Increased Hantavirus Contamination Linked to Mouse Droppings
The Hantavirus is an infection that can cause what is known as Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome. HPS is a severe respiratory disease in humans that can be fatal. Individuals are at an increased risk of catching HPS due to encounters with mice. Rodents can carry the Hantavirus and exposure to humans will result in transmission of the disease.
In Canada and the United States, the deer mouse is the carrier of the Sin Nombre virus which is a type of Hantavirus and the top cause of HPS cases. Deer mice carry the virus and shed it via their urine, droppings and salvia. The main way that humans contract the virus is by breathing air that has been contaminated. Airborne transmission occurs when fresh urine, mouse droppings or materials from their nests are stirred up. Droplets containing the virus go into the air and then are breathed in by humans.
There are many ways that a mouse can spread the Hantavirus to humans. If the infected mouse were to bite a human, then the virus would spread via saliva. However, this transmission type is rare. Researchers feel that if humans touch something that is contaminated with mouse droppings, urine or saliva then they will be infected if they then touch their mouth or nose.
Researchers also feel that individuals can catch the virus if they were to eat food that had been contaminated as well. This could happen as mice tend to raid kitchen cabinets. If an individual were to eat something that had touched droppings, urine or saliva, then the infection could occur.
Primary risk for exposure occurs when you find mice in the home. If you notice mice are running around your home, or you see droppings or chew signs of mice, contact the experts. You need to have the mice removed in case they are infected with the Hantavirus. Consider this. Three mice are living in your home and are infected with the Hantavirus. They are living in the walls and attic space, leaving behind urine and droppings. You go to clean the attic and begin sweeping up the mess you find. This can lead to particles in the air that contain the virus and you are instantly infected.
To avoid catching the Hantavirus which leads to HPS in humans, be sure to have an expert team come to your home and evaluate your mouse problem. Once the issue has been discovered, a plan can be created to remove the mice and help you reclaim your home. Wildlife technicians will be able to suggest options for cleaning up after the mice have been removed to avoid any contamination of the virus so you and your family remain healthy and safe.
To learn more about the Hantavirus and mice removal, contact Skedaddle Humane Wildlife Control. With years of experience in animal removal, Skedaddle will be able to assist you with any mouse problem, no matter how big or small. Schedule an appointment to have your home evaluated or to find out the common signs of a mouse infestation in the home.
8 Ways to Remove Skunks Naturally
Skunks are one of the most feared creatures not due to their meanness but their stink. Everyone knows that when you see a skunk, you run the opposite direction! Skunks will spray anyone who they feel is a threat and you could be left smelly for days. In the wild, this is easy. But when a skunk begins to invade your property, you can’t get away. You must make a stand. Skunk removal in Ottawa can be easy if you know what to do. Below are eight ways to remove skunks naturally, so the creature can continue to enjoy life and you avoid being stinky!
Grub Control
Skunks like to eat grubs so if this insect is commonly seen on your property, then skunks may come calling. Take time to treat your yard with a grub control product to cut down on the food source that may bring skunks to your home.
Install Fencing
Skunks will easily be deterred by fencing and will move on to other areas if they cannot access your vegetable gardens or landscaping. It is important to fence in any garden areas to avoid such creatures as skunks as well as other pest issues when it comes to eating your plantings. Be sure to place a portion of the fencing underground so that the skunk is not able to dig under the fence to access your garden areas.
Handle Garbage with Care
Skunks are like raccoons and will forage for food, especially when bags of garbage are left unsecure. Be sure that garbage bags are placed in secure cans and never put your garbage at the curb the night before pickup, wait until morning. When skunks can easily access your garbage, they will return time and time again to eat, which puts you and your pets at risk of being of being sprayed.
Clean up Fruit Trees
If you have fruit trees on your property, be sure to rake up dropped fruit. Any fruit on the ground is like a calling card for skunks. The creature will come calling and enjoy the rotted fruit, possibly even taking up residency on your property under your porch or other areas.
Add Chili
Chili peppers a good deterrent for skunks and can be used to naturally send the creatures packing. Chili can be applied on surfaces or areas that you believe the skunks are using for a den space. This form of skunk removal in Ottawa is harmless and will help to keep skunks away. The trouble is is that it must constantly be reapplied and should not be used during the birthing season as it could cause mother skunks to abandon their babies.
Bright Lights
Lighting can also do the trick to get skunks to stay away. Add bright lights around your home that are motion activated to make your yard less attractive for skunks.
Sealing Off Hiding Places
Many times, skunks will move into areas that are hidden such as crawlspaces or underneath porches. Once you have noticed the skunk, watch its behaviour. When the skunk leaves the den, use grating or other material to shut off the entry point so the skunk will have to find a new home. Be mindful that there could be more than one skunk in the den site or a litter of babies. If in doubt, call a professional.
Catching Skunks Live
Catching a skunk can be tricky. Traps are created to catch the skunk but you want to avoid being sprayed in the process. It is best to work with professionals such as Skedaddle Humane Wildlife Control to deal with skunks living around your home. The wildlife experts at Skedaddle can quickly remove skunk from your home and help you learn how to keep skunks from coming back.
3 Must-Learn Hacks to Clean Pigeon Droppings
Pigeons are a pesky bird that tends to leave droppings any and everywhere. Pigeon droppings are stinky as well as messy and should be cleaned as quickly as possible. However, many home owners have no idea where to begin when it comes to cleaning bird droppings from the exterior or even the interior of the home. Learning the cleaning hacks for droppings will help you to clean your home easily without having to smell pigeon poop while enjoying your home.
Pigeon feces will accrue where the birds roost. This is usually rooflines, stairways and other exterior areas of the home. When the feces are exposed to rain the poo can wash away but without rain, the poo can harden and be difficult to clean. If pigeons gain access to the inside of your home, such as the attic or duct work, then the poo will stink up your home as well as be difficult to clean. Learn the tips and tricks below to see how to clean the pigeon poo from the home in the easiest way possible.
Outdoor Pigeon Droppings
Droppings located outside of the home are the easiest to clean. You can use a power washer to simply push the poo away from sidewalks, rooflines, garages and more with the push of a button. A high powered unit will remove the pigeon poo easily so the outside of your home will be nice and clean.
Interior Pigeon Droppings
Bird droppings from pigeons that are located inside the home are harder to clean as different methods must be used. A filtered vacuum will need to be used to remove any loose droppings and a HEPA filter mask will need to be used to ensure your safety. You should never inhale the spores or dust from pigeon droppings. Wearing a mask is essential to avoiding this issue, which can lead to health problems.
Let’s say your attic space has been affected by pigeon feces. You will need to remove any loose items with the vacuum and then use a microbial or enzyme based cleaner to remove the remainder of the feces as well as any urine or bacteria that may exist. Products that have been known to work for poo in the attic include BioSheild and Bac-Azap.
Bird droppings from pigeons need to be removed from the home as quickly as possible. Such droppings can produce diseases in humans including Histoplasmosis and Psittacosis. Histoplasmosis is a fungus that is created from Histoplasma Capsulatum which can grow in pigeon droppings. Psittacosis is an infection that is created by bacteria found in pigeon droppings. Avoid being affected by such diseases by effectively cleaning the home after an infestation.
When you need help removing pigeons from the home and expert advice for cleaning pigeon droppings, contact Skedaddle Humane Wildlife Control. The experts have vast experience in removing pigeons as well as other birds and animals from the home. Have your home inspected for an infestation and any birds removed as quickly as possible, so you can reclaim your home once again from the pesky birds.
6 Keys to Successfully Control Mice and Rats
There are many pests that can enter the home as unwanted guests, with the most common being mice and rats. These small creatures like to enter the home and make it their own, creating nests, eating your food and wreaking havoc. As a home owner, it is important to learn effective ways to control mice and rats, starting with prevention as well as removal actions. Below are six keys to successfully controlling mice and rats before and after they enter the home.
Preventative Methods
To begin, you want to take preventative action in regards to mice and rats in the home. Do not leave food out on the counter in open containers or leftover food from meals in the home. Ensure areas of the home are sealed with no areas where mice or rats can get inside the home such as window frames, doorways, venting, soffits, etc.
Investigation
If you feel that mice or rats are in your home, do a little investigating. Check the cabinets to see if any food packages have been chewed through. Check for mouse droppings in dark places such as in the back of cabinets or near indoor garbage cans. Look in the attic and basement areas to see if any nesting has occurred. Listen during the night time hours for noises such as mice running in the attic or in the wall space.
Home Inspection
Once you feel that you have a problem, either having seen signs of rodents or seen the actual creatures, it is time to contact mouse control. Mouse removal Ottawa services will ensure your home is free and clear of mice as well as rats. The home will be inspected fully, with the technician searching for signs of rodents in the home. Once the signs are found, a plan will be put in place for removal.
Removal Process
The removal process will vary based on where the creatures are living as well as the size of your rodent problem. It is best to use mouse control services that are humane and good for both the creature and your home. One-way traps are a great option for capturing the mice or rats in the home. These traps are placed in entry or exit points. The mouse uses the access points and enters the trap, unable to get back out. The traps are then removed and the mice and rats are taken to a remote location far from your home.
Avoidance
Now that the creatures have been removed, it is time to avoid the same problem in the future. Entry and exit points must be blocked off and precautions taken to ensure that such creatures will not enter the home again in the future. A wildlife technician will be able to make suggestions as to what you need to do to keep mice and rats from entering your home again.
Cleanup
The area affected by the mice and rats will also need to be dealt with. Clean up any signs of feces and urine. Replace any chewed wood as well as affected insulation or other materials that make up your home.
Contact Skedaddle Humane Wildlife Control today to learn more about rodent removal service options.
What Makes Squirrel Removal Challenging?
One of the most common pests that enter the home are squirrels. Home owners often find themselves having to come up with ways to get rid of squirrels in the home. Squirrels are high energy creatures who are hard to catch and can wreak havoc in the home. But what makes squirrel removal so challenging? Read on to see how squirrels act and what to expect when you find them living in your home, especially how challenging it can be during the removal process.
Squirrels in the Attic
Because squirrels live in trees, the most common place to find them in the home is in the attic. The attic space can be easy to reach and will offer nesting opportunities for squirrels to live with their families, even having babies during their stay. When squirrels live in your attic, they will start to chew on wood in the rafters, leave urine and droppings behind, messing up the insulation along the way.
Squirrels need to be removed due to the damage they leave behind as well as the potential for disease. Squirrels also can be noisy, as they scurry around the attic as well as within the walls.
The Challenge
Because squirrels move very fast, it makes them difficult to catch. You will not be able to sneak up on a squirrel and catch it to then relocate it. If you did manage to catch one, you would then be stuck with transporting the squirrel to a new location. The best option is to hire a wildlife removal company. You will be able to work with the experts to come up with a quality plan to remove the squirrels and see your home return to normal.
Most wildlife control companies will use humane methods to keep the squirrels safe as they are being removed from the home. Adult squirrels can be chased out of the attic from where they came while baby squirrels will have to be removed by hand and reunited with their mother.
One-way doors can be installed if access to the den is limited – they allow the squirrels to exit but not re-enter. These traps are set along entry or exit points so the squirrel removal takes less time. The entry point is then secured or repaired to prevent re-entry.
Squirrels are skittish creatures so once they feel threatened, they will run. This is what makes catching the squirrels so difficult. You will find that squirrels never stay still so trying to catch them without set traps will be a big challenge. Squirrels will also bite you so you must be protected when trying to handle them. Overall, it is a smarter decision to allow the experts to handle your squirrel issue for a successful result. You and your family will remain safe while the problem is handled by those with experience.
Skedaddle Humane Wildlife Control offers animal control services for home owners including squirrel removal. When you need to get rid of squirrels, work with the experts of Skedaddle Wildlife to ensure that the pests are removed from the home and you can enjoy your space once more. Learn more about service options or signs that squirrels are living in your home by contacting Skedaddle Wildlife today!
Why Squirrels Love Bird Feeders
Squirrels are cute creatures that live in the wild, often seen in neighborhoods searching for food and living in big tall trees. Squirrels can be fun to watch but most home owners eventually find out that the creatures tend to be quite pesky. A squirrel infestation is not uncommon in homes and severe damage can be done by squirrels who take up residency in a home. Many home owners have found that the problem begins with a presence of food. Squirrels are often fond of bird food so if you have bird feeders in your yard, you may soon find that you are facing a squirrel problem!
Why Do Squirrels Love Bird Feeders?
You may be wondering why squirrels love bird feeders so much and how it can be such a problem. For starters, you will be losing the food you set out for the birds. Many home owners like to watch birds as they enjoy their food so your bird watching days will be over once the squirrels in your neighborhood find out about your feeder. The squirrels will do whatever it takes to be able to reach the food and devour it.
Bird food consists of items that squirrels enjoy and they scavenge for their food. So once they find a plentiful source, they take advantage. You may find that your bird feeder has led to a potential squirrel pest control problem after just one feeding!
What Can You Do?
For starters, you will probably have to remove your bird feeders, at least until the squirrel population dies down. You can purchase unique bird feeders or move your feeders to new places but the squirrels will find them still and take the food as they can. Squirrels can maneuver their bodies in weird ways which allows them to access feeders that are high up, with small openings or other configurations.
Once you have removed the bird feeders, you will need to remove all food sources from the area. Ensure the squirrel has to move on to be able to find food. If you are too late, you may find that the squirrels have nested in your home, taking up residency in your attic space. If this is so, you will need assistance in removing the creatures. Wildlife removal specialists can provide the service options you need for a home free of squirrels.
When wildlife experts arrive at your home, they will provide you with a full evaluation of the home. The area in which the squirrels are living as well as where they are coming in and out of will be examined. They will then humanely remove the squirrels and then repair or secure the entry point to stop them from coming back.
To schedule squirrel removal services or to find out more about a squirrel infestation, contact Skedaddle Humane Wildlife Control. The wildlife experts within Skedaddle are trained and ready to assist you with squirrel problems as well as other creatures of the wild.
Cost of Bat Removal vs Cost of Attic Damage
Bats are not creatures that are considered friendly. Most people think bats are scary and want nothing to do with them. So when they enter the home, it can create panic and stress. Bats often like to gain access to attic spaces and set up a home for themselves and you may have no idea, until you see one flying around in your home! Bats can live in an attic for quite some time until the home owner actually realizes that the creatures are living alongside them, uninvited!
To have bats removed from the home, you will need to consult with a bat removal company. A wildlife control company will have the knowledge and experience to remove the bats from your home as quickly as possible. Not only should the bats be removed but recommendations must be made to clean up after the creatures. The entry points must also be taken care of to ensure that bats are not able to come back inside your home. Experts in bat removal know all about this process and can easily guide you step by step on how the bats will be removed in a humane manner and taken to a new location.
Bats in the house can cause damage in many ways that can cost a pretty penny. If you are waiting for the bats to fly away, you may be waiting for some time. It is best to contact wildlife control and have the problem taken care of quickly with a low cost to you. The longer you wait, the more you will have to spend on repairing attic damage.
Consider this. Bats that have been living in your home are urinating and dropping feces all along the insulation and wood beams of your attic. The urine and feces can cause disease and odor problems in the home. The areas affected by such droppings will need to be replaced. This can include wood beams, insulation and more. The experts assisting you with the removal of the bats will be able to provide insight on the steps you need to take to have the bats removed.
Once the area has been repaired and preventative measures put in place, you will be glad that you no longer have to deal with the bat problem. Having experts assist you is a very low cost compared to the hundreds or thousands of dollars you may have to spend on repairs if bats are allowed to remain in the home. Spend less by contacting professional bat removers when you notice the creatures near your home for an assessment. You may find the problem has just started and you are subject to minimal damage. This is the best case scenario. You will have spent very little to take care of what could have been a major problem in the home.
For your bat removal needs, contact Skedaddle Humane Wildlife Control. The wildlife control company is happy to assist you with removing bats from your home as well as providing preventative measures to ensure the problem does not take place in the future.
How Not to Remove Bats in Your Home
Bats in the home are never a good thing. When you find a bat in your home, there are most likely more bats living in the attic or walls. Bats can enter the home through the tiniest of spaces and lead to damage and odor from urine and feces. It is best to have bats removed as soon as you realize that you have a problem. Animal control Kitchener experts can assist you with this issue. It is recommended that you do not try bat removal techniques on your own as you can be hurt in the process.
Any bat removal expert will tell you that do it yourself removal is not recommended. It takes knowledge and experience to know how to remove bats from the home. Your efforts may only lead to more issues such as being scratched or bitten or being subject to diseases that the bat may be afflicted with. Below are a few tips to help you learn what to avoid when dealing with bats in the home.
Avoid Confrontation
It is never a good idea to try to confront a bat, especially in an enclosed space. The bat can easily become agitated and try to defend itself. The bat may try to scratch or even bite you to get you to leave it alone. This is not what you want to see happen. Avoid trying to move the bat with objects such as a broom or even your hands. If the bat is in an enclosed space such as a room or attic, avoid the area and close it off so an expert can handle removal.
Avoid Contamination
Once you have found the area in which the bat is living, avoid contamination. Do not touch any urine soaked areas or feces as it can be infected with disease. Bats carry disease that can affect humans in a negative way. Avoid such diseases by not touching anything that may have been exposed to urine, feces or saliva. Anything that seems to have been contaminated should be avoided.
Overall, it is important to note that you should not be handling a wild bat. The removal process should be left to the experts. A professional will know just what to do given your situation. When you have bats in the home, contacting a wildlife expert will ensure that you and your loved ones are safe. The removal process will be smooth and your home will be free of bats once more.
To learn more about bats in the home and what not to do, contact Skedaddle Humane Wildlife Control. The wildlife experts are more than willing to discuss bats, their habits and how they can enter the home. If you have a bat problem currently, contact Skedaddle to schedule an evaluation and have the bats removed from your property. Rest easy knowing the experts have handled your bat problem and you can enjoy your home in peace once again!
How to Dispose of Dead Raccoons from Your Attic
It is not uncommon for home owners to find creatures living in the home. From mice to bats and even raccoons, wildlife tends to seek shelter in the unoccupied spaces of the home including the attic and crawlspace. Many times, these creatures will be sick or become hurt and end up dying inside your home. You may have no idea that you have a dead raccoon on your hands until you begin to smell something not so pleasant. When you find that a raccoon had passed away in your attic space, you will need to dispose of the creature, but how? Below is a short guide on what to do when you find a dead raccoon in your home.
Removing the Carcass
To get started, you will need to remove the carcass of the animal. This will require gloves, a mask and some form of removal. It may be easiest to use a thick garbage bag and pick up the carcass and place it inside. Once the animal has been removed from the attic, you can then consider your options.
Burial
One option is to bury the animal on your property. This is a timely process and something you may not be interested in doing. If you do decide to bury the body, you will need to dig a hole at least two feet deep to keep any scavenging creatures from digging up the raccoon.
Incineration
Burning of the carcass is another option for removal. If you have access to an incinerator, you can use it to dispose of the animal. Most people do not. You can create a bonfire and burn the body that way but it is not something that many people are comfortable with.
Wildlife Services
There are also wildlife service companies that offer dead animal removal. The company will come to your home, remove the creature from the attic and dispose of the body. This is best way to go about removing the creature from your home. You can leave the removal process to the experts and ensure that space is clear of the animal and the carcass is properly disposed of.
To access such services, simply contact wildlife service companies near you. Inquire as to what type of services they provide when it comes to dead animal removal. Schedule an appointment and have the animal removed from your property.
Because the animal was found in your attic, the wildlife service company should also be able to detect just how the creature was able to gain access to your home. The area will need to be addressed to ensure you do not have a raccoon or a problem with other creatures in the future. Grating can be used to close up any holes or entry points to your attic space to keep creatures out in the future.
To learn more about such service options, contact Skedaddle Humane Wildlife Control today. The company offers a wealth of services when it comes to animal removal, for those that are still alive and well and those that have passed on.
Sounds in Walls and Attic: What Kind of Wildlife do I have in there?
Every homeowner is accustomed to noise in the home. We learn the creaks and pops, sounds that start out as annoyances and become the norm. Because we become used to the noises we hear in the home, it is easy to discern when a noise is not normal. When you begin to hear sounds in the walls and attic of the home, it can be a sign that you have creatures that have taken up residency. Learn what types of wildlife can enter these areas of your home and what to do if the creatures begin to take over!
Squirrels
One of the most common animals to move into the walls and attic space of the home are squirrels. Squirrels can enter the home through areas along the roof line and make a nest in the attic space. They will begin to explore the home in the walls, which can make a scurrying sound in the home. During spring and summer squirrels can have babies in your home which will lead to increased damage if you are not careful. The creature can also start to chew on electrical work, mess up insulation and wood work of the attic space. Animal control is needed to remove such creatures from the home and keep your home from damage.
Raccoons
A larger creature that is known to enter the attic of a home is a raccoon. Raccoons may seem too big to be able to gain entry into small cramped spaces but they can. Roof vents are a common way that raccoons enter the home and begin to create a nest in your attic space. Your attic will be subject to feces and urine which can cause damage as well as damage to insulation in the space. Raccoons also carry disease which can cause health problems in the home. If you feel raccoons have entered your attic, be sure to contact Wildlife Control to have the pests removed. Experts are needed to remove the creatures safely and to come up with a solid plan to restore the affected areas of your home.
Bats
Most home owners do not even think of bats entering the home until they see the creatures flying around outside or actually in the home. Bats are unique creatures that can contort their body and enter the home in the smallest of spaces. You may have no idea that bats are living in your home until you begin to smell feces or see one flying around. Once bats have taken up residency in the attic, you will need to have the creatures removed and the space cleaned and sanitized. With bats, you are at risk for disease from the creature as well as their feces.
Experts in wildlife removal can assist you with removing such creatures as listed above from your home. The experts know just what to do to remove the creature safely as well as restore your home, leaving it free from disease or other issues. When your home becomes subject to creatures living in the attic or wall space, contact Skedaddle Humane Wildlife Control. The experts in animal control can assist you with removal of a number of creature types from the home.
Skeddadle Humane Wildlife Control 