Tallahassee, the capital of Florida, is also the hilliest spot in the state. The region’s rolling hills are interspersed with many lakes that attract wildlife to the area. Characterized as providing residents with an urban/suburban lifestyle, Tallahassee has Florida’s most educated population and is dedicated to promoting the arts and culture.
Tallahassee’s climate of hot, humid springs and summers with an average temperature of over 90 and almost twice the average U.S. rainfall annually makes this city and its suburbs a year-round haven for unwanted wildlife. The city’s tourist trade and many restaurants are also attractive to wildlife looking to forage for food and shelter.
Jump to Nuisance Wildlife Removal Services
Critter Control Wildlife Removal Process
Critter Control is here for you every step of the way in the wildlife removal process. Our humane wildlife control process gets rid of nusiance animals.
First, we identify the animal on the property. Second, we create a custom plan to remove the animals. Once the nuisance animals are removed, we use wildlife exclusions for a long-term wildlife control solution. Finally, we repair damage done from the animal.
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.
Removal
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.
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.
Ubiquitous throughout the state, raccoons are opportunistic animals that are happy to make their home in residential areas because of the accessibility to food. Raccoons in your Tallahassee backyard generally are not a problem, but keep your eyes peeled. Raccoons can destroy your lawn and eventually might seek shelter in your attic.
Raccoons are active year round in Florida. During breeding season female raccoons are especially apt to find shelter in attics or in crawlspaces to give birth. Raccoons typically give birth in March in Tallahassee.
Raccoons spread several diseases that humans can contract, including Rabies, Salmonella, Histoplasmosis, and Leptospirosis. In addition, their droppings and urine within an attic can cause mold and odor problems.
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.
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.
Bats typically roost in atics during the summer. While they pose no direct threat to people, bat noises can create a disturbance and the accumulation of guano creates a health hazard. There are restrictions for bat removal in Tallahassee, FL.
Bat exclusions are the only appropriate and legal way to get rid of bats because all bat species are a protected species in Florida. The U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service lists eight threatened bat species, including the Florida bonneted bat.
In Tallahassee, the best time to get rid of bats is in the spring and in the fall. In Florida, it is not allowed to remove bats from attics between April and August. During that time, female bats form maternity colonies to give birth. Bat pups are flightless and totally reliant on their mothers.
In the spring, female bats have not given birth yet. Autumn is ideal as their young have matured and they are eating actively so they can hibernate over the winter months. Your best bet is to let a professional wildlife service inspect and remove bats from your attic or chimney.
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.
The most common rodents that infest your home are Norway rats, roof rats, and the common house mouse. Rats or mice are frequent home invaders and thrive in the dark, quiet areas of your house like attics, wall cavities, and crawl spaces. Roof rats and house mice are the most common rodents rooting around your home for food and shelter and can contaminate ten times as much food as they eat with their droppings and urine.
The best rodent control is to seal possible entrances. Additionally, regular cleaning and sanitation helps eliminate potential food sources that entice rodents indoors.
However, if the pests have already infested homes, individuals should never attempt to handle or remove them without professional assistance. Untrained individuals may be injured or contract diseases if they come into contact with rodents.
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.
Repairs
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.
Unlike other rodents such as rats and mice, tree squirrels are active during the day. If you are hearing animal noises coming from your attic during the daytime, chances are that you have squirrels scampering about. Flying squirrels are nocturnal but do not make as much noise as tree squirrels.
Squirrels enter your attic looking for safe places to den especially during breeding season. Tree squirrels can give birth to two litters a year typically in spring and late summer. As squirrels nest, they can damage insulation.
They also gnaw on wood and electrical wires as a way to keep their continuously growing teeth in shape. If left unchecked, they can create significant and costly damage to your attic and roof.
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.
Repairs
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.
Florida has an abundance of snakes. Most species, such as rat snakes and garter snakes, are harmless, but copperheads and rattlers are venomous. The Tallahassee area has 45 species of snakes. They enter homes looking for food or a sheltered place to shed their skin.
Snakes are carnivorous, so if your home has rodents, snakes might follow. While some make their way to an attic, they also like the cool of a bathroom floor. All snakes should be treated as dangerous, and a wildlife control service should be called in to remove them.
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
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.
Armadillos present little danger to people. They greatest danger they pose is to your landscaping. Controlling the animal can protect your lawn and garden and the integrity of structures like decks and driveways on your property.
Capturing an armadillo with a live trap can be difficult. Habitat modification and exclusions are extremely effective in removing armadillos from your lawn. Water your garden beds in the morning because armadillos prefer loose soil. Armadillos are nocturnal, and the soil will have dried out by the mid-afternoon.
Inspection
Our experts understand the habits and habitats of armadillos. We can assess if damages were caused by their burrows or digging.
Armadillo Removal
We have tools and equipment to properly remove armadillos, like safe and humane traps to capture the animal. Every armadillo removal is different and may require different safety techniques, from live traps to fumigations and repellents.
Armadillo Repair
Exclusion efforts include clearing debris, brush, and piles of wood or rocks. These are spots armadillos like to hide. We also cover burrows so an armadillo cannot return.
Birds are a vital part of our ecosystem as they eat insects and pollinate plants, but they need to be removed immediately if they have gotten into your building. Birds can make a significant impact on your warehouse, food production facility, retail store, or any other type of commercial building. Not only are their droppings and feathers dangerous due to their ability to spread diseases such as salmonella, but they are also slippery and could create a slip-and-fall hazard. Further, the lice and ticks they carry can spread disease as well.
Bird Control is an important part of a wildlife removal technician’s skills. Critter Control of Tallahassee is who to call if you have pigeons, sparrows, doves, starlings, or any other type of bird inside your industrial building.
Inspection
We thoroughly inspect the area for things that attract birds, like harborage and loafing areas, as well as food and water sources. Also, we look for where birds may be entering your home or business. We also inspect for damage caused by birds, whether it’s by nesting, or by droppings.
Trapping & Removal
After identifying the bird species, we may start by physically removing the species in question. In rescue situations, such as chimneys or basements, birds can be released on-site if the entrance has been secured properly. Occasionally, live traps will be used, especially if flocks of birds are involved. For persistent birds and larger flocks, several advanced techniques may be applied simultaneously including netting, spikes, ledge products, scare tactics, misting and more. The most effective method of bird control is prevention and exclusion.
Repairs & Prevention
We can repair the damage that is allowing birds entry to your home, like broken siding, weakened gutters, rotted soffits and fascia. We can also install protective screens on chimneys and vents. We can also remove nesting materials and accumulated droppings, then clean surface stains. We can use netting over fruit and vegetable crops and water basins. Netting can also be used in car ports, building overhangs and food courts. We also install a large number of different types of roof ledge barriers too.
Opossums are more of a nuisance than a real danger. They are very common in urban and suburban settings and will eat practically anything. Opossums will use attics, crawlspaces and the areas under sheds and porches as dens.
Inspection
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.
Trapping & Removal
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.
Repairs
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.
You probably won’t see a gopher or encounter one in your home. Mounds of dark, moist soil are the signs of an active gopher problem. One gopher can create several mounds in a day.
Gophers will dig through your yard, feed on your garden, and can even gnaw on irrigation systems. Gopher burrows can cover two hundred to two thousand square feet. For someone with little experience, that can be like trying to find a needle in a haystack.
Inspection
During the inspection, we survey your property for signs of gopher activity. We look for mounds and burrows to measure the extent of the issue and the population density. It is also important to determine the likelihood of re-infestation, by viewing adjacent properties for source populations.
Gopher Removal
A combination of techniques can be used to rid a property of gophers. Trapping, baiting and burrow treatment are often combined to provide the most comprehensive approach to eliminating the current population and then deterrents and regular inspections can help prevent, or quickly treat new infestations.
Repairs
During the removal process, the unsightly mounds will be leveled out to begin the restoration process for the lawn or landscaped area. We also suggest tilling of the soil in garden areas to destroy existing tunnels. Newly planted shrubs and trees should have a wire basket installed in the hole prior to planting the plant to discourage gophers from getting to the internal root ball. Wire mesh can also be installed around an area to reduce the likelihood of gopher invasion but requires a trench 2-3 feet deep to be at all effective.
The gray fox and red fox are both present in Tallahassee, Fl. A fox diet consists of rodents but pet food, garbage cans, and livestock will attract a fox to your house. Foxes pose very little risk to people or pets. Small cats (less than five pounds) or kittens might be a prey animal.
Though they prefer to construct their burrows in forested areas, farmlands, or meadows, foxes will also den in crawlspaces, under decks, porches and sheds. Their underground burrows disrupt carefully cultivated landscaping and may even undermine the structural integrity of houses or sheds, depending on their location. Finally, foxes
Foxes aggressively defend their homes and their young, this creates a safety hazard for residents and their pets.
Wasps, yellow jackets, hornets, cicada killers, or bees can ruin your outdoor experience. Safe removal of the hive can protect you, your family, and your pets from getting stung.
After the stinging insects are controlled, the entire hive must be removed. An old hive left in your home could attract a new colony or attract other animals. The hive area must be sanitized to remove any honey. Otherwise, leftover honey could attract other pests, including ants, cockroaches, rats, or raccoons.
Tallahassee Wildlife Q&A
Roof rats, squirrels, raccoons, rats, and snakes invade attics and crawl spaces, while armadillos and moles damage lawns. Pests like mosquitoes and termites are also a large problem in the Tallahassee area.
In the heat of the summer, wildlife calls tend to decrease, while pest control calls tend to increase.
Hearing noises in walls and attics. Digging or tunneling in yards and chewing on exterior surfaces. Finding damaged food items in the home is also a sign of wildlife activity.
Keep grass and landscaping cut short. Trim tree limbs back 3 to 5 feet from the roof line and keep standing water off your property. Move birdfeeders as far as possible from the home.
Homeowners should call at the first sign of chewing, holes in exterior walls, or noises in walls. Ideally, they should call for a free home inspection before there is a problem, so we can prevent one that’s more expensive.
Critter Control offers animal control for nuisance wildlife like raccoons, opossums, squirrels, bats, rats, mice, and armadillos.
If you need help with stray pets, feral cats, and rabies vaccines contact local animal control at Tallahassee Animal Control and Leon County Animal Control. Neither department will remove nuisance wildlife from your home.