Critter Control of Austin

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Keep them out.®
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Wildlife in the Austin, Texas area can cause various problems for home and business owners. Animals such as squirrels, bats, rats, mice, raccoons, armadillos, snakes, and skunks can spread diseases, cause structural damage, and even attack people when confronted. Critter Control is here for you every step of the way in the wildlife removal process. From inspection to removal—and even exclusion and repair—we have the services you need to get rid of raccoons, rodents, and other nuisances fast. 

Critter Control Wildlife Removal Service

How Critter Control humane and safely gets rid of nuisance wildlife from your home and property.
STEP 1

Wildlife Inspection

During the inspection we try to ascertain how many animals there are, where they are located, and how they got in. Based on what you have seen, heard and smelled, we start the inspection where you have noticed signs of animal activity. Evidence of animals inside your home include nests, dens, feces, and animal tracks. We investigate the exterior of your home looking for possible entry points, any evidence of animal damage, tracks, fur, animal waste, or rub marks.
STEP 2

Removal

We use several methods to humanely remove the animal from your home. Depending on the species, the number of animals, and the condition of your property, we develop a custom wildlife removal plan. Humane wildlife removal strategies include animal traps, one-way doors, and repellents. Once we guarantee all animals are gone, we implement exclusion techniques. Exclusion techniques provide a safe, long-term solution to nuisance wildlife in your home. We create barriers to prevent animals from getting to resources. We only apply exclusions once we are sure all animals are gone from your home.
STEP 3

Exclusion and Repair

Wildlife will damage your home. Exclusion techniques repair any damage the animal causes getting into your home. Inside your home, animals build nests and dens out of readily available material. They will create runs through the insulation. Rodents will gnaw on anything including electrical wires and pipes. Animals can also spread diseases. We apply sanitation agents to clean up feces and urine. Mammals can host pests like fleas, ticks, and mites. Ectoparasite treatments exterminate those pests so you don’t become their next host.

Raccoon Removal in Austin

Raccoons are common in the Austin area, often spotted eating scraps around garbage cans or dumpsters. These intelligent animals have hands that allow them to open lids, create large holes, and climb over fences. Once inside a building, they can cause extensive damage to any structure and spread harmful parasites—like ticks and roundworms—to humans and their pets.

You are likely to see more raccoons during mating season, which is mid to late summer. Activity is higher because female raccoons are searching for food and a safe place to den. A raccoon litter can contain up to four kits or cubs.

Raccoon Trapping

Raccoon Trapping

Live trapping is one of the most efficient ways to get rid of a raccoon. Depending on the situation, a one-way door or excluder valve can be installed. An excluder valve works by allowing the raccoon to leave but blocks its reentry. The choice of device is largely dependent on the season and location of the raccoons on your property. Direct capture is not commonly used because raccoons are a rabies vector species. If we must trap, we place traps strategically to safely catch the raccoons and we check traps frequently, based on state laws.
Inspection

Inspection

During the inspection, we determine the severity of the raccoon infestation. We look for physical evidence like footprints in or around the home, stains from raccoon feces and urine. On the exterior of the house, we look for damage like scratches on boards, broken vents and screens, ripped apart shingles, destroyed soffits, and every possible entry point.

Repairs

Repairs

We provide a wide range of repair and restoration services. We can repair raccoon damage like broken screens on vents and chimneys and broken boards on decks and porches. It is essential to apply cleaning agents and ectoparasite treatments on areas inhabited by raccoons.

Squirrel Removal

Squirrels may seem like harmless animals. However, they can cause significant damage to your house. They can also be highly aggressive when threatened. Squirrel populations grow quickly due to their bi-annual mating season - January through February and May through June. As a result, you will notice high levels of squirrel activity during these months.

Squirrels cause extensive roof damage. They chew through roof decking, tear holes in the fascia and soffit, and peel roof shingles. Once squirrels enter the home, they virtually chew or claw through any type of material. They also transmit diseases. For example, a squirrel can transmit Lyme disease without contact.

Inspection

Inspection

Wildlife specialists look for signs such as chewing on, in, or around your home, small openings leading to the attic or the crawl space, droppings, and debris like nuts or nesting material. Beams, wires, pipes, and insulation may all show signs of damage from squirrels.

Squirrel Trapping

Squirrel Trapping

Live trapping or one-way doors are the most effective and humane ways to get rid of squirrels. One-way doors should never be used during birthing seasons (Spring & Fall), so our specialists will decide which is the best tool for the job. If we have to trap, we place traps strategically to safely catch the squirrels and check those according to state laws.
Repairs

Repairs

We can restore your home or office by squirrel proofing all entry points after we have removed the offenders. We can also clean-up the nesting sites and remove any debris, food, feces and soiled insulation. 

Rodent Control

Mice and rats are among the most common animals that invade your home. These animals can crawl in and out of tiny holes, allowing them to travel throughout any building undetected. They also breed quickly, which leads to uncontrolled rapid population growth. There can be dozens of mice crawling through the house before you discover the first one.

Rats and mice destroy property, spread diseases, and contaminate the food that you consume daily. To eliminate these rodents, you need to wipe out the entire population at once. This might require using various traps and bait in multiple areas throughout your home or business. You may also need follow-up inspections to ensure that the animals have not returned to your home.

Inspection

Inspection

During a rodent inspection, we thoroughly inspect your attic and provide a complete exterior home inspection. The most common signs of rodent activity are gnaw marks, feces, rub marks, nesting material, runs in insulation material, and small entry points.

Rodent Trapping

Rodent Trapping

A Critter Control wildlife specialist will create a strategic trapping plan to remove the rodents found in your home. Critter Control specialists may use snap traps and live traps to capture and remove mice and rats. Rodent trapping can usually takes between five to fourteen days. 
Repairs

Repairs

The best way to reduce the possibility of letting unwanted rodents into homes is to seal possible entrances. Exclusion methods include caulking cracks in foundations, capping chimneys, and installing mesh covers over vents and crawl space entrances. We also strongly recommend a maintenance service. Rodents have front teeth that continuously grow, which means they can gnaw a new way back into your home.

Bat Removal

Home to millions of Mexican free-tailed bats and eight other bat species, Austin is a city that understands both the benefits and risks these animals pose to people. While they help to control disease-causing mosquitoes, bats can also transmit illnesses to humans, including rabies and histoplasmosis. Perhaps the greatest risk of bats in the attic is the accumulation of bat guano which can weaken home structures.

Bats are protected by federal and state regulations. It is illegal to kill bats with chemicals. Evicting adult bats can stranded pups in your home. Maternity season lasts anywhere from May to July so the best time for bat removal is early spring and late summer. 

Inspection

Inspection

We perform a full interior and exterior inspection and search for signs such as rub marks, guano, a strong scent of ammonia, and small openings. The most common sign is the accumulation of guano (feces).

Bat Removal

Bat Removal

The most effective and humane way to remove bats is by utilizing a bat valve in conjunction with a full home exclusion. A bat valve allows for bats to exit your home but not re-enter. We follow all local ordinances for humane bat removal. We will never abandon flightless pups in your attic.
Repairs

Repairs

After removing the bat valves, we seal the entrance hole(s) so bats can no longer enter your home. If there is substantial guano in your attic, you should consider taking advantage of our attic remediation services to remove the soiled insulation and replace it.

Snake Control

Texas is home to over one hundred types of snake; fortunately, Austin has four venomous snakes (Copperhead, Cottonmouths, Rattlesnakes, Coral Snakes).

Snakes enter a home in search for food. If you find a snake in your house, you likely have a rodent problem. Snakes also look for shelter when shedding skin, which occurs every three weeks to two months. If you spot a snake in your home or business, do not approach it. Instead, contact Critter Control and allow our professionals to remove it safely.

During the inspection, we look for snake signs like droppings and skin. We also look for signs of a rodent infestation. Texas state laws prohibit us from killing non-venomous snakes. We use direct capture methods and live traps to catch and remove all snakes.

Bird Control

There is such thing as too many birds on your property. Eventually, they will make their way on and into your home. They love to build nests in your eaves, chimney, attic, and gutters. If you’ve been seeing birds flying to specific spots in your home, they may have a nest nearby.

Birds leave droppings everywhere on your property. The droppings create unattractive stains. If you own a business, this is not what you want your customers to see. Their nests block vents and gutters, which can damage your home over time. While birds are not harmful, they are annoying.

In Texas, there are only three unprotected species of birds. Meaning we can get rid of them without permits. They are the pigeons, starlings, and sparrows, all of which are non-native wildlife. If protected birds are causing damage to your home, we can obtain the proper permits from the Department of Wildlife before we begin our process.

Opossum Control

Opossums are not prone to aggression. They pose the greatest threat to your garden, but they will eat almost anything. Opossums do carry diseases so do not approach them haphazardly. Opossums will also look for safe nesting areas under decks, inside garages, or under foundations.

Generally docile, opossums can be trapped or direct captured. Sealing ground level entrances and burying wire mesh are effective ways to exclude a opossums infestation.

Mole Removal

There are several species of moles in the United States, but only eastern moles are present in Houston. Moles dig intricate underground tunnels, using them as passageways for travel and as nests. Moles rarely leave their burrows. If you have moles in your yard, you'll notice their mounds.

A Critter Control mole removal expert will know the best methods of how to get rid of moles. The most common way is to trap the moles. This can be tricky since moles create various types of tunnels and do not have an entry and exit point since they rarely come above the ground. Trapping moles may sound easy, but it requires the proper equipment and knowledge to pinpoint the “travel” tunnels to effectively trap the mole.

Stinging Insect Control

Wasps, yellow jackets, hornets, cicada killers, or bees can ruin your outdoor experience. Safe removal of the hive can protect you, your family, and your pets from getting stung.

There are several types of bees in Austin. The most common are European honeybees, bumblebees, Africanized bees, and ground bees. Typically, bees will only sting if their hive is threatened. But Africanized bees, otherwise known as killer bees, are known for aggressive behavior and may attack unprovoked. 

After the stinging insects are taken care of, the entire hive must be removed. An old hive left in your home could attract a new colony or attract other animals. The hive area must be sanitized to remove any honey. Otherwise, leftover honey could attract other pests, including ants, cockroaches, rats, or raccoons. 

Get them out.
Keep them out.®
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Q&A With Local Critter Control Expert

What are some of the most common wildlife issues that homeowners face in Austin?

Squirrels, raccoons, bats and birds are the most common. We also handle mice and rats, groundhogs/woodchucks (they call them both here), skunks, chipmunks, woodpeckers and opossums.

How do the seasons affect wildlife activity in Austin?

In early spring, homeowners will most likely experience mammals looking for a safe place to have babies. Squirrels and raccoons will nest in attics. Skunks will create dens under porches or sheds. Bats tend to establish a maternity colony during the summer. We cannot remove bats until the pups can fly.

Most animals will exit your attic during the hot summers, but they leave behind the damage they caused and their entrances.

What are some common signs of nuisance wildlife activity?

Strange sounds in your attic, walls, or crawlspaces. Depending on the time of day you hear something can be a clue to the species in your home. Smelling unusual aromas like amonia can be a sign of animal droppings and urine.

When should someone call Critter Control?

At the first sign of nuisance wildlife activity! The longer an animal lives in your home, the more damage they will cause.

How much does it cost?

There are a number of factors that determine pricing; location of the animal (i.e. - chimney, attic, crawl, wall void, living area), condition of the animal (i.e. - sick, aggressive, dead), location and condition of the property and time of year (i.e. - weather condition, offspring present?).

Generally speaking, pricing will vary by location and species for just the animal removal and that pricing usually does not include the entry repair. Call us for a free inspection and quote.

The Critter Control Difference

Trained Specialists Animal removal is a highly sophisticated job. As such, we vet and train our team members to ensure they have the knowledge and skill to remove any pest from your building. Our wildlife experts utilize advanced removal and exclusion techniques and damage repair.
Guaranteed Work Your satisfaction is always guaranteed. Critter Control® takes great pride in providing quality workmanship resulting in customer satisfaction.
Residential and Commerical Invading nuisance wildlife can wreak havoc on property. If left unattended wildlife and pests can cause costly property damage. Whether a residential property, apartment buildings, retail stores, office buildings, industrial plants, medical facilities, or warehouses, our trained professionals can handle any wildlife removal problem.
Safe, Humane Animal Removal Animals are just being animals. They merely need to be redirected. Therefore, we remove every pest humanely and safely. Our goal is to place the animal in a more natural habitat and away from your property so that everyone is happier.
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