Critter Control of Greater Philadelphia

Raccoons are found throughout the northeastern U.S. and are common in woodlands, suburban, and agricultural areas. In Pennsylvania, raccoons are considered furbearers; trappers are permitted to harvest an unlimited number of raccoons during specific timeframes from October through February. (Please note: the PGC website doesn’t list raccoons as a protected fur-bearing species. You do not need a license to harvest them).

Before trying to remove a raccoon from your home by yourself, remember they can carry diseases, and if threatened, they may bite. Calling nuisance wildlife animal control experts is recommended. Critter Control’s three-step process works well for raccoon removal.

Like many older East Coast regions, the Philadelphia area struggles to control rats and mice. Many property owners throughout the city are well aware that their buildings, some more than a century old, can harbor rodents. In the surrounding suburbs and rural communities, rats and mice often take up residence within a home.

Both rodents damage your home and property. Norway rats like to burrow and build tunnels under your home, driveway, or shed. House mice build nests in your walls, ceilings, and under appliances. Both create fire hazards by chewing electrical wires and building nests in ventilation systems.

The greatest risk associated with rodents is their ability to multiply quickly. One female mouse can breed up to eight times in one year, with litters of five or more babies. Female babies are ready to start breeding within six weeks. Rats start breeding within three months. They can give birth up to seven times a year and have up to 12 babies each time.

Rats and mice are excellent climbers and swimmers. They eat anything, but rats prefer fresh meat and grains, while mice prefer grains and cereals. Rats will even eat mice. Neither likes to travel too far away from their nest to get food. They create pathways or trails between the two, marking them with feces and urine, which can be an attractant to other rodents.

Rat traps and baits will not catch mice and vice versa. Rats are very cautious and will avoid anything new in their environment. Mice are more curious, but if the trap is not in their pathway, they may never see it. Wildlife control experts know how to get rid of these pests, no matter how many there are, and can teach you how to prevent them from returning.

Eastern gray squirrels are often in conflict with people in the Philadelphia area for various reasons. Squirrels hide food for winter in gutters, drains, and attic corners, creating blockages and drawing insects.

The gray squirrel is known for building nests in attics and basements around Philadelphia. Nesting materials may include insulation, drywall, and sentimental items they find accessible. They breed twice yearly, from December to February and again in May and June. When kits are born, they can be as small as one inch.

Removing squirrels with babies in a nest must follow local regulations that keep the family together. Because they can leap up to ten times their body length and won’t hesitate to bite you, hiring a professional to get rid of a squirrel is best.

Bats are the only mammals that can truly fly. Among the 40 species of bats found north of Mexico, only a few cause problems for humans. Nine of these species reside in Pennsylvania.

Most hibernate during winter, but big and little brown bats do not. When fat reserves and food sources are low, bats can lower their heart rate from 200 to 10 beats per minute, putting them into a state of torpor. Bats can remain in torpor anywhere from a few days to a few months.

Brown bats roost in chimneys, barn rafters, behind siding, and attics. Their roosting location is usually near their food source, insects. A bat can eat thousands of insects in one night, and some say over 1,200 an hour.

Not only do bats control the bug population, but they are also pollinators, like bees. Many plants depend on bats for pollination, including bananas and mangos. They are a huge benefit to the ecosystem. Who knew something so small could be such a significant asset?

Bat guano has many uses and is one of the best natural fertilizers due to its high concentrations of potassium and nitrates. Bat guano is a weakness, too, because it contains uric acid and can cause permanent staining and deterioration of wood and some metals. It can also grow mold spores that, when inhaled by humans, may cause respiratory issues.

Removing bats can only be done outside of maternity season. Between October and April, bats give birth and teach their babies how to fly and survive. They must be able to do these two things before you can get rid of bats. All bats are protected due to reductions in populations. Diseases like the white-nose syndrome and accidents with wind turbines cause bat species to be endangered.

Well-known for their pungent, nauseating odor that can cause severe reactions in some people, skunks are common throughout the northeastern U.S. in both rural and suburban areas and pose a significant threat to your health, pets, and property.

These animals are known for foraging for food in trash bins and pet food bowls. They’re also profound and efficient diggers, and can mutilate an entire yard in a single night searching for grubs. They’re distinctive black and white fur, and their pungent odor that can linger for days, are unmistakeable.

Skunks can carry rabies; therefore, it’s best to let a professional handle removal for you.

The three birds that most often become pests in the U.S. in urban areas are pigeons, house sparrows, and starlings. Hundreds of bird species exist in Pennsylvania, both native and non-native. Pennsyvalnia’s most common backyard birds include sparrows, starlings, bluebirds, bluejays, woodpeckers, and blackbirds. Birds seem harmless until you start paying for repairs like removing stains from bird droppings, fixing broken roof ledges, unclogging gutters that led to water damage, or cleaning out nests in chimneys that are fire hazards.

In particular, Critter Control’s Philadelphia-based specialists often receive calls to remove woodpeckers, which may peck holes into house siding looking for insects to make nest cavities, or to communicate with other woodpeckers.

Birds, especially in swarms, do more damage than you may think. These “pest” birds tend to roost in large numbers, putting too much weight on parts of your home’s structure. They also breed in large numbers. Colonies can mean large amounts of waste and a lot of noise.

Most birds are protected under the 1918 Migratory Bird Act, making exclusions the only way to get rid of nuisance birds. Wildlife technicians are experts in exclusions.