Category: Blog

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.

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.

Rats pose a huge problem when they infest your home. Recognizing a rat infestation is extremely important in order to resolve the problem as fast as possible. Rats can be found digging under your home, living in your garbage cans, or building nests in your attic and walls. Choosing a proper removal method is essential to effectively rid your property of the problem and prevent any future infestations from occurring.

Signs of a Rat Infestation

Knowing the signs of a rat infestation will help to stop the problem as soon as it starts. Look and listen out for:

1. 1. Droppings – Rats will leave a trail of unpleasant and smelly feces and urine all over your home.
   2. Noises – Rats are known to make scratching, squeaking, and scurrying sounds overhead at night.
   3. Holes and nests – Rats often chew their way inside to nest in attics and darker spaces in homes.
   4. Stains and footprints – Rats will leave dark stains and trail marks on floors and around openings.

Dangers and Damages of Rats

When rats infest your home and property, they can create a number of problems.

1. Rats can pass diseases and infections to you and your pets. This includes, but is not limited to, salmonella, leptospirosis, and rat-bite fever. 
2. Rats can chew through wires in your electrical system causing power outages and fire hazards.
3. Rats create holes in your drywall, flooring, and under roof shingles to make nests in your home.

Dealing with rats can be a nuisance, but it is important that you immediately take action once a rat problem is discovered. 

Get Rid of Rats Efficiently 

Getting rid of rats can be difficult but avoiding the problem can be dangerous to your health. If a rat infestation is suspected, make sure to seal any gaps in your home and foundation, clean any cluttered spaces, and remove any garbage or potential food sources around your home , and property. Once you take these necessary steps, make sure to contact a reliable rat removal service in your area.

Best Rat Removal Services in Dallas

At Critter Control® of Dallas, we make sure to take the necessary steps in order to put an end to your rat problem effectively and efficiently. Rats can outsmart typical store-bought traps and methods, which can only create more of a problem. If you are dealing with a rat, rodent, or pest infestation in the Dallas area, give us a call at 817-222-1101 for a free estimate.

As the saying goes, “Everything is bigger in Texas.” However, that quote can be extended to its diverse population of invasive wildlife. In the Dallas area, residents often complain about nuisance critters getting into residential homes and commercial businesses and causing damage and destruction. If you are dealing with an animal infestation, hiring a wildlife removal service is a top priority to prevent severe damage to your home. 

Here are some of the wild animals that often invade Dallas properties and what you can expert wildlife removal services to do about it. 

6 Common Invasive Wildlife in Dallas, TX

The following are common nuisance wildlife animals Dallas residents encounter in their homes:

1. Armadillos
2. Birds
3. Mice
4. Raccoons
5. Rats
6. Snakes 

Signs of a Wildlife Infestation

Sometimes you don’t have to see an animal in your home to know that you have a wildlife issue. Aside from causing severe property damage, here are other common signs you have a wildlife infestation:

• Foul or strange odors
• Droppings, urine puddles, and brown stains on your floors or ceilings
• Bite marks or scratches on the walls or electrical wiring
• Trash littered around your property and knocked over garbage cans
• Squeaking, scratching, or scurrying noises coming from your walls or the attic, that are usually louder at night

Safe and Effective Wildlife Removal Service

Although each animal requires its own removal process, the wildlife experts at Critter Control® of Dallas have the experience and tools to quickly resolve the invasive wildlife infestation in your commercial or residential property. Our wildlife removal service follows our safe and efficient four-step CritterSafe® method to remove all nuisance critters. Our wildlife removal process includes:

1. Inspection – A wildlife expert will start by thoroughly inspecting your house to locate the critter, determine the size of the infestation, and find possible entry points.
2. Removal – Next, the wildlife removal expert will create a personalized plan to extract the pests from your home using our safe and eco-friendly CritterSafe® process. 
3. Prevention – Then, our team will clean and repair any property damage caused by the animals.
4. Restoration – Our last step is to seal all entry points to keep wildlife away from your home permanently. 

Professional Wildlife Removal Service in Dallas, TX

Critter Control® of Dallas has over 20 years of experience in wildlife removal service. We pride ourselves on using eco-friendly and humane removal methods when it comes to removing unwanted critters from inside your Greater Dallas area home or workplace. Whether you have an existing pest infestation or want to prevent one from ever starting, we’re here to resolve all of your wildlife issues with our expert removal and prevention methods. 

To schedule an inspection and receive a free estimate for our wildlife removal services, call us at 817-222-1101 today.

 

Has something been tampering with your trash lately? If you live in the Greater Dallas area, your prime suspect should be a raccoon. Raccoons, while cute and curious creatures, can be incredibly troublesome when they decide to invade your property. Here are some of the best ways to keep raccoons away and off your Dallas, TX property.

Why Raccoons Are on Your Property

Very simply, raccoons are attracted to food, and residential properties tend to be an abundant food source in the eyes of these animals. In particular, raccoons love to rummage through outdoor trash cans that hold food remains or near grilling stations, especially when they haven’t been cleaned thoroughly.

Signs of a Raccoon Infestation 

There are many signs of a raccoon infestation that are easy to spot. One of the most obvious signs is if your outdoor trash can has been tampered with. Raccoons are rather dexterous, so even if you keep a lid on the trash can, raccoons are known to be able to lift the lid to enter and exit the receptacle with ease. Another obvious sign of raccoon activity is if you notice small paw prints around your property or scratch marks on your floors and baseboards. Although claw marks could indicate any number of animals, these two signs in combination clearly point towards the existence of a raccoon infestation.

The Dangers of Raccoons

There are several reasons why you don’t want raccoons near or on your property. Other than being a tremendous nuisance, raccoons can carry a number of dangerous diseases, particularly rabies, and can easily transfer them to you, your family, or your pets if you come into contact with them. Furthermore, trash-rummaging raccoons will also leave behind food remains that will attract other animals to your property, which only adds to your overall headache.

Preventing Raccoon Infestations

There are a number of ways to prevent racoon infestations in Dallas, TX, such as:

1. Putting a lock on your outdoor trash can
2. Keeping outdoor cooking stations, like grills, clean
3. Installing fences around your outdoor gardens and composting areas
4. Calling a wildlife removal expert to install raccoon prevention measures on your property

If you need professional raccoon removal or prevention services in Dallas, TX, look no further than the efficient and effective services offered by the licensed wildlife experts at Critter Control® of Dallas.

Experienced Raccoon Removal in Dallas, TX

At Critter Control® of Dallas, we handle every wildlife removal service with the most care possible through our humane CritterSafe® removal methods. These methods prioritize the safety of the animal and your property by only using eco-friendly and non-toxic wildlife removal tools and procedures.

For more information on our fast raccoon removal and prevention services or to schedule an appointment and receive a free estimate, give Critter Control® of Dallas a call today at 817-222-1101.

 

As a Dallas-area resident, catching snakes slithering into your home, hiding in your garage, or lurking around your property isn’t an uncommon occurrence. During the summer you’ll often find snakes out and about in your yard, but in the colder winter months, snakes may prefer taking shelter inside your home.

Whether you’re dealing with rattlesnakes or black racers, if you’ve noticed snake activity at your home or business, inside or out, then try these expert-recommended tips for getting them off your Dallas property.

Ways to Get Rid of Snakes 

The following methods can help prevent and discourage snakes from living on your property.

• Clean up to deter snakes. If your house is an uncomfortable place for a snake to live, they won’t want to stay there long. Be sure to keep your lawn manicured and hedges trimmed to prevent hiding spots in the yard. Snakes can also sneak into your home through cracks, holes, or gaps in the foundation and walls, so double check to make sure there are no exposures they can access.
• Get rid of their food sources. When snakes set up camp in your yard or in your home, they are probably hanging around because there is a food source nearby. Check the area for signs of small prey, like rats and mice, that snakes might like to snack on.
• Try using snake traps. At home snake removal isn’t easy—even with a trap. While snake trapping can be effective, you run the risk of accidentally luring in the wrong critters. If you do manage to capture a snake in your trap, take great care during the removal process as many snakes in Dallas are venomous.
• Contact snake removal professionals. The fastest, safest, and most effective way to get rid of nuisance snakes, both venomous and non-venomous, is to call local wildlife removal experts who are experienced and equipped to handle invasive snakes.

Rely on Your Local Snake Removal Experts

If you encounter a snake on your Dallas/Ft. Worth property, keep a safe distance and call the wildlife removal experts at Critter Control® of Dallas. Our licensed and trained wildlife professionals use eco-friendly and humane methods of removal when it comes to getting rid of unwanted critters inside your home or workplace.

If you are dealing with a snake infestation, give us a call at 817-222-1101 to schedule an inspection and receive a free snake removal estimate.

When it comes to pest infestations in the Dallas area, rodents are one of the most common culprits. If you suspect there are mice or rats in your Dallas home, then here are five common signs of a mouse or rat infestation to help you identify the pests and take the appropriate actions to eliminate the invasive critters.

Common Signs of a Mouse or Rat Infestation

1. Droppings

   When inspecting your home, the amount of droppings you find will give you a rough estimate of how small or large your rodent infestation has become. Where the droppings are will also tell you where to lay traps or bait. If the droppings are small and pointed on both ends, then you are dealing with a mouse infestation. However, if the droppings are a half inch or larger, then it is a rat infestation.

2. Gnawed materials

   Rats and mice must gnaw to keep their teeth in check; this means chewing through wires, cables, plastic piping, cardboard, drywall, and wooden support beams to dull their teeth. If you discover such costly and annoying damages, then you likely have a rodent infestation. However, the size of their gnawed holes will indicate whether you are dealing with rats or mice. For instance, if the gnawed holes are about the size of a dime and clear cut, you have a mouse infestation. If the gnawed holes are about the size of a quarter with torn edges, you have a rat infestation.

3. Nests

   Rat and mouse nests differ in location and material. If you find a nest that is made up of shredded paper, string, and other flexible materials, it is likely due to a mouse infestation. If the nest is in the attic insulation or outside burrowed in deep vegetation, it is likely a rat infestation.

4. Scampering noises

   Rodents are nocturnal. Therefore, if you hear scratching noises at night you may be in the midst of a rodent infestation. When you get up to inspect, look out for the physical characteristics of the rodents to determine which critter is infesting your property as rats and mice differ in size and appearance. Mice are six to seven inches long, have large ears, tiny black eyes, and black, grey or brown fur. Meanwhile, rats are 11 to 19 inches long, have coarse red, brown, grey or black fur, and a long scaly tail.

5. Your pet is behaving strangely

   Pets are always on red alert to protect their home. If they are acting skittish, bark for no apparent reason, or start to paw at small spaces under the refrigerator, stove, or furniture, then you should take it as evidence of an infestation and call a rodent removal expert to determine the species you are dealing with and swiftly remove them.

Expert Dallas Mouse and Rat Infestation Removal

At Critter Control® of Dallas, we pride ourselves in using eco-friendly and humane methods of removal when it comes to unwanted critters inside your home or workplace. If you are dealing with a rodent infestation, rely on our licensed and trained mice and rat removal experts to help with all of your wildlife control and prevention needs. Give us a call today at 817-222-1101 to schedule an inspection and receive a free estimate.