by SOS Wildlife Control | Oct 20, 2015 | Mice Control, Rat Control
Last Updated: May 2016
With the cold weather approaching you may start to find unwanted guests in your home, pests like mice and rats in particular! The cold drives them into your home for heat and if they find a food source and adequate shelter, they will stay. When mice or rats enter your home you need rodent removal immediately. These rodents pose serious health risks for humans. Mice and rats are known to carry diseases, bacteria, viruses and parasites.
Signs Rodents are in your house
A sign that you need rodent removal is when you see mice droppings or rat droppings usually in the form of small dark pellets. You may see bits of chewed-up food packages and holes in and around foundation and walls. You might also be able to hear them in your walls or ceiling. And of course, seeing a mice run across the floor is also clear evidence. They often lurk in the basement, the kitchen, the pantry and even your bedroom.
Toronto Rodent Infestation
Toronto homes are ideal for rodents as many of them have a significant amount of years on them. Due to the normal aging process of a structure, they often develop many nooks and crannies through which rats and mice can enter. Many Toronto homes have cavity wall structures, which means there is a space between brickwork on the outside and drywall on the inside for the purposes of insulation. Rats and mice can enter through spaces in the wall and search out floorboards to come up through. To help prevent rodent problems, cover up all exterior holes and cracks on your property using wire mesh and spray foam insulation. You can do this yourself but it;s recommended to hire a professional. A professional will be familiar with the common places to look in and will be able to properly handle it. Professionals know how to identify entry points, nesting sites, areas of activity and where to place the traps. Although residents use glue boards, snap traps and rat poison to try to get rid of mice and rats, you need to remember that pest control companies are regulated by Ontario and are trained and licensed on how they use these methods. It’s recommended to hire a professional due to the risks with poison which can be dangerous if not used properly; if residents inadvertently scatter it around or don’t follow the instructions on the labels correctly it could be ingested by pets or small children. One case in Oakville, ON, a resident carelessly scattered rat poison to kill pests and ended up killing three dogs and left a couple other dogs seriously ill. Read more on Global News here.
Professional Rodent Removal
As stated, we highly advise to use a professional for rodent removal. There are risks when hosting mice and rats and even more when incorrectly handling the situation. You can read further on in our articles mice removal and rat control. SOS Wildlife Control Incorporated will arrive at your home to get details on the situation, find out where you have seen rodent or rodent activity or have heard them. We will then assess the interiors and exteriors of your home or business. The entrances they get through will be covered with mesh and foam insulation to prevent further pests from entering. Bait stations will be set up in your property in strategically placed areas. The bait will be in a locked government approved, tamper resistant station. A follow-up may be required afterwards to re-apply control measures if necessary..
Call SOS Wildlife Control Incorporated at 647-994-9453 for Rodent Removal
by SOS Wildlife Control | Oct 16, 2015 | Rat Control
Last Updated: May 2016
Although many people assume rats are only found in older structures, they have actually become a serious problem in many areas in the Greater Toronto Area over the years. Both in older and newer foundations, rats cause a severe inconvenience for homes and business owners. From cracks and unsealed structural issues of a property, the quick breeding natures of rats cause both health hazards and additional structural damage to your property. If there is a slight suspicion of rat invasion, it is strongly advised by the health and safety workers of City of Toronto, to contact professionals for rat control services immediately, to keep yourself, your family and your community safe of many potential diseases and parasites. Read more on City of Toronto’s health advisement for rat infestation.
Recent news have shown a rat infestation problem in Toronto parks, which pose a serious risk to the households, businesses, and commercial spaces nearby as rats not only seek enclosed spaces to look for food but they also breed very quickly. Rats can breed at every stage in their life cycles, from approximately 10 weeks old to adults; they are one of the most quickly multiplying rodents in existence. A female rat can produce up to 40 offspring per year.
The most commonly found rat in Ontario is called a Norway rat. It’s usually 20-25cm long, with a long hairless tail. Its color can vary from light brown to black. Norway rats can survive outside in the winter time; however they tend to be close to where humans live. Norway rats can spread diseases germs so control is very important, and to have it conducted by a professional is the best solution.
Signs of Rats
You may not see them running around, but there are definitely certain things to look out for if you think you may have a rat problem. One of the more obvious signs of rat invasion is their droppings. Rats can leave up to 50 droppings per day. These droppings are skinny, dark brown pellets, usually 3/8 inch long, and 1/8 inch in diameter. You may find these in the pantry, attic, basement, and other darker/quieter spaces in your house. Another obvious sign of rat invasion is the scratching sounds they make. Usually between dusk and dawn, rats gnaw on surfaces like plastic or wood, making a scratchy sound, as well as leaving marks on these surfaces. Rats can crawl through spaces that are tiny and also chew on soft substances like cables, and food packaging. In less frequently used spaces in your house, you may also see their footprints. Lastly, finding a dead rat is an obvious sign of rat invasion, as the smell of one another attracts more rats. If you detect one or more of these signs, you should immediately seek rat control services.
Risks of Not Seeking Rat Control Services
Rats can pose a serious health risk to humans. Although there are over a dozen diseases, including parasites such as, tick and lice, one of the more serious risks that people can be infected with is HPS (Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome). HPS is contracted by coming into contact with rat urine and droppings. Aside from causing serious health issues, not seeking professional services for removal of rats could also become a serious infestation problem. Rats breed very quickly. For example, a pair could turn into over a hundred rats in just under a year. Damage to your property such as scratching wood surfaces, as well as causing an infestation problem in your neighborhood are some of the other issues that could arise from not taking action. It is strongly recommended to contact experts for rat control services to ensure removal of rats from your property.
Take Action
- Monitor your property regularly: Pay attention to less frequently visited areas like your attic or under your staircases. Watch out for droppings and unfamiliar smells. Observe your floors and other wooden surfaces for footsteps or scratches.
- Keep garbage and clutter away: Keep your garbage in plastic or stainless steel containers and make sure they properly close. Take out your garbage regularly. If you collect recyclable containers indoors, such as cans and bottles, rinse them before storing them in a plastic or a stainless steel bin; keep the bins closed with a lid. Pay attention to the area where garbage is kept to ensure there are no droppings. Garbage control is one of the most important ways to avoid rat control
- Keep pet foods in sealed containers: Ensure no wet pet food is left out for a long period of time. Keep pet food containers clean by rinsing them regularly. Keep your bulk pet foods sealed an inaccessible
- Take care of your property: Pay attention to the structure of your property, treat holes and cracks as quickly as possible to avoid entrance of rats.
- Contact experts immediately: If you suspect rat invasion in your home, cottage, or business, contact a professional immediately for rat control
At SOS Wildlife Control Incorporated, we provide seamless rat control services for residential, commercial, and industrial clients. Let us help you solve your rat control problems. We can easily be reached at 1-800-981-0330. Don’t wait, call us to schedule an appointment for your rat control needs.
by SOS Wildlife Control | Oct 14, 2015 | Raccoon Removal
Last Updated: May 2016
How much does raccoon removal cost?
Raccoon removal costs vary depending on your situation. Calling an expert to remove a raccoon that is lounging around your backyard is a simpler job and will vary in price to a mother raccoon with babies in your attic with property damage and multiple entry-ways.
For immediate raccoon removal solutions it will vary in cost from $275 to $500. This will include a full inspection of the roof, attic and other areas of premises to determine all entry routes. We will seal up holes the raccoon has made and install a one-way door. The one-way door will permit the animal to leave and not re-enter.
We offer additional services at a cost, so If you have a bigger problem you will need to have the problem inspected by a wildlife technician who can then provide you with a quote. Bigger problems include multiple animals living in your home or wildlife proofing your property to prevent future nuisance wildlife from entering.
Things to Keep in Mind
As the prices will vary depending on what company you select, here are a few other principals you should consider when selecting a wildlife control company
- Wildlife control is a highly specialized work with unique liabilities dealing with wild animals
- There is no one price fits all as every job is different
- If you don’t take care of the problem immediately it will end up costing a lot more in the future
- You pay for what you get! Hiring the cheapest may not be the best, and may end up costing you more in the future
- Ensure your wildlife control company knows the law and practice is within the confines of the rules and regulations set in place
- Your wildlife control company to conduct humane practices, with the safety and well being of the animal in mind when conducting services
- The wildlife control company should be knowledgeable in wildlife behaviour and characteristics.
SOS Wildlife Control Incorporated technicians have completed certifications, know the law and ensure our methods are humane. All our technicians have years of experience and have the wildlife safety as high priority.
Please note that the city does not provide wildlife removal services for from private properties. They do provide services for pets but they will not remove wildlife from your home – which in that case you will need to call a professional like SOS Wildlife Control Incorporated. Read more on our post, Animal Control vs Wildlife Control in Toronto
The best thing your can do is call a company, explain your wildlife problem, and ask for a price estimate over the phone. Every company offers different prices and in many cases, it’s hard to give an exact final price without seeing the job as situations, home sizes, number of wildlife/entry points vary.
Feel free to ask our technicians your questions, do your research and shop around. Ensure the company you decide to go with meets the criteria for being professional, humane and effective.
Read our Raccoon Removal page to learn further about our procedures or call and talk to one of our technicians.
Call SOS Wildlife Control Incorporated today 647-994-9453 or Toll free 1-800-981-0330
by SOS Wildlife Control | Oct 13, 2015 | Skunk Control
Last Updated: May 2016
Do you have a Skunk Under Decking?
What do you do if you find a skunk under decking, or a skunk under a porch or even anywhere on your property? First step is to keep a safe distance as a skunk can spray up to 10 ft. The smell is vile and it is difficult to remove.
A skunk under decking is very common as it is a nice isolated area for them to make their home, but it’s important for you to remove them as they will keep returning to that den. You may first realize you have a skunk by it’s smell, its very potent, or you may see it entering and leaving at night, either way it’s best to call a professional for skunk removal.
How to know you have a Skunk Under Decking
Four ways to identify if you have a Skunk Under Decking is sight, damage or odor.
Sight
The easiest way to know you have a skunk is to spot it. You may see it entering or leaving however this could be rare as they are very skilled at staying hidden. Skunks are nocturnal and they enter and leave mainly at night.
Damage
You can also identify a skunk problem by the damage they cause. They often will destroy things that gets in their way in their search for food. They will knock over garbage cans, break glass, and destroy property. The longer you have a Skunk Under Decking the more damage they will cause. Having a skunk for two weeks will cause a lot of damage to your property.
What to do if you have a Skunk Under Decking?
Eliminate Attractants
Other ways you can resolve a skunk problem without trapping the animal is to eliminate whatever is attracting the skunk to your property – garbage, pet food, assess your house for weak points where they may enter.
There are several risks when conducting do-it-yourself skunk removal and you may spend a lot of time and money on gimmicks that work only temporarily. We really do highly recommend hiring someone to remove skunks professionally. We do not advise you to try live trapping.
Read our Skunk removal page to learn how we professional remove skunks. The most humane way is using a one-way door as there is little to no human-wildlife interaction.
Prevent future Skunk Under Decking
To prevent future animals entering your home, SOS Wildlife Control Incorporated provides wildlife prevention for your home. Wildlife Prevention will help keep them out and is a long term solution. Read our Wildlife Prevention page for more information.
Call SOS Wildlife Control Incorporated for Skunk Removal
by SOS Wildlife Control | Oct 8, 2015 | Squirrel Control
Last Updated: May 2016
Toronto GTA is choc full of squirrels whether it be squirrels in the park, squirrels in neighborhoods and squirrels on your property. We receive a lot of calls from distressed GTA homeowners and business owners about squirrels in the attic, squirrels in the wall, squirrels in the chimney, squirrels in the vents, squirrels in the yard stealing bird seeds or pet food. They are everywhere. In this blog we will discuss common GTA squirrel removal problems, in relation to squirrels in your home. We will provide information about squirrels and their characteristics to help you understand why they enter and what options you have.
Squirrels are quite common in Toronto and have become a huge problem not only in the GTA but across the whole of Ontario. As we continually destroy wildlife’s natural habitat they have no choice but to adapt to our residential areas.
Squirrel Behavior
Squirrels are very destructive urban mammals in the GTA, along with raccoons and other wildlife. Squirrels are determined to get food and shelter which could potentially be a costly problem if they enter your home. Squirrels have a variety of skills that allow them to exhibit a variety of behaviors, most revolving around the basics: foraging for food and seeking shelter. Several squirrels in some areas have simply lost their fear of people. In some municipalities, it is against the law to feed wildlife as this encourages the squirrels to lose their fear. If they imprint on people they may become dependent and eventually could come into harms way because of this.
Squirrels are a lot stronger than what they look with claws that pierce bark. These little guys are more than capable to defend themselves so do not corner them.
How to Remove Squirrels
The primary approach is using a one-way door. This involves little to no interaction with the squirrel. A one-way door method works by out technicians closing all entry points on your home that the squirrel is using except one. The last entry hole which is usually the main entry hole is where the one-way door is set up. The structure of it allows the squirrel to get out but cannot re-enter.
If there are babies involved then it is more complicated and you have to call a professional for squirrel removal to remove then reunite the family. Read more on our article Baby Squirrel Removal. Do not trap the animal inside your home as this is inhumane and illegal!
Read our blog on things to do before calling a wildlife control agent.
Do-it-Yourself Squirrel Removal
There’s a reason professional wildlife removal companies exist. Do-it-Yourself options for squirrel removal like trapping and releasing them elsewhere leads to the risk of you trapping a family or neighbor’s pet, or even worse a toddler. Be very careful before doing this and look up what laws and regulations apply to your area when you relocate a squirrel yourself. Please be aware when removing squirrels yourself there are other risk factors involved which is why we highly recommend using a professional for squirrel removal and any wildlife control!
GTA Squirrel Removal Experts
We specialize in nuisance wildlife control. We remove unwanted wildlife from homes and businesses, and solve conflicts between people and wild animals. From home inspections to preventative repairs, wildlife trapping, we solve critter problems with professional expertise.
Call us today at 647-994-9453 for Toronto GTA Squirrel Removal
