Category: Blog

Finding a wild animal in your attic is, unfortunately, not very uncommon. Oftentimes, wildlife will roost in residential attics when in search of food, water, or shelter or when it’s time for them to reproduce. After all, attics give them a dark, safe place to give birth and raise their young. In fact, due to urbanization, loss of habitat, and other factors, your Orlando attic can seem like the perfect refuge for a variety of wild animals.

Here are some of the common wild animals known to occupy Central Florida attics and why you should only rely on experienced animal removal professionals to get rid of them.

6 Common Attic-Dwelling Wild Animals

Wild animal species that regularly inhabit residential attics include:

1. Squirrels
2. Rats
3. Opossums
4. Mice
5. Raccoons
6. Bats

The Risks of DIY Wild Animal Removal

Because the above wild animals are unpredictable, attempting to get rid of them by yourself can be very unsafe. To avoid injury or the risk of contracting an infectious disease, it’s highly recommended you rely on trained wildlife removal specialists to get the job done safely and efficiently.

Effective Ways to Remove Wild Animals in the Attic

The experienced wildlife removal technicians at Critter Control® of Orlando will inspect your property to determine the size of the infestation and understand how the animals entered your attic. Then we will strategize a custom removal plan to quickly and safely remove all nuisance pests from your property. Afterwards, we will install safeguards and modify all entry points to keep them from returning. Our licensed and trained technicians will also clean and repair any contamination or damages the wildlife left behind.

Reliable Animal Removal Services in Orlando

If you are dealing with unwanted and unwelcome wild animals on your Central Florida property, then contact the expertly trained wildlife removal team at Critter Control® of Orlando. To learn more about our services or to schedule an inspection and receive your free wildlife removal estimate, call Critter Control® of Orlando today at 407-295-7194.

Even though most snakes are generally harmless and will do everything possible to avoid humans, it can be very unsettling to see a snake slithering around your home or property. After all, there are several species of snakes in Florida that are venomous and can inflict serious, life-threatening injuries if they feel cornered and strike in defense. Therefore, to keep your residence snake-free, it is recommended that you apply the following snake deterrent tips even if you haven’t noticed snake activity on your Orlando property.

Effective Snake Deterrent Tips

Preventative measures that will help snakes keep their distance include:

• Keeping the Clutter Down

Things like wood stockpiles, mounds of rocks, or any other sort of debris all offer snakes a perfect place to seek shelter. By carefully clearing away the clutter from your property, you’re giving snakes one less place to stay.

• Mowing the Lawn Regularly

Because snakes only stick up an inch or two from the ground, it’s easy for them to go undetected in grass that hasn’t been mowed in a while. Therefore, it’s critical to keep your lawn mowed on a regular basis, especially during the summer months in Central Florida when the grass grows alarmingly fast.

• Keeping the Hedges Trimmed and Neat

While snakes generally don’t use hedges and bushes for shelter, the critters that they prey on do. Eliminating food sources is a big part of keeping your property pest-free, and by trimming your hedges regularly, you’re helping keep mice, frogs, and other common snake food sources away.

• Checking for Entry Points Around Your Home

It only takes a small gap in your foundation or a hole in a wall to invite snakes inside. Depending on their size, a snake can enter through a hole as small as ¼ of an inch. By sealing off entrances around your home, you are safeguarding you and your family against the dangers of these slithering critters.

The Dangers of DIY Snake Removal

While the above measures are great for discouraging snake activity on your property, they won’t do much to get rid of a snake that is living inside your home. If you encounter a snake on your property, we strongly recommend keeping your distance and not attempting to remove it on your own. Instead of risking a painful or deadly bite, call the snake removal specialists at Critter Control® of Orlando.

Contact Orlando’s Snake Removal Professionals

The experienced wildlife removal technicians at Critter Control® of Orlando will inspect your property to determine the size of the infestation, strategize a custom removal plan to quickly and safely remove all nuisance snakes from your property, install safeguards to keep them from returning, and clean and repair any damages the pests caused.

To schedule an inspection and receive your free snake removal estimate, call Critter Control® of Orlando at 407-295-7194 today.

Having wild animals on your property is not only destructive but also incredibly dangerous. Wildlife like rats, raccoons, mice, squirrels, armadillos, and opossums can tear up lawns, damage structures, and contaminate large areas of your property in their attempt to establish a nest and access your food and water sources. However, the pests can also pose even more serious threats to those who occupy your residential home or commercial business. Here are some of the dangerous risks that a wild animal can bring to your Orlando property.

Common Diseases Carried by Wild Animals

While invasive wildlife’s ability to wreak all sorts of havoc on your property is well known, not everybody knows just how serious of a threat these critters pose to the health of you, your family, your guests, and your pets. Many of the wild animals that invade residential properties on a regular basis are known carriers of infectious diseases such as:

• Leptospirosis

  Commonly spread by rats, leptospirosis is a bacterial infection that is generally contracted through contact with urine or feces. Symptoms often include a headache, fever, vomiting, aching muscles, or a rash. Severity ranges from a mild annoyance to potentially fatal symptoms depending on the situation. If you notice rats or rat waste around your property, do not attempt to remove it on your own without proper safety and sanitization gear.

• Histoplasmosis

  Yet another rat-related disease, histoplasmosis is contracted via the air. Fungus forms on rat waste, which is then released into the air when the fungus is broken down. This means the potential for disease to be spread anywhere in the home, and does not require direct contact with the rat waste itself.

• Rabies

  Perhaps the most widely-known animal-transmitted disease, rabies is a huge threat to both humans and wildlife alike. Common carriers include raccoons, bats, armadillos, and rats. Vaccinations are available as a preventative measure against the virus, but even still, large numbers of domestic pets are affected each year by the disease. Though rabies is on the decline, once it is contracted and symptoms begin to show, it may be too late.

The risk of contracting any of the above diseases illustrates why it is highly recommended that you keep a safe distance and contact wildlife removal professionals when encountering a wild animal on your property.

Professional Wildlife Removal Services in Orlando

If you suspect that there’s animal activity in or around your home or office, don’t take a chance on your health. Call the experts at Critter Control® of Orlando. Our experienced wildlife removal technicians will inspect your property to determine the size of the infestation, strategize a custom removal plan to quickly and safely remove all nuisance wildlife from your property, install safeguards to keep them from returning, and clean and repair any damages the pests caused.

To schedule an inspection and receive your free wild animal removal estimate, call Critter Control® of Orlando at 407-295-7194 today

Rats are known to chew and gnaw on any type of material they come across; however, when it comes to nourishment they actually prefer to maintain a particular diet. This fact is not lost on Central Florida homeowners as the large rodents are often attracted to outdoor citrus fruit trees and vegetable gardens. Unfortunately, rats that are drawn to your residential yard are not likely to keep their activity outside. Here are some common food and water sources that attract rats to your Orlando property and ways you can get rid of them.

Common Rat Food Sources

While rats enjoy eating sugary and citrus fruits for its moisture content, they don’t necessarily need it to be fresh. In fact, the rodents will happily feast on rotten and unripe fruit. Types of produce Orlando rats commonly eat include:

• Lemons
• Limes
• Grapefruits
• Oranges
• Tangelos
• Tangerines
• Nectarines
• Peaches
• Walnuts, almonds, pecans

Rats will also eat anything you feed household pets. If you feed your animals outside or store their food in an easily accessible area of your home like a garage, shed, or porch, rats can chew their way into bags of bird seed, grains, and dog or cat food. Finally, if desperate enough, rats will eat lizards and insects, and household items such as soap, paper, and candle wax.

Common Rat Water Sources

Rats will use their strong, ever-growing teeth to chew through plastic piping and other building materials to get to water. To deter rats from accessing your property’s water supply, frequently check the following inside and outside water sources to make sure any leaks are fixed and rats are not present.

• Faucets
• Sprinkler heads, irrigation boxes and irrigation lines
• Bird baths
• Water fountains and Ornamental ponds
• Irrigation lines
• A/C condensation drip lines
• Pet water dishes

Rats are a particular nuisance to homes and communities throughout Orlando, especially those with citrus trees. If your property has become overrun by hungry rats, rely on the professional rat removal services provided by Critter Control® of Orlando.

Expert Rat Removal Services in Orlando

Critter Control® of Orlando knows all the signs of a rat infestation in Orlando and can help you find the potential food and water sources that may attract rats to your Orlando home. Our experienced wildlife removal technicians will inspect your property to determine the size of the infestation, strategize a custom removal plan to quickly and safely remove all nuisance rats from your property, install safeguards to keep them from returning, and clean and repair any damages the pests caused.

To schedule an inspection and receive your free rat removal estimate, call Critter Control® of Orlando at 407-295-7194 today.

No one wants the inconvenience of having unwanted critters in or around their home. Wild animals like squirrels, rats, mice, raccoons, and snakes can all put you and your family in danger of personal harm as well as cause costly damage to your property. Despite the risk of injury, many homeowners attempt to take on the wild animal threat on their own. Not only is DIY animal removal ill-advised, but it is also dangerous and quite often ineffective.

DIY Animal Removal Risks

Before attempting any sort of wildlife removal on your own, it’s important to understand the risks of such an endeavor and why it should ultimately be left to animal removal professionals.

• Physical injury risks

  When animals invade homes, they typically build their nests in hard to reach areas like inside walls or in attic crawl spaces. Attempting to navigate such narrow and tight quarters puts you at risk of encountering a likely hostile and threatened animal. With you situated between the frightened critter and its only route of escape, you can expect a few bites, scratches, bruises, and other injuries.

• Chemical risks

  Pesticides and chemicals are commonly used as animal deterrents, but they can be incredibly harmful to you and your family’s health. Professional animal control technicians are fully trained and equipped to use chemical sprays without putting anyone at risk.

• Disease risks

  Many wild animals are carriers of dangerous infectious diseases. Attempting to remove a wild animal on your own puts you at risk of contracting an illness such as hantavirus, leptospirosis, or rabies. Professional animal removal specialists are equipped with the technology and skills required to stay safe from harm.

• Disposal risks

  Proper disposal of any deceased or trapped animal is critical to limit the risk of exposure. While it may be tempting to dispose of a dead animal carcass in the trash and leave it for your garbage man to handle, this can put you and your trash pick-up service provider at risk. Any animal carcasses removed from your property should be disposed of properly by a qualified wildlife control service to ensure sanitary disposal.

Safe and Effective Animal Removal Services

Don’t allow an animal infestation to put yourself, your family, or your home at risk. Instead, rely on the equipped and experienced wildlife removal specialists at Critter Control® of Orlando to get the job done right the first time. Our licensed and trained technicians have the gear and expertise to permanently take care of any nuisance critters that are disturbing your Orlando property. To schedule your inspection and receive a free estimate for our fast and efficient wildlife removal services, call Critter Control® of Orlando today at 407-295-7194.

Squirrels are clever critters that seem to find their way into residential homes no matter what homeowners do to keep them out. While there are several store-bought and home remedy options that promise to effectively repel squirrels, do they actually work? Here are some of the pros and cons of squirrel repellents and a way you can permanently get rid of nuisance squirrels.

Common Types of Squirrel Repellents

Most squirrel repellents come in one of several forms:

• Spray bottle squirrel repellent
• Pellet squirrel repellent
• Ultrasonic device squirrel repellent
• Aromatic plants and scents that squirrels dislike include cinnamon, garlic, rosemary, peppermint oil, white vinegar, coffee grounds, and dryer sheets.

The Pros of Squirrel Repellent

There are many reasons people opt for squirrel repellents, but the main reason is their ease of use. With squirrel repellents, you can basically set it and forget it. Squirrel repellents are also affordable, as a large bottle of spray repellent costs a bit less than a single trap. Beyond price and usability, the use of humane ingredients in the above squirrel repellents is often a big selling point for homeowners.

The Cons of Squirrel Repellent

While squirrel repellents may be the cheaper option, they are not an effective way to remove squirrels that have already nested in your home. Additional drawbacks of squirrel repellents include:

• Squirrel repellents must be strategically placed. Unless you understand how to search for and identify squirrel nests and entry points, you won’t get the most out of your squirrel repellent.
• Squirrel repellents may inadvertently repel other wanted animals, including pets such as cats and dogs.
• Squirrel repellents don’t always work. If you have a large property, a single spray bottle or jar of pellets probably won’t get you far, so you may spend hundreds of dollars investing in a full arsenal of squirrel repellents without solving the problem.

Instead of waiting around in the hope that your squirrel repellents will eventually work, rely on the squirrel removal professionals at Critter Control® of Orlando to safely and humanely capture and remove nuisance squirrels from your property.

Professional Squirrel Removal Services in Orlando

If you have squirrels in your home, don’t leave the job to an ineffective repellent — call a wildlife removal professional. When it comes to squirrel prevention and control, the experts at Critter Control® of Orlando are the best around. We’ll use non-toxic and humane techniques and equipment to remove the squirrels and make sure they don’t return.

To schedule your inspection and receive a free estimate for our fast and efficient squirrel removal services, call Critter Control® of Orlando today at 407-295-7194.

Rats, mice, and squirrels can carry diseases and parasites into your home and cause significant damage if left to nest and breed inside your property. Therefore, you must immediately safeguard your home using effective rodent-proofing techniques upon first discovering the signs of a rodent infestation.

Identifying and Blocking Rodent Entry Points

Your first line of defense against a rodent infestation starts with a detailed visual inspection of your home’s roof, attic, and vents for any potential areas of exposure. These critters can squeeze into incredibly small openings, and they’re adept at scaling walls and reaching nearly any point of entry. If rodents are already in your home, then tracking their every possible entry point is key to effectively rodent-proof your home.

Rodent-Proofing Attics

When rodents get inside your home, they will likely go straight to your attic because of its generally dark, damp, and undisturbed atmosphere. Once you’ve located any possible attic entry points, you must secure them to keep additional rodents from getting inside. Block access for rodents by patching holes, gaps, and cracks that are at least a 1/4 -inch in size. Depending upon the size of the opening that rodents are using to get inside, you can use foam, mesh, hardware cloth, or sheet metal.

Rodent-Proofing Roof Vents

When inspecting your roof vents, ensure your chimneys are capped and that your vent screens are undamaged and secure. Make any necessary repairs and or replacements. To deter climbing rodents, attach metal rodent guards to piping, and paint black bands on stone or brick houses. Use high gloss paint and a 12-inch band about three feet above the ground to keep rodents out.

Foolproof Rodent-Proofing Services in Orlando

The best way to rodent-proof your home is to rely on the wildlife removal professionals at Critter Control® of Orlando. With decades of experience, the licensed and trained technicians at Critter Control® of Orlando are equipped to remove a variety of invasive wildlife using eco-friendly and non-toxic methods. If there’s a way that rodents are accessing your home, we will find it, and block it.

To schedule your inspection and receive a free estimate for our fast and efficient rat removal services, call Critter Control® of Orlando today at 407-295-7194.

If you’ve been hearing scratching noises at night or soft pitter patters above your head during the day, then chances are you may have unwelcome house guests living in your attic. Hearing such noises in your home is not only disturbing but should be cause for alarm, as invasive wildlife can lead to damage, contamination, and disease if not quickly addressed.

Common Attic-Dwelling Wild Animals

There are many different species of wild animal that commonly infest residential attics. Depending on the nature of the strange noises you are hearing, you could have an infestation of mice, rats, squirrels, raccoons, opossums, or even bats. During colder seasons, these pests like to take shelter in warm homes. Squirrels especially enjoy gathering in attics because the space provides access to materials that are good for building nests. Rats and mice often take refuge in attics when they aren’t eating and contaminating kitchen food supplies. Attic rafters are ideal for roosting bats and possums to hang upside down.

The Dangers of a Wild Animal Infestation

If left untreated, wild animals in your attic could cause damage such as:

• Gnawed structural beams
• Shredded insulation
• Chewed electric wires and cables
• Ruined precious items and stored belongings

As they become bolder and venture into new areas of your home, wild animals will pose the risk of spreading serious and potentially fatal diseases, like Hantavirus, to you and your family members through bites and scratches, and their urine and feces.

How to Get Wild Animals Out of Your Attic

Most homeowners will turn to DIY tricks and traps to try and remove rodents or other critters from their attic. While this option may seem smart financially, it rarely ever works. Rats, mice, squirrels, and other critters are smarter than most give them credit for and know how to avoid traps. Additionally, setting out traps or using inhumane options like rat glue or poison can be dangerous for you and your family, especially if you have curious pets or small children. Therefore, the safest and most effective way to rid your home of pests and their strange noises is to call the wildlife removal professionals at Critter Control® of Orlando.

Call Orlando’s Wildlife Removal Experts

By hiring the wildlife removal professionals at Critter Control® of Orlando, you’ll save time, money, and stress. We will fully inspect your property to determine the species that is causing your trouble, the size of your infestation, and how the critters got in. Then we will strategize and implement a custom wildlife removal plan that uses non-toxic and safe methods to quickly evict all unwanted pests. Our trained professionals will also clean and repair any contamination or damages the nuisance animals left behind.
To schedule your inspection and receive a free estimate for our fast and efficient wildlife removal services, call Critter Control® of Orlando today at 407-295-7194.

Because of Florida’s warmer weather conditions and humid climate, the Sunshine State is home to a wide variety of pests. If pests are getting into your home, then it is important to be able to identify them, especially if you are discovering itchy and painful bites. Here are five of the most common, and most pesky, insects you can find in the state of Florida.

Common Pests in Florida

1. Palmetto Bugs

   Known to most people as flying cockroaches, these large, nasty bugs can be found solo or in groups. They mostly live outside, but if they get into your home, they’ll search for a food source and mate if they can.

2. No-See-Ums

   These tiny creatures are only one to four millimeters long, making them nearly impossible to see, as their name would indicate. They deliver an annoying and painful bite to anyone who tends to spend their time outside and near bodies of water.

3. Fire Ants

   These classic pests can be found in most Florida backyards. If you come in contact with fire ants, they’ll deliver a painful sting that will welt up in no time. Ants love sugar, so if you leave out any sweet or sticky foods, they will attempt to enter your home and can be a pain to remove.

4. Yellow Fever Mosquitoes

   Originally hailing from Africa, this mosquito has found a home in Florida. It can spread many diseases, including yellow fever and dengue fever.

5. Yellow Flies

   These vicious flies deliver a painful sting. Female yellow flies need to feed every time they mate, so they’re always searching for fresh blood. Their peak season in Florida is from April to June.

If you’ve got a growing insect issue in your home, don’t waste time and money on ineffective store-bought sprays and deterrents. Instead, rely on the pest control professionals at Critter Control® Orlando to take care of your pest problem for you.

Keep Pests Out with Professional Pest Control Services

At Critter Control® Orlando, we use our very own pest control system that has minimum impact on your home and the environment. This means finding their sources of food and their entry points into your home and eliminating them. If we decide it is necessary to spray, we’ll use our eco-friendly, non-toxic solution that is safe for children and pets. To schedule your inspection and receive a free estimate for our fast and efficient wildlife removal services, call Critter Control® of Orlando today at 407-295-7194.

It is difficult to keep ants out of any structure. They are tiny, intelligent creatures that can slip into the smallest openings in walls and floors. Once they find a food source inside, it is only a matter of time before a trail of hundreds of ants forms between your home and their nest. In some cases, certain species of ants may even set up a nest beneath or within a home. Here are some ways you can get rid of ants and keep them from infesting your home.

4 Common Ant Control Methods

1. Clean Your Home – The best way to keep ants from entering your home is to clean it regularly and keep food (especially sweets) properly sealed. Ants love sugar more than anything and will travel great lengths to find it. Spilled sweet drinks, crushed pieces of candy, and similar messes can tempt ants to come inside. Frequent vacuuming and cleaning of floors, countertops, and other surfaces makes a home less attractive to ants.
2. Use Ant Sprays – A barrier of ant-repellant can be put around the baseboards of your home and around the foundation outside to kill or repel ants trying to enter your residence. Destroying ant nests outside with poisoned granules also helps keep them from getting too close to home.
3. Try Natural Ant Repellents – If you prefer to use more environmentally-friendly ant deterrents, you can try sealing the edges of your home with materials like:
   • • Dish soap
     • Vinegar
     • Lemon Juice
     • Peppermint oil
     • Chalk
     • Baby powder

   Many of these materials give off strong fumes, and since ants are extra sensitive to smells, these natural repellents will keep them out of your home without using any toxic material.

4. Contact Local Ant Control Experts – Sometimes, an ant infestation is too big to tackle on your own. Instead of spending money on sprays and gear or risking a series of painful ant bites, rely on the professional pest control services of the licensed and trained ant control specialists at Critter Control® of Orlando.

Professional Ant Control Services in Orlando

Our experts at Critter Control® of Orlando know how to swiftly and effectively resolve all of your invasive ant problems. If you have questions or would like to schedule an inspection and receive a free estimate for our effective ant control services, call Critter Control® of Orlando today at 407-295-7194.