Critter Control of the Triangle

So how exactly can raccoons end up in the attic?

Did you know opossums are skilled climbers? While squirrels and raccoons are most often found in attics, their ability to climb means opossums can occasionally wind up in your attic.

The two species of rat most likely to be a problem are Norway rats (brown rat) and roof rats (black rat). Rats typically live in urban or suburban areas if access to food sources, water, and shelter can be acquired. Both pests are nocturnal and hide in their nests during the day.

Preferring to eat around homes, businesses, and restaurants, the small pests an get inside through cracks and holes in the around the roof, on your walls, and on foundations.. Other avenues, such as open doors and windows, floor drains, fan openings, and previously infested packages of merchandise, also allow the critters to set up permanent residence indoors.

Norway rats are excellent swimmers and can enter through the sewers. Both species are climbers. Roof rats climbing abilities can scale trees, drain pipes, and siding to get onto your roof and inside your home.

https://www.crittercontrol.com/wildlife/rats/where-do-rats-nest

A raccoon in Columbia, MO was able to locate a weakness under a roof return and created a large hole. Peter and his team trapped and removed the raccoon then did a final inspection to ensure there were no other animals in the attic. The raccoon created a sizable hole under the roof return. The Critter Control team in Central Missouri covered the hole with steel flashing to make sure the raccoon wouldn't return to the same spot. They boxed in that section of the roof return. Roof returns provide easy access to a variety of animals. The box prevents animals from reaching that space. Once the box was installed, they replace the shingles.

https://www.crittercontrol.com/office-finder/missouri/central-missouri/raccoon-roof-repair

Bats in the winter can pose a unique problem. Some bat species hibernate while other species migrate. If you live in a colder climate, you might have hibernating bats in your attic.

We do not remove hibernating bats, we will repair everything on the structure with the exception of where the bats are roosting until temperatures warm up and the bats start moving again. There are some parts of the U.S. that will have migrating bat problems. For example, homeowners in the Rio Grande area of Texas can have migrating bat problems. In those cases, we can remove bats immediately.

Prevention is the first step to making sure no critters move indoors during the winter. This includes sealing up any current or potential entry points for animals on the structure. If an animal makes their way into the structure before any preventative work is done, it is best to call a professional to diagnose the problem and discuss a solution. This will often consist of humane removal of the animal followed by any clean up necessary and exclusion of entry points to prevent anything from re-entering the structure.

https://www.crittercontrol.com/blog/nuisance-wildlife-winter

Like humans, critters prefer to stay warm and protected from the elements during cold weather. Attics and crawlspaces provide wildlife with warmth, nesting materials, and safety they need to survive during cold temperatures. The most common pests we see moving indoors during the colder months are squirrels, rats/mice, raccoons, and opossums. It’s important none of these animals hibernate. So if they are in your home to escape the cold weather, they’ll continue to be a nuisance. Over the next week, we'll discuss these critters, and they're winter behavior in your home.

https://www.crittercontrol.com/blog/nuisance-wildlife-winter

Caught on camera! A mouse in the attic scampers away through an attic.

Raccoons typically have one liter a year of two to five kits. Female raccoons find their way into your attic to create a safe place to give birth and rear her kits. Insulation makes an excellent nest for the juvenile raccoons. Critter Control of Central Missouri found a raccoon den with several juveniles earlier this year.

🦝 Check out this adorable video of juvenile raccoons caught by Critter Control of Greenville! A homeowner heard the raccoon sounds like whining and crying in the attic. The franchise located the den and safely removed the juveniles!

One of the first signs of nuisance wildlife is strange sounds or noises. Animals most typically invade attics, walls, roofs, and chimneys. If you hear squeaking, chirping, screeching, thumping, running, scratching, or gnawing, call Critter Control

Mice are some of the most common pest animals that infest people's homes. Mice do not hibernate. They are active year-round, but they do need to find a warm place for shelter. They can cause a lot of damage because they breed at an incredible rate! Do not procrastinate if you see signs of a mouse.

Some of the most common nuisance wildlife problems come from raccoons, squirrels, rats, mice, squirrels, and bats. Do any of these problems disappear because they're hibernating?