Author: erick.merced

Opossums are scavengers that love to eat discarded items found in the trash. When they feast, opossums can over trash cans, leaving a mess to be cleaned up in your driveway, yard, or street. Since opossums are food-driven critters, they will continue to return and rummage through your trash until you install barriers to their entry. Here’s how to keep opossums out of your trash.

Make Your Trash Can Impenetrable

To prevent attracting hungry opossums, it’s important to have a trash can with a secure lid. Investing in a metal trash can with a lid that locks in place is ideal, but plastic cans with lids will also get the job done. However, you should note that many wild animals can chew through plastic, making entry into a plastic receptacle possible.

You can also keep possums away from your trash can by securing its lid with clamps or a locking system. To clamp the can, string rope, chains, or bungee cords around the can’s lid and through its handles, fastening them together. For further reinforcement to keep opossums from getting into your trash, you can lock the trash can lid with a combination lock or simply place a large item on top of the can’s lid that is too heavy for the critters to lift.

Keep Possums Away with Strong Scents

Repelling opossums with unappealing smells is another approach that can be taken to keep your garbage undisturbed. The overwhelming scent of ammonia causes animals, including opossums and rodents, to vacate the area. To repel unwanted opossums, spray the interior of your trash can with an ammonia-based solution. Other natural opossum repellents such as hot pepper or cayenne pepper can also be used to effectively keep possums away.

Ultimately, the best and most effective way to keep possums away or prevent them from coming back is to rely on the experts at Critter Control® of Dallas.

Your Dallas Area Opossum Removal Experts

At Critter Control® of Dallas, our licensed team of trained professionals are equipped to quickly and safely remove nuisance opossums and other unwanted wildlife from your Dallas area property. To schedule your inspection and receive a free estimate for our effective opossum removal services, call Critter Control® of Dallas today at 817-222-1101.

When noticing signs of a rat infestation, the first instinct of many homeowners is to search online for fast and effective rat removal methods; the results of which often include natural pest control remedies. One such home remedy is the use of mothballs for rat removal, but as convenient as this may sound, are mothballs actually effective for rat removal? 

The Ineffectiveness of Mothballs for Rat Removal

While mothballs are certainly effective at repelling certain insects, the pesticides in mothballs are not strong enough to repel a creature as large as a rat. Even if they were, rats are smart creatures and will either find an alternative route around the mothballs or create one themselves. Ultimately, mothballs won’t do all that much to help the rat issue on your property, and they can actually make your problems worse. 

The Trouble of Mothballs for Rat Removal

Ineffectiveness aside, it is also important to note that the misuse of moth balls for reasons not clearly stated on its label can be dangerous, inhumane, and result in legal issues. Mothballs can only be used to keep away insects. Using them to remove rats or for any purpose other than insect prevention is actually illegal. Furthermore, filling your home with pesticide-laced mothballs can be dangerous, especially if you have curious children or pets that can accidentally find and ingest the toxic substance. 

While purchasing mothballs for rat removal might seem like a cheap option, the price tag is certainly not worth the trouble. At the end of the day, the safest and most effective way to remove nuisance rats from your property is to rely on the rat removal services provided by the experts at Critter Control® of Dallas. 

Rely on Your Dallas Area Rat Removal Experts

At Critter Control® of Dallas, we are dedicated to providing Dallas area home and business owners with non-toxic, eco-friendly, and humane rat removal methods. If you’re dealing with unwanted critters on your Dallas-area property, our licensed and trained technicians have the experience and equipment needed to quickly and affordably resolve your infestation. 

For more information on our rat removal and prevention services and to receive a free estimate, call Critter Control® of Dallas today at 817-222-1101. 

Texas is home to several species of dangerous snakes, including copperheads, rattlesnakes, western cottonmouths, and coral snakes. Many of these snakes are invasive to the environment and extermination is often a common method for their removal; however, killing a snake might cause more problems than solutions.

Can I Kill a Snake?

The only place where it is illegal to kill a snake is inside a state park, where killing a snake is considered a misdemeanor. However, the Department of Parks and Wildlife strongly discourages people from killing snakes because the creatures are an important part of the Texas ecosystem.

Protected Snakes in Texas

While there are very few regulations for snake removal in Texas, there are several protected snakes in Texas that are illegal to kill. The Louisiana pine snake is considered a threatened species that is in decline. The Texas Eastern indigo snake also has legal protections. Harming these animals could mean serious trouble including fines and potential jail time.

Use a Snake Removal Expert

While there are several venomous species of snakes in Texas, it can be easy to confuse them with a nonvenomous or harmless species. And, misidentifying a snake isn’t a good enough reason for killing it. Trying to take care of a snake yourself can not only put you in harm’s way but result in legal trouble. That is why it’s important to not kill a snake if you see one on your property. Instead, keep a safe distance and contact a wildlife professional for more humane methods of snake removal.

Professional Snake Removal Services in Dallas, TX

When you encounter a snake on your Dallas property, you’ll want a professional snake removal team that uses humane and permanent removal methods. At Critter Control® of Dallas, we pride ourselves on using eco-friendly and non-toxic methods of removal when it comes to getting rid of unwanted critters from inside your home or workplace.

If you are dealing with a snake infestation, call Critter Control® of Dallas today at 817-222-1101 to schedule an inspection and receive a free snake removal estimate.

Armadillos are often seen as harmless and unassuming creatures, but they can be far more of a nuisance than one might think. Given the continued growth of the armadillo population in Texas, it is increasingly likely that you might find one in your Dallas backyard. If that becomes the case, it might be prudent to seek professional armadillo removal services. Here are some basic facts about armadillos that illustrate the possible threats they might pose to your Texas property.

The Threat of Invasive Armadillos

Armadillos can be a nuisance for your property in the following ways:

• Constant Digging and Burrowing

Armadillos can cause significant damage to your property if left unmonitored. With their long claws they are known to dig small burrows in whatever landscape they are in, leaving a defaced lawn in their wake. Armadillos will also build deep underground burrows and dens for shelter, which can prove to be a structural and tripping hazard. In addition, armadillo digging patterns often take place in areas with loose soil or dirt such as fruit and vegetable gardens, laying waste to your produce.

• Possible Spread of Leprosy and Disease

Armadillos are usually docile creatures, but like most critters they can get aggressive when they feel threatened. And while they possess teeth that can deliver a painful bite, the biggest danger posed by armadillos is the illnesses they could transmit. Scientists have discovered that armadillos can be a possible carrier of leprosy as well as rabies and other dangerous diseases, so due caution must be taken when encountering a wild armadillo.

To ensure that you and your family are safe, it is best to leave armadillo removal methods to a wildlife professional that has the equipment and protection required to humanely and safely move the pest from your property.

Armadillo Removal Experts in Dallas

At Critter Control® of Dallas, we use safe, eco-friendly, and humane methods to remove invasive pests and wildlife from Dallas area properties. If you are having an issue with armadillos or any other unwanted pests, call us today at 817-222-1101 to schedule an inspection and receive a free estimate for our effective and safe armadillo removal and trapping services.

 

Bats are important for the ecosystem; they help support plant life by spreading seeds and pollinating plants and help control pest populations by eating insects. Bat boxes are small, wooden boxes that are used to attract a variety of bat species. They are often placed in trees or on buildings. By installing a bat box on a far corner of your property, you can control the amount of nuisance pests that swarm your house while also providing bats with a safe place to roost away from your home.

Benefits of a Bat Box

A properly installed bat box on the outskirts of your property can:

1. Give bats an alternative habitat to sleep or rest in that is not your home or attic. 
2. Protect your yard from destructive pests like mosquitoes, moths, and beetles. 
3. Give female bats a safe and warm place to raise their pups.
4. Provide a clean home for bats that helps prevent the development of White-nose syndrome.

Bat boxes not only benefit bats, but they can help protect you and your family, as well. 

The Dangers of Bats

While beneficial to the environment, bats can pose several threats to humans. Bats are known carriers of infectious diseases that they can spread through bites, saliva, and their toxic feces (guano).

A bat box effectively encourages bats to roost away from your home and reduces the chance of human contact with bats, as the animals will likely flock to the bat box instead of entering your home. However, there is always a possibility that a bat on your property could find its way into your house. If you notice a bat infestation in your home or attic, it is important to contact the bat removal professionals at Critter Control® of Dallas as soon as possible.

Dallas Area Bat Removal Professionals

The licensed and trained technicians at Critter Control® of Dallas are equipped to humanely exclude invasive bats from your Dallas property. We follow a four-step bat removal method that includes:

1. Inspection

   Our professionals will thoroughly inspect your home to locate the bats and determine how they got in.

2. Exclusion

   We strategize and execute a humane removal plan to get rid of the bats for good.

3. Restoration

   Any property damage caused by the bats will be repaired and cleaned. 

4. Prevention

   All entry points will be sealed to prevent the bats from re-entering your home.

At Critter Control® of Dallas, we pride ourselves in using eco-friendly and humane methods when it comes to removing unwanted critters from inside your home or workplace. If you are dealing with a bat infestation, call us today at 817-222-1101 to schedule an inspection and receive a free bat removal estimate.

When dealing with a rodent infestation, the fastest way to resolve the problem is to know which rodent is causing it. With residential homes in the Dallas, TX area, the usual suspects of a rodent infestation are mice and rats. Here are a few easy ways you can identify the different characteristics between a mouse and a rat and put an end to your rodent issue before it spreads out of control.

Differences Between a Mouse and a Rat

1. Rats have smaller ears than mice
2. Mice have thin, long, hairy tails and rats have thick, scaly, hairless, pink tails
3. Mice leave more droppings than rats
4. Rat droppings are rounded, and mice droppings are shaped like grains of rice
5. Mice chew clear cut holes the size of a dime, while a rat’s chew hole is the size of a quarter with torn edges

Dangers and Damages of a Rodent Infestation

Understanding the differences between a mouse and a rat can help you to quickly identify the pests in your home and put an end to the infestation before expensive damages can occur. Some of the many property damages and risks caused by a rodent infestation include:

1. Chewed through drywall, doors, molding, and furniture
2. Frayed wires and cables resulting in electrical power outages and fire hazards
3. Foul and toxic odors due to rodent feces and urine saturation
4. Contaminated surfaces, food, and air quality
5. The spread of contagious diseases through direct contact with rodent droppings or bites and scratches

Once you suspect a rodent infestation exists, it is important to act fast and hire the professional rodent removal specialists at Critter Control® of Dallas before the damages get worse or the health of your family and pets is compromised.

Professional Steps for Rodent Removal

During the first step of the rodent removal process, our qualified rodent removal technician will inspect your house to identify the pests, assess the damage, discover their entry points, and locate their hiding spots. Then, our licensed wildlife experts will strategize a plan to completely remove all rodents using safe, non-toxic, and environmentally friendly methods. Once your house is rodent free, any damages caused by the infestation will be cleaned and repaired and all entry points will be blocked off to prevent rodents from returning.

Mice and Rat Removal Experts in Dallas, TX

At Critter Control® of Dallas, we pride ourselves in using eco-friendly and humane methods of removal when it comes to removing unwanted rodents from inside your home. If you are dealing with a rodent infestation in the Greater Dallas area, call us today at 817-222-1101 to schedule an inspection and receive a free estimate for our safe and effective rodent removal services.