Category: wildlife removal

Nothing is worse than an unexpected house guest, be it the in-laws, solicitors, or worse, nuisance wildlife. Even the newest houses on the market are vulnerable to visits from hungry pests. The only surefire way to prevent wildlife infestations on your property is to take the following necessary precautions to make sure the great outdoors stays outdoors.

How to Prevent Wildlife Infestations

1. Maintain a clean property.

Animals are constantly on the lookout for food. Any piece of trash in your yard could be seen as a gourmet meal for hungry critters. In order to prevent wildlife infestations from taking over your property, always make sure to keep your exterior free of any potential food sources.

Some of the most common residential areas that attract wildlife include garbage cans, gardens, grills, bird feeders, and pet food bowls. To keep animals out, be sure to clean and remove any of these food sources as well as any debris that wildlife can nest in. Also trim back overgrown vegetation, and purchase trash cans with secure, lockable lids or coverings.

2. Keep up routine repairs.

Some of the easiest ways for animals to find their way onto your property are through sections of your house that have fallen into disrepair. Animals such as rodents and raccoons are more flexible than many people suspect, with some rodents being able to fit through holes as small as a quarter, and bugs through even smaller gaps. Such pests can instinctively find their way through small imperfections that form in your home over time. To prevent wildlife infestations from forming, make sure you’re maintaining key infiltration spots by:

• Repairing any holes in the house’s foundation.
• Filling weeping holes in brick structures with metal screening.
• Using caulk to block any remaining holes and cracks.
• Conducting routine inspections on any repairs made to keep the critters at bay.

3. Install additional protections.

Most houses have a few natural entryways like vents, gutters, and chimneys that can’t be blocked. These areas of exposure can allow wildlife infestations to develop. If wild animals are using these entry points into your property, the best approach is to buy specialized guards and coverings that obstruct the entryway while maintaining its standard use.

4. Contact wildlife infestation removal experts.

No matter how carefully a homeowner prepares their home, wild animals can still find their way inside. To prevent the costly damage and widespread contamination of a wildlife infestation, you should enlist the services of trained and certified wildlife removal professionals, like the experts at Critter Control® of Pittsburgh.

Rely on Professional Services to End Your Wildlife Infestations

At Critter Control® of Pittsburgh, our team specializes in the quick and humane removal of unwanted pests and keeps them gone for good through the use of safe, non-toxic, and permanent methods.

To schedule your inspection and receive a free estimate for our fast and efficient wildlife infestation removal services, call Critter Control® of Pittsburgh today at 412-767-4067.

Well cultivated gardens are gateways to nature straight from your backdoor. However, what happens when that nature comes knocking? Unexpected visits from local critters can jeopardize the safety of both your garden and your family. Here are some wildlife prevention pro-tips to keep wild animals at bay.

Wildlife Prevention Tips for Your Home and Garden

• Create barriers to keep wildlife out.

The simplest way to keep critters from snacking on your garden produce is to keep them from reaching it in the first place. Creating a safe and secure barrier around your garden is a key step in wildlife prevention and may be the best long-term option for keeping animals out.

For many, this means a fence. While above-ground height requirements will vary depending on what animals you’re looking to keep out of your garden, the fence should also extend at least a foot deep into the ground to prevent unwanted critters from burrowing underneath.

If a fence is not an option for you, raised beds are a reliable option for wildlife prevention, especially at rental properties or for smaller gardens. A raised garden provides self-contained protection for plants without disrupting the surrounding environment and can either be built from scratch or purchased at local retailers.

• Scare wildlife away.

Wildlife prevention is only needed to keep out critters that want to get in. Plenty of simple features can be added to your garden to spook animals away, such as:

• Garden ornaments
  • Faux predator decoys
  • Scarecrows
  • Motion activated lights or sprinklers
  • Strong smelling herbs
  • Reflective plates

Of course, if a critter is clever enough to get past your fence, it may learn to avoid your deterrents. To prevent this, it’s best to cycle through different methods of scaring off wildlife and moving their positions around your garden to keep the animals on their toes.

• Use natural wild animal repellents.

Natural animal repellents are a safe and humane form of wildlife prevention. The key to using them effectively is to understand what animal you’re trying to repel, as not all repellents work for every critter. For instance, certain animals can be turned away by purely organic means, such as scattering coffee grounds around your garden to keep rodents away or putting pepper flakes on the leaves of your plants to ward off raccoons. All it takes is a little research.

Be sure to consistently reapply any repellents, especially after severe weather, and avoid chemical pesticides as they can damage your crop and be harmful to pets and children if accidentally ingested.

While walls, decoys, and repellents may reduce your odds of a wildlife infestation, the best and most effective wildlife prevention strategy is to enlist the services of a wildlife removal professional.

Tried the Rest? Hire the Best at Wildlife Prevention

If you find invasive wildlife on your property, contact the wildlife prevention experts at Critter Control® of Pittsburgh. Our licensed and trained technicians use humane, non-toxic, and eco-friendly methods to remove nuisance wildlife and keep them from coming back.

To schedule your inspection and receive a free estimate for our fast and efficient wildlife prevention and removal services, call Critter Control® of Pittsburgh today at 412-767-4067.

Animal infestations are one of the leading causes of property damage in the United States. From cracked foundation to shredded insulation, it’s clear that nuisance wildlife infestations can create significant problems for homeowners. Luckily, there are a few wildlife prevention tips you can try to keep your property safe.

Wildlife Prevention Tips for a Pest-Free Property

1. Keep Your Property Clean.

The most common reason animals enter a property is to scavenge for food. Humans are messy creatures that, accidentally or not, will often leave food sources out that can attract hungry critters. The easiest vector for wildlife prevention is to keep an eye out for any non-secured food sources around your home, such as:

• Pet food left outside
• Uncovered trashcans
• Water sources like bird baths, ponds, and pools
• Budding gardens
• Uncleaned grills
• Fallen or rotting fruit and vegetables

2. Build Barriers.

For keeping bigger critters off your property, fences are the way to go. However, it’s important to know what type of wildlife you’re dealing with before installing a costly enclosure. Burrowing animals need fences built at least a foot into the ground to prevent them from digging under, whereas larger mammals require taller fences they’ll be unable to jump over.

Vents often go neglected in conversations about wildlife prevention as many homeowners forget their home even has them. Any opening in a house, from the chimney to the gutters, can be an access point for invasive wildlife. They should each be secured with mesh grates or netting that will prevent animals from getting inside while allowing their functions to continue unimpeded.

3. Deter Animals from Your Property.

One of the oldest wildlife prevention tips is to not feed any wild animals that approach your home. However, there are a few devices you can install around your property to keep nuisance critters from sniffing around your home in the first place.

Bright lights, be they motion-activated or manually triggered, can frighten wildlife away from your property before they have the chance to do any damage. Overwhelming scents are also a natural damper to any animal’s appetite. Specifically, peppermint oil and garlic can be used to ward off any curious critters that come to your yard.

4. Hire Wildlife Prevention Experts

Not everyone is an animal expert and each infestation is different. Effective wildlife prevention is a complicated process that requires knowledge of the local ecosystem, specialized removal strategies and safety gear, and licensed wildlife removal training and certification.

Trust Your Local Wildlife Prevention Experts

The experienced wildlife prevention and removal technicians at Critter Control® of Pittsburgh can quickly and safely remove nuisance pests and other invasive wildlife from your Pennsylvania property and keep them from returning.

To schedule your inspection and receive a free estimate for our fast and efficient wildlife prevention and removal services, call Critter Control® of Pittsburgh today at 412-767-4067.

When encountering wildlife intrusions on your Pittsburgh property, you may think you can take care of it yourself. However, wild animals are unpredictable and dangerous, especially when cornered or threatened. Instead of relying on DIY wildlife removal methods, here is why you should call a professional to handle a wildlife intrusion in your home or business.

When to Call About Wildlife Intrusions

It is important to call a wildlife removal professional as soon as you notice unwanted wildlife inside your property. Invasive pests like rats, bats, squirrels, and raccoons love to nest and breed in attics, basements, or even within walls because of the dark concealment and easy food and water access each location provides. Even if intrusive animals are discovered in a surrounding area, like a shed or crawlspace, it’s important to call wildlife professionals.

Ultimately, you don’t know how long a critter has been living on your property. To minimize the risks to your health and your home’s infrastructure, it’s important to stop a wildlife infestation quickly before the pests have a chance to spread their contamination. The sooner you call an animal removal expert, the sooner the problem can be dealt with.

The Advantages of Professional Wildlife Removal Methods

Attempting DIY or at-home methods to deal with your wildlife intrusions may seem helpful, but they often only worsen the problem. Many methods are inhumane or involve dangerous chemicals that put you, your loved ones, and the animal at risk.

Instead of handling it yourself, rely on the professional team at Critter Control® of Pittsburgh to handle any wildlife intrusions on your Greater Pittsburgh area property. Our licensed and trained team of experts have access to safe and eco-friendly methods that ensure the animal is removed efficiently and permanently. Our four-step process includes:

1. Inspection –Our experts begin by carefully examining your property’s interior and exterior to determine the size and extent of the wildlife intrusion.
2. Removal –Using non-toxic and humane practices, the invasive pests are completely removed.
3. Restoration –Any property damages caused by the infestation are repaired and restored to their original condition.
4. Exclusion –Entry points are permanently sealed to prevent any wildlife from returning.

Pittsburgh’s Wildlife Intrusion Removal Experts

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

Discovering nuisance wildlife on your Pittsburgh property can cause you a world of problems. Not only are invasive pests annoying, but they can pose health and safety risks to you, your loved ones, and your property. If you’re dealing with a wildlife problem, you may be tempted to take care of it yourself. However, many store-bought removal methods, such as traps and poisonous sprays, are inhumane and often cause more harm than good. Here’s why humane wildlife removal is important and should be left to the pros.

Why Choose Humane Wildlife Removal?

The biggest benefit to humane wildlife removal is the animal isn’t harmed in the process. While they can be a nuisance, most wildlife are simply looking for a safe place to rest. When they realize people are on the property, they’ll often feel threatened or scared and retreat deep into the walls where they become trapped. This is when an animal is most at risk to you and itself. Applying inhumane DIY removal methods will only stress the animal out more, causing the spread of more noise and contamination.

Humane wildlife removal makes sure the animal is carefully located and safely removed from your property without causing it any pain. The entire process is much faster and less stressful for everyone involved. Humane wildlife removal is also just as permanent as other, more fatal, methods. Humane methods of animal removal relocate the critter and prevent it from returning while also protecting the ecosystem. This process is a net benefit for both property owners and their local wildlife.

The Benefits of Hiring Humane Wildlife Removal Experts

If you’re dealing with nuisance animals on your Pittsburgh property, you’ll want pest control experts specializing in humane wildlife removal to handle the job. Fortunately, Critter Control® of Pittsburgh is here to help. Our four-step CritterSafe® method includes:

1. Inspection – Our team of professionals will conduct a thorough walkthrough to determine the infestation’s size and extent.
2. Removal –Using safe and eco-friendly methods, all unwanted wildlife is humanely removed.
3. Restoration –Any property damage caused by the animal is cleaned, repaired, and restored.
4. Exclusion –Entry points are sealed to prevent further infestations.

Greater Pittsburgh’s Humane Wildlife Removal Professionals

The experienced wildlife removal technicians at Critter Control® of Pittsburgh will quickly and safely remove invasive wildlife from your property and keep them from returning. To schedule your inspection and receive a free estimate for our efficient and humane wildlife removal services, call Critter Control® of Pittsburgh today at 412-767-4067.

Nuisance wildlife should never be a welcome sight on your Pittsburgh property. Invasive pests can cause significant damage to your home or business in a small amount of time and pose a health risk to you and your family. While it’s important to solve the issue quickly, attempting wildlife removal on your own may result in legal issues that could be worse than any infestation. Here’s what you need to know about the legal aspects of wildlife removal.

What to Know About Legal Wildlife Removal

Wildlife removal is a complex process that is often regulated depending on where you live and the invasive species you are dealing with. Some important things to keep in mind regarding wildlife removal include:

• Permits: Some species of animals, such as bats and birds, are considered protected species that require a license for removal.
• State laws: Pennsylvania law removes protections for animals that are sick, pose a risk to people, or cause damage. However, there are still strict laws regarding wildlife removal and release.
• Release regulations: Even if you trap the animal yourself, there will still be regulations on how and where you release it. It is also illegal to release animals on government property, so your options are limited.

The Legal Ramifications of DIY Wildlife Removal

While DIY removal is possible, it is not worth the hassle. For one, many DIY wildlife removal methods involve ineffective, inhumane, and unsafe practices that often harm the animal and can expose you to potentially dangerous diseases or animal attack.

Furthermore, there are many legalities to sort through if the wildlife on your property is a legally protected animal. Removal of an endangered species will require the experienced expertise of a team of wildlife removal professionals that have the necessary permits and methods to remove the critter legally. If you remove or harm a protected animal, you can face steep fines, penalties, or even the possibility of  jail time, depending on the critter and the severity of your offense.

Ultimately, attempting DIY wildlife removal could end up causing more problems than you’re solving. That’s why if you have a nuisance animal on your Pittsburgh property, you should call the wildlife experts at Critter Control® of Pittsburgh.

Professional Wildlife Removal Services in Pittsburgh

At Critter Control® of Pittsburgh, we use a tried and tested CritterSafe® method that is safe, effective and affordable. Our four-step process includes a thorough inspection, humane removal, property restoration, and exclusion techniques to permanently keep unwanted wildlife off your property. Our methods are efficient and follow all Pennsylvania wildlife removal laws.

To schedule your inspection and receive a free estimate for our fast, safe, and legal wildlife removal services, call Critter Control® of Pittsburgh today at 412-767-4067.

A mysterious, rotten odor in your home can put a real stink in your day, especially if the sudden foul smell reeks of a dead  animal decaying somewhere inside the walls of your Greater Pittsburgh area home. Fortunately, there are several natural dead animal odor eliminators that are fit to combat the funk infesting your home.

Dead Animal Odor Eliminator Items in Your Pantry

A perfect place to start looking for dead animal odor eliminators is the kitchen. You likely already have the following are natural odor absorbing and eliminating items in your pantry:

• Vinegar – Vinegar can be an effective solution to absorbing odors. Add a squeeze of lemon juice or some essential oils to a bowl of vinegar, and let it sit in the smelliest area of your home overnight to help clear the smell right out.

• Baking Soda – Pouring baking soda onto the floors of rooms where the smell is present and vacuuming after a few hours can also be an effective tool to clear your nostrils. Pour just enough to rid the smell, which may involve doing this multiple times.

• Coffee Grounds – You may also try pouring coffee grounds into a bowl and leave it in the foul-smelling room until the odor has vanished.

Getting rid of dead animal odors can be extremely difficult and dangerous if you lack the proper tools and safety equipment. To prevent the spread of potential diseases and contamination due to toxic bacteria, contact dead wildlife removal professionals to safely and effectively deal with your issue.

Professional Dead Animal Odor Eliminator

The wildlife control specialists at Critter Control® of Pittsburgh are more effective than any DIY dead animal odor eliminator methods you can find on the internet. Not only will we locate the source of the dead animal odor and remove any lingering infestations in your home, but we will also use special deodorizers, neutralizers, and air purifiers to permanently clear your home of dead pest odors.

To schedule an inspection and receive a free estimate for our dead animal odor eliminator services, call Critter Control of Pittsburgh today at 412-767-4067.

With Pittsburgh’s growing population and subsequent expansion, there has been an increase in reported wildlife encounters and infestations on residential and commercial properties. If you are dealing with unwanted critters in your Greater Pittsburgh home or business, the best way to effectively remove nuisance pests from your property is to rely on professional wildlife removal services.

Why You Should Hire a Wildlife Removal Service

Hiring a wildlife removal service takes away the risk of you engaging with an unpredictable and likely dangerous animal on your own. With laws regulating the removal of certain protected wild animals like bats and birds, hiring a trained and experienced wildlife removal service technician will not only allow you to avoid the health risks associated with handling a wild animal but also the legal ramifications of taking matters into your own hands. However, the wildlife removal service treatment plan you can expect will depend on the type of critter you want removed from your property.

7 Common Invasive Critters Found in Pittsburgh

The Greater Pittsburgh area is home to an abundance of different wild animals. However, the following are the most common nuisance critters that Pittsburgh residents encounter:

1. Bats
2. Birds
3. Groundhogs
4. Mice
5. Raccoons
6. Rats
7. Squirrels

If you come across one of these wild animals, contact Critter Control® of Pittsburgh for our safe and eco-friendly wildlife removal services. Our experienced technicians have affordable and effective solutions to remove unwelcome pests from your Greater Pittsburgh property.

Our Four-Step CritterSafe® Wildlife Removal Services

DIY animal removal is a time-consuming, expensive, and potentially dangerous process for any inexperienced homeowner. Luckily, the wildlife removal experts at Critter Control® of Pittsburgh have the tools and knowledge to quickly resolve an invasive pest infestation on your commercial or residential property. We use a humane CritterSafe® method that is effective at keeping nuisance critters away. Our wildlife removal service includes the following four steps:

1. Inspection – First, our wildlife technician carefully examines your property to determine the severity of the infestation.
2. Removal – Next, we remove the unwanted critter using safe and eco-friendly methods.
3. Prevention – Then, the technician will seal all entry points around your Pittsburgh property to ensure the pests permanently stay away.
4. Restoration – Our last step is to clean and repair any damage caused by the wild animal.

Pittsburgh’s Reliable Wildlife Removal Service Providers

If you’re looking for the right wildlife removal service for your pest or animal infestation, trust the professionals at Critter Control® of Pittsburgh. We have decades of experience removing wild animals with methods that strictly follow Pennsylvania animal removal laws.

To schedule your inspection and receive a free estimate for our humane and efficient Pittsburgh wildlife removal services, call Critter Control® of Pittsburgh today at 412-767-4067.