CritterChatter™ Blog
Winter Animals Blog
As the weather gets colder, what animal problems will people begin to encounter? What can people do to prevent damage to their homes from these animals?
When cold weather approaches, so do the animals. Here in Tennessee residents can expect to see a variety of animals seeking a warm place to harbor or den up. A/C Units, Foundation Vents and Construction Gaps are your areas of concern. Once inside the crawl space, animals tend to do a lot of damage in a short time, targeting your duct work and insulation, not to mention wires. Areas of concern on top of the house would be Louvre Vents, Roof Vents, Ridge Vents and Chimney Caps. Once entry into your attic has been achieved, a whole host of damage can be done to Insulation, Duct Work and Dry Wall, not to forget the worse Wires. 20 to 40% of all fire of unknown origin can be attributed to animals chewing on wires. To prevent damage to your home call your local Critter Control Office to get protected before it becomes an emergency.
- Mike Rossi
Critter Control of Greater Nashville
What problems can mice cause during the winter months? What are signs that people can identify when a mouse infestation is present?
Mice are capable of causing a whole lot of problems during the winter months. The most costly of these issues is the loss of food products from mice defecation. Most of the monetary losses are with what the mice leave behind and not what they consume. Just as important is the damage to the home and the diseases they potentially carry. Mice are known to chew wires, which contributes to home fires. Some 20% to 40% of all fires of unknown origin can be attributed to rodents chewing on the wires in your house. Diseases that are associated with rodents vary from parasitic infections from flea bites and ticks, to viral infection from fecal matter such as hantavirus.
Some signs to look for may include, mouse droppings, chewing on food products and their packages, or perhaps it is noises in the walls, especially at night. Look at the holiday products you store in the attic for signs of chewing and droppings (mice droppings look like black grains of rice). Check the holly berry’s on your wreath to see if it has gnawing marks, mice will think of them as a food source and chew on the wreath decorations.
An infestation is usually defined by the amount of dropping’s and urine stains present. Mice are know to leave 50 to 80 droppings in the course of a day. A few droppings here and there would not indicate an infestation, whereas piles of accumulated droppings are a good sign you have an infestation. Remember, some people can tolerate a few droppings while the next person can’t stand one flex to be seen, so infestation can be defined by individual tolerance levels.
- Mike Rossi
Critter Control of Greater Nashville
What are common problems associated with winter birds? What can Critter Control do to control nuisance bird situations?
Common problems associated with birds are: Noises, Odors and Parasites. Most of the issues we get relating to birds is the noise and odor issues. First complaint is of the noises heard in the attic,walls, and exhaust vents. Second is a strange odor to go along with the noises being heard. In most of the case it's the odor that gets the calls started. These odors are usually from deification and undeveloped eggs that have rotted or nesting material that is also rotted. What most people don't realize is that in most cases these birds have brought in a host with them. Bird mites are a common problem when dealing with birds. When the birds leave on their own these parasites will look for a new host, targeting you and your family so don't hesitate to call your local Critter Control office to have the job done right. We will inspect for bird activity around your house and seal up any entry's so they can not get back in. Any parasites or nesting removed and treated to keep your family safe.
- Mike Rossi
Critter Control of Greater Nashville
Why do raccoons cause problems in the winter? What can homeowners do to help keep raccoon problems under control?
Raccoons cause more issues in the winter due to lack of food and shelter. As we continue to in crouch on wildlife habitat, the odds are in favor of more human-to-animal conflicts. This is never been more true than in the winter as animals struggle for food sources and shelter. Raccoons have learned to live right amongst us with little to no evidence; except for the trash cans being broken into, you may not ever see them. However, when you do notice something is wrong, it is generally too late. Raccoons love to get into your attic’s and crawls to live. They make bedding out of your insulation ,ruining your R-value and not to mention the droppings and urine left behind, which, if left untreated, can pose a health hazard to you and your family. Insulation is not the only damage raccoons can do as they have been known to chew on wires, which would lead to electrical fires. Duct work damage that would cost a lot to be replaced or cleaned out and energy cost due to open trunk line. Water damage from roof damage is another issue when dealing with raccoons. All in all, raccoons can be very costly to your home if not taken care of. Call your local Critter Control agent and have a house inspection done. You will receive a comprehensive report showing you any potential animal entry areas. We are able to seal up the said areas and back it with a one year warranty. Remember to keep your trash cans closed and bungeed or locked; don’t feed your out door pets at night or leave extra food laying around, and call your Critter Control agent to get your house inspected before it’s too late.
- Mike Rossi
Critter Control of Greater Nashville
