Usually homeowners are made aware of a critter on site not because they’ve seen the animal but because they’ve “heard something”. A loud bump in the night, chewing, scratching, fluttering or darting steps are they usual clues provided to our wildlife control team upon first communications. We’re going to take a look at some of these clues in more detail to help figure out which animal might be causing the nuisance.
It’s important to note that critters are creatures of habit. It’s also important to note that critters have innate characteristics built into their genetics. One of the first questions we will ask someone with a critter in their home is “are you hearing the noises during the day or night?” Diurnal critters are awake and active during the day while nocturnal critters function at night. Common diurnal critters are squirrels, birds & most reptiles like snakes. Common nocturnal critters we encounter are raccoons, mice, bats & skunks. That’s not to say raccoons cannot be seen during the day especially during mating season it’s just less common than at night.
The follow up question addresses what happens when the critter is making noise and we make a noise back towards it. At 1am when mice are still very much active homeowners listen to “scratching and rustling noises” and sometimes bang the wall or tap the ceiling with a broom handle to quiet them down. Mice typically will stop whatever they’re doing when jolted by a loud noise and then resume activity a few moments later. Raccoons overhead are less inclined to stop their activities from someone banging the ceiling. Below are common observations associated with different critters in homes.
Birds- Fluttering overhead, bird poop on the side of the house (white-wash), nests or nesting material & holes in wood trim boards.
Bats- Vibrating or fluttering nosies, small dark rice sized feces around doors or windows, “pinging or clicking noises”.
Mice- Scratching and rustling noises at night, small dark turds around the perimeter of a room or in a pantry, misplaced pieces of insulation & cats staring at walls/ceilings.
Raccoons- Large banging noises especially at night, trim pieces or roof tiles on the ground, crying noises, “shredded” yards & footsteps overhead.
Skunks- Smell of skunk, small holes about the size of a half dollar coin in the yard, cantaloupe sized holes around the foundation or in yard.
Squirrels- Running noises during the day, chewing and sawing noises, rolling noises (usually nuts) & chew holes in wood trim.
These characteristics can help identify the critter. Some sound advise is to not let your imagination get the best of you. It never hurts to have a set of trained eyes inspect a property that a critter might be dwelling in to identify which type of critter it is & how they’re entering. For more information or questions contact us today!