Wildlife Prevention Tips

Wildlife on your Rome, Georgia property can be especially troublesome in the fall when temps drop and animals come in closer to the warmth of a home. Squirrels may chew their way into attics, raccoons strew trash around, skunks spray, and bats can spread rabies. Not to mention those rodents that get in and contaminate and chew on everything.

Squirrels: This tail-flicking, tree climbing acrobats are actually rodents. This means that they are really good at chewing since they have a set of incisors that never stop growing. If they chew their way into your home and make a nest in your wall voids or attic, they are going to be chewing everything in sight, like insulation, which means heat will escape, and electrical wires, which could spark a house fire. Not to mention the fact that they will leave their urine and feces everywhere they roam.

Raccoons: Raccoons are known to transmit rabies. The fact is, they top the list of rabies-transmitting pests. While these wildlife animals are not good to have on your property whether they have rabies or not, if they do, you should be very concerned. If you see a raccoon that is foaming at the mouth, falling on its side or looking like it has paralysis in one or more legs, it is imperative that you call a pest control company immediately. And even raccoons that are not infected with rabies are known to violently attack humans, especially if they feel threatened or cornered.

Skunks: Having skunks on your property stinks. Literally. And if they spray your dog or, worse, you, the situation will stink in more ways than one. Beyond this, skunks can also carry the rabies virus, tip over trash cans, and cause a general uneasiness of all who live in your home, just because of their presence. It is never a good idea to let skunks have free range on your property, especially if you have pets or children.

Bats: According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the transmission of rabies from exposure to bats is documented in all of the continental states. They recommend no exposure between bats and humans. The CDC also says that bat guano (droppings) can contaminate soil which can lead to a lung disease called histoplasmosis.

Mice: Mice, like squirrels and other rodents, never stop chewing. If mice invade your home in fall, they will make nests and invade pantries, spreading disease-causing filth everywhere they roam. And while other animals may move back out come spring time, mice are likely to stay put. It is never a good idea to let a mouse infestation grow in population.

Prevention Tips

There are a number of steps you can take with your Rome home in order to keep wildlife at bay this fall.

  • Examine your foundation and walls and seal up any gaps or cracks found.
  • Make sure all of your screens and door sweeps are present and in good working order.
  • Don’t leave your garage door open.
  • Install screen or wire mesh over vents.
  • Keep your yard neatly trimmed and free of unnecessary clutter.
  • Trim bushes and trees back away from your foundation and walls.
  • Keep your outside trash in well-sealed containers.

If you are in need of assistance in keeping your home wildlife free this fall season, reach out to the professionals here at Active Pest Control. When wildlife is all gone from your home and property, life is all good.

Keep Atlanta Wildlife Out Of Your Home

A while back, we used to keep a large bird feeder dangling from a Shepard’s hook in the backyard. Right around mid-summer, we noticed that the feeder was on the ground and completely empty each morning when we went out. We nervously suspected a bear to be the culprit, as the hook hadn’t moved and was up quite high. One night, we did our version of a stake out which was waiting in the dark kitchen looking out the window and every few minutes shining a flashlight at the feeder. Much to our surprise the true villains were two crafty raccoons. One would climb the pole so it would bend over toward the ground and the other would reach up and just lift the feeder off. Mystery solved.

Wildlife left unchecked near your home can be a real problem. Squirrels, raccoons, skunks and other varmints, while particularly furry and cute outside, will make a lot of problems around your property and in your home if they are encouraged to be too close. These animals are attracted to your property by two things, food and a warm place to spend the winter. If they are easily able to get food by getting into your trash bins, bird seed, or pet foods that you have stored, they will keep coming back. The mess alone is enough to make you want to lock up the trash. If they are comfortable enough these pests will search for a way into your inviting home either through the chimney or vents, if they can get to them they have the ability to do hundreds of dollars worth of damage. Squirrels and raccoons, in particular, have been known to rip up insulation, and any other soft material to nest in. This causes problems when they leave behind waste, which contains bacteria and really, no one wants these animals to move into their home!

The professionals at Active Pest Control believe that the best way to get a wild animal out of your house is to make sure they cannot enter in the first place. In Atlanta, their wildlife exclusion programs can safely rid your property of whatever damaging pests are becoming a problem using live traps designed capture the animal without doing any harm to it. They know just where to look for places that wildlife might enter. One of their trained technicians will seal off these entry points so that animals can no longer get in.

Residents in Atlanta have counted on Active Pest Control for years for their pest and wildlife control needs. Call them today to talk about wildlife exclusion. One of their technicians will be on their way to your property to do a thorough inspection and explain just how this program works. In no time at all you can be back to enjoying nature again where it belongs, outside.

Wildlife Services In Georgia

There are a lot of animals that can seek harborage in and under your Georgia home. Perhaps you’ve met a few of them. Have you had a fall where your entire home stunk of skunk from the basement to the attic? Have you had your garden attacked by gophers and woodchucks? Have you had your attic infiltrated by noisy, pestilence-carrying raccoons? For two families in Cherokee County, their troubles came in the form of snakes.

In an August 12th news story from WSB-TV2, reporter Richard Elliot visited the Cherokee area to turn over some rocks and see what slithered out. Families in the area were becoming concerned after an 8-year-old boy was bitten in the leg by a non-venomous snake. The problem seems to stem from the kudzu-covered field that animal control officers say is the snakes’ domain.

Kudzu plants, a group of plants in the genus Pueraria, can turn a landscape into a work of art. But they can also entangle a home, engulf a truck and give the perfect habitat for reptiles and other pests to thrive. When conditions become right, the wildlife living under all that wonderful shade can seek a home as harborage. In the case of snakes, this can present a danger.

The son of one resident saw a snake slithering through a hole in the foundation of their house. So reporter Richard Elliot carefully opened the door to the crawl space and took a peek under. Fortunately, nothing jumped out at him, but he did spot snake skins hanging from joists and lying on the ground.

Cherokee County animal control explains that they will “happily” come remove a snake that is found in the house or in the yard, but they can’t go into the fields and search out nests. They also can’t properly seal your home and protect it from continued infestation. While animal control offers an essential service to our communities, protection from wild animals requires more than reactive measures.

Active Pest Control removes all harboring pests quickly and completely, and our experienced wildlife control specialists will work closely with you to seal entry points and remove the conditions that draw pests inside your home and onto your property. You can expect the most advanced trapping methods, modern pest control information, and effective exclusion installations available.

Don’t wait for snakes to slither into your home. Protect your family with proactive snake control from your friends here at Active Pest Control. We are a QualityPro-certified wildlife management company, and we offer guaranteed results.

What Is Animal Control?

Many towns and principalities have an animal control department. You might even have one in your area. If a dangerous animal comes onto your property, animal control will come to your rescue. But the scope of their commission is limited, and danger comes in many forms.

Wildlife Threats

There are many types of animals and some of these threats cross over to several animals.

  • Many wild animals spread bacteria. They forage in dumpsters and travel through sewer pipes and culverts before they chew their way into your home–and eventually into your food. These bacteria cause stomach pains, diarrhea, vomiting, fever, and other flu-like symptoms.
  • Animals live in the wild, and pick up parasites while there. Creatures with fur can carry ticks, mites, fleas, and lice. Creatures with feathers can have ectoparasites like bed bugs, mealworms, and chicken mites. Some of these parasites can work their way throughout your home.
  • Many animals damage property. Rodents will chew insulation, wood beams, sheetrock, and wires. This makes them a fire hazard. Pest birds can also be a fire hazard, by nesting in electrical boxes. Raccoons and other large animals can damage siding, windows, and window framing.
  • All animals leave feces when they inhabit a man made structure. Some animal s, like the bat, can coat an attic with their droppings. Some, like pigeons, have droppings that are corrosive and can eat away at metal, concrete, and paint. But the most dangerous animals are the ones whose droppings carry diseases–pest birds, rats, mice, and bats being the most dangerous.
  • Animals get into food, dishes, and silverware, contaminating them.
  • Wild animals are wild and unpredictable. Even a creature that appears docile can turn quickly and bite. This makes them a rabies risk.
  • Some animals are known for one threat, but pose other threats homeowners aren’t even aware of. If you have a skunk living under your porch, your nose will immediately confirm that it is bad to have a skunk around. But skunks can bite, and they spread parasites as well.

If you have animal problems, you need a pest control company that knows how to manage wild animal infestations, seal entry points, and cleanse infected areas. If you live in Atlanta or surrounding Georgia areas, see if you are in the coverage area of Active Pest Control. They are an Angie’s list 2013 Super Service Award winner, and certified QualityPro pest company. Trust your home to a company with a proven track record, and protect your family from the dangers of wildlife infestation.