Living in Orlando means living with animals of all kinds. You don’t have to visit the Tibet-Butler Preserve, Lake Eola Park, or Lake Apopka Restoration Area to see wildlife. They’re in your neighborhood, whether you’re living in the College Park area or our historic downtown.
Sharing your property with wildlife can bring unexpected daily surprises, like when a gator randomly wanders through, or bobcats prowl searching for prey. Orlando properties are seeing a rise in wildlife that aren’t passing through and instead are looking for forever homes. Nuisance wildlife, like squirrels, birds, raccoons, snakes and rodents, can become uninvited tenants in your home. Once they move in, they try to take over, causing a lot of damage to your home and property. It often takes the pros to resolve the problem.
In Orlando, nuisance animals meet three criteria: causes (or is about to cause) property damage, presents a threat to public safety, or causes an annoyance within, under, or upon a building.
Our experts developed a three-step process to deal with nuisance wildlife, including inspection, removal and repair. The examples below show you why this process is successful.
The rats and mice in Orlando contaminate ten times as much food as they eat, which is also what you eat. They love junk food and will break into cabinets and food boxes to satisfy their hunger. Most common are the Norway rat, house mouse and roof rat.
Both rats and mice can fit themselves through tiny holes. They can create fire hazards when gnawing on electrical wires. They drop feces and urine everywhere they go, and because they carry many diseases, it could affect your health. Rats and mice are more active at night while you sleep. The Critter Control process works well to get rid of rats and mice in your home.
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.
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.
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.
The raccoons in Orlando search for nuts, fruits, seeds, vegetables, roots, insects, fish, reptiles and junk food. We have an abundance of all these foods. There is no lack of water either. The only thing left is shelter. Raccoons love to find refuge in your attic, in crawlspaces and under decks.
Because raccoons scavenge in the evening and during the night, they can get away with many mischievous activities, like overturning garbage cans, opening trash bags and raiding pet food containers. Consuming so much food means eventually, they will be dropping waste. This usually takes place when they are back in your home, resting.
When you call us to get rid of the raccoons in your home, here’s what happens.
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.
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.
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.
Like raccoons, squirrels are cute scavengers that do incredible damage to your home and property. You can expect to see the Southern flying squirrel, Mexican red-bellied squirrel, Eastern gray squirrel and various fox squirrels in Orlando. Our squirrels enjoy eating nuts, seeds, fruits and bird eggs. If you look around your property, you probably see many sources of food for local squirrels.
Squirrels are collectors. They need a place to store their goods, have baby squirrels and stay warm during the winter months. There’s no better place than your attic, which is easy to reach since squirrels can climb and scurry across thin wires and ledges.
Squirrels can quickly become a nuisance. We can help.
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.
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.
We can restore your home or office by squirrel proofing all entry points after we have removed the offenders. We can also clean-up the nesting sites and remove any debris, food, feces and soiled insulation.
We have 13 species of bats in Orlando, with the most common being the Mexican free-tailed, evening, Eastern, Seminole and Northern yellow bats. Bats roost during the day in caves and trees. But some find roosting in your attic or the eaves of buildings a better shelter. They can even roost in walls and chimneys.
All bats in Orlando are insectivores. They can eat thousands of insects in an hour. We need help from bats in controlling the insect population in our neighborhoods. Being surrounded by so many water sources, we are overloaded with insects.
What’s not good about bats is the loud noise and the large droppings of guano. Guano has good qualities, like as a fertilizer. But bats poop a lot, and the weight of the guano can make your ceiling unstable. Plus, bat feces can grow mold spores that are dangerous for humans to inhale. It is so toxic it can dissolve metal. Also, urine and feces leave stains on your home, which is not good for curb appeal.
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).
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.
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 are the only marsupials native to North America. They are nocturnal; therefore, residents rarely see opossum damage until the next morning. Tipped-over garbage cans and trash strewn across lawns are common sights when opossums are around. These pests also raid gardens and dig through compost bins to find food. Opossums are also capable of spreading disease through the parasites they carry, including fleas and ticks.
Opossums can be found inside attics and basements or outside under decks and sheds. Common signs include unique paw prints and feces. Opossums are docile and usually easy to spot.
Opossums can be lured into cages for live capture. If it is maternity season, we follow all guidelines for removing mother and newborn opossums. We will seal entryways into the building to prevent opossums from reentering in the future. Opossums can be kept from getting under sheds and decks by installing fencing around the bottom edges and burying the fence underground.
Broken screens on chimney and roof vents are replaced with sturdier materials, and we properly seal all entry points, including crawlspaces. We clean and deodorize areas of opossum activity. Exclusion may include eliminating sources that attract bugs, like nighttime lighting, stagnant water, and livestock poop.
Florida has 46 snake species. Many of these unwanted pests and their prey thrive in Orlando’s warm climate and mix of wetland and woodland habitats. Though many snakes are harmless, there are six venomous varieties that occupy yards in this urban area. The most common venomous snakes in Orlando are pygmy rattlesnakes, while the most aggressive are eastern diamondbacks. In addition to scaring people, these pests can deliver potentially fatal bites, which require immediate medical attention. Orlando residents should always take precautions around snakes to avoid provoking an attack.
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.
Depending on the location, we can set a live trap or direct capture. Exclusion is the most effective way to keep snakes out of your home. If rodents are present, it is essential to exterminate the rodent infestation. Their presence will continue to attract snakes.
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. Contact a Critter Control office near you today.
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.
We use several methods to humanely remove the animal 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.
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.
-Rat infestations and rats in attics; nesting, feeding & breeding
-Squirrels in attics and garages
-Raccoons in attics and garages
-Bats in Garage/ Home/ Attic
-Opossums in the attic
-Snakes in kitchen/Home
Cold fronts coming from the North during the winter season cause wildlife to seek warm shelter in homes and businesses, resulting in unwanted animal invaders and property damage. Summer rains and heat cause wildlife to seek cooler and dry spaces in homes and businesses, resulting in unwanted animal invaders and property damage.
Rat droppings, rodent droppings, grease stain trails, soffit damage, entry holes in structure, noises and scratching sounds in attic /walls and emitting unpleasant animal odors.
-Replace seals and gaskets on doors, including garage doors.
-Store food in sealed containers.
-If you have pets be sure to feed your pets inside and keep garbage cans tightly sealed to prevent unwelcome visitors.
-Caulk and seal small cracks and openings.
-Close home access points using anti-intrusion materials designed for use with exhaust vents, chimney stacks, plumbing stacks, etc.
-Seal any gaps between the soffit and roof lining.
-Call the professionals at Critter Control of Greater Orlando. We will survey your property and provide a detailed report outlining animal and pest prevention actions required to keep your home or business free and safe of unwanted animal invaders.
-If they hear unfamiliar sounds in their attic or living spaces.
-If they see evidence of wildlife, or pests in their home, or damage to their home.
-If they smell a strange odor coming from inside, or immediately outside of their home.
-If they feel, or see evidence of insect bites on their skin.
-If they desire peace-of-mind knowing their home has been pest-proofed and further protected with a warranty.
-If they’re getting ready to sell their home and want to help optimize its value by making sure the attic is free from animal and pest infestations and they have the correct amount of attic insulation (Recommended R-38 Value in Florida)
