Rats living in the attic and walls can go unnoticed for years. Unlike mice which frequently enter the kitchen and pantry to find food, rats prefer to live in the structure of the home and go outside for food and water. A rat infestation can cause severe property damage and expose you and your loved ones to dangerous diseases. Here's how to tell if you might have a rat problem.
How Do You Know If Rats Are in Your House?
Look out for the following seven signs that can indicate the presence of rats in your home. If you're aware of an infestation, you can get rid of these unwanted guests quickly.
1. Rodent Droppings
One of the prominent signs of an infestation is rat droppings. You'll likely find droppings in hidden areas like the attic, crawlspace, or garage. Finding droppings in cupboards and drawers, under sinks and near food packages is likely mice or a sign of a severe rat infestation. There are...
Despite their name, ringtail cats aren't related to cats at all. Their scientific name, Bassaricus astuts, means “cunning little fox.” These agile, nocturnal omnivores are members of the raccoon family and are most often heard rather than seen. Although they have adorably cute features, there are several compelling reasons why ringtails and humans should never share space.
Are Ringtail Cats Dangerous to Humans?
Ringtail cats are not dangerous to humans when they live in their natural habitat, which includes rocky outcrops, canyons, caves or hollow trees. Although they are endemic to the southern regions of North America, many people have never seen a living ringtail.
Since ringtail cats are opportunistic feeders, they may become a dangerous nuisance if they find a ready food source or shelter around humans. Although they actively avoid human contact, their feces can spread harmful diseases, parasites and bacteria. In addition, they can be noisy and messy and, like their raccoon relatives, will actively dig through trash to seek...
Birds are common pests throughout the United States and often cause damage by building nests and leaving droppings in your home or attic. All native bird species are federally protected. It is essential to properly identify the bird species before you determine how best to handle the situation. Non-native and invasive bird species, do not share the same protected status as their native counterparts, however, they should still be treated appropriately.
Birds can also carry fleas, lice, and mites on their wings, which can spread if they make their way into your home or business. Once they are on your property, they become difficult to get rid of on your own, which is why you should employ the help of wildlife removal experts at Urban Jungle Wildlife Removal.
Call Us at (833) 732-0439
Factors Influencing Professional Bird Removal Costs
There are various effective methods of getting rid of birds with varying costs. When creating an estimate, we consider factors such as the species, the...
The very best rat control methods involve thinking like a rat — in other words, do everything possible to make your home environment inhospitable for the critters.
10 Rat Prevention Tips
By the time you hear scuttling noises at night or find droppings, rats are already present on your property. It's far better to prevent uninvited rodents by remaining vigilant and using a few simple rat prevention tactics before they move in.
Like all animals, rats require food, water, and shelter to survive. In addition to preventing them from entering your home, your rat prevention strategy should focus on depriving rats of these three essential requirements. The following 10 practical rat prevention methods can help:
Keep your yard clutter-free: Rats love garbage, clutter, or even stored building materials.
Use compost bins with secure covers: You should also keep your covered composting operation away from the house.
Keep your outside garbage in bins with tight-fitting lids: Rats can fit through tiny gaps, so get...
Texas abounds with different venomous and non-venomous snakes, some more prevalent near human habitats than others.
Learn why they enter our properties and how wildlife removal experts remove them.
Why Do Snakes Enter Human Habitats?
When snakes enter human habitats, it's usually because their natural habitat is threatened or diminishing due to human activity. They find their way onto residential and commercial properties, seeking warmth, shelter, and food. Properties with rodent infestations (or other food sources such as lizards, frogs, insects, etc) are more prone to attracting snakes into crawl spaces, attics, and other areas. Permanent water sources around the home will also attract a variety of animals including snakes.
Understanding Snake Habits
Snake activity is influenced by food availability, weather conditions, and reproductive cycles. Snakes emerge from hiding in spring after winter brumation, which is similar to hibernation. Their activity peaks in summer, when they are often seen basking, mating, and hunting. You'll spot snakes less frequently during winter. However, if the temperature increases...
Bats carry many diseases and pose serious health risks when living in close proximity to humans. Preventing bats from entering buildings is crucial for humans and bat safety.
What Will Keep Bats Away?
The main way to keep bats from entering your property is to seal any possible entry points and reinforce the structure. Bats love holes, cracks and crevices in walls and ceilings. They can even tear through old screens. Our fully trained team does site inspections to assess all possible entry points.
We reinforce holes and soffit gaps to prevent bats from returning. Our team's decision sometimes involves replacing the entire soffit line with an alternative material, such as perforated soffit Hardie Board. This will prevent re-entry. These steps are some of the most effective options to protect against bats. For every solution, we will make it look as good as new.
Our trained biologist can continue to watch the property to manage the situation. Urban Jungle offers a one-year warranty on our exclusions...
Are you hearing flapping sounds at night? Is there an odd odor coming from your wall or ceiling? You might have bats living in or around your property. Bats carry various diseases, some of which can pose risks to humans, and while not all bats carry diseases, many have transmitted viruses, bacteria and parasites. Understanding the risks is essential for public health.
What Diseases Can Bats Carry?
The most common disease that is associated with bats is rabies, a fatal viral disease spread through bites and scratches from an infected animal. There are many other diseases that they carry, including:
Histoplasmosis: This fungal disease comes from spores in bat feces and attacks the respiratory system with symptoms similar to pneumonia.
Leptospirosis: This bacterial infection is spread to humans through contaminated urine, and causes fever, severe general malaise, muscular pain, and conjunctival suffusion.
Salmonella: This bacteria is spread through contaminated feces and can cause, fever, diahhrea, nausea, vomiting, and stomach pain.
Do Bats Cause Harm to Humans?
Yes, human interactions with bats can sometimes lead to health...
If you see bat droppings, called guano, or hear squawks around your home or commercial property, bats might live inside. Urban Jungle Wildlife Removal understands getting rid of bats is no easy task to do on your own, so we offer expert wildlife trapping and removal services. We know how to safely deal with bats and other species on your property so you can return to normal as soon as possible.
Remove the Bat Manually
If a bat is in your home, close interior doors to keep it in one room. Open an exterior door or window to get the bat to leave on its own. If it doesn't, do not try to catch and remove it. Do not handle the bat with just your hands, and if you're bitten or scratched, seek medical attention.
Because of the health risks bats can pose, it's best to get professional wildlife removal services.
Seal off Entry Points
Identifying and sealing entry points is the first step to removing...
Spotting a bat can be scary, especially if you’ve never faced them before and have pets in your home. There are myths that bats are evil, spooky creatures, but are they dangerous?
Learning about bat behavior and the dangers they can cause can help you prepare to take the right action after you spot them.
Can a Bat Attack a Human?
Healthy bats are not likely to attack you. They tend to avoid people whenever possible. Rabid bats are unpredictable, though, and can bite or scratch. Since you often can't tell just by looking at it whether a bat has rabies, it's best to avoid touching or harassing it. Rabid bats are known to cause the most rabies deaths in the United States.
If you accidentally come into contact with a bat, wash your hands with soap and water and get in touch with your doctor. Then call a professional to trap and remove the bats in your residence. Even if you encounter a dead bat in...
Opossums are known for their instinctive ability to play dead when threatened. This unique reaction is called thanatosis, and it's a natural defense mechanism — it's usually effective in warding off predators when hissing and growling fail.
It's easy to get confused between an opossum that acts dead and one that really is. You shouldn't touch it either way, but here are a few ways to tell what you're dealing with.
What Does an Opossum Playing Dead Look Like?
At a glance, there's no distinction between a dead opossum and one that's experiencing thanatosis. An opossum pretending to be dead will typically lie on its side with its eyes closed. Its breathing will get shallow and may even appear to stop completely.
While opossums don't spray like skunks, opossums smell when they play dead. Sometimes, the opossum will loll its tongue and drool, even excreting waste to exaggerate its catatonic-like state. These signs will usually convince a predator that the opossum is dead, and...
