Encountering pests and wildlife in Virginia Beach, Norfolk, Chesapeake, Portsmouth, and Newport News in your house is alarming.
Getting rid of them is not a simple task, however. Animals such as squirrels, bats, rats, mice, raccoons, armadillos, snakes, and skunks can spread diseases, cause structural damage, and even attack people when confronted. Critter Control is here for you every step of the way in the pest control and wildlife removal process. From inspection to removal—and even exclusion and repair—we have the expertise and experience you need to get rid of raccoons, rodents, and other pests and nuisance animals safely and humanely.
Critter Control Wildlife Removal Process
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 pests and animals 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. E
Exclusion and Repair
Exclusion techniques repair any damage the animal causes getting into your home. xclusion 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.
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 in Hampton Roads
Raccoons in Hampton Roads like to fish in backyard ponds, raid trash cans, steal pet feed, dig holes in your yard searching for insects, and swim in local swimming pools. These behaviors sound cute until they happen on your property. That’s when you learn raccoons leave feces on swimming pools’ steps after enjoying a dip. They will also enter a pet door to gain access to pet feed. Further, they will climb outside your chimney to access the inside, where they will build a nest, creating a fire hazard. Raccoons have nimble hands that help them scratch, shred, tear, rip, and destroy the inside of your home. They also use their hands to open doors, containers, bins, and other types of storage.
Raccoons are very clever and create unique ways to steal food. Being omnivorous, they dumpster-dive in search of table scraps and raid gardens and chicken coops for food. They leave mounds of feces and urine in a spot called a latrine. The weight of their waste can cause damage to your beams and structure. Raccoons will travel several miles each night for food if necessary, creating multiple dens along the way. They are filthy animals with greasy fur that leaves smudge marks on whatever it touches.
Raccoons carry diseases, and recent reports in this area note the detection of rabies in ones found in neighborhoods like Hampton, Norfolk, Chesapeake, and others. Unfortunately, raccoons carry other diseases and parasites that can spread to pets and humans. Seeing a raccoon during the day does not mean it has rabies. Raccoons may seek food and water at various times throughout the day. If it is behaving strangely, like staggering or coming towards you, it is likely rabid and should be avoided.
Because getting rid of raccoons requires following permitting and licensing laws set by the state, calling an expert for help is a great idea.
Inspection
During the inspection, we determine the severity of the raccoon pest 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.
Raccoon Exclusoins
After raccoon removal, we install long term raccoon pest control with exclusions. We can repair raccoon damage like broken screens on vents and chimneys and broken boards on decks and porches.
We provide a wide range of repair and restoration services. It is essential to apply disinfecting agents and ectoparasite treatments on areas inhabited by raccoons.
Pest Control for Rats and Mice
No one likes to think they may have rats or mice in their homes, but it happens. Instead of being in denial, call a professional to help you get rid of the rodents before you have an infestation exposing you to diseases, parasites, and damage to your property.
Common rats and mice in Hampton Roads include the Norway rat, the roof rat, and the house mouse. Recent news reports from Virginia Beach show residents complaining about the rats and the droppings they find in their yards. Residents also complained of chew marks on the corners of their homes, noises on their roofs at night, and burrows in the ground.
Roof rats have been a problem in Hampton Roads for quite some time. Residents fear the problem will grow if nothing is done, and they are right. Rats and mice multiply at alarming rates, producing six or more litters a year, with six or more rodents delivered each time.
Rats and mice can destroy your property by chewing through wires, siding, mesh screens, cabinets, and groceries. They contaminate food, costing you a lot of money. They also build nests in areas that create safety hazards, like vents, ducts, and heaters.
Research shows that 21 million homes are affected in the United States by rodents annually. They carry up to 200 pathogens that can spread through their saliva, feces, and urine. Some rodents eat 15 to 20 times a day. That’s a lot of trips back and forth from their nest, which is usually less than fifty feet away. Although rodents only live a year or two, they can cause much damage in that short period.
Calling an expert to get rid of rats and mice is essential. They can match the correct bait and trap with the removed rat or mouse. Getting this step wrong can lead to much bigger rodent problems.
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.
Exclusions for Rodent Control
The best way to reduce the possibility of letting unwanted rats and mice 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.
Remember when a squirrel chewed through wires at Norfolk High School, causing a power outage and sending happy students home early? That is just one problem squirrels create. They also chew holes through siding, walls, beams, floors, and screens. They can chew through almost any material due to their strong teeth, which continually grow as they age.
Having squirrels in your yard can be fun to watch, but as nuisance wildlife, they will dig holes in your yard, chew bird or bat boxes, steal birdseed, rip bark from trees, break roof shingles, and leave feces and urine in every area they travel.
Squirrels in Hampton Roads can be seen throughout the day in urban and rural environments. While it sometimes appears they cannot decide which way they want to go, they have a purpose. They aim to collect as many foods and materials as possible to store for later use. Squirrels collect nuts, seeds, grains, fruits, berries, vegetables, leaves, flowers, bird eggs, bark, and more. Squirrels may choose the inside of your home to store their treasures.
You can get rid of nuisance squirrels with the correct permits from the conservation police officer. You may also be required to obtain a license since squirrels are game animals in Virginia.
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.
Squirrel Exclusions
The best squirrel best control is squirrel exclusions. After trapping and removal, we seal all entry points to keep squirrels out. We then restore your home or business to its original condition. We can also clean-up the nesting sites and remove any debris, food, feces and soiled insulation.
Hampton Roads Bat Removal
It is illegal to transport, release, or relocate any bat in Virginia. Six of the seventeen bat species in Virginia are on state and federal endangered or threatened lists, making it illegal for you to capture, taunt, harass, hunt, kill, capture, or harm any bat. In extreme nuisance cases, there are options for getting rid of a bat. However, strict laws must be followed. Hiring a wildlife control operator who knows the rules is recommended.
Just because a bat is present on your property, it does not mean they are a nuisance. Bats are rarely a nuisance. They are beneficial in keeping the insect population under control and are an asset in balancing our ecosystem. Bat guano, however, can destroy property and affect the health of humans. For example, if humans inhale fungi spores that grow on guano, they may develop breathing problems like histoplasmosis
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.
Bat Exclusion
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.
Like raccoons and skunks, opossums will eat most anything they can catch, including insects nuts, grains, fruits, vegetables, small rodents, reptiles, and amphibians.
Opossums don’t usually stay in one place too long unless you have an excellent resource for food. Backyard ponds and outdoor night lights attract insects. Also, unfenced gardens, birdseed, free-range chickens and unprotected eggs, open trash cans, and accessible pet or livestock feed.
Opossums do not hibernate, so you may find them creating a den under your porch, deck, or in your basement or crawlspace throughout the year. They can carry diseases that can be transmitted to you or your pets.
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.
Exclusions
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.
Both spotted and striped skunks are found in the state of Virginia. While the less common eastern spotted skunk is found in the western part of the state, the striped skunk is commonly found in the eastern part of the state and is the species Virginia Beach homeowners could encounter. These adaptable, nocturnal creatures known for their pungent spray can wreak havoc if one too many discover a consistent food source on your property. If you smell a skunk on your property, please do not attempt to remove it yourself, as these animals can become aggressive and spray when threatened.
Inspection
In addition to noting any pungent odors that signal the presence of a skunk, we will inspect the condition of your landscaping, as skunks are known for tearing-up lawns and shredding grass while hunting for grubs and insects. We will also inspect the perimeter of your building’s foundations and under decks, to locate burrows.
Skunk Trapping
Never try to remove a skunk from your property yourself. Getting sprayed is a very unpleasant experience. Furthermore, these animals may carry diseases that can spread to humans and pets, such as rabies. Our specialists will use live traps to capture and remove skunks for you, or they’ll use a one-way exclusion device to evict skunks from their harborage areas. The most effective ways to control a skunk problem is exclusion and habitat modification.
Skunk Control
The most effective ways to control a skunk problem is exclusion and habitat modification. Methods like sealing foundation gaps, replacing and screening broken foundation vents and installing hardware cloth (rat walls) around unprotected sheds and decks are the most effective and permanent ways to keep skunks out.
We recommend keeping pet food inside and securing any trash bins.
Birds are an important part of our natural environment in the area.
- As predators, they feed on insects, rodents, worms, fish and countless other animals.
- Game birds, song birds, hawks and other bird species contribute to outdoor recreation and the overall enjoyment of nature.
Birds may be beneficial, neutral, or harmful to man’s interests, depending upon time, location and activity, and certain birds (sparrows, woodpeckers, waterfowl, pigeons and black birds) are more likely to become pests and require bird-proofing and bird control. Pest bird situations that require bird control and bird proofing include:
- Feeding on agricultural products
- Roosting or nesting around human habitations
- Destroying vegetation and contaminating foods
- Noise, droppings, odor and feathers
- Diseases or ectoparasites affecting man including histoplasmosis and cryptococcosis
- Unpleasant or hazardous working conditions
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.
Control & Exclusions
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.
According to news reports, living in the Hampton Roads area can mean seeing a lot of Canadian Geese droppings on the sidewalks, streets, driveways, and rooftops of homes. Geese can release a pound of dropping every day. If you have 20 geese in your area, that’s 20 pounds of waste daily. Where are residents supposed to put all this waste, and how do they keep up with getting rid of it?
Unlike some other animal feces, goose excrement is not a good fertilizer. It can contaminate water sources. Geese can spread diseases and parasites, destroy landscaping, and deter people from visiting an area overrun with them.
Currently, there are 180,000 Canadian geese in Virginia. They exist in four populations: the Atlantic Flyway Resident, North Atlantic, Southern James Bay, and the Atlantic.
Virginia adopted depredation orders, like hunting seasons, the Nest and Egg, or the Agricultural orders, but only if you register with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services. For many, these actions seem cruel and unnecessary. Other options include hiring a wildlife control services expert to teach you how to exclude Canadian geese from your property.
Wildlife & Pest Activity in Hampton Roads
Birthplace of Colonial America, nearly 2 million people live in Hampton Roads. Residents enjoy mild winters, warm summers, and a thriving economy. One of the largest natural harbors in the world incorporates the mouths of Elizabeth, Nansemond, and James Rivers. The abundance of water, mild temperatures, and limited land can lead to nuisance wildlife problems.
Encountering wildlife in this area is a daily adventure. Getting rid of them is not a simple task, however. If you see wildlife on your property, it means they are searching for food, water, and shelter. The best way to prevent wildlife from staying on your property is to reduce food resources. If wildlife inhabits your property, you can expect them to become nuisances at some point.
If you see wildlife on your property, it means they are searching for food, water, and shelter. The best way to prevent wildlife from staying on your property is to reduce food resources. If wildlife inhabits your property, you can expect them to become nuisances at some point.
The Department of Wildlife Resources recommends hiring experts to eliminate nuisance wildlife for your safety and the animals’ safety. Plus, experts know the laws regarding removing each animal, helping you avoid expensive fines or other punishments. The most common wildlife in this area known to become a nuisance include raccoons, squirrels, beavers, woodchucks, otters, rabbits, bats, rats, mice, snakes, lizards, frogs, toads, shrews, and nutria. Below are examples of how wildlife is a nuisance in Hampton Roads.
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.
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.
Wildlife Warranty
After nuisance wildlife is removed, you want to make sure they stay out. All whole home exclusion services come with a one-year warranty (does not apply to rats and mice). If the target animal returns to the repaired area, we will remove the animal and provide necessary exclusion repairs at no charge to you. For rats and mice, Critter Control offers an ongoing monthly exclusion and prevention services.
Satisfaction Guarnateed
Your satisfaction is guaranteed. Critter Control technicians take great pride in providing quality workmanship to solve your wildlife pest needs. If you are not completely satisfied, we move to fix the issue at no additional charge or offer a refund.
Frequently Asked Wildlife Questions with Robert Daroca, District Manager
What are some of the most common wildlife issues that homeowners face in Hampton Roads? Rats and squirrels will chew into attics and destroy insulation, electrical wires, and duct work. Raccoons will pull down soffit and gable vents in order to access attic spaces and nest in insulation. Bats will access gable vents, construction gap, open rake board and fascia boards, and often find their way inside the living space. Bat droppings will accumulate beneath roosting sites and is hazardous to our health when breathed-in. Lastly, birds will access microwave and dryer exhaust vents and build nests inside them. This will completely block exhaust flow and becomes a fire hazard.
How do the seasons in the Tidewater affect wildlife activity? Spring and summer are the busiest times of the year for animal activity. This is the most common time for wildlife to reproduce which ultimately leads to even more pest problems for homeowners. Most pests are active and as a result we deal with squirrels, rats, snakes, raccoons, birds, moles/voles, ground hogs, opossum, skunks, otters, muskrats, and bugs.
During the fall and winter, there is less activity due to the colder weather and therefore we deal with fewer pests. However, because of the colder weather, more pests push into homes for warmth. This is the most common time of the year to have squirrels and rats chew into attics and seek harborage in insulation.
We also deal with raccoons causing damage to the home seeking warmth in attics, soffit lines, and dormer voids.
What are some common signs of nuisance wildlife activity? Common signs for nuisance wildlife activity are hearing chewing and scratching in the walls, ceiling, and attic. If you hear squirrels regularly running on the roof, it’s only a matter of time before they “explore” their way into your attic.
Be proactive and call Critter Control before they chew their way inside, causing damage to your home. Other signs are visual. You may see chew holes on the exterior of your home along the roof line or on gable vents. You may also see droppings in the attic or gable vents when you are putting Christmas decorations away. Call Critter Control at the first sign of any type of pest problem.
Any prevention tips for local residents? It’s best to be proactive and have your home undergo a full home exclusion before the issues arise. This is a cheaper alternative to dealing with the damages that pests cause. We offer free home inspections for this service.
When should a homeowner call Critter Control? Call Critter Control at the first sign of any pest problems. If you hear or see something unusual, call right away.
How much does Critter Control cost? There are a number of factors that determine pricing; location of the animal (i.e. – chimney, attic, crawl, wall void, living area), condition of the animal (i.e. – sick, aggressive, dead), location and condition of the property and time of year (i.e. – weather condition, offspring present?). Generally speaking, pricing will vary by location and species for just the animal removal and that pricing usually does not include the entry repair.
Other Common Wildlife Issues
