Mobile sits next to one of the
largest intact wetland ecosystems in the United States. The Mobile-Tensaw River Delta is home to a variety of animals. There are forty species of mammals including three different rabbit species, over 300 birds, and a variety of different reptiles.
The sub-tropical climate that can bring in a wide range of temperatures and weather events. This variety can also bring in a range of nuisance wildlife. With recent storms, we’re reminded that local wildlife can end up inside your home rather quickly. Some are there for food, water, and shelter. Others are forced in by high winds or flooding.
All these animals can cause damage to your home and property if not controlled. Rather than put yourself at risk, call wildlife control experts at Critter Control, who have the experience, training, and equipment for humane, safe removal.
If you’ve seen a raccoon in Mobile or Gulf Shores during the day, something was probably wrong with the animal. Typically, they only go out at night to scavenge for food, and they can travel up to six miles in search of the right treat. That’s like going from Mobile to Prichard or Chickasaw to satisfy their hunger.
Raccoons are masked bandits for a reason. They can be mischievous. They turn over garbage cans, scatter trash along the road, and dig holes in your yard searching for insects. They will not let much get in their way because they eat anything, including junk food, pet feed, bugs, and small animals. When resting, they prefer a warm, cozy spot, like your attic.
Raccoons will enter your home through open holes. They will also break vents, boards, and screens pushing their way inside. Once inside, they create a spot specifically for feces and urine. Then they begin to destroy ducts, insulation, drywall, and stored items. They must be dealt with professionally.
The gray, fox, and Southern flying squirrel are the main types of squirrels in Mobile and Gulf Shores. Squirrels are cute, especially when they fill their cheeks with food and scurry off before being noticed as if they were stealing a prized possession. When you see where they go to store items for the winter months, you realize squirrels can be a nuisance.
Often, it’s your home and yard that becomes a squirrel’s hoarding dream location. Squirrels usually store things in your vents or chimney, creating the perfect fire hazard. They make nests in your walls or attic, shredding insulation, wires, and drywall.
The rapid scurrying from the ground to a tree limb to the roof and then inside your home is not so cute anymore. We can help.
Rat and Mice Pest Control
Roof rats, brown rats, and house mice are just a few of the rodent species in the Mobile and Gulf Shores region. If you see one rodent, there are likely many more nearby. Rats and mice love to build nests in your walls, attic, ceiling, or even behind baseboards. When you’re not looking, they sneak out to grab crumbs off the counter or gnaw through food boxes in your cabinets.
Rodents can ruin perfectly good food items, wasting hard-earned money. Rats and mice gnaw on anything, from wires to carpets, and they leave droppings and urine behind everywhere they travel. Because rats and mice multiply quickly and often, it’s essential to call our experts at the first sign of a rodent.
Bats commonly roosting in Mobile and Gulf Shore attics, offices, or other man-made structures include the little and big brown bats, the Brazilian free-tailed bats, and the tri-colored bats. Bats are necessary for our environment. They eat thousands of insects a night. There are strict laws in Alabama about the removal of bats from your structure. They are considered a protected species.
Bats wouldn’t be such a problem if they didn’t leave behind so much guano, or feces, and urine. They even poop and pee while roosting upside down, covering their fur in it. That’s why it is crucial never to try and remove a bat yourself. If you touch one, you are handling its guano and urine, known to grow mold. If you inhale the mold, you are at risk of developing respiratory problems like histoplasmosis. You do not want this disease.
Also, bat guano and urine contain uric acid, which can erode metals and wood. Let our experts do the dirty work of bat removal.
Opossums and
skunks are two other pests common in Alabama. These animals comb lawns for insects, rodents, and garden produce. Either a skunk or an opossum can create a foul odor when it feels cornered. While opossums simply hope to look and smell like carrion, skunks will spray people and pets with great accuracy.
The nine-banded armadillo can be found in Alabama yards, woodlands, and dense brush.
Able to catch the scent of insects below the soil,armadillos often ruin lawns and gardens while digging for insects. People don't usually notice these nocturnal pests until they dig up yards or gardens. An armadillo usually digs multiple burrows that may weaken sidewalks, driveways, or patios.
Armadillo control can protect expensive landscaping and the integrity of surrounding property such as driveways and decks. One way to keep armadillos away is to build a fence that feeds a few feet into the ground.