Category: Blog

Florida has a milder climate than most other areas of the country, with hot summers and relatively warm winters. This makes encountering a hibernating animal a rarity in the Central Florida area. While there are many species of critters that hibernate all over the world, the raccoon is not one of them. However, their adaptable nature allows them to thrive during colder months by changing their diets and seeking shelter.

Instinctive Behaviors of Raccoons

Here are a few behaviors that raccoons adopt during the winter to increase their ability to survive.

• Wintertime dieting

Raccoons are natural omnivores, which comes in handy to them when food sources become scarcer in the winter. For most of the year their diet consists primarily of plants, eggs, insects, and garbage thrown out by humans; but during the winter they will eat acorns, fruits, and even small or crippled animals if available.

• Increasing fat reserves

Much like how hibernating animals increase their food intake to build their fat reserves before going to sleep for the winter, raccoons plump themselves up in the months leading up to winter. Instead of being their sole source of nourishment, these fat stores supplement the raccoon’s diet and make it easier to survive if no food is available for an extended period.

• Taking shelter

Shelter is important for all living creatures when winter arrives, and raccoons are no exception. They will build dens or seek shelter in hollowed out trees or buildings if the opportunity is presented to them.

• Torpor

Similar to hibernation in some ways, torpor is an energy-conserving state that raccoons enter during the winter. They can sleep in a curled up position in their den for weeks at a time which reduces the amount of food and energy needed to survive. When torpor occurs, the raccoon’s body temperature and blood sugar drop significantly to further reduce their body’s nutritional needs. During torpor, raccoons can sometimes wake up on warmer days to forage for food before returning to their den. This periodic awakening allows them to stay more alert for predators.

The Danger of Invasive Raccoons

If you come across a raccoon on your Orlando property at any time of the year, keep a safe distance and do not try and capture or remove the wild animal on your own. Raccoons are unpredictable critters that can attack, bite, and scratch if provoked or threatened. They are also known to carry contagious diseases like rabies that can easily spread to humans and pets.

Rely on Professional Raccoon Removal Services in Orlando

When you notice raccoons in your home or on your Central Florida property, be sure to contact the team of professional raccoon removal specialists at Critter Control® of Orlando. Call us today at 407-295-7194 to schedule an inspection and receive a free raccoon removal estimate.

When a home or business owner notices signs of a pest infestation, they often attempt to take matters into their own hands. Fortunately, there are multiple do-it-yourself pest removal sprays, traps, and devices on the market that claim to eliminate pests for good. Unfortunately, these methods rarely offer effective pest control solutions. One such method uses high-frequencies to repel pests.

Here is some useful information to review before investing in electronic ultrasonic pest repellent devices.

What Ultrasonic Pest Repellent Claims

Store bought ultrasonic repellent devices claim to emit intense, high-frequency sound waves that repel, injure, or kill pests and insects such as rodents, cockroaches, fleas, and spiders.

Is Ultrasonic Pest Repellent an Effective Pest Control Method?

There is no true way to test the effectiveness of ultrasonic repellent devices. The device plugs directly into a wall outlet and only offers an indicator light to let you know it is turned on. It is also silent as its short-range, high-frequency sounds cannot be heard by humans. Basically, you plug them in, cross your fingers, and wait for the pest to be driven away.

The General Consensus on Ultrasonic Pest Repellent

Pest removal experts and the FTC agree that commercial ultrasonic pest repellents are ineffective. While the high-frequencies can temporarily keep pests at bay, ultimately, they will become immune to the sound and return. Think of it this way: If your pest infestation is a disease, then ultrasonic pest repellent is a band-aid. To truly cure and eliminate your infestation, you’ll need expert pest removal services.

Leave Pest Control to the Experts

Our wildlife removal professionals at Critter Control® of Orlando will not only rid your home or business of unwanted pests, but they will also repair any damage the pests may have caused. If you have an infestation anywhere on your property, call us today at 407-295-7194 to schedule an inspection and receive a free pest control estimate.

When set properly, a baited mouse trap will lure a rodent into triggering a spring-loaded bar onto its neck — killing it instantly. However, mouse traps are known to fail by either false triggering or trapping a mouse which results in the animal suffering a slow death. When compared to today’s technological advancements in pest control, mouse traps have proven to be an unreliable pest removal solution.

The Problems with Mouse Traps

Baited snap traps, glue traps, and poisons were once the only ways to catch invasive pests such as mice and rats. Today, mouse traps are viewed as outdated and inhumane. Not only are traps easy to set improperly, but they can also be:

• Easily avoided

  Cautious and perceptive rodents can easily navigate around traps and retrieve the bait without triggering the release bar.

• Harmful to humans

  Many homeowners have accidentally pinched or broken a finger while attempting to set a mouse trap.

• Malodorous

  When effective, mouse traps leave dead mice and therefore require constant monitoring and immediate removal before the dead rodent begins to smell.

Humane Pest Control Methods

Fortunately, pest control and removal methods have advanced to include more humane, effective, and mice removal practices, including:

• Non-lethal, live-catch traps
• Non-toxic sprays
• Off-site pest release

Effective Mice Removal Services in Orlando

If you notice signs of a mouse infestation in your home, don’t hesitate to contact the professional pest removal experts at Critter Control® of Orlando. Our experienced technicians will use humane measures to permanently solve your mouse problem. To get a free estimate or for more information regarding our mice removal services, please call us today at 407-295-7194.

From tipped-over trash cans and ravaged gardens to chewed and soiled home exteriors, nuisance wildlife can cause all sorts of damage to a residential property. And while you’re dealing with one mess, other pests could be causing just as much destruction right beneath your feet. Unfortunately, such underground animal activity often goes unnoticed until the damage has been done. Here are some signs that could alert you to a growing burrowing animal infestation on your property.

Signs of Burrowing Animal Destruction

If left unchecked, an infestation of burrowing animals can destroy a lawn, garden, or underground sprinkler system. The first sign of burrowing animals are shallow holes and tunnel lines. Burrowing animals such as moles and gophers travel through complex underground tunnel systems in order to catch insects and worms. These systems leave entry/exit holes and raised tracks of sod that can be traced across your lawn. A lumpy yard full of holes is not only unattractive, but also a dangerous tripping hazard. To put an end to such destruction, it is necessary to identify your unwelcome underground pest.

Common Burrowing Animals in Orlando

From subterranean mammals that live in underground tunnels to above-ground critters that dig holes in search of food and shelter, here are some of the most common burrowing animals that could be invading your property.

• Armadillos
• Rabbits
• Rats
• Moles
• Voles
• Gophers

Burrowing Animal Deterrents

A good way to keep burrowing animals out of your lawn is by fencing off your property. A six-inch-deep, mesh-wire, barrier fence placed around your yard’s perimeter can prevent invasive pests from burrowing underneath. There are also other advertised solutions such as ultrasonic pest repellent devices that claim to drive burrowing animals away with high-frequency sound waves; however, the effectiveness of such devices cannot compete with the permanent wildlife removal services of Critter Control® of Orlando.

Professional Burrowing Animal Removal Services in Orlando, FL

The experts at Critter Control® of Orlando can quickly, efficiently, and permanently remove all types of invasive wildlife from your property. Our experienced removal technicians will take measures to avoid future invasions and repair any damage caused by the animals in your home. Call us today at 407-295-7194 to schedule a consultation and receive a free wildlife removal estimate.

Because there are plenty of over-the-counter products that claim to rid homes and businesses of pests, many property owners attempt to solve their pest problems on their own. Unfortunately, most of these so-called pest solutions offer only temporary infestation relief and are often expensive and ineffective. One such product is ultrasonic pest repellent.

What Is Ultrasonic Pest Repellent?

Store-bought ultrasonic pest repellent devices plug directly into the electrical outlets inside your home. The devices claim to repel, injure, or kill pests and insects such as rodents, cockroaches, fleas, and spiders by emitting short-range, high-frequency sound waves.

Is Ultrasonic Pest Repellent Effective?

Hard to tell. The alleged high-frequency sounds that emanate from ultrasonic pest repellent devices can only be heard by the pest they supposedly repel, so there is no real way to test that the ultrasonic pest repellent device is even working except for an illuminated indicator light. Basically, these devices only serve to annoy the pests, not remove them.

While some home or business owners may report a reduction in the visibility of pests after installing ultrasonic pest repellent devices, the product does not permanently solve their infestation. Most likely, the high-frequency sounds only drive the pests deeper into their home’s walls, floors, or attic.

Ultimately, pest removal experts agree that ultrasonic pest repellents are ineffective. To permanently eliminate an infestation, you’ll require the services of pest removal professionals.

Trust Your Orlando Pest Control Experts

The professionals at Critter Control® of Orlando practice humane and effective pest removal methods. Not only will our trained and licensed technicians rid your home or business of unwanted critters, but they will also repair any damage the pests may have caused.

If you have an infestation anywhere on your property, call us today at 407-295-7194 to schedule an inspection and receive a free pest control estimate

Squirrels may be more socially-accepted than their rodent cousins, but they can be just as destructive to a residential home. By nature, squirrels must constantly gnaw to dull the rapid growth of their front teeth. Their incessant chewing habit can wreak costly havoc on the walls, wires, and wooden structures of your home. However annoying and destructive the presence of squirrels in and around your home may be, the idea of squirrel extermination can seem like overkill. Therefore, here are a few humane alternatives that can be effective at removing squirrels.

Humane Squirrel Deterrent Methods

Non-lethal squirrel removal methods include:

• Removing food sources

  A good start at removing squirrels from your property is to make it less inviting to the furry critters. Remove any bird feeders that often attract more squirrels than birds. Also take any pet food bowls inside the home and tightly seal all trash cans.

• Trimming back vegetation

  Remove any overhanging limbs that grant squirrels easy access on and off your roof.

• Sealing off entry points

  Check your attic for any exposed access points that a squirrel could penetrate and seal them off.

If squirrels have accessed your home and begun nesting your attic and walls, rely on Critter Control® of Orlando to help with safe and effective squirrel removal services.

Safe Squirrel Removal Practices

At Critter Control® of Orlando, squirrel extermination is a last resort. Our goal is to provide humane measures to remove squirrels from your property, relocate them back in the wild, and prevent them from returning. Our CritterSafe® program minimizes danger to squirrels by using non-lethal methods such as:

• Live-catch traps
• Off-site release
• Non-toxic, eco-friendly sprays

Our products are not only harmless to nuisance squirrels, but also safe around pets and children.

Humane Squirrel Removal Services in Orlando, FL

If there are squirrels infesting your Orlando property, contact the professionals at Critter Control® of Orlando for fast, safe, and permanent squirrel removal solutions. Our technicians will also clean and repair any unsanitary mess or damage caused by the squirrels. For more information regarding our squirrel removal services or to schedule your inspection and receive a free squirrel removal estimate, please call us today at 407-295-7194.

Discovering a yard full of holes and tunnels is not only a frustrating and unsightly tripping hazard, but it can also lead you to speculate which type of burrowing animal is responsible for tearing up your lawn and garden. While most well-known burrowers are mammals like moles, gophers, chipmunks, and ground chucks, not all of those critters reside in Florida.

In order to keep nuisance wildlife from tunneling through your property, you must first identify what kind of animal is burrowing under your ground.

Common Underground Burrowing Wildlife

While many types of small animals make holes in the ground, when it comes to burrowing in residential lawns and gardens, these animals are the usual suspects.

• Moles

  Subterranean mammals, moles travel through complex underground tunnel systems in order to catch earthworms and insects. If you see long-stretching mounds snaking through your yard, then moles are the likely culprit.

• Rabbits

  Except cottontails, all rabbits live in underground burrows that provide shelter from predators. Such underground homes can result in sinkholes or a destroyed lawn. If you spot deep pockets along the edges of your lawn, then bunnies are to blame.

• Armadillos

  While they do not burrow underground, armadillos are known to dig up yards and gardens. The wild mammals use their sharp claws for digging as they root for grubs and insects. Deep claw marks in flower beds are a sure sign of an armadillo invasion.

• Rats

  Much like rabbits, rats dig temporary burrows in order to hide from predators while on their search for food and warm indoor shelter.

How to Exclude Underground Pests

One option to prevent wildlife from entering and destroying your property with their destructive digging is to create a fenced barrier around your yard’s perimeter. The slick texture of vinyl fences can prevent wildlife from scaling its tall sides, while the narrow slots of mesh-wire fencing works best to keep pests from squeezing through. Just be sure to bury the fencing between six to ten inches below ground to prevent wildlife from digging beneath it. While perimeter fencing can act as a good wildlife deterrent, it can be an expensive investment that often requires approval from Homeowners Associations before installation.

If you want effective and immediate relief from nuisance pests digging up your lawn or garden, then contact the wildlife removal experts at Critter Control® of Orlando.

Expert Underground Pest Removal in Orlando

Critter Control® of Orlando has over 30 years of experience in wildlife management and is fully licensed and trained in all types of animal removal. Our expert technicians will identify your pest, safely and humanely remove them from your property, and seal-off entry points to prevent them from returning. For more information about the services we provide, please call us today at 407-295-7194 to schedule a consultation and receive a free wildlife removal estimate.

To escape predators and the elements, squirrels will often nest in the attics of residential homes in search of food, shelter, and safety. Although they are generally harmless critters, squirrels can be just as destructive to homes as other rodents such as rats and mice. With their penchant for gnawing-down their incessantly-growing incisors, squirrels can cause serious internal damage to the integrity of a home.

To prevent costly repairs, here are some ways you can tell if squirrels are nesting in your home.

How Squirrels Access Your Home

Squirrels commonly gain access to homes through cracks and holes in roofing materials, foundations, pipes, and chimneys. Vulnerable roof vents and damaged shingles can provide squirrels convenient back and forth entry to the attic, allowing them to forage food during the day and return to your home at night.

Common Signs of a Squirrel Infestation

The longer squirrels live inside your home, the harder it is to remove the infestation. You can tell you have a squirrel infestation if:

1. You smell an unpleasant, ammonia-like odor in your home.
2. You hear squeaks and rustling sounds coming from inside your walls or attic.
3. You notice chewed interior wood, walls, and wiring.
4. You notice dark droppings in or around your attic.
5. You see soiled or trampled insulation in your attic.
6. You spot a large number of squirrels gathered outside your home or on your roof.
7. You view exterior chew holes on walls, wooden surfaces, or roof vents.

If you notice any of these signs of a squirrel infestation, contact professional squirrel removal experts immediately.

Effective Squirrel Removal Methods

If squirrels have accessed your home, Critter Control® of Orlando can help with our safe and effective squirrel removal process. Through our CritterSafe® program, we offer fast and permanent squirrel removal solutions. Our technicians practice non-lethal, humane exclusion methods to remove squirrels from your property and prevent an infestation from returning. We will also clean and repair any unsanitary mess or damage caused by the squirrels.

Trusted Squirrel Removal Services in Orlando

If you have a squirrel infestation, contact the licensed and trained squirrel removal professionals at Critter Control® of Orlando to quickly, effectively, and permanently evict your unwanted rodent guests. For more information regarding our squirrel removal services or to schedule an inspection and receive a free estimate, please call us today at 407-295-7194.

You know how to prepare for hurricane season in Orlando, but are you ready for what comes after the storm? If the inclement conditions of hurricane season take a toll on your roof, it can open up new entrances for displaced wildlife to nest in your home, spread disease, and cause even more damage. The safety of your family is the most crucial thing both during and after a hurricane, which is why deterring pests should be a major part of your post-storm plan.

Types of Pests

Florida wildlife gets just as shaken up over a hurricane as you do, which is why these critters try to find shelter in residential property. Structural damage creates entryways for pests to wander in, but even minimal amounts of damage attract local wildlife. Wet or rotting wood, soaked furniture, and areas with standing water attract all sorts of Orlando creatures to your property, and the most common critters include mice and rats.

How to Prevent Them

Of course, the best way to prevent pests from entering your home after a hurricane is to professionally seal the entry points that opened in your roof, but other areas of your home need attention as well. Additional ways to prevent pests from entering your home after a hurricane include:

• Cleaning your refrigerator and removing any food that spoiled from outages
• Removing all food waste and securely storing it outside of your home
• Cleaning gutter buildup and fallen foliage around your home
• Removing any sources of standing water

Year-Round Wildlife Experts in Orlando

Whether there’s rain, shine, or any other Florida forecast, the expert technicians at Critter Control® of Orlando can protect your home from pests. If you’ve experienced roof damage from a hurricane, we can seal any openings and effectively secure your home from wildlife entry. Our team can also provide a free home inspection to check for pests that aren’t as easy to identify and safely remove critters that made their way inside. If you have any questions about pest prevention during hurricane season or want to start proofing your home, call us at 407-295-7194 today.

Birds have a notoriously difficult relationship with glass. They either don’t see it and fly straight into it, or they see their reflection in it as a threat and become hostile. This causes problems for homeowners on occasion. A territorial bird pecking at its reflection in your window can be an extremely unnerving, distracting, and unwelcome nuisance. The constant pecking can also crack, damage, or break your window. Here are a few helpful bird removal and deterrent tips to prevent you from going crazy due to the bird-brained actions of a fowl neighbor.

Nuisance Bird Removal Tips

• Make the exterior of your home less bird-friendly.

To make your home less inviting, remove any birdhouses or bird feeders away from the area until the bird leaves. Trim back the limbs of trees or bushes near your window to encourage your aggressive bird to find somewhere else to nest. Adding a plastic owl decoy is also a common tactic used to scare nuisance birds away.

• Create a barrier between the window and the bird.

Adding shutters to the outside of your windows will create a barrier that an angry bird can’t penetrate. However, shutters can be a costly investment and, when closed, will also keep any sunlight from entering your home. If you use your window as a source of natural light, shutters may not be a good option. Window screens may help by blocking the bird’s reflection, but they won’t stop the bird’s beak from reaching the glass if it insists on being peckish.

• Minimize the reflections in your window.
  

  Try dulling the reflection of your window from both the inside and outside.

  • Close your curtains.

    Keeping your curtains closed may dull reflections by presenting a solid background, however, not all targeted windows can accommodate curtains.

  • Dirty your window.

    Shading, soaping, or smearing paint to the outside of the window will keep the bird from seeing itself in the glass. It’s an effective way to prevent bird/window collisions, but it can look sloppy and diminish the attractiveness of your home.

  • Add decals to your window.

    Window decals, stickers, and clings are reusable, easy to apply and remove, and very effective at hiding a bird’s reflection. There are a variety of inexpensive decals available that can complement the exterior of your home while also solving your bird pecking problems.

• Wait for the bird to leave.

If you’ve tried these solutions and the unrelenting tapping persists, don’t lose your temper. Harming a bird, its nest, or its eggs is a violation of the Migratory Bird Treaty Act. You’re most likely dealing with a migratory bird, so hopefully, it will fly home at the end of the season. If you can’t wait for the bird to leave on its own, don’t get into legal trouble by attempting DIY bird removal. Instead, rely on the professional bird removal services of Critter Control® of Orlando.

Legal Bird Removal Services in Orlando

Don’t let pecking birds cause you stress or damage your property. The pest and wildlife removal experts at Critter Control® of Orlando are equipped and experienced to safely remove nesting birds from your Central Florida property. To learn more about our humane bird removal services, call us today at 407-295-7194 to schedule a consultation and receive a free bird removal estimate.