Florida is home to 4,368
known animal species, with 269 species found only in Florida. With so much wildlife enjoying the sandy white beaches and the clear emerald green waters, tourists and locals can expect an encounter. Hopefully, the encounter will be pleasant and not a nuisance.
Driving along the water on U.S. Route 98 is one of the best ways to experience Bay County and the rest of the Florida Panhandle. Everyone can agree that the Panama City-Lynn Haven broader community a wonderful place to live. I mean, we all do live here after all. But when we’re out and about enjoying what Panama City has to offer, we don’t really want to be thinking about that pest removal problem going on at home.
If you own property in Panama City, you have made a significant investment that must be protected from nuisance wildlife. If you rent your property, your tenants may not understand Florida's regulations on nuisance wildlife. They may not be prepared for the raccoons, squirrels, bats, skunks, opossums, armadillos, snakes, and rodents they may encounter during their visit.
The raccoon populatoin in Florida are growing in number. Their permanent masks and banded tails make them easy to identify. You may not see them often but recognize the wreckage they leave behind, like the scattered trash, missing garden crops, and holes in your yard. Raccoons will eat just about anything, including insects, small animals, fish, garden crops, pet food, and people's food. If you have any of these outside your home, you can attract a raccoon.
Raccoons will enter your attic to create a nest. They will scratch flooring, shred insulation, break shingles, and cover the area in feces and urine. They leave greasy smudges on anything their fur touches and don't mind using parts of your attic as their restroom.
Raccoons also enjoy pooping on the steps of a swimming pool. So if your home or investment property has a pool, you will want to take prevention steps. Florida has regulations for removing raccoons. You cannot relocate a raccoon outside of your county, and if you relocate them on someone else's property, it must be at least 40 acres and have written permission from the landowner. Raccoons are considered furbearers and have laws regarding hunting and trapping.
Rat and Mice Pest Control
The most common
rat and mouse nuisances are the Norway rat, black rat, and house mouse, all non-native to the Bay County. Rodents can cause a lot of damage and leave many offspring in that short period. Rats are attracted to food, water, and shelter. Pet feed, bird feeders, and trash cans attract rodents. It's good to note that rodents attract raccoons.
Rat and mouse exterminators can eliminate two nuisances. There aren't any regulations regarding capturing and removing rats and mice. However, some specifics can make the job easier. Wildlife control technicians can teach you the correct traps and baits for rodents, which are very clever and suspicious, and understand how to avoid a trap. Rats can fit through a hole the size of a golf ball and mice through a hole the size of a quarter.
Once inside your home, they build nests, chew wires, contaminate foods, and leave trails of urine and feces. The sooner you call for help, the better. When you see one rodent, there are others nearby. Rats and mice can have several litters within the same year. They reproduce and multiply quickly. It doesn't take long to have an infestation.
We can help.
Rat removal and
mouse removal can take days or weeks, depending on the size of the problem. You or your tenants must never handle rats and mice without protection. They can transmit up to
35 diseases to humans.
Squirrels on the Lost Coast include the fox, Southern fox, and Eastern gray squirrels. While it is fun to watch squirrels in action, scurrying around and collecting goodies, you must also be aware of the damage they can do to your property. Squirrels like to create nests inside your attic, walls, chimney, and ducts. They also create fire hazards, broken boards, shredded insulation, and trails of feces and urine that can harbor mold spores. You will likely hear squirrels chirping, scratching, and moving their hoards, which include foods like nuts, grains, seeds, fruits, bird eggs, and more.
Because they are always on the go, squirrels are known to break shingles, siding, wires, and screens on a home to get from place to place. Squirrels have an innate desire to chew and gnaw due to their teeth being in a constant state of growth, which can cause pain. To prevent this, squirrels chew on hard surfaces, like any part of your house.
Squirrels are considered furbearers and may require permits. Understanding the regulations, including the removal of babies, is essential.
Florida has
13 native bat species and seven non-native species found along the Panhandle. Bats are protected species in Florida, and according to
Florida Administrative Code rule 68A-4.001, bats cannot be exterminated or harassed.
Bats can be removed if it is not between April and August, their maternity season, and as long as the temperature is forecasted to remain above 50 degrees. Also, the white-nose syndrome spreads throughout bat colonies, posing a threat to their existence. Bats are incredibly beneficial to the ecosystem as they consume thousands of insects every night. If you have a bat problem, you likely have a good source of insects and bugs nearby. Bats will roost in attics, eaves, bridges, sheds, barns, etc.
If the colony is big enough, you can hear bats at night. They also leave a lot of feces, or guano, in their roosting areas. Guano contains uric acid and grows mold spores that can lead to respiratory issues in humans if inhaled.
Snakes on the Emerald Coast are abundant. There are
44 native species. Only six snakes in Florida are venomous. Snakes, even venomous snakes, do not cause many problems. The rate of venomous
snakebite is one death every four to five years, which is less than the deaths from lightning strikes.
Snakes help keep
rodent populations under control, though. If you see snakes on your property, you likely have rats and mice around.
Most people want
snakes removed. Snakes do not typically cause damage, but they can be an annoyance. Removing them can be tricky since some are endangered species, such as the Eastern Indigo snake, and there are special laws on how to get rid of them. Rules also exist for handling, caging, and transporting snakes.
Armadillos present little danger to people. They greatest danger they pose is to your landscaping. Controlling the animal can protect your lawn and garden and the integrity of structures like decks and driveways on your property.
Opossums are more of a nuisance than a real danger. They are very common in urban and suburban settings and will eat practically anything. Opossums will use attics, crawlspaces and the areas under sheds and porches as dens.
Residential Bird Control in Panama City
You’ll likely notice signs of a bird’s nest along grooves in your roof, within your chimney, or in cracks in your siding. Although you may be hesitant to call a wildlife control company in Vancouver, it’s essential to consider these services. Bird droppings can carry histoplasmosis, which can have negative effects on the lungs.
Commercial Bird Control in Panama City
The larger your commercial space, the increased challenge there is to reduce and remove birds. At Critter Control, we employ a few different methods, such as netting, sound devices, and roof spikes. Despite these efforts, it’s important to continue ongoing inspections as strategies that remove one bird species may make room for another to swoop in.
You probably won’t see a gopher or encounter one in your home. Mounds of dark, moist soil are the signs of an active gopher problem. One gopher can create several mounds in a day.
Gophers will dig through your yard, feed on your garden, and can even gnaw on irrigation systems. Gopher burrows can cover two hundred to two thousand square feet. For someone with little experience, that can be like trying to find a needle in a haystack.