Southern Utah has a variety of wildlife, from small birds to huge bisons. While all wild animals survive best in their natural habitats, urban growth has diminished these habitats. Whether you live in St. George or Cedar City, nuisance wildlife has learned that where there are people, there is also ready access to food and shelter. Pests common in Southern Utah are raccoons, squirrels, chipmunks, bats, armadillos, rodents, and snakes.
Critter Control Wildlife Removal Process
Critter Control is here for you every step of the way in the wildlife removal process. Utah defines nuisance wildlife as a persistently annoying animal, damaging your home or property and posing a threat to humans. St. George and its surroundings have their share of wildlife that range from small birds to huge bison. Common household pests in Utah are raccoons, squirrels, chipmunks, bats, armadillos, rodents, and snakes.
We know how to handle any type of nuisance wildlife in Southern Utah. First, we identify the animal on the property, then use humane methods to trap and remove the pests and then secure weak points where more could enter. If damage has been done, we can make those repairs for a complete restoration.
Pest Control Inspection
The pest control inspection identifies what species of nuisance wildlife or pests is infesting your property. From there, we identify the location of the infestation 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. , the damage caused, and all entry points to your house.
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 Pest 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.
Squirrels are everywhere in Southern Utah. They eat garden crops, nuts, fruit seeds, grains, bark and leaves. They spend a lot of their time collecting foods and nesting items for the winter months, which they store in holes that they dig in your yard or your walls or attic.
Squirrels chew through shingles, siding and screens to get into your home. They will hurry down chimneys, up spouting and across gutters. Once indoors, squirrels will gather insulation, drywall and other items to make a cozy den. Some squirrels may build nests in places that can create a fire hazard, like ducts and chimneys.
Other ways squirrels become nuisance wildlife include:
- Chewing on power lines
- Urinating and defecating on your floors and walls
- Destroying trees by stripping bark
- Preventing you from sleeping with their chatter
In Utah, there are 18 bat species. Bats can eat a thousand insects in an hour. If you have bats living in your attic, barn, shed or trees, then you have a source of insects for the bats to eat. Stagnant water, manure, fountains, ponds and pole lights attract insects.
All species of bats are protected in Utah because they are endangered or facing extinction due to diseases. Bats are nocturnal, so while you’re sleeping, they are working. Even if you don’t see bats, you can tell you have a bat problem if you have stains on your buildings caused by bat guano. It can also have an awful smell. Bat guano can grow mold, and if you inhale mold spores, it may cause respiratory problems.
Our experts provide many services to remove and exclude bats.
We have two species of skunks that cause problems, the western spotted and the striped, the larger of the two. Everyone knows skunks by their spray, which contains sulfur, ejected from glands near the rectum. Spotted and striped skunks have different removal laws set by the state. Skunks are like all other nuisance wildlife: They are searching for food, water and shelter.
They raid bird feeders, trash cans and pet feed. While they don’t climb well, they can dig and will dig to get food. Skunks will eat squirrels, rabbits, moles, eggs, rats and mice.
The good news is that you won’t likely find a skunk in your attic. The bad news is that you may find one in your crawlspace, basement, garage, and areas under decks and porches. They also like to hide in piles of debris, logs or rocks outdoors. They burrow and tunnel under structures and foundations, putting your safety at risk.
Let us take the risks that go with getting rid of a skunk.
Few people think of birds as a nuisance. They are beautiful in their diversity of colors and songs. But some species, when they descend in large numbers, can cause extensive damage and create an unhealthy environment.
In Utah, mud swallows like to build mud nests on man-made structures. Pigeons are known for roosting on buildings and for their highly corrosive excrement that damages many surfaces it comes in contact with. European starlings are an invasive species that travel in large flocks. They can damage crops, and their waste not only spreads invasive seeds but can transit disease. House sparrows are also invasive and congregate in flocks to feed on the ground and to roost on buildings.
All of these species create unsanitary conditions when roosting around buildings and produce a loud chatter that is quite annoying. In addition, they harbor parasites such as fleas, lice, and mites.
