Finding evidence of pests or nuisance wildlife is an unwelcome surprise. Some of the most common critters are raccoons, bats, squirrels, birds, opossums, skunks, and snakes. Pests like rats and mice are some of the most common and most destructive pests.
These critters disrupt your daily life and can cause significant damage to your home and property. Rather than put yourself at risk, call wildlife control experts at Critter Control, who have the experience, training, and equipment for humane, safe removal.
Critter Control Wildlife Removal Service
Critter Control is here for you every step of the way in the wildlife removal process. From inspection to removal—and even exclusion and repair—we have the services you need to get rid of raccoons, rodents, and other nuisances fast. First, we identify the animal on the property, then use humane methods to remove the animal and secure weak points where more could enter. If damage has been done, we can make those repairs for a complete restoration.
Wildlife Inspection
During the inspection we try to ascertain how many animals there are, where they are located, and how they got in. Based on what you have seen, heard and smelled, we start the inspection where you have noticed signs of animal activity. Evidence of animals inside your home include nests, dens, feces, and animal tracks. We investigate the exterior of your home looking for possible entry points, any evidence of animal damage, tracks, fur, animal waste, or rub marks.
Animal Trapping and Removal
We use several methods to humanely remove nuisance wildlife and pests from your home. Depending on the species, the number of animals, and the condition of your property, we develop a custom wildlife removal plan. Humane wildlife removal strategies include animal traps, one-way doors, and repellents. Once we guarantee all animals are gone, we implement exclusion techniques. Exclusion techniques provide a safe, long-term solution to nuisance wildlife in your home. We create barriers to prevent animals from getting to resources. We only apply exclusions once we are sure all animals are gone from your home.
Exclusion and Repair
Wildlife will damage your home. Exclusion techniques repair any damage the animal causes getting into your home. Inside your home, animals build nests and dens out of readily available material. They will create runs through the insulation. Rodents will gnaw on anything including electrical wires and pipes. Animals can also spread diseases. We apply sanitation agents to clean up feces and urine. Mammals can host pests like fleas, ticks, and mites. Ectoparasite treatments exterminate those pests so you don’t become their next host.
Raccoon Removal in Mobile
If you’ve seen a raccoon in Mobile or Gulf Shores during the day, something was probably wrong with the animal. Typically, they only go out at night to scavenge for food, and they can travel up to six miles in search of the right treat. That’s like going from Mobile to Prichard or Chickasaw to satisfy their hunger.
Raccoons are masked bandits for a reason. They can be mischievous. They turn over garbage cans, scatter trash along the road, and dig holes in your yard searching for insects. They will not let much get in their way because they eat anything, including junk food, pet feed, bugs, and small animals. When resting, they prefer a warm, cozy spot, like your attic.
Raccoons will enter your home through open holes. They will also break vents, boards, and screens pushing their way inside. Once inside, they create a spot specifically for feces and urine. Then they begin to destroy ducts, insulation, drywall, and stored items. They must be dealt with professionally.
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
Live trapping is one of the most efficient ways to get rid of a raccoon. Depending on the situation, a one-way door or excluder valve can be installed. An excluder valve works by allowing the raccoon to leave but blocks its reentry. The choice of device is largely dependent on the season and location of the raccoons on your property. Direct capture is not commonly used because raccoons are a rabies vector species. If we must trap, we place traps strategically to safely catch the raccoons and we check traps frequently, based on state laws.
Exclusoins & Repairs
We provide a wide range of repair and restoration services. We can repair raccoon damage like broken screens on vents and chimneys and broken boards on decks and porches. It is essential to apply cleaning agents and ectoparasite treatments on areas inhabited by raccoons.
The gray, fox, and Southern flying squirrel are the main types of squirrels in Mobile and Gulf Shores. Squirrels are cute, especially when they fill their cheeks with food and scurry off before being noticed as if they were stealing a prized possession. When you see where they go to store items for the winter months, you realize squirrels can be a nuisance.
Often, it’s your home and yard that becomes a squirrel’s hoarding dream location. Squirrels usually store things in your vents or chimney, creating the perfect fire hazard. They make nests in your walls or attic, shredding insulation, wires, and drywall.
The rapid scurrying from the ground to a tree limb to the roof and then inside your home is not so cute anymore. We can help.
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
Live trapping or one-way doors are the most effective and humane ways to get rid of squirrels. One-way doors should never be used during birthing seasons (Spring & Fall), so our specialists will decide which is the best tool for the job. If we have to trap, we place traps strategically to safely catch the squirrels and check those according to state laws.
Squirrel Exclusion
We can restore your home or office. Our whole home squirrel exclusion seals all entry points after we have removed the pests squirrels. We can also clean-up the nesting sites and remove any debris, food, feces and soiled insulation.
Pest Control for Rats and Mice
Roof rats, brown rats, and house mice are just a few of the rodent species in the Mobile and Gulf Shores region. If you see one rodent, there are likely many more nearby. Rats and mice love to build nests in your walls, attic, ceiling, or even behind baseboards. When you’re not looking, they sneak out to grab crumbs off the counter or gnaw through food boxes in your cabinets.
Rodents can ruin perfectly good food items, wasting hard-earned money. Rats and mice gnaw on anything, from wires to carpets, and they leave droppings and urine behind everywhere they travel. Because rats and mice multiply quickly and often, it’s essential to call our experts at the first sign of a rodent.
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
A Critter Control wildlife specialist will create a strategic trapping plan to remove the rodents found in your home. Critter Control specialists may use snap traps and live traps to capture and remove mice and rats. Rodent trapping can usually takes between five to fourteen days.
Exclusions for Rats and Mice
The best way to reduce the possibility of letting unwanted rodents into homes is to seal possible entrances. Exclusion methods include caulking cracks in foundations, capping chimneys, and installing mesh covers over vents and crawl space entrances. We also strongly recommend a maintenance service. Rodents have front teeth that continuously grow, which means they can gnaw a new way back into your home.
Bats commonly roosting in Mobile and Gulf Shore attics, offices, or other man-made structures include the little and big brown bats, the Brazilian free-tailed bats, and the tri-colored bats. Bats are necessary for our environment. They eat thousands of insects a night. There are strict laws in Alabama about the removal of bats from your structure. They are considered a protected species.
Bats wouldn’t be such a problem if they didn’t leave behind so much guano, or feces, and urine. They even poop and pee while roosting upside down, covering their fur in it. That’s why it is crucial never to try and remove a bat yourself. If you touch one, you are handling its guano and urine, known to grow mold. If you inhale the mold, you are at risk of developing respiratory problems like histoplasmosis. You do not want this disease.
Also, bat guano and urine contain uric acid, which can erode metals and wood. Let our experts do the dirty work of bat removal.
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
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. We follow all local ordinances for humane bat removal. We will never abandon flightless pups in your attic.
Repairs
After removing the bat valves, we seal the entrance hole(s) so bats can no longer enter your home. If there is substantial guano in your attic, you should consider taking advantage of our attic remediation services to remove the soiled insulation and replace it.
Opossums and skunks are two other pests common in Alabama. These animals comb lawns for insects, rodents, and garden produce. Either a skunk or an opossum can create a foul odor when it feels cornered. While opossums simply hope to look and smell like carrion, skunks will spray people and pets with great accuracy.
Inspection
In addition to noting any pungent odors that signal the presence of a skunk, we will inspect the condition of your landscaping, as skunks are known for tearing-up lawns and shredding grass while hunting for grubs and insects. We will also inspect the perimeter of your building’s foundations and under decks, to locate burrows.
Trapping and Removal
Never try to remove a skunk from your property yourself. Getting sprayed is a very unpleasant experience. Furthermore, these animals may carry diseases that can spread to humans and pets, such as rabies. Our specialists will use live traps to capture and remove skunks for you, or they’ll use a one-way exclusion device to evict skunks from their harborage areas. The most effective ways to control a skunk problem is exclusion and habitat modification.
Skunk Control
The most effective ways to control a skunk problem is exclusion and habitat modification. Methods like sealing foundation gaps, replacing and screening broken foundation vents and installing hardware cloth (rat walls) around unprotected sheds and decks are the most effective and permanent ways to keep skunks out.
We recommend keeping pet food inside and securing any trash bins.
The nine-banded armadillo can be found in Alabama yards, woodlands, and dense brush.
Able to catch the scent of insects below the soil,armadillos often ruin lawns and gardens while digging for insects. People don’t usually notice these nocturnal pests until they dig up yards or gardens. An armadillo usually digs multiple burrows that may weaken sidewalks, driveways, or patios.
Armadillo control can protect expensive landscaping and the integrity of surrounding property such as driveways and decks. One way to keep armadillos away is to build a fence that feeds a few feet into the ground.
Alabama Gulf Shores Wildlife FAQ
Mobile sits next to one of the largest intact wetland ecosystems in the United States. The Mobile-Tensaw River Delta is home to a variety of animals. There are 40 species of mammals including three different rabbit species, over 300 birds, and a variety of different reptiles.
The sub-tropical climate can bring in a wide range of temperatures and weather events. This variety can also bring in a range of nuisance wildlife. With recent storms, we’re reminded that local wildlife can end up inside your home rather quickly. Some are there for food, water, and shelter. Others are forced in by high winds or flooding.
What are some of the most common wildlife issues that homeowners face in Mobile and Gulf Shores? Rats, squirrels, bats, and raccoons in attics.
How do the seasons affect wildlife activity in Alabama’s Gulf Coast? Rats are year-round problems. Squirrels are also year-round nuisances. Raccoons are heaviest in spring and summer with some fall activity. Bats are major problems May through September.
What are some common signs of nuisance wildlife activity? Noises in the attic, scratching in ceiling or walls, walking noises above head, staining on siding, guano buildup around foundation or what looks like “dog poop” on roof.
Any prevention tips for residents in your area? Have a professional seal your home to prevent common exploitation or break-in by smart and determined animals.
When should homeowners call Critter Control? Call (251) 237-8346 the minute they hear something or know they have an issue. The longer they “ignore” the problem, the more damage is done.
How much does Critter Control cost? There are a number of factors that determine pricing like:
– location of the animal (i.e. – chimney, attic, crawl, wall void, living area)
– condition of the animal (i.e. – sick, aggressive, dead)
– location and condition of the property and time of year (i.e. – weather condition, offspring present?)
Generally speaking, pricing will vary by location and species for just the animal removal and that pricing usually does not include the entry repair.
The Critter Control Difference
Trained Specialists
Animal removal is a highly sophisticated job. As such, we vet and train our team members to ensure they have the knowledge and skill to remove any pest from your building. Our wildlife experts utilize advanced removal and exclusion techniques and damage repair.
Guaranteed Work
Your satisfaction is always guaranteed. Critter Control® takes great pride in providing quality workmanship resulting in customer satisfaction.
Residential and Commerical
Invading nuisance wildlife can wreak havoc on property. If left unattended wildlife and pests can cause costly property damage. Whether a residential property, apartment buildings, retail stores, office buildings, industrial plants, medical facilities, or warehouses, our trained professionals can handle any wildlife removal problem.
Other Common Wildlife Issues
