Critter Control serving Treasure Coast

Florida is home to 13 native bat species living in caves, under bridges, and in man-made structures like your home or office. Before you try to kill, injure or harass a bat on your property, you must understand the laws protecting them. Due to diseases like white-nose syndrome, some bats are threatened by extinction. Currently, all bats are protected by state and federal regulations.

Getting rid of a bat should be done by a wildlife professional due to their potential for carrying diseases and because they may bite you if they feel threatened. Never touch a bat since a bat's hide is usually covered in its feces. When roosting upside down, bats defecate on themselves.

Bat guano has both positive and negative qualities. It makes excellent fertilizer, and since bats eat thousands of insects every night, you will have quite a bit of fertilizer. Bat guano can be harmful to humans, however. It grows mold spores that can lead to respiratory problems. It also contains uric acid and can corrode wood and metal. Here's how we can help get rid of bats.

Raccoons on the Treasure Coast are cute and quirky. They have permanent masks representing their mischievous behaviors, like raiding your trash can, entering your home through the pet door, stealing chickens, or breaking into your attic. If you have a swimming pool, raccoons will help themselves to a nighttime swim. They will also leave feces and urine on the steps of the pool.

The hands and feet of raccoons are human-like, allowing them to turn doorknobs, open boxes, climb anything and steal food. Any food is acceptable to a raccoon. They eat meat, reptiles, fish, frogs, insects, fruits, vegetables, nuts, table scraps, and pet feed. You must never feed a raccoon. They are not at risk of starving, and you don't want them hanging around your home. Plus, feeding raccoons is against Florida laws.

If there are areas on your home that need repair, like a broken screen that protects your chimney, a cracked vent that leads into your attic, or a hole in a basement door, raccoons will see these as an opportunity to get inside. They will make minor damages much larger if it means they will have a cozy place to nest during the winter. Once inside, raccoons will destroy the area. They will rip out insulation and drywall, scratch flooring and walls, chew electrical wires, and poop and pee wherever they like. The fumes and the mold spores that can grow on feces can also travel to other rooms of your home.

Let Critter Control get rid of your raccoon problem.

Norway and roof rats and house mice are common rodents in neighborhoods along the Treasure Coast. Signs of rodents in your home include feces and urine trails as well as smudge marks from their oily fur and gnaw marks on wires, carpet, furniture, wood, and other items. You may hear them squeaking and scurrying in your walls or attic.

House mice travel between 10 and 30 feet from their nest, while rats explore up to 300 feet each day. Along the way, they make your home dangerous and cost you money. They create fire hazards by chewing electrical wires and plugging ducts and vents with nests. They contaminate groceries, chew holes in screens, and burrow through insulation and underground. If you catch sight of a rat or mouse, there are likely many more nearby.

Rats and mice are fertile, reproducing between five and eight times a year, giving birth to five or more pups each time. So as soon as you see a sign of rodent activity, call us.

Treasure Coast squirrels include fox, gray, and flying squirrels. Reproducing twice a year, squirrels need a place to build a nest before giving birth. Some may find their way into your home through a broken vent, torn screen, or any small hole they can find. Once inside, squirrels build nests using items they find nearby, like insulation, drywall, clothing, carpeting, papers, and more.

Squirrels have strong jaw muscles due to constant gnawing. They can chew through plastic, wood, and some metals. This also means they can damage pipes, ducts, walls, floors, and beams. Squirrels spend most of their time collecting food and nesting materials and storing them for later. They like to eat nuts, grains, fruits, vegetables, insects, and bird eggs. Some will eat the bark of ornamental trees, ruining your curb appeal. Storing their treasures in places like your heating ducts, chimneys, vents or drainage pipes can create the need for costly repairs.

Let us help you get rid of squirrels.

Although St. Lucie County is quite developed, residents may still encounter snakes. It’s essential to be aware that there are four major species of venomous snakes in South Florida—pygmy rattlesnakes, eastern diamondback rattlesnakes, cottonmouths, and coral snakes. Please also be aware that you are most likely to cross paths with a rattlesnake during the summer and fall breeding season. If you happen to find a snake on your property, allow one of our specialists to handle it for you rather than attempt to remove it yourself.

The iguana population is rising. That means we will be seeing more of them in our neighborhoods, likely being a nuisance. The lizards you may see on your property are the green iguana, Mexican spiny-tailed iguana, brown basilisk, and knight anole. They are looking for flowers, plants, and fruits to eat. They can destroy gardens, landscapes, ornamental shrubbery, and trees and can cause foundation instability by burrowing under homes, driveways, docks, and seawalls.

Never feed an iguana. Expect other iguanas and lizards to show up looking for a meal if you do.

Iguanas usually run away from people, but they can harm you by biting, tail slapping, or scratching with their long, sharp claws when they feel threatened.