Located in the Gulf Coast region of Louisiana, there are many species of birds, reptiles, amphibians, mammals, and fishes in St. Tammany Parish.
Additionally, many species of large mammals such as deer, raccoons, armadillos, and coyotes are found in the area. Pine and hardwood habitats occur in the northern parts of St.Tammany Parish, providing habitat for game species like wild turkey, squirrels, and rabbits. These habitats also provide important corridors for species to move between different habitats.
Homeowners in Slidell likely experience a variety of nuisance wildlife problems, including burrowing animals such as armadillos, raccoons, and nutria, as well as bats and geese. Rodents, such as rats, mice, and squirrels, are also common nuisance wildlife around homes. In addition, snakes, including both non-venomous and venomous varieties, are also common problems in the area. Finally, some birds, such as woodpeckers, can also cause problems for homeowners when they damage rooftops and siding.
Critter Control Wildlife Removal Process
Critter Control is here for you every step of the way in the wildlife removal process. From inspection to removal—and even exclusion and repair—we have the services you need to get rid of raccoons, rodents, and other nuisances fast. First, we identify the animal on the property, then use humane methods to remove the animal and secure weak points where more could enter. If damage has been done, we can make those repairs for a complete restoration. Contact a Critter Control office near you today.
Wildlife Inspection
During the inspection we try to ascertain how many animals there are, where they are located, and how they got in.
Based on what you have seen, heard and smelled, we start the inspection where you have noticed signs of animal activity. Evidence of animals inside your home include nests, dens, feces, and animal tracks. We investigate the exterior of your home looking for possible entry points, any evidence of animal damage, tracks, fur, animal waste, or rub marks.
Removal
We use several methods to humanely remove the animal from your home. Depending on the species, the number of animals, and the condition of your property, we develop a custom wildlife removal plan. Humane wildlife removal strategies include animal traps, one-way doors, and repellents.
Once we guarantee all animals are gone, we implement exclusion techniques. Exclusion techniques provide a safe, long-term solution to nuisance wildlife in your home. We create barriers to prevent animals from getting to resources. We only apply exclusions once we are sure all animals are gone from your home.
Exclusion and Repair
Wildlife will damage your home. Exclusion techniques repair any damage the animal causes getting into your home. Inside your home, animals build nests and dens out of readily available material. They will create runs through the insulation. Rodents will gnaw on anything including electrical wires and pipes.
Animals can also spread diseases. We apply sanitation agents to clean up feces and urine. Mammals can host pests like fleas, ticks, and mites. Ectoparasite treatments exterminate those pests so you don’t become their next host.
Raccoons are cute, like when they dunk their food in water before eating it. “Washer” is the meaning of their scientific name. It’s those cute little hands that also make raccoons nuisance wildlife. They are so nimble they can turn doorknobs, open gates, climb trees and chimneys, dig sod and open containers. This translates into overturned garbage cans, scattered trash, stolen garden crops, holes in your yard, broken siding, shredded insulation, broken vents and much more.
Raccoons are creative when it comes to finding their way into your home. Some will enter a crawlspace, some will break a screen, and some will enter through your pet door if it is left open. Never try to catch or remove a raccoon yourself, especially if you see a mother with its pups. When threatened, they can bite or scratch you. Getting rid of a raccoon should only be done by a professional with safety gear to protect from bites and scratches.
Raccoons aren’t the only nuisance wildlife that comes out mostly at night.
Inspection
During the inspection, we determine the severity of the raccoon infestation. We look for physical evidence like footprints in or around the home, stains from raccoon feces and urine. On the exterior of the house, we look for damage like scratches on boards, broken vents and screens, ripped apart shingles, destroyed soffits, and every possible entry point.
Raccoon Trapping
Live trapping is one of the most efficient ways to get rid of a raccoon. Depending on the situation, a one-way door or excluder valve can be installed. An excluder valve works by allowing the raccoon to leave but blocks its reentry. The choice of device is largely dependent on the season and location of the raccoons on your property. Direct capture is not commonly used because raccoons are a rabies vector species. If we must trap, we place traps strategically to safely catch the raccoons and we check traps frequently, based on state laws.
Repairs
We provide a wide range of repair and restoration services. We can repair raccoon damage like broken screens on vents and chimneys and broken boards on decks and porches. It is essential to apply cleaning agents and ectoparasite treatments on areas inhabited by raccoons.
Rat and Mice Pest Control
Nobody wants a
rodent problem, but they do happen. Louisiana is overpopulated with rats and mice because they multiply much quicker than we can control them. Rats and mice can have numerous litters every year. Each year, one mouse could bring 15 or more newborns into Baton Rouge, with at least five in a litter.
The Norway rat, house mouse and a few other species can do a lot of damage for being such tiny creatures.
There are many reasons to get rid of rats and mice, like the trails they leave around your home of feces and urine. Or the ruined groceries, plugged air vents and chewed electrical wiring, both of which can create fire hazards.
Rats and mice will chew furniture, corners of walls, any wood and plastic, and fabrics. They take some of what they chew back to their nest, which may be in your walls, floors, ceilings or attics. Although small rodents, they can amass significant expenses in repairs. Call us at the first sign of a rat or mouse in your home.
Inspection
During a rodent inspection, we thoroughly inspect your attic and provide a complete exterior home inspection. The most common signs of rodent activity are gnaw marks, feces, rub marks, nesting material, runs in insulation material, and small entry points.
Rodent Trapping
A Critter Control wildlife specialist will create a strategic trapping plan to remove the rodents found in your home. Critter Control specialists may use snap traps and live traps to capture and remove mice and rats. Rodent trapping can usually takes between five to fourteen days.
Repairs
The best way to reduce the possibility of letting unwanted rodents into homes is to seal possible entrances. Exclusion methods include caulking cracks in foundations, capping chimneys, and installing mesh covers over vents and crawl space entrances. We also strongly recommend a maintenance service. Rodents have front teeth that continuously grow, which means they can gnaw a new way back into your home.
Another rodent that can become a nuisance is the squirrel. Whether it’s a fox squirrel or a gray squirrel, they can be seen everywhere around St. Tammany Parish. This means they can do damage almost everywhere, even in your home, if they enter your
attic or any unused space.
Squirrels are fun to watch as they scurry to the ground, grab a nut and hurry away to store it somewhere special. If you observe a bit closer and longer, you will see the squirrels tear bark from trees, dig holes in sod, break shingles, chew electrical wiring, rip insulation, chew holes in siding, and block vents, ducts and gutters with all the items they collect from your property. That storage place full of treasures is likely your attic.
If you don’t take control of the squirrel activity, they will do even further damage, making their way to your basement, garage, sheds, pet houses and all the other things for which you worked hard. We know how to limit the number of squirrels on your property.
Inspection
Wildlife specialists look for signs such as chewing on, in, or around your home, small openings leading to the attic or the crawl space, droppings, and debris like nuts or nesting material. Beams, wires, pipes, and insulation may all show signs of damage from squirrels.
Squirrel Trapping
Live trapping or one-way doors are the most effective and humane ways to get rid of squirrels. One-way doors should never be used during birthing seasons (Spring & Fall), so our specialists will decide which is the best tool for the job. If we have to trap, we place traps strategically to safely catch the squirrels and check those according to state laws.
Repairs
We can restore your home or office by squirrel proofing all entry points after we have removed the offenders. We can also clean-up the nesting sites and remove any debris, food, feces and soiled insulation.
Bats are abundant all around Louisiana. If left alone, bats are relatively harmless. If you try to capture one, however, you are at risk of being bitten or scratched. Bats roost in attics, barns, sheds and other structures with high ceilings and hidden spaces. Some will choose a chimney or eave.
While roosting, bats release waste, or
guano, onto the floor beneath them. It runs down their small bodies and sticks to their fur before reaching the floor. That’s one reason never to try to capture or remove a bat yourself.
Depending on how long they roost in one spot, the guano can build up and become too heavy for the floor to hold, sometimes breaking floorboards. The guano is then in your home. Guano is a danger in that it can grow mold spores that, if inhaled, may cause respiratory issues in humans. Also, it stinks, and it’s gross. It has uric acid in it that can corrode metals and stain your walls and floors forever.
Why are they in your attic? Because you have a good source of insects nearby for them to eat at night. Anything that attracts insects, like outdoor lighting or stagnant water, will attract bats. We can help get rid of your bat problems.
Inspection
We perform a full interior and exterior inspection and search for signs such as rub marks, guano, a strong scent of ammonia, and small openings. The most common sign is the accumulation of guano (feces).
Bat Removal
The most effective and humane way to remove bats is by utilizing a bat valve in conjunction with a full home exclusion. A bat valve allows for bats to exit your home but not re-enter. We follow all local ordinances for humane bat removal. We will never abandon flightless pups in your attic.
Repairs
After removing the bat valves, we seal the entrance hole(s) so bats can no longer enter your home. If there is substantial guano in your attic, you should consider taking advantage of our attic remediation services to remove the soiled insulation and replace it.
Nutria in Louisiana
has a bounty on their heads to encourage more harvesting of this destructive, web-footed, bucktooth, oversized rodent. They are semi-aquatic so living in the Lafayette area is a dream come true for nutria, but not for property owners.
Nutria can chew on roots of plants that hold wetland soil together. Around your home, they like to chew on the roots of trees, plants, and crops. This can mean the ground your home sits on is unstable. Here's how we can help.
The Critter Control Difference
Trained Specialists
Animal removal is a highly sophisticated job. As such, we vet and train our team members to ensure they have the knowledge and skill to remove any pest from your building. Our wildlife experts utilize advanced removal and exclusion techniques and damage repair.
Guaranteed Work
Your satisfaction is always guaranteed. Critter Control® takes great pride in providing quality workmanship resulting in customer satisfaction.
Trained Specialists
Animal removal is a highly sophisticated job. As such, we vet and train our team members to ensure they have the knowledge and skill to remove any pest from your building. Our wildlife experts utilize advanced removal and exclusion techniques and damage repair.
Other Common Wildlife Issues