If you hear scurrying in your attic, there’s a good chance you have either a squirrel or a raccoon making your home its home. Squirrels and raccons are the two most common animals that get into your attic.
Raccoons in particular look for a safe haven to have their young. This means there is fairly good chance that in the case of a raccoon; your guest has young in the attic as well. If the mother is relocated the nest and young can sometimes be hard to find. Without a mother looking after them, the young often die. Dead rodents in a hot Texas attic make for some unpleasant smells and clean up down the road. Additionally, both squirrels and raccoons can carry rabies and other diseases, so it’s best to call a pest management expert to trap and relocate the animals.
How To Tell If You Have Squirrels Or Raccoons In Your Attic
In both cases you’ll probably hear scurrying and scratching, but the time of day and other noises are important.
Squirrels: Squirrels are active during the day, so you’ll hear more activity in the morning and day time hours. Also they are small, so the noises will be softer scratching and scurrying sounds.
Raccoons: Raccoons on the other hand are nocturnal. So you’ll hear more activity in the evening and early morning as they come and go. Given that raccoons can get up to 40 lbs, their noise is not subtle. Additionally, raccoon babies tend to be vocal. So if you hear any growing or other vocal noises, you probably have a raccoon family. The strategy and traps used for squirrels and raccoons differ. So the more information you can tell a pest management technician the better.
How Did They Get In?
Squirrels are able to squeeze through an opening that’s 1.5 inches in diameters. On the other hand, raccoons are creative creatures that will tear and chew through your roof, ducts, and gutters. Also given the size of raccoons, the point of entry should be fairly easy to spot. Without fixing the entry point, your attic is a critter hotel. Besides roof and gutter damage, squirrels and raccoons will chew through wiring and destroy insulation. All of this adds up quickly.
Repairs And Cleaning-Up After Relocation
Besides trapping and relocating, Pest Management’s trained technicians can help you determine the place where your uninvited house guests entered. After the animals are relocated it’s important to repair and seal all of the entry points. Otherwise you’ll continue to have animals making your attic their home.
You should also inspect your attic and repair any damage found, as well as clean up any fecal or animal matter. Other animals may be attracted by the scent and could try to gain entry.