Cleaning is the first thing that comes to mind for most people when they discover an animal has taken up residence in their home. Even if a lack of cleanliness may play a role in an animal’s intrusion, this is not always the case. It’s not unusual for a critter to seek refuge on your property due to the necessities of life: food, water, and a place to call home.
Attics are ideal locations for unwanted pests and wildlife to raise their young, since these are warm and dark places that are rarely disturbed by humans. And particularly during the winter, these creatures commonly seek refuge in attics, where they can reproduce and thrive.
What Kind Of Wild Animals Usually Get In And Live In Attics?
Animals that commonly infest attics include birds, squirrels, raccoons, bats, and mice, among others. Wildlife that enters your residence can be a serious health hazard and can also cause significant property damage.
Whenever possible, call in a pest and wildlife control expert to capture and eliminate these animals instead of attempting to do so yourself.
• Birds chirping in the attic
Birds nesting in the attic, as well as the ceiling, are a solid indicator that there is an infestation. Young birds might chirp all day, causing an annoyance. You’ll hear a lot of flapping and thumping sounds. When trapped indoors, birds move around along walls and structures, mainly in the daytime.
• Squirrel sounds in your attic
Light noises of racing, scampering, and scratching in your attic indicate that a squirrel has gained access and is scurrying about. Their high-pitched squeal might also be irritating to hear.
• Attic noises from raccoons
Having a raccoon inside the attic is easy to spot by listening for pounding noises. No urban pest is large enough to make noises like this. Raccoons may literally sound as if there is a dog or small human inside, and there is a significant difference in the volume and depth of the noise.
• Noises from bats in your attic
When it comes to distinguishing bat noises in attics, their vocalizations sound similar to squeaks as well as chirps. Homeowners may also notice scratching and fluttering noises coming from the attic. Bats roosting in attics can be attributed to a greater number of insects.
• Attic noises from rats and mice
Rats and mice are nocturnal animals that make a lot of noise when the rest of the world is asleep. It is because of this that they are occasionally mistaken for larger creatures. The chewing, clawing, and squeaking that may be heard in ceilings and walls are the sounds of these rodents. Oftentimes, they raise their young in the warm places in attics or crawlspaces as well as hatches.
Signs Of Wildlife In The Attic
Attics are ideal nesting places for undesirable critters but it’s not always easy to tell what kind of animal you’re dealing with without actually seeing it.
When in doubt, here are a few signs of a wild animal in your attic:
− A visible access point or damage to the exterior of your house can be caused by animals, many of which can take advantage of structural gaps.
− If you notice an unpleasant odor of ammonia anywhere around your house, it is possible that an animal has been living in your attic for an extended period of time.
− Wildlife can damage or eat through water pipes, causing irregular water leakage.
− Scurrying and scampering, as well as tapping, are sounds that can be heard predominantly at night.
− A sudden power outage might be caused by rodents. They are voracious chewers and will eat through anything to keep their teeth sharp.
How Do You Identify What Kind Of Animal Is In Your Attic?
Look for activity patterns in terms of when you are able to hear the critter moving around. Are the noises noticeable mostly during the day or night?
• Nighttime
For those who are experiencing noises in their attic at night, they are most likely the result of a raccoon and perhaps even a flying squirrel taking up residence in the structure. Raccoons as well as flying squirrels are nocturnal species, which means that they are mainly active when it’s dark, after sunset and even in the early morning.
• Daytime
If you are experiencing noises in your attic during the day, it is likely that you have a squirrel dwelling in your structure. Squirrels are normally coming out when it’s bright outdoors and their activity stops as soon as the night falls.
What Should You Do If You Hear Something In Your Attic?
You must remain calm if you come across a wild animal in your attic. They may sense your anxiety and will bite and fight back if they feel in any way threatened by your presence. In other words, it’s better to be safe than sorry when it comes to health.
Preventing animals from invading your property is easier and more cost-effective than having them removed when they’re already there. You can help keep wild animals out of your attic by:
• Inspecting your house exterior on a regular basis.
• Repairing roof holes if you find any.
• Sealing animal entry holes, for example with steel mesh.
• Covering roof vents with screens.
• Pruning tall trees in your backyard.
In addition, check with your local state’s wildlife authority to see if it’s permitted to remove such wildlife yourself.
Alternatively, it is advisable to engage a wildlife control professional to remove the animals from your attic in a safe and effective manner.
Whatever animal is living in your attic, our wildlife specialists can eliminate it and help prevent the infestation from happening again. We are dedicated professionals in wildlife control in South Florida and are experts at removing wildlife from attics.
So contact Wildlife Troopers today and request a free quote and video inspection, or make an appointment.
