What do you do if you have a larger pest in or around your home?
Maybe you hear a thud or scurry in the middle of the night. Maybe you've noticed a pungent odor in your basement, attic, or garage. Maybe you've discovered holes or cracks on your roofline or in your home's siding, or damaged or missing shingles or gutters. Regardless of your first clue, you may find yourself dealing with a wild animal (or a whole family of them) seeking refuge in your Atlanta-area home and in that momentâ¦what do you do?
When bugs are the problem, it's fairly easy to know who to call, but with animals, the choice of who to have come rid your home of its unwanted guest is a little more difficult. We wanted to shed some light on which animals a pest management company CAN and CAN'T remove from your home, so you'll know what to do if you're ever in this situation!
Animals Pest Management Companies CAN Handle
Most pest management companies, like BREDA Pest Management, are going to deal primarily with smaller animals, commonly referred to as rodents. (Think mice, rats and squirrels.) As populations expand and sprawl across the country, encounters with both rodents and larger animals can be an issue, especially in more rural areas outside major cities and townships, but also sometimes in urban areas where land was previously undeveloped.
Animals Pest Control Companies Don't Handle
Depending on where you live, it can be common to have regular or occasional encounters with a variety of larger animals, such as coyotes, bobcats, alligators, or bears. Encounters with larger animals like these should most often be handled in coordination with your local Department of Natural Resources.
Signs You Have an Animal in Your Home
Here in the Southeast, and more specifically in Georgia, it is common to find at least one type of rodent in or near a home at some point in the life of the structure. Gray and flying squirrels commonly find comfort in attics, along with roof rats. Even raccoons and opossums are occasionally found in an attic!
One of the first signs of a pest problem that a homeowner notices is the noise the animal makes when moving around. Finding fecal matter or a chewed up item turned into a nest is another common "first sign" that you have something scurrying around.
There are certain areas in homes that are quite hospitable to a variety of rodents. An attic offers isolation and shelter to rodents so they feel safe storing their food and even nesting down there. On the main floors of a home, you are more likely to have mice than rats, although rats can still be found in other areas of the home, too.
You normally will not see rodents running around during the day because they are nocturnal. What you will start to find is their evidence trail of droppings and chewed or damaged items around your home. If you aren't already, keep counters and floors free of uncovered food and crumbs, and make sure that the lids on garbage cans always make a tight seal.
The key to resolving any pest issue is always the same: identify and seal off all entry points into your home to stop the revolving door of activity. At BREDA, our wildlife technicians handle the trapping and removal of any animals present, seal all entry points into your home, and clean up any waste from the intruding critters. Don't try to "wait and see" if you have a problem—call right away at the first sneaking suspicion of animal activity in your home!
If you're tired of wondering what the pests in or around your home are doing and just want them gone, don't hesitate to give us a call. The BREDA Guarantee promises to protect your home and keep it protected—no matter the circumstances. Schedule an inspection online or give us a call at 770-466-6700.
