“The Usual Suspects” – Habits & Hazards of Animals We Typically Control

RACCOONS may live in your attic, chimney, shed, garage or nearby buildings. Nests can block vents and cause fire and carbon monoxide hazards. They damage roofing, gutters, soffits, wiring , gardens, lawns and yard materials. Droppings foul yards and play areas. Injury risks: bites and scratches. Diseases: major rabies carrier and raccoon roundworm parasite risk.

SQUIRRELS break into attics, walls, sheds, eaves and chimneys. Their nest materials may block vents and they can chew through wiring and wood, creating fire worries, carbon monoxide hazards and stuctural damage. Disease concerns: mange, cat scratch fever, typhus, and sometimes rabies.

OPOSSUMS may build their dens in your attic, garage, shed or other structures. They are also known to create major disruption in the process. They are known to raid gardens, bird feeders, pet areas and trash. Injury risks: bites and scratches. Disease risks to humans and animals: mange, rabies and occasionally raccoon roundworm.

SKUNKS often den under porches, decks, foundations, garages, barns, or sheds. They provide a potentially smelly presence with their ability to spray defensively up to 16 feet and 6 times in succession. May fall into and be trapped in window wells, and dig up your lawn seeking food. Disease risks: Rabies, distemper.

WOODCHUCKS burrow among shrubs and gardens, under woodpiles, brush and stone walls, under sheds, porches, decks and crawl spaces. They gnaw and claw, and can damage trees, shrubs, yard furniture, decks and siding. Disease risks to humans and pets: Mange, raccoon roundworm and sometimes rabies.

MOLES make their home in your lawn. Constantly searching for insects to eat, they tunnel just below the surface, creating raised mounds of soil with every move. They can cause extensive damage to manicured lawns. One mole can dig up to 150 feet of new tunnels a day. No major disease risks but they can bite and scratch.

COYOTES provide an assortment of yips and howls that may spook your family. They can kill housecats, small dogs, livestock, and attack humans. They will feed on garden vegetables and fruit. Disease risks to pets and humans: Distemper, hepatitis, parvo virus, rabies, mange, and tularemia.

FOXES may live in your yard or under your porch. They have been known to feed on small pets and farm animals. The fox may dig dens around residences and holes under fences or buildings to gain entry. Disease risks to humans and pets: Rabies, tapeworm, heartworm, distemper and mange.

GOOSE droppings soil public and private lands, endangering humans and other wildlife, as well as degrading water quality. Persistent and ever-growing flocks of geese require special management techniques to gain control of the problem and prevent recurrences. See our special goose control page for more on this widespread public and private nuisance.

SNAKES gain access to your home through foundation cracks, open basement windows, gaps around pipes and torn screens. They may frighten your family and emit foul smells upon handling. Disease risks: may spread salmonella bacteria to humans. Injury risks: bites can be painful, become infected and cause reactions.