DIY Methods to Investigate and Address Wildlife Noises in Your Walls

If you frequently hear things going bump in the night, then there’s a strong likelihood you have a wild pest in your home. Nuisance wildlife, including rodents, raccoons, bats and opossums, often nest inside the attics and walls of residential properties in search of warm shelter and easy access to food and water. Their presence can be alarming, especially at night when they are most active. Here is a list of common invasive critters that make noises in walls, and some ways you can investigate them to determine your best method of wildlife removal.

Investigating Wildlife Noises in Your Walls

While there are several species of wildlife that could be making noises inside your walls, the most common nuisance pests in the Greater Pittsburgh area include:

• Squirrels: Squirrels prefer nesting in higher spaces like trees, chimney and attics. The rodents will often nest and stash food away in between the walls of homes. If you notice high-pitched squeaking or chittering noises in between the months of March and October, then there’s likely a nest with newborn squirrels in your walls.
  
  
• Rodents: More active at nighttime, mice and rats will squeak and scurry away if you knock on a wall after hearing them. You’ll also be able to tell that the pests making noise are rodents if you notice small, rice-shaped droppings along floors or chewed openings in your drywall, molding or cupboards. Rats are agile and able to climb through pipes, which results in loud clanging noises.
  
  
• Raccoons: Due to their large size, raccoons aren’t particularly stealthy and may get stuck inside interior walls. The nocturnal critters are known to make loud scratching, clawing and chewing noises as they migrate around homes at night. They can also make a lot of noise outside as they ransack garbage cans in search of their next meal.
  
  
• Bats: Bats are most active at dawn and dusk, when they leave and return from their hunt. Bats often roost upside down in attics and rafters, but can also get inside walls. The mammals make distinct high-pitched squeaks to communicate. You’ll be able to see bats leaving your home if you’re outside at sundown.
  
  
• Opossums: Opossums make a variety of noises at night, including shrieks, hisses, clicks and scratching. However, if you approach an opossum they will go silent, freeze in place and play dead. If their sound isn’t a giveaway to their presence, then look for their droppings. Opossum droppings produce a strong odor, and they’ll stain your insulation and drywall if left unchecked.

Rely on Greater Pittsburgh’s Wildlife Removal Professionals

While at-home wildlife removal may be tempting, it is best to leave pest control to licensed professionals who possess the proper tools and training. Most nuisance pests are harmless, but they can bite or scratch when threatened. To ensure a safe and efficient removal process, contact the experts at Critter Control® of Pittsburgh when dealing with loud nuisance wildlife on your Greater Pittsburgh property.

Our team of experienced wildlife removal technicians at Critter Control® of Pittsburgh will safely and quickly remove nuisance pests from your property and keep them from returning. To schedule your inspection and receive a free estimate, call Critter Control® of Pittsburgh today at 412-767-4067.