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There’s a Raccoon in My Attic: What Can I Do?

. Posted by in , • San Antonio
A raccoon sitting on a homeowner's roof

Are you hearing something going thump in the night? If so, this might mean a raccoon family is living rent-free in your attic or crawl space. Some of the first signs that you might have raccoons in your home include the sounds of an animal moving around in the attic or chimney.

Other ways homeowners often find out these animals have moved in include visible indications, such as pawprints or damage to their house’s shingles, electrical wiring or insulation. They might also notice an accumulation of nesting materials inside the house, a destroyed garden or debris around their property, such as dead birds, feces or scattered trash.

If you spot possible signs of a problem, some ways to check whether you have raccoons on your property instead of another pest include looking at the pawprints and scat the animal left behind. Raccoons leave hand-like prints with their five-fingered paws, and their droppings … Read Full Post »

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I Have Bats in My Attic: What Should I Do?

. Posted by in , • Orlando
A roosting bat in an attic

One night as the sun was setting, you started hearing odd squeaking noises from up above. As it got darker, you saw something fly out of your attic. After the shock of the situation wore off, you started to wonder if you have bats in your attic, and if so, what you should do. And, perhaps most importantly, what can you do to keep them from coming back?

Over 40 types of bats make their home in the United States. Bats can seek shelter in buildings to be protected from predators. These flying mammals can squeeze their way into very small spaces—even as small as a half to a quarter inch—to make their way into chimneys, walls, attics and other structures. Most bats will be on the move from September through April as they seek a place to hibernate. While bats make high-frequency sounds that are inaudible to humans to fly … Read Full Post »

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What To Put In A Mouse Trap To Attract Rodents

. Posted by in , • Dallas-Fort Worth
What To Put In A Mouse Trap

Finding a mouse in the home—or, even worse, more than one—sends most people into a frenzy of worrying about whether or not there’s an actual infestation. You may be pacing around your home wondering what to put in a mouse trap and where to place these devices, because no matter how small and cute they may seem on TV and in pictures, mice definitely are pests.

When thinking of what to put in your mouse trap, your mind might instantly go to cheese. In reality, a mouse’s favorite things to snack on are fruits, nuts, seeds and other sweet foods, so these will be your best bet when baiting a trap. However, mice also eat anywhere from 15 to 20 times a day, so if they are hungry, they will eat whatever they can get their paws on. In desperate times, they will even eat each other!

If you have reached your wit’s … Read Full Post »

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Do Possums Eat Cats? Your Questions Answered

. Posted by in , • Orlando
Do possums eat cats

You’re a bit concerned when you hear your cat hiss loudly at something. You assume it’s just your neighbor’s cat that’s causing that kind of reaction, but when you look outside, you see a possum wandering around your property. Now, your feelings of apprehension suddenly escalate. You know these animals can become a nuisance as they overturn trash cans and get into birdseed containers in search of food. However, you don’t know what exactly possums consider tasty. Do possums eat cats? Most importantly, should you keep your fur baby locked inside until the possum is gone?

Fortunately, possums are not out looking for your cat when they scrounge for food. While possums (technically opossums, but more commonly referred to by their shortened name) are omnivores and could theoretically kill and eat a housecat or dog, these common backyard visitors are more focused on easier prey. In fact, the scent of cats … Read Full Post »

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What Is Digging Up My Lawn At Night And How Do I Stop It?

. Posted by in , • Houston
what is digging up my lawn at night

Plenty of homeowners have experienced the unpleasant shock of discovering unsightly holes, torn-up turf and piles of dirt scattered around the yard that seemed to appear while they were sleeping. If this has happened to you, you probably immediately wondered what is digging up your lawn at night.

Raccoons and skunks are two common grub-eating nocturnal culprits for digging in yards. Skunks tend to make shallow holes with loosened soil, while raccoons can actually use their front paws to pull up chunks of sod and flip them over to find whatever delicious food might lie beneath. Rabbits are burrowing animals that have also been known to dig holes in yards, and they have a better chance of doing so undetected at night. In addition, other animals are active during the day, including squirrels, that might damage your lawn, and you may not discover the problem until the following day. If you … Read Full Post »

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Do Squirrels Eat Mice? How To Stop An Infestation

. Posted by in , • Austin
Do Squirrels Eat Mice

There are holes in the food boxes in your pantry. You hear scratching in the walls throughout the night. You’re in denial until one night you see it—a mouse. Horrified, you start to wonder about how you can keep these creatures away. Are there any creatures around your property that eat mice? For example, do squirrels eat mice?

While a squirrel will eat a mouse, it would prefer not to. Like all other animals, squirrels require protein, carbs and fat in their diet. While they would prefer to get these nutrients from nuts, leaves, mushrooms, roots, seeds and insects, they’ll eat from a larger menu when the going gets tough. So, if the squirrel on your property is faced with starving to death or eating the mice in your attic, they’ll decide on the latter.

What this means for you is that squirrels are not going to be an effective method of … Read Full Post »

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Rodents In Texas: A Homeowner’s Control & Prevention Guide

. Posted by in • Dallas-Fort Worth
Rodents in Texas

An unfortunate reality of living in the great state of Texas is that we have to worry about many different rodents. If you made it to this blog post, you have probably spotted one. You may even have come to terms with the fact that—much to your dismay—you might have a rodent problem. While some of the most common rodents in Texas are mice and rats, there are also some larger animals you may come across on your property.

Mice And Rats

The three most common types of rodents you’ll see in Texas are the Norway rat, the house mouse and the roof rat. The Norway rat grows to be an average of eight inches in length, with an additional seven inches, when you include the creature’s tail, which is longer than the body. These rodents have brown fur that is often peppered with black, and occasionally a gray or white stomach.

Have … Read Full Post »

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Possum Out During The Day: Is It Rabid?

. Posted by in , • San Antonio
Possum During The Day

It can be somewhat shocking to look outside and notice a possum out during the day. The first question that probably pops into your mind is: “Is it rabid?” After all, many of us have heard that raccoons that are active during daylight hours are more likely to have rabies, so it would make sense for the same logic to apply to a possum, another nocturnal animal. Right?

The truth is, while rabies might cause normally nocturnal animals like raccoons and skunks to behave in strange ways, including venturing out during daylight hours, possums aren’t actually likely to contract rabies. Furthermore, possums (as well as raccoons and skunks) can be active during the day even when they are perfectly healthy. For example, it’s possible that a smaller possum out during the day is immature and has been separated from its mother or even orphaned. Or, a larger adult possum venturing out … Read Full Post »

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Do Mice Eat Roaches? Your Questions Answered

. Posted by in , • Houston
Do mice eat roaches

After checking your sticky traps for roaches, you may have noticed an odd phenomenon—roach legs are stuck on the trap, but the body is nowhere to be found. You don’t have any pets who could’ve eaten the pest, so maybe you have another creature in your home. This begs the question: Do mice eat roaches?

If you have ever wondered this, you aren’t alone, as homeowners who either experience this same phenomenon or those who spot these uninvited critters around their homes, garages or other areas of their property have asked themselves the same thing. After all, if mice feed on roaches, having mice around might not be all that bad.

The simple answer to the question of whether mice eat roaches is yes. A typical mouse diet can include cockroaches, both German and American varieties. Rats also happily dine on various species of cockroach, both large and small. Mice have even … Read Full Post »

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Do Skunks Hibernate? What Homeowners Need To Know

. Posted by in , • San Antonio
Do skunks hibernate

When cooler weather arrives, homeowners have to be extra cautious about wildlife and rodents coming to nest on their property. While skunks usually won’t nest in your home, you could find them nesting around your property, especially in the wintertime. But, why is that? Don’t skunks hibernate?

Skunks don’t necessarily hibernate, but they are considered dormant during the winter months, meaning that you likely won’t see these creatures in your yard during the coldest months of the year. This time period is scientifically known as torpor, and skunks will fall into this state as the temperature drops and food starts becoming scarce. A skunk’s body temperature will lower and their metabolism slows. Unlike an animal that is in hibernation, these creatures will remain inactive for short periods of time—typically during the day.

You may be wondering: If skunks are essentially asleep for the majority of the winter, why do I need to … Read Full Post »

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