New Orleans has the perfect weather for wildlife, with high humidity and more hot days than cold. Swamps, the Mississippi River, lakes, ponds and creeks keep our wildlife thriving. The problem is that the more we develop New Orleans, the fewer “wild” places animals have to live. So, they started searching for shelter in our neighborhoods.
You have likely seen raccoons, rats, mice, bats, skunks, squirrels, opossums, armadillos and hundreds of species of birds throughout New Orleans. It’s a blessing to have so many creatures until they start becoming a nuisance.
Louisiana considers wildlife a nuisance when they persistently annoy or threaten property owners or if they cause property damage. Below are examples of how Critter Control handles the most common nuisance wildlife in New Orleans with inspection, removal and repair processes.
Critter Control Wildlife Removal Process
Removal
Exclusion and Repair
Raccoons mate in January and February and give birth about 60 days later. Many choose attics and crawlspaces of homes to nest during this time. Raccoons will eat just about anything, including junk food, table scraps, garden crops, small animals and even chickens. They have nimble handles that allow them to dumpster dive, tip garbage cans, open feed bins, and reach through fences to grab a baby chick.
With their black masks and banded tails, raccoons go out at night, like thieves, searching for a meal. Other than making a mess in your yard, raccoons will also dig holes in your sod; damage your siding, chimney and trees when climbing; and bust screens and wood to enter your home. Once inside, raccoons will tear insulation, scratch drywall, and leave large amounts of scat that can grow mold spores.
Wildlife experts understand the habits of raccoons, and calling them for help is much safer for you and the animal.
Click here to see our raccoon removal services in New Orleans.
Inspection
During the inspection, we determine the severity of the raccoon infestation. We look for physical evidence like footprints in or around the home, stains from raccoon feces and urine. On the exterior of the house, we look for damage like scratches on boards, broken vents and screens, ripped apart shingles, destroyed soffits, and every possible entry point.
Raccoon Trapping
Raccoon Control
Rats and mice reproduce and multiply quickly. They can have several litters of five or six babies every year, sometimes more. This is one reason the population of rodents in New Orleans is out of control.
Rats and mice can chew through almost anything, like electrical wiring and some metals. If they enter your home, they will likely build a nest in your attic, walls or ceilings. They may also nest under appliances or furniture. They don’t usually nest too far from a food source, your kitchen. They like to scavenge crumbs off your counters and scraps from your trash. They will also open foods in your pantries and cabinets, costing you valuable money.
Rats typically burrow outside your home but will enter, even through a pet door, if they can access food. Bigger rats, like the Norway rat, can damage shingles and will chew through the siding.
The longer rats and mice are left on your property, the more damage you can expect. We can help you get rid of any size rodent problem.
Inspection
During a rodent inspection, we thoroughly inspect your attic and provide a complete exterior home inspection. The most common signs of rodent activity are gnaw marks, feces, rub marks, nesting material, runs in insulation material, and small entry points.
Rodent Trapping
Rodent Control
New Orleans has a massive number of both tree and ground squirrels. They are on the roads, trees, roofs and chimneys. Some are even in your home. If they are, then you’ve likely heard their chirps, screams and growls. Whether they are in your attic or walls, they probably keep you up at night.
Squirrels can be active any time of day. They spend most of their time collecting food to store for the winter. They like fruits, nuts, seeds, grains, bird eggs and anything you put into a bird feeder. They also love human foods like cereals, chips, crackers and cookies.
Squirrels create numerous storage spots, including the holes they dig in your yard, walls and appliances or furniture that you don’t use often. Other problems created by squirrels include chewed wires that can lead to a fire hazard, nests built in vents and ducts that cause a fire hazard and running on outdoor electrical wires, causing transformers to blow.
Call us before something like this happens.
Inspection
Wildlife specialists look for signs such as chewing on, in, or around your home, small openings leading to the attic or the crawl space, droppings, and debris like nuts or nesting material. Beams, wires, pipes, and insulation may all show signs of damage from squirrels.
Squirrel Trapping
Exclusions for Squirrel Control
No matter where you live, you can see bats flying around streetlights, gulping up insects with each swoop. Bats can eat thousands of insects a night, making them beneficial for our ecosystem. This is one reason they are a protected species in Louisiana. Another reason is due to diseases like the white-nose syndrome threatening the extinction of some bats.
If bats don’t have access to caves and tall trees, they will opt for attics, barns, eaves, chimneys, steeples and any place with rafters. Bats are nuisance wildlife because their bat guano can damage property by staining floors and walls and breaking beams if the guano becomes too heavy. The guano also poses a threat to humans because it can grow mold spores. If humans inhale the spores, there is a risk of developing respiratory diseases.
Finally, bats can be annoying because they make a lot of noise.We can handle all bat-related issues.
Inspection
We perform a full interior and exterior inspection and search for signs such as rub marks, guano, a strong scent of ammonia, and small openings. The most common sign is the accumulation of guano (feces).
Bat Removal
Bat Exclusion
Inspection
Snakes are excellent at avoiding detection. We inspect your home for potential entry points and look for signs like snake skin and feces. Because a snake typically enters a home hunting for food, our wildlife inspector also looks for signs of a rodent infestation.
Removal & Control
Repairs
Hiring a nuisance wildlife professional is recommended any time you encounter a wild animal in your home because they:
- Have the right equipment to do the job
- Know the local laws and regulations
- Are happy to take care of the gross jobs, so you don’t have to
At Critter Control, our experts are:
- Licensed and insured
- Extensively trained on the habits of all wildlife
- Live locally and understand the area completely