Knoxville, Tennessee, is between the Cumberland Plateau and the Great Smoky Mountains. This valley was carved out of the mountains by the running waters of the French Broad River and the Holston River, which converge to form the Tennessee River. Knoxville also has 92 parks within city limits. This combination of water, forested mountains, and parks is a perfect environment for wild animals, including those who pose a nuisance to residents, business owners, and tourists.

Nuisance Wildlife-Human Conflicts in Knoxville, TN

In addition to its landscape, Knoxville has a rich cultural life with museums, restaurants, and clubs. More than 12 million visitors descend on the area annually to enjoy the 500,000 acres of Great Smoky Mountain National Park, the most visited national park in the country. As people encroach upon the habits of the region’s wild animals, these critters travel to seek shelter, food, and water from Knoxville’s residential and commercial neighborhoods.

Key Wildlife Behaviors Influenced by Eastern Tennessee Climate

Knoxville, Tennessee, is located in a region with a humid subtropical climate, characterized by four distinct seasons. This climate significantly impacts wildlife behavior in the area.

• Foraging Patterns: Seasonal changes dictate foraging behavior, with heightened activity in spring and fall.
• Nesting and Breeding: The predictable seasons encourage specific breeding cycles. For example, raccoons and opossums often have young in early spring or late summer.
• Migration and Hibernation: Many birds migrate southward in the fall, while some mammals hibernate or become less active in winter.

Homeowners may experience nuisance wildlife issues during seasonal transitions, especially as animals seek shelter or food.

Spring

Temperatures are mild ranging from 40°F to 70°F. Animals like birds, squirrels, and raccoons become more active as food sources such as insects, fruits, and nuts increase. This is also a key breeding season for many species. Increased activity can lead to encounters with humans, including nesting in homes or buildings.

Summer

Temperatures can get hot typically ranging from 70°F to 90°F, with high humidity. Raccoons and squirrels will leave attics because of the heat. Bats however thrive in the hot temperatures in an attic. Maternity colonies will roost in attic, walls, and under the roof. Increased insect activity (mosquitoes, wasps, etc.), and the heat may drive animals to seek shelter indoors for cooler environments.

Fall

Temperatures are cooling and many animals prepare for winter. Very few nuisance wildlife will hibernate so mammals like squirrels storing food and migratory birds passing through. Rats and mice are active year-round. They’re always looking for food sources and safe places for shelter. This need intensifies with the cold winters in the Appalachians.

Winter

Rodents, squirrels, raccoons, opossums, and skunks do not hibernate. Some critters might slow down during the winter, but they still can be a problem. Groundhogs and (some) bats are the only true hibernators that cause homeowners problems.

Wildlife Damage in Knoxville

Nuisance Wildlife in Knoxville

Mouse in Basement

Basements have ideal conditions for pests and wildlife. Basements offer shelter from predators and harsh weather. The damp environment creates the perfect breeding ground for many pests, including cockroaches, silverfish, and certain types of ants.

Living in your basement also provides pests easy access to food and water. Pet food, crumbs on the counter, open packages within your pantry, and leaky pipes become an easy and regular source of sustenance for these basement pests.

Common Basement Bugs

There are more than 100 kinds of bugs living in the average home. The vast majority of them are tiny and harmless. Occasionally, our homes become infested with basement bugs such as crickets, cockroaches, spiders, earwigs, centipedes, and millipedes that are harmful to health and homes and require removal.

Some bug infestations are easier to detect than others. Here are some signs to look out for:

• Fecal droppings near where insects are finding food or nesting
• Stained or damaged clothing
• Egg casings in upholstery or cardboard boxes
• Musty smells
• Seeing large numbers of insects, such as ants or flies
• Webs made by spiders, carpet beetles, or clothes moths
• Waking up with bites, which could indicate bedbugs

While these small critters seem harmless enough, basement pests can do structural damage to your home. There are also health risks from food contamination, bites, and feces that transmit disease, cause skin irritations, and degrade air quality, which, in turn, causes allergic reactions and asthma.

Common Nuisance Wildlife in Basement

Bugs are not the only pests that find basements an attractive place. Critters, like those you might find outdoors, such as gophers in the garden, also appreciate the shelter, food, safety, and water accessible to them in basements. Rats, mice, raccoons, opossums, and skunks are common, but you can even find burrowing animals, such as moles, in a basement.

Rats and Mice in the Basement

Small rodents such as rats and mice in the basement are common, especially as the season changes to colder weather. Unfortunately, these rodents reproduce quickly, so one or two can quickly turn into a destructive and unhealthy infestation.

Raccoons in the Basement

Unlike small rodents that can squeeze through tiny gaps, a raccoon will identify a vulnerability and rip a hole to get in, as they are quite agile and strong. And, unlike rodents that will find all their needs fulfilled within your home, a raccoon in the basement will venture outdoors to bring food indoors to her kits.

Opossums in the Basement

Opossums are nocturnal creatures that often seek shelter in basements and crawl spaces. They will build nests in quiet, undisturbed areas like basements to raise their young. The dark, secluded nature of a basement makes it an ideal denning location.

Skunks in the Basement

Skunks often seek out dark, secluded spaces to establish their dens, and a basement can provide an ideal environment. The basement may offer protection, warmth, and a quiet place for a skunk to raise its young. Skunks are adept at finding and exploiting small openings and cracks in a home’s foundation, walls, or crawl spaces. They may squeeze through gaps around pipes, vents, or loose boards to gain access to the basement.

Skunks are naturally curious animals and may simply stumble upon an opening leading to a basement while exploring their surroundings. It is not uncommon for a skunk to fall into a window well and either get stuck or get inside your basement or crawlspace.

While mostly non-aggressive and shy, you do not want to approach a skunk, as they will spray when they feel threatened. And, even if a skunk in your basement doesn’t spray, they naturally have a musky scent that will create an unpleasant odor.

Snakes in the Basement

Basements and crawl spaces are moist, quiet, and damp, which makes them very attractive nesting sites for snakes. Snakes are particularly drawn to basements and crawlspaces because rodents are often in basements too.

Dead Animal in Basement

If you smell a putrid odor, an animal might have died in your basement. Typically an animal does not die in plain sight; they usually go somewhere to hide. The multitude of hiding spots in a basement can make it difficult to find the carcass. Also, if you have attempted DIY wildlife removal or rodent trapping but have not checked the traps, you might have caused this problem. Do not approach! A dead animal can spread diseases. call a professional to remove it and provide professional clean up and sanitization.

How to Identify Pests in Basements

It can be tricky to identify what is in your basement, short of seeing the critter. Rats and mice look alike in many ways. Raccoons, opossums, and skunks are more easily identified. Each of these animals leaves clues and signs from which they can be identified.

Basement pests can often be identified by their feces, the type of damage they create, and the sounds you hear. If you have mice or rats, you will see their feces and urine on kitchen countertops and in your pantry. A skunk will be much quieter in your basement than an active raccoon or a clumsy opossum.

Raccoons are quite vocal. They make sounds that range from chirps and whistles to growls and screeches. Skunks will make purring and chirping noises when content. Growling and hissing are their defensive sounds when threatened. Opossums are also most vocal when threatened and can let out a very loud and high-pitched shriek when confronted. One of their most common vocalizations is hissing.

Signs of pests in your basement include:

• Feces and urine
• Gnawed wood, wiring, and drywall
• A mess made by tearing apart insulation, fabric, and cardboard for nesting materials
• Animal tracks near entrances

Problems Caused by Basement Pests

Rats, mice, raccoons, skunks, and opossums all cause damage and pose health risks that make it imperative to call wildlife control as soon as you’re aware of the problem.

Basement pests can carry and transmit diseases such as leptospirosis, salmonella, and rabies, as well as parasites such as fleas, ticks, and mites, which can create a secondary infestation. Raccoons, skunks, and opossums can also cause injury to people and pets if confronted.

Stored clothing, books, and furniture are in danger of destruction by nuisance animals and basement bugs. Mice, rats, and raccoons will also create a fire hazard because they like to gnaw on electrical wires.

Preventing Pests & Maintaining a Pest Free Basement

No house is impenetrable to outdoor wildlife and insects. As natural habitats are diminished or altered by urbanization or agriculture, wildlife turns to the homes, commercial buildings, and retail establishments of humans to seek the necessities they need to survive.

To keep pests and wildlife infestations out of your basement, follow our tips:

• Seal all entry points like cracks and gaps in your home.
• Keep clutter to a minimum and clean the basement regularly.
• Store important items in tightly sealed plastic containers rather than cardboard.
• Eliminate outdoor food sources that attract them to your property. Seal trash cans, bring pet food and water indoors, and eliminate bird feeders.
• Cut back trees and branches that are close to your home to eliminate cover for them.
• Use Dehumidifiers: Keeping humidity levels in check will discourage pests who like damp areas, like termites and silverfish.
• Maintain proper ventilation and humidity control to discourage pests like cockroaches, termites, and rodents that thrive in moist conditions.

When Should Homeowners Call Professional Pest Control Services

Homeowners should consider calling a pest control company at the first sign of pest infestations or nuisance wildlife problems. Something is attracting these pests into your basement, and it will continue to be a problem until you solve it. Nuisance wildlife (and certain bugs like termites) damage your home. The longer it is ignored, the more damage is done.

There are plenty of hiding places in a basement so pests and animals can usually avoid detection. A professional will identify all entry points, all damage, and other areas in need of cleanup.

Meg Pearson, Wildlife Training Manager

The house mouse is also known as the Mus musculus. It is known for its large ears, pointed snout, and virtually hairless tail. 

Mice are typically attracted to kitchens; we highly recommend storing all food in airtight containers for this reason. Mice will also gnaw on virtually any surface or material to get into a home, such as insulation, wiring, and wood. It’s not uncommon to also find mice in attics, crawlspaces, and garages. 

Home owners will see signs of mouse damage typically before seeing an actual mouse. This is partly due to mice being more active at night. But it is not uncommon to see the mice scampering throughout their house.

The top 3 signs of a mice infestation:

1. Droppings
2. Nests
3. Damage to food packaging

Mouse droppings are small and dark and usually found on kitchen floors near baseboards. Their nests can be found in hidden areas such as inside drawers or even mattresses. Pantry foods are the most common target for mice that have infiltrated a home, so start by checking the integrity of your food packaging in your pantry. Other evidence of a mouse infestation in the attic include damaged insulation, stripped electrical wires, and gnawed PVC pipes.

Where Do Mice Live in a Home?

Mice prefer warm, dark, and sheltered areas, such as wall cavities, attics, basements, and storage sheds. Mice can squeeze through holes 1/4 of an inch in diameter or larger. Because mice have powerful teeth and are highly motivated by available food and warm shelter, they can also easily create holes or enlarge existing holes to get inside. 

How do mice get inside my house?

The most common entry points for mice are pipes, vents, and doors or windows attached to either the main house, or the garage. 

Mice can climb any textured vertical surface and can jump over a foot off the ground. They can access uncovered vents, chimneys, windows with broken screens, and through utility pipes that run through exterior walls.

Mouse Infestation Prevention

It’s best practice to keep food stored in pantries in air-tight containers and to always clean up crumbs. Wipe down your cabinets and the insides of your cabinets regularly. However, cleaning the space where a mouse was found will not necessarily prevent mice from coming back; the only way to do this is by sealing up entry points.

Stop mice from getting into your home by making your yard less attractive to mice. Mice use dense underbrush and debris like leaves and twigs to take shelter from predators. Clearing yard debris will remove shelter for mice to hide under. Mice outdoors don’t pose as much of a threat as those indoors. However, the pests always have the potential to find their way inside homes to look for a meal or a place to nest. 

How Critter Control Gets Rid of Mice

Mice trapping typically lasts five to fourteen days but that can change depending on the size of the house and how well established the mice are. The most effective mouse control method is exclusion repairs. This involves sealing off any current or possible entry points on the home, followed by a thorough inspection and sanitation process. It’s important to repair any damage the mice may have done to the house and disinfect any areas with mouse droppings. 

About the author

Meg has over 13 years of experience in the wildlife industry. She started as a wildlife technician and was district manager and technical training manager supporting the Southeast Region.  She currently is one of the company’s wildlife training managers. As one of the training managers, her primary focus is special projects and leading Women in Wildlife.

Critter Control Reviews

Meg Pearson, Wildlife Training Manager

Skunks are attracted to areas with accessible food sources and shelter. By eliminating these attractants and implementing certain deterrents, you can reduce the likelihood of them entering your yard. 

Lawns, especially newly created ones, are immensely attractive to skunks, as they tend to be heavily watered and loaded with worms and grubs. Skunks dig small holes where grubs are located, which can make your lawn ugly quite quickly.

How do you know a skunk is in your yard?

You can typically tell when a skunk is in your yard by their pungent/distinct odor. If you see signs of digging or upturned soil in your yard, it may be the result of skunk foraging.

When are skunks a problem in the yard?

Skunk problems are typically at their peak during three times of the year:

• Mating season (mid-February through mid-March)
• Birthing seasons (May–June)
• Winter foraging (approximately October–November) when skunks dig up lawns searching for grubs and worms

Skunk Mating Season

Mating season involves skunks seeking mates — and this often occurs nears homes. Homeowners report skunk tracks in the snow or smell skunk spray. Skunks secrete spray when they are mating and males often spray when they’re fighting and feel threatened.

Birthing Season

The season of skunks’ birth is a precarious one for removal — we can either relocate the entire family, including mother and babies, or we can seal off the areas that skunks are inhabiting and install a one-way valve that allows the family to exit but not re-enter. This can only be done when young are able to walk (3+ weeks).

The very last thing we want is to separate a mother from her kits. When we trap skunks, we always inspect the gender of the animal to ensure we aren’t accidentally relocating a mother who may get separated from her young on your property Many wildlife companies may not attempt the extra care of not separating mothers from their babies, but Critter Control of New Hampshire considers it a necessary step.

Skunk Winter Foraging

When skunks forage in lawns, it can often look like someone ran a rototiller across your yard. In some parts of the country, fall brings rain, which saturates the soil and brings earthworms to the surface. This provides easy access to a food source for skunks. 

Skunk control for your yard

Skunks are attracted to the worms and grubs in your lawn and garden. Lay down 1-inch mesh chicken wire, securing it with stakes or heavy stones.It’s also important for homeowners to prevent access to denning sites, as skunks will readily den under houses, sheds, or porches if given the chance. Close off these areas with ¼-inch hardware cloth, boards, or metal flashing. Make all connections flush and secure, and you’ll keep out smaller animals like mice and rats, too.

Each state has their own laws and regulations regarding skunk removal. Homeowners should avoid attempting skunk control themselves and should instead call a professional due to the risk of rabies and diseases transmitted through skunk bites, as well as potential property damage from their foraging and sharp claws.

About the author

Meg has over 13 years of experience in the wildlife industry. She started as a wildlife technician and was district manager and technical training manager supporting the Southeast Region.  She currently is one of the company’s wildlife training managers. As one of the training managers, her primary focus is special projects and leading Women in Wildlife.

Critter Control Reviews

There are several popular social media channels showcasing the inquisitive and intelligent behavior of pet raccoons. It makes sense why people would want a raccoon as a pet. They appear cute and cuddly. They are clever and resourceful critters.

But raccoons do not make good pets.

From the serious health risks they pose to the extensive damage they can cause, adopting a raccoon is fraught with challenges that far outweigh any perceived benefits. This article will explore seven key factors that demonstrate why raccoons should be appreciated from a distance, rather than welcomed into our living spaces.

Here are seven reasons to resist the urge to adopt one of these masked bandits as a pet.  

1) Rabies and Other Infectious Diseases

 Studies show that raccoons make up nearly 30% of all rabies cases in the United States. Raccoons also carry zoonic parasites and infectious diseases that can spread to you, your family, and your pets.

Raccoons also carry fleas and ticks. Both of which can spread to people and pets introducing another whole host of problems.

 Additionally, raccoon droppings can cause raccoon roundworm (baylisascaris procyonis); a parasitic worm that can harm both humans and pets. The egg spores in the raccoon droppings are light and can quickly become airborne, resulting in a dangerous infection.

Common Raccoon Diseases:

• Rabies
• Baylisascaris procyonis (raccoon roundworm)
• Leptospirosis
• Giardiasis
• Salmonella
• Canine distemper

2) Behavior and Temperament

Raccoons are smart, curious, active, and playful animals. However, they are also demanding, attention-seeking, and unpredictable.

Born to roam wild, raccoons act out when held captive. When trapped in confinement, they will use their long, dexterous, tapered fingers and nails to pry their way out.

Simply put: Adopting any wild animal as a pet is extremely dangerous. Their instincts will often override any “training” you try to impart on them, and they will always act in unpredictable ways.

3) Known to Act Out if Unhappy

Once a raccoon reaches sexual maturity, the cute and cuddly baby becomes unpredictable.

When upset or moody, raccoons can act like hormonal teenagers. These selfish critters can turn vengeful, aggressive, and territorial in an instant all to assert their dominance. 

Their tendency to act out makes interacting with others close to impossible. In a human home, raccoons often feel trapped—which can stir up extra agitation and hatred to fuel the fire.

Raccoons cannot be tamed! It is unsafe to have an adult raccoon trapped in your home with children (or anyone) present!

4) Damage to House

Raccoons are roamers. The natural range for a raccoon is one to three miles. Locking them inside of a house goes against their nature. They need large, open spaces.

Wild animals get irritable if caged in one place for too long. Trapped raccoons will reach out from the cage, grab onto anything within reach, and destroy it. Once let out, they will explore every square inch of your house.

 Translation? Say hello to torn and scratched furniture, chewed-up cords, and broken valuables everywhere.

 Everything must be not only child-proof but also raccoon-proof. Now that’s a lot to ask for.

5) Say Goodbye to Your Time and Money

Taking care of a raccoon as a pet is a full-time job that can break the bank over time. To ensure a raccoon doesn’t escape; you would need to invest in an expensive cage that locks and is sturdy enough to handle a lot of shenanigans.

What do raccoons eat?

Grocery stores do not carry a bag of raccoon feed in their pet aisle. Raccoons are omnivorous animals, meaning they eat both plants and meat. If you are considering keeping a raccoon as a pet, it is important to provide a varied and balanced diet to meet their nutritional needs. Raccoons should be fed a combination of:

• High-quality commercial raccoon or omnivore diet
• Fresh fruits and vegetables (e.g. apples, berries, carrots, lettuce)
• Cooked lean proteins (e.g. chicken, turkey, eggs)
• Nuts and seeds
• Clean, fresh water at all times

Raccoons also require a lot of fiber in their diet, so it’s important to include plenty of leafy greens and other high-fiber foods. Additionally, their diet should be supplemented with vitamins and minerals to ensure they are getting all the nutrients they need. Proper nutrition is crucial for a raccoon’s overall health and well-being when kept as a pet.

A captive raccoon is prone to obesity.

What about vets?

Only 13 states allow you to keep a raccoon as a pet. If you live in one of the other 37 states, you won’t be able to find a vet to legal treat a raccoon. You will most likely need to travel to find a vet to care for your raccoon.

Then, add on the cost of house damage repairs from emotional outbursts and mischievous behavior. It all adds up.

6) Nearly Impossible to Potty Train

Due to their stubborn nature, raccoons can be difficult to potty train.

While they can be trained to use a litterbox, if you irritate them, they will willfully punish you by having accidents around the home; raccoons hold grudges!

7) Adapted to a Nocturnal Lifestyle

As a nocturnal species, raccoons are most active at night. For raccoons held in captivity, this can pose a problem, as most humans sleep during the day.

Pet raccoons may keep you up at night by scratching their cage or escaping and causing trouble in your home while you sleep. 

What’s the Difference Between Keeping an Adult Raccoons as a Pet and Caring for an Orphaned Baby Raccoon?

Wildlife rehabilitators care for orphaned juvenile raccoons to release them back into the wild. Depending on the raccoon kit, it usually happens around 12 weeks but a healthy 10-week-old raccoon kit can be released.

Providing a safe, secure, and comfortable enclosure: Rehabilitators create a spacious, enriched environment that mimics the raccoon’s natural habitat, with hiding spots, branches, and toys to encourage natural behaviors.

Feeding a nutritious diet: Raccoons are omnivores, so rehabilitators provide a balanced diet of high-quality commercial raccoon food, fruits, vegetables, and occasional protein sources.

Administering medical care: Rehabilitators closely monitor the raccoons’ health, providing veterinary treatment for any injuries or illnesses, and administering necessary medications or supplements.

Socializing and preparing for release: Rehabilitators work to maintain the raccoons’ natural wariness of humans, while also socializing them with other juvenile raccoons to learn important survival skills.

Gradual release to the wild: When the raccoons are healthy and have developed the necessary survival skills, rehabilitators will release them back into their natural habitat, often in a protected area near where they were found.

As winter approaches and cold weather settles in, animals are looking for places to stay warm.  There are a number of ways that nuisance wildlife will den or nest on our properties and in our homes, and there are a few measures that can be taken to help prevent and address these behaviors.

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.

Common Winter Pest Animals

The most common pests we see moving indoors during the colder months are squirrels, rats, mice, raccoons, and opossums. None of these animals must hibernate. So if they are in your home to escape the cold weather, they’ll continue to be a nuisance.  

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.

How to Prevent Nuisance Animal Problems During the Winter

 It is important to keep a well-manicured lawn year-round, but especially during seasonal changes. Piles of leaves, debris and overgrown bushes and branches can offer a warm, safe environment for critters to nest or den. Additionally, keeping all food/household waste in tightly sealed garbage bins, along with keeping up any outdoor pet food will help deter nuisance wildlife from being attracted to the property. 

It’s crucial to conduct routine inspections of your property and to have any entry points sealed by a wildlife control professional to stop and prevent unwanted pests from coming in.

All structures, whether houses, apartments or commercial properties, can have a variety of entry points for pests to make their way inside for warmth and shelter. Chimneys, ground and roof vents, soffits, rooflines, decks and siding all have different types of intentional and unintentional gaps as a part of their structures. As a reference point, both mice and bats can get into spaces less than an inch large.

Costs of Nuisance Wildlife Damage

Nuisance animals can cause hundreds or even thousands of dollars worth of damage to wood, plastic, metal, and insulation in your home such as electric wiring, plumbing pipes. They can also cause this damage very quickly. If you believe you have a nuisance wildlife issue, it is recommended to call a wildlife control professional immediately. This winter, stay one step ahead of these critters and take the proper steps to transition your home to keep the warmth in and the critters out!

Testimonials

Meg Pearson, Wildlife Training Manager

The house mouse is also known as the Mus musculus. It is known for its large ears, pointed snout, and virtually hairless tail. 

The Virginia opossum is the only marsupial the lives in North America. Opossums have adapted to live in urban and suburban environments. 

Benefits of Opossums in Your Yard

Opossums provide natural pest control. Opossums are omnivores and will eat a wide variety of foods including pests such as insects, ticks, small rodents, and even scavenge animal carcasses and roadkill. The opossum diet changes slightly depending on the season. For example, the pests eat a lot of insects in the summer while they mostly consume small mammals in the winter.

How to Attract Opossums to Your Yard

Providing resources for food, water, and shelter can attract opossums. They prefer to nest in tree cavities or abandoned dens of other animals but will often times take up residence in unoccupied attics, garages, sheds, or beneath porches. Opossums are opportunist and will take advantage of any area that they deem suitable for shelter.  With that being said, the same things to attract opossums can also attract raccoons, skunks, squirrels, and other nuisance wildlife. 

Are Opossums Dangerous?

Opossums are not likely to attack humans unless provoked, but they can damage your property, especially if they take up residence in an attic, barn, shed, etc. Opossums will steal eggs from chicken coops. They make a mess rummaging in garbage cans and eating left out pet food.

How to Prevent Opossums

To keep opossums out of your yard, you need to keep in mind what initially attracts them to it to begin with: food. Opossums are willing to eat just about anything, so be sure to keep your yard food-free:

• Keep all garbage and food scraps tightly sealed, so there’s no obvious food sources lying around for them to inspect and chow down on.
• Keep your yard well groomed. Be sure to pick up sticks, keep your leaves raked and your grass mowed. Failure to maintain your lawn could attract snakes, rodents and other critters that will, in turn, attract opossums to come along in hopes of eating them.

The best way to keep opossums from getting into your home is to physically prevent them from entering. This can be done by conducting annual inspections of your home’s exterior. Amid that process, be sure to:

• Plug any gaps along your home’s foundation
• Cover vents with metal vent covers
• Attach metal flashing or quarter-inch hardware cloth to protect other openings that must be maintained for airflow or exhaust.

Biggest Opossum Myth Debunked

The biggest misconception surrounding opossums is that they are carriers of rabies. Opossums are rarely known to contract rabies and are even less likely to pass it on to other organisms. One interesting fact about Opossums is they are the only marsupial (pouched mammal) in North America. Additionally, Opossums are known to “play dead” when frightened.

About Meg Pearson

Meg has over 13 years of experience in the wildlife industry. She started as a wildlife technician and was district manager and technical training manager supporting the Southeast Region.  She currently is one of the company’s wildlife training managers. As one of the training managers, her primary focus is special projects and leading Women in Wildlife.

Critter Control Reviews

Georgia is home to sixteen bat species, and they can live in every region of the state. A suitable bat habitat has close acccess to water, ample food supply, and a safe place to roost during the day. Natural roosting locations include caves and hollowed trees. 

Suburban and agricultural landscapes provide similar habitat requirements. Bats will roost in mines, under bridges, in bards, in your attic, inside the walls, or on your roof. Of the sixteen bat species in Georgia, only three bats typically roost in homes. If you have bats in it is likely the little brown bat, big brown bat, or Brazilian free-tailed bat.

Who should call for bat removal in Atlanta, Georgia?

You should call a licensed Nuisance Wildlife Control Operator in Atlanta because bats must be removed from structures through a process of exclusion, not extermination. As per our state laws, intentionally capturing, killing, and harming bats are illegal. This restriction applies to all 16 bat species found in Georgia.

Why are Bats Protected in Georgia?

Out of the 16 local bat species, five are tagged as species of concern within the state. The Indiana bat and the gray bat, meanwhile, on the list of federal and state endangered species.

Bat species currently listed as endangered on the federal level include the Indiana, hoary hat, gray, Florida bonneted, and little Mariana bats. In addition, the Mexican long-nosed, Pacific sheath-tailed, Virginia big-eared, and Ozark big-eared bats are listed for protection.

The federal threatened list includes the Mariana fruit bat and the Northern long-eared bats, while the tri-colored and little brown bats are under review for being endangered.

Benefits of Bats in Georgia

All bats in Georgia are insectivores (no vampire bats).  Some small bats can consume up to 1000 small insects in a single hour. A nursing female bat can consume more than 4000 insects a night. It is estimated bats save U.S. farmers roughly $23 billion each year by reducing crop damage and limiting the need for pesticides.

Bat Populations in Georgia Threatened

Despite the benefits bats provide, the bat populations are threatened. 

• White-nose syndrome is a fungal disease that spreads through bat colonies and has almost eliminated the Northern long-eared, little brown, and tri-colored bats.
• Bats do not reproduce as quickly as other wildlife. The females typically give birth to one or two pups a year. Slow reproduction puts the species at risk for population decline.
• Pesticides used by farmers reduce the number of bugs available for bats to eat.
• Wind turbines kill hundreds of thousands of migrating bats around the world.

Roosting Bat Concerns in Atlanta 

Bats provide tremendous value; however, you do not want bats roosting in your house. Bats pose very little direct danger to people, but they can spread diseases and damage your property.

Bats defecate where they roost. Bat droppings, or guano, can accumulate within walls and attics as well as on the ground and roof tiles. The nutrient-rich droppings cultivate the growth of histoplasmosis fungus, which causes severe respiratory problems in humans.

Bats are indeed capable of contracting and transmitting the rabies virus. Rabies is transmitted via scratch, bite, or when infected saliva comes into contact with human eyes, mouths, or open wounds. So if you find bats in your house, avoid contact!

Bats also harbor ticks and fleas. Those parasites can find new hosts like your family and pets.

Bat Removal in Atlanta, Georgia

To get rid of bats in Georiga, you need to use exclusion not exterminator. In the state of Georgia, not only is it illegal to kill or trap bats, but also you should avoid evict bats from your home if flightless pups are present.

Bat Exclusions Restrictions in Georiga 

Bat issues can happen to any home at any time of the year, but they are most common during maternity season.  Bat maternity season in Atlanta, GA lasts from April 1st–July 31^st. During this time, you should avoid bat removal. During this time of year, bat pups are too young to fly and may become trapped and die inside structures. If exclusions must be completed during this maternity period they must be completed by a licensed Nuisance Wildlife Control Operator like Critter Control.

Spring is ideal for bat removal as it coincides with their return from hibernation or migration but before maternity season starts. After maternity season, the bat colony disperses. Some bats return to the same roost year after year.  If you want to prevent bats from entering your home, preventative exclusion is the best precaution you can take.

How to Get Rid of Bats

The most effective and humane way to remove bats is by utilizing a bat valve with a full home exclusion. Exclusion, not bat exterminator. A bat valve allows for bats to exit your home but not re-enter. Since each bat removal is unique, our specialist will use or create a bat valve specifically for your home. 

Once the bat valve is installed, all other entry points will be sealed, allowing bats to exit only through the valve. The removal process typically takes 3-7 days. Our specialist will perform a final attic inspection before removing the valve. After removing the valve, the final entry point will be sealed, leaving your home bat-free.

Pictures of Bats in the Attic

Bat Guano Identification  – Signs of Bats in Attic

How Bats Get into Your House

Reviews of Critter Control in Atlanta, Georgia

Bat Removal in Chicago, IL

To get rid of bats in Illinois, you need to use exclusion not exterminator. Bats may not be shot, trapped, transported, or held in confinement except when a bat is found in an area where they may have contact with humans or domestic pets.

Bat Exclusions Restrictions in Illinois

You can remove a bat from your living space any time of the year. A living space is any room in your house that you actively use. If a bat or bat colony is in a non-living space, such as an attic, permanent eviction can only occur from March 15 to May 15 when outdoor temperatures exceed 50° F at dusk, and August 5 through October 30 when outdoor temperatures exceed 50° F at dusk. This guideline is in place to protect pups while they are still unable to fly.

How to Get Rid of Bats

The most effective and humane way to remove bats is by utilizing a bat valve in conjunction with a full home exclusion. A bat valve allows for bats to exit your home but not re-enter. Since each bat removal is unique, our specialist will use or create a bat valve specifically for your home. 

Once the bat valve is installed, all other entry points will be sealed, allowing for bats to exit only through the valve. The removal process typically takes 3-7 days. Our specialist will perform a final attic inspection before removing the valve. After removing the valve, the final entry point will be sealed, leaving your home bat-free.

Bat Removal during the Winter in Illinois

During the winter they usually roost in mines and caves. If natural habitats aren’t available, bats will winter inside buildings. If able, leave the bats alone for the winter and install exclusions once it gets warm. 

They enter a state of bat hibernation called torpor. To survive long periods without a meal, the animals slow their breathing and heart rate to fall into a deep sleep. Unlike true hibernation, bats in this state can wake briefly on warmer days and leave their roost to find meals.

If bats are evicted during one of these warmer months, they won’t have a safe place to return when the temperatures drop again. 

Meg Pearson, Wildlife Training Manager

Raccoons, like most animals, are attracted to homes and yards that provide water sources, food sources or shelter. Raccoons will drink water out of puddles, bird baths, buckets, or water bowls.

Raccoons are omnivorous and are not picky when it comes to food. Your yard provides plenty of food sources. Raccoons are attracted to vegetables gardens (especially sweet corn), fallen fruit, birdseed, compost, outdoor pet food dishes, or, most famously, unsecured trash cans.

Other sources of food for raccoons are grubs in your yard, fish ponds, and chicken coops (raccoons will eat chickens and their eggs). If you have any easily-accessible sources of food in your yard it is likely you will run into nuisance raccoon issues at some point.   

What are some signs that a raccoon has been on your property recently?

 The telltale sign is damaged or overturned garbage cans, garden damage, or holes in your yard. Homeowners can also find damage on the siding of their house, in the eaves, soffit, and along the roof. 

What kind of damage can raccoons do both indoors & outdoors?

Raccoons are very strong and can quickly cause damage to both indoor and outdoor areas of the home.

On the exterior, Raccoons can ruin vegetable gardens and tear up lawns looking for food like insects, grubs, and earthworms. Additionally, they can cause damage to crawlspaces and sheds if they decide to use them as a denning space.

Raccoons will use their intelligence and know where to use their strength to exploit your home’s weaknesses. If raccoons cannot find easy access inside, their paws allow them to grip and rip into materials commonly found on homes to create access points.

Raccoons are excellent climbers and can climb onto your roof. They can tear up the shingles in your roof to get into your attic and, once inside, they can destroy vents, soffits, insulation and much more, while establishing their dens.

What dangers should homeowners be aware of when dealing with a raccoon problem?

Raccoons are very dangerous to interact with. Though they are typically shy animals that retreat when they sense nearby humans, many of them are growing more and more accustomed to human interaction, as their natural habitats are threatened and decrease. Raccoons can be aggressive. They are most likely to behave aggressively if backed into a corner or are in a situation where they are protecting their young.

Before attacking, they will try to intimidate you by rounding their backs, sticking their fur out, elevating their tails, jumping repeatedly and showing off their claws. They’ll also growl, hiss and shriek at you, in an effort to get you to back off, before they’re forced to physically engage.

Even if a raccoon seems cute and friendly, homeowners should never approach them inside or outside their home (and definitely do not keep them as a pet!).

Do raccoon deterrents work?

 Deterrents can be hit or miss; it all depends on the raccoon. Remember: these are very intelligent wild animals; what works to deter them one day might not work the next. If they want to get into your house, they might try several different ways and look for many different entrance points, so deterrents, both natural and manmade might not always be effective.

Homeowners can try repellents like peppermint oil, spicy peppers, garlic, vinegar, citrus peels, ammonia, and fox or coyote urine, but, again, these likely will only work in the short term, if at all.

 How do you actually keep raccoons away?

If you want to stop them from hanging around your house altogether, you need to have them rule out your property as a potential shelter, food and  source. So, homeowners should:

• Secure their trash cans
• ​Remove any pet food during the overnight hours
• Remove birdfeeders
• Empty standing water
• ​Block areas under porches 

 The most effective way to keep raccoons out of your house is to:

• Seal all vulnerable areas such as roof returns, any loose soffit, and holes that a raccoon might see as a way to enter your home
• ​Secure vents, chimneys, crawlspaces and basements
• Install tree and roof barriers to prevent climbing
• Keep all tree limbs trimmed back away from the house

At the first sign of a raccoon infestation, it is recommended to reach out to a wildlife control professional right away. The more established an adult raccoon den is on your property or in your house, the more damage it causes. A wildlife removal professional will use a combination of raccoon traps and exclusions to get rid of the raccoons.
About the author

Meg has over 13 years of experience in the wildlife industry. She started as a wildlife technician and was district manager and technical training manager supporting the Southeast Region.  She currently is one of the company’s wildlife training managers. As one of the training managers, her primary focus is special projects and leading Women in Wildlife.

The most effective squirrel control is exclusion repairs. Squirrel trapping on solves the immediate problem but still leaves your house vulnerable.

Squirrels’ damage usually comes from their chewing and gnawing. Squirrels can squeeze through a hole the size of a golf ball. Squirrels can chew through siding, wood, metal, and shingles to gain access to your attic. 

Squirrel Damage Repairs

Squirrels only need a gap a few inches to gain etnry to your home. Their sharp teeth can gnaw through most house materials, and a squirrel won’t stop gnawing just because the hole is big enough. Once the squirrel has been removed, you need to repair the entry points to keep other squirrels out.

Squirrel Entry Points	Squirrel Exclusions

Critter Control specializes in returning your attic to pristine condition after a nuisance animal infestation. Critter Control technicians have the training and experience to safely remove an animal, repair the damage, and install exclusions for a long-term and holistic solution.

Animals in Attic Damages

If an animal has been living in your attic, it has damaged it. Damage can include contaminated insulation, destroyed insulation, or damaged air ducts. An animal in your attic also introduces health risks like histoplasmosis or leptospirosis.

Dens and Nests

Wildlife will create dens and nests with the available materials in the nooks and crannies of your attic space. Dens and nests are often made using your insulation or HVAC ductwork, but animals can also use cardboard boxes, clothe, paper, and anything available. Dens and nests can reduce the energy efficiency of your home and destroy stored items.

Squirrel’s Nest in Insulation



Insulation Removed by Squirrel

Droppings in Attic

Feces and urine from any animal infestation not only create terrible odors but also cause structural damage to your home. Animal droppings will contaminate the insulation and reduce the r-value. Feces and urine can rot and contaminate wood, and ruin stored personal items in the attic. Animal feces in the attic may also lead to stained ceilings and drywall. and terrible odors.

Rodent Droppings in Attic 


Raccoon Damage in Attic

Attic Insulation Services

The proper amount of attic insulation will help reduce your energy bills. Contact Critter Control to inspect your current insulation level. Our technicians can install new insulation to bring your attic up to the recommended level of insulation.

Many insulation materials can be difficult to work with. Let the professionals at Critter Control of Indianapolis complete your attic insulation installation. We will remove attic insulation that has been soiled and damaged with wildlife droppings and dispose of it.Raccoon Damage in Attic Repair 

New Insulation Installation

Full Attic Restoration Process

In certain cases, a full attic restoration is necessary.

Step 1: Remove all current insulation in attics and remove large feces by hand with protective gloves or an industrial vacuum

Step 2: If necessary, remove the small feces from the attic using a HEPA-filtered vacuum.

Step 3: Fogging the entire attic with a disinfectant-virucide-deodorizer.

Step 4: Replace soffit baffles and recessed light covers as necessary.

Step 5: Install new, energy-efficient insulation.

Benefits of Using Critter Control’s Attic Restoration Services

For more than forty years, our team has been committed to providing humane methods when removing animals from any property. We take special care to think about an animal’s mating cycles, offspring, and nearby habitats where these animals can make a new home.

Our CritterSafe program uses tactics such as non-lethal animal removal, no-trap animal control, wildlife release on-site, and one-way doors to let animals leave on their own to minimize stress.

Critter Control personnel are expertly trained and maintain ongoing learning to keep up with best practices and new methods. In addition, we have a satisfaction guarantee extended to all customers. Every animal infestation is unique. We’ll create a custom wildlife damage control plan specific to your situation.

All photos courtesy of Critter Control of New Hampshire

Porcupines venture into residential areas for a surprising reason—they crave salt that they cannot get from their diet of leaves and bark, and there is plenty of it near humans. Some of their favorite sources of salt include car tires that have driven through salted streets, tool handles and boat oars found in sheds, horse saddles, and plywood that is glued with a sodium-based material. Porcupines are an uncommon home intruder. If one is a regular in your yard, it is likely because of unusual circumstances such as a drought or food shortage.

We trapped and relocated these two porcupines.

The biggest nuisance is when dogs bother them. They will defend themselves. Porcupines can strip and kill an ornamental tree in less than a week. In the forest,this helps with opening the forest floor as well as providing food sources for woodpeckers. They find food in the decaying tree. Nature has its process.

Owls will use the cavities opened by woodpeckers.