Common Wildlife Pests We Handle

Raccoons cause trouble all across the US. In fact, they’re one of the most common nuisance wildlife out there.

These animals love to enter people’s homes, especially the attic. In fact, female raccoons will usually climb all the way to your attic, just so that they can have a safe place to raise their young.

While these raccoons might have good intentions when they get into your home, they can end up causing a lot of damage. These animals are known to steal pet food, and they sometimes even tip over trash cans. You better watch out if you have animals, as raccoons are known to raid chicken coops on occasion. These animals can even do a lot of damage to your home itself, like by ripping your insulation or tearing through ducts.

Despite all the trouble they cause, they’re smart and capable animals. They aren’t fussy either, and they’ll eat just about anything. These animals are also nocturnal, so they’ll only be active at night.

While there are a lot of squirrels out there, the eastern gray squirrel is probably the most common. These animals love to find their way into your attic, especially during the harsh heat of summer or the freezing cold of winter. The squirrels use this time to give birth to a new litter – something that only happens every other year.

These animals can cause quite a lot of trouble. They chew through just about everything. They can damage all your wooden furniture by chewing on it. They can even cause fire hazards by chewing on wires. They’re even known to chew through pipes!

These animals mainly eat nuts. You’re most likely to spot them during the dusk or dawn when they leave or enter your attic.

Skunks are pretty notorious thanks to their strong-smelling spray. You’ll frequently find these animals living under your porch or shed. This can cause plenty of problems for you if they decide to start spraying the area.

These animals are omnivores, meaning that they eat both vegetables and meat. They’re also nocturnal, so they’ll be getting on your nerves at night.

You should stay clear of these animals because they’re one of the most common carriers of rabies. You and your pets might also be sprayed if you get too close. This is especially problematic if you have a dog that wants to chase these slow-moving creatures.

Opossums are incredible animals, despite being one of the most common nuisances. These creatures are marsupials, meaning they raise their young in a pouch. These animals also have fifty teeth, which is more than any other mammal on earth. These marsupials also have opposable thumbs, and they’re even known to use their tail to help them climb. Opossums are also immune to many diseases, and they’re known to decimate large numbers of ticks.

Unfortunately, these pesky critters are also known to make their way into your attic. They’ll frequently damage your home and will steal your food. They’re also known to carry plenty of fleas.

Groundhogs are another common nuisance species. You’ll usually find these animals in the northern states. These animals are known to dig large, complex tunnels under people’s gardens.

These tunnels can cause plenty of damage to your home. The displaced dirt can weaken your home’s structural integrity. They’re also known to tear through people’s gardens.

These animals are herbivores, and they’re actually closely related to rodents. Like other rodents, groundhogs give birth to several children at once. They do this during the spring and are known to have up to a half-dozen cubs.

Armadillos are pretty common in the south. These animals tend to dig large burrows in people’s gardens. They’re also known to dig small holes as they search for grubs.

These animals can carry a number of diseases, and they’re even known to carry leprosy.

You might know these animals because of their hard, bony shell. What you might not know is that they always give birth to four identical quadruplets.

There are several species of moles in the US, but you’re most likely to be familiar with the Eastern Mole. These are one of the most common nuisances, and that’s mostly because of their constant digging.

Moles are great diggers, despite weighing under five ounces and being less than eight inches long. They’re able to create complex networks of tunnels, filled with different chambers and multiple entrances. Given the scale of these things, it’s no wonder that moles are territorial.

These animals mainly eat worms and other sorts of insects. Unfortunately, these animals don’t live very long. In fact, they only live for three years.

Rats are hands down some of the worst animals to invade your home. They carry all sorts of diseases. They’re even known to damage your home by chewing through your things.

If you’ve ever spotted a rat, it’ll probably have been one of the two most common rat species. Roof rats are the smaller of the two species, weighing in at six to eight ounces. These animals have long tails, with both their bodies and tails being eight inches long. You’ll usually find them living in warmer regions, where they like to climb high up on trees and other structures.

The other commonly found rat is the Norway rat, and these are much bigger. They weigh between ten and sixteen ounces and even have a nine-inch body. Contrary to the roof rat, these rats like cooler climates and prefer to stick to the ground.

Many people are terrified of snakes, and it’s actually one of the most common fears amongst adults. Despite all that fear, however, most snakes are harmless. In fact, North America is home to over a hundred and twenty species of snakes, but only twenty of these are actually venomous. Most venomous snakes are rattlesnakes, with the rest being copperheads, cottonmouths, coral snakes, and aquatic snakes.

If you ever spot a snake in your home, it’s best if you avoid it. Make sure to call a wildlife professional immediately, as they’ll be able to handle the situation. There’s no point in you risking injury, even if most snakes are harmless.

Bats are one of the most common animals out there, making up around a fifth of all mammals. There are three common species that seem to spell trouble, and these are the Little Brown Bat, Big Brown Bat, and the Mexican Free-Tail Bat. The latter is mostly found in the south, while the other two can be found up north.

These bats can cause a lot of problems, most of which stem from their droppings. Bats live surprisingly long lives, with many living longer than fifteen years out in the wild. They’re also unique amongst mammals, as they’re the only mammal capable of prolonged flight. Despite all the diseases they spread, bats are pretty good at keeping out insects. In fact, a single bat is able to kill thousands of insects each night, so even a small colony will be able to kill millions of insects with ease.

Pigeons are pretty common in big cities. They’re disease-ridden and love to leave their unsanitary droppings all over the place. No wonder they’re called the “rats of the sky”.

These animals only weigh a pound, and they rarely live longer than five years. The city life has really gotten these birds into a rush because their eggs hatch only nineteen days after they’ve been laid.

Beavers are known to cause plenty of problems. This usually happens when they build dams and cause flooding.

Foxes and coyotes can be pretty dangerous. They carry rabies and are known to attack chickens and other domestic animals.

Some people consider stray cats to be nuisance wildlife. Like all mammals, these can have rabies. They can also spread parasites to your pets.

Flying squirrels are also a nuisance. They can make their way inside your attic and wreak havoc, much like the eastern gray squirrel.

While these aren’t a species, dead animals can still be a serious nuisance. They bring in insects and can be a source of diseases.