seeking professional help if you suspect there are rodents in your home.Some commonly damaged areas include:

• Insulation – Rodents love using your heat insulation as nesting material, which often results in torn up, matted, and soiled insulation. This hurts the efficiency of the insulation, causing energy bills to increase significantly.
• Wiring – Many rodents have teeth that are constantly growing, which leads to the critters constantly gnawing on anything around them. Wiring is a popular choice, causing power outages throughout your home and can even cause a fire.
• Roof Structures – In addition to tearing up wiring, rodents will go after almost anything in your attic from soffits to wooden structural components – all of which can mean costly repairs.

If you’ve been hesitant to address a rodent problem because of cost, don’t. The amount of damage they can cause easily outweighs the cost of removal, and ignoring the issue can put you and your family at risk. Give the rodent control experts at Critter Control® of Fort Worth a call today at 817-222-1101 or fill out a Contact Us form to discuss your options.

Rats and mice are two of the most common pests, but some people can’t tell them apart. While it’s true that rats are bigger, there are plenty of other characteristics that differentiate the two.

Notice Physical Appearance to Distinguish Rats and Mice

Rats and mice can, in most cases, be easily distinguished between one another. Here are some common differences they have in their physical appearances:

Mice

• Between 4-6 inches
• Weigh just over an ounce
• Long whiskers
• Triangular noses
• Large ears

Rats

• Can grow up to 15 inches or longer
• Weigh around 12 ounces
• Blunt snouts
• Scaly, hairless tails
• Smaller ears

Both species tend to come in muted, natural colors such as brown, tan, gray, and black. They also share lightened bellies, although mice tend to be a bit paler. Interestingly, rodents bred to be pets often display unique coat patterns. They frequently have spots and other markings that would be a disadvantage in the wild.

Watch for Behavioral Differences

Rats are more intelligent than mice. They have larger brains and use them for more complex processing. For example, a rat is wary of changes in their environment, like setting a trap. They often avoid traps entirely. Mice, on the other hand, tend to be oblivious, making them easier to trap or exterminate.

Knowledge You Can Trust

Regardless of which species you’re dealing with, Critter Control® of Fort Worth is ready to help. We have years of experience and training, combined with modern technology and techniques. No job is too big or too small for us to handle. If you have a rodent problem in your home or business, call us today for a free consultation at 817-222-1101.

Baby raccoons may be cute, but they shouldn’t be allowed to take over your property. Raccoons will bite if cornered or provoked, and they carry many dangerous diseases such as rabies. It’s unsafe to remove baby raccoons from a yard, attic, or basement, yourself; call Critter Control® for professional animal removal services in Ft. Worth.

Where Raccoons Nest

A mother raccoon will normally have about five kits who depend on her for food and shelter. Mothers often take their kits to shelter in chimneys, crawl spaces, attics, or basements, leading to conflict with humans. Baby raccoons can stay with their mothers up to a year, so an infestation can persist for months if not handled right away.

Newborn raccoons look similar to adults, with the same ringed tails and black or brown mask-like markings around their eyes and cheeks. It takes about three weeks for baby raccoons to open their eyes and longer for them to be able to run and forage on their own. Never try to force raccoons (particularly babies) off your property. A mother raccoon is likely helping her babies forage and store fat for fall and winter. If she thinks you are threatening her kits, she will bite or scratch. Kits will do the same thing if handled.

Call Critter Control® of Ft. Worth

Critter Control® can safely remove raccoons from your property. We use humane methods to discourage them from returning and will teach you how to protect your property. Call or fill out a Contact Us form today.

Rats, mice, squirrels, and other critters all have the capacity to do a great deal of damage to your home, and put your family at risk for disease. When you have an infestation, the key to resolving the issue is early detection, but an even better option is preventing them from entering in the first place. Rodent-proofing your roof vents and attic is a perfect way to get started.

No Entry

The first step to preventing critters from entering your home is to begin with a thorough inspection of your property. Knowing where rodents would try to enter your home is key for effective rodent-proofing and exclusion. These critters are capable of squeezing through tiny openings, so even the smallest crack or hole can allow them access.

After locating all possible entry points, they need to be closed off. You can patch holes, gaps, and cracks that are over ¼” in size with a combination of foam, wire mesh, or sheet metal depending on the size of the opening.

Next, you will need to inspect your roof to make sure there are screens installed over your vents, and to make sure they are undamaged and secure. From there, make any necessary repairs, or replace any missing vent screens. As an additional deterrent to squirrels and other climbing critters, you can attach metal rodent guards to piping, or add a black band around your home.

Rodent-Proofing made Foolproof

As a DIY homeowner, you may have some luck rodent-proofing your home on your own. But, for a guaranteed thorough job, the experts at Critter Control® of Fort Worth are here. Our decades of experience allows us to think like a critter would, giving us an advantage when it comes to finding and sealing entry points. Call us at 817-442-2201 with any questions, or to schedule your complimentary home consultation.