Critter Control of Princeton

Get them out.
Keep them out.®

Call for Free Inspection Today

Click to call

The New Jersey Fish and Wildlife department provides specific guidelines for removing, releasing, and relocating nuisance wildlife, or an animal causing damages to your property or posing a threat. For removal, it is recommended you call a local wildlife control company. They know that relocation, if necessary, is decided on a case-by-case basis. 

Each nuisance wildlife has its own set of criteria. Some are protected species in New Jersey, like bats. Others must be tested for diseases, like raccoons. The experts at Critter Control understand the criteria and can quickly get rid of your nuisance wildlife problem with their inspection, removal, and repair process. 

Our most common calls in Princeton include raccoons, rodents, birds, bats, snakes, squirrels, skunks, rabbits, and opossums. Keep reading to learn how we deal with some of these nuisances. 

Critter Control Wildlife Removal Process

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.

STEP 1

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.

STEP 2

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.

STEP 3

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

If you have a lawn, then you have insects and grubs living under it. Raccoons love to dig holes in your yard in search of these insects. Raccoons also like to eat moles, voles, rats, mice, chickens, eggs, garden crops, pet food, and human food.

Raccoons, which are nocturnal, have a considerable advantage, their human-like hands. They can turn doorknobs, open trash cans, tear feed bags, climb trees and homes, and dig. They also like to break into your home to create a cozy den. If the space is available, they will live in your attic, crawlspace, shed, garage, and under your porch. If you have raccoons living in or around your home, do not try to remove them yourself. They are known to carry diseases, and when threatened, they will bite or scratch you in defense.

Inspection

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.

Trapping and Removal

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

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.

Rat and Mice Control

Rat and mouse invasions are causing problems for people all around New Jersey. Rats and mice common to Princeton are the house mouse, Norway rat, and roof rat, which only need a hole the size of a golf ball or smaller to enter your home. Also, nocturnal nuisances, rats, and mice like to chew and gnaw on everything, including your walls, floors, cabinets, electrical wires, siding, shingles, and even contaminate your groceries.

If you notice trails of food, feces, or urine along baseboards and behind appliances, which is how they like to travel, call us. It’s best to call at first sight of a mouse or rat. They reproduce multiple times a year, giving birth to five or more babies each time. This can lead to an infestation in your home. Our experts will do the following:

Inspection

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.

Trapping and Removal

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

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.

Squirrel Removal

Squirrels are also rodents, but rather than being nocturnal, they are active during the day. They spend most of their time collecting nuts, grains, flowers, seeds, bird eggs, bark, and anything else they enjoy eating and storing for the colder months.

Storage is a significant issue with squirrels, as they like to dig holes in your yard or take up space in your attic, walls, basement, chimney, and crawlspaces. Not only does this create a fire hazard, but it also means they are destroying wires, walls, furniture, and anything else they can access.

Squirrels’ teeth are constantly growing. To keep them filed down, they must gnaw and chew on hard items. Some squirrels will even chew on metal.

Inspection

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.

Trapping and Removal

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

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.

Bat Removal

Bats are a protected species in New Jersey. The bats you may see flying around your home at night are the big and little brown bats. Bats, like all other nuisance wildlife, seek food, water, and shelter. If you have a good source of insects, you likely have a bat or colony of bats living nearby.

Bats eat thousands of insects a night; some can eat their body weight in bugs. This is great for our ecosystem but not so great for your attic, barn, or shed. Here bats leave their poop, or guano, which can smell terrible and grow mold spores. If the spores are inhaled, you may develop respiratory issues.

Inspection

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).

Trapping and Removal

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

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.

Snake Removal

With 22 different species of snakes in the Princeton area, it’s likely one may stumble onto your property every once in a while. One may even make its way into your basement to shed its skin as it weaves around the pipes and beams. Every homeowner should be aware of a couple of poisonous snakes, rattlesnakes, and copperheads. You want to know the difference between harmful and non-harmful, especially since snakes blend in very well with the environment and usually only bite with stepped-on or startled.

You can attract snakes if you have mice, rats, or other small rodents on your property. They also eat eggs, toads, tadpoles, and more. Because many snakes are protected from being killed, it’s essential to let experts handle removal.

Inspection

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.

Trapping and Removal

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.

Repairs

Repairs

In addition to dealing with any possible rodent problem drawing snakes to your property, a specialist will assist with sealing possible entry points and also encourage you to remove any debris where snakes can easily take up residence.

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 Commercial 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.