Author: erick.merced

Thanks to its hilly landscape and diverse terrain, Dallas is the ideal home for beautiful and exotic animals. Unfortunately, there are also pesky rodents that roam the area and damage nearby property. Rodents are the guiltiest culprits, because they are notorious for scurrying into homes and businesses without welcome. Do you want to know the common rodents you should protect your property from? We’ve got the list right here for you. 

The House Mouse

These little guys are smaller on the rodent spectrum but still cause large amounts of damage. How can you tell the difference between a rat and a mouse? A house mouse will be smaller in size but have larger ears. They are about five to seven inches in length with grayish-brown fur. You’ll usually find them tucked under cabinets, furniture, kitchen appliances, and other small spaces. Because of their great hearing and vision, house mice quickly get comfortable lounging in your home and even in your business. What’s worse is their ability to squirm through a ¼-inch hole — which means they don’t need much space to enter yours. 

The Norway Rat

The Norway rat is the largest and most aggressive of the Texas rodents. Ranging from a whopping seven to nine inches in size, you can usually identify Norway rats by their thick tail and small ears. They also have bristly, brown fur sprinkled with black hairs and are more likely to enter your home or business in the middle of the night. What draws them in? Savory proteins and carbs left out in the open, like chicken, fish, and grains. Because they are expert diggers, you can find Norway rats underneath your building or burrowing through your garbage.

The Roof Rat

Roof rats are smaller than Norway rats — roughly six to eight inches — with dark brown fur. You can identify a roof rat by its pointy nose. The name “roof rat” came from their cunning efforts to find shelter in the highest points of each building. These critters spend most of their lives elevated at least four feet off the ground. Unlike Norway rats, you’ll often find roof rats climbing trees, garbage cans, or even walls to access your roof. Once inside your building, they will tear your insulation, create a nest, and stick around until told otherwise.

Squirrels

While squirrels may seem cute and harmless as they dart through trees, Dallas is home to two particularly common species: the Eastern gray squirrel and the fox squirrel. These agile rodents are notorious for entering attics through roof vents or gaps under eaves. Once inside, they gnaw on insulation, wires, and wood, creating fire hazards and structural damage. Outdoors, they dig up lawns, raid bird feeders, and strip bark from trees. To protect your home, trim overhanging branches and seal any potential entry points with heavy-duty materials.

Six Signs of Rodent Problems in the House

1. Gnaw marks. A rodent’s teeth grow continuously, so they must gnaw on things to keep this growth in check. As you might expect, this leaves rather damning evidence. Look for gnaw marks on things like garbage cans, fences, food containers, and under porches. Squirrels sometimes chew through roof vents or attic louvres to gain access to the attic.
2. Runways. Mice and rats are creatures of habit and will follow the same route between their nest site and food and water uses. After repeated use, these paths develop dark, greasy rub marks that are accumulated from the oils and dirt on the rodent’s fur. Runways usually follow along manmade edges like baseboards.
3. Sounds. Squirrels, mice, and rats all make similar sounds if they’ve made it into your house; rustling or scurrying noises. The bigger the rodent, the louder the sound will be. Squirrels may also make rolling noises, as they roll nuts and acorns around. Pay attention to when the noise is being made. If it occurs during the day, it’s probably a squirrel. If you hear it more at night, it’s more likely to be a mouse or rat, since they are nocturnal.
4. Vocalizations. Both mice and rats communicate at a pitch that is undetectable to the human ear. However, if they are distressed, they may make squeaking or hissing sounds. Still, you are more likely to hear movement sounds than vocalizations.
5. Odors. When living in confined spaces like homes, rodents tend to produce an odor that is most often described as musky and resembling ammonia or stale urine.
6. Droppings. Look for droppings in areas that are not frequented by humans, like attics or basements. Droppings are found in the largest numbers near nesting sites.

Dangers of a Rodent Infestation

Rodent problems can cause a number of issues:

• Property Damage. Mice and rats will chew on anything they see as useful while building a nest. This can include prized valuables like books or other important documents, especially if they are stored in the attic or basement. Rodents also have a fondness for living in cars, and can ruin them by their compulsive wire-chewing.
• Fire risk. Mice and rats sometimes build their nests in large electrical appliances, gnawing through wires in the process, which can increase the likelihood of a short-circuit or fire.
• Disease. Rodents can carry many diseases including hantavirus, leptospirosis, lymphocytic choriomeningitis (LCMV), Tularemia and Salmonella.

Keep Your Property Protected

Rodents are some of the most destructive pests that can infiltrate your home. Do not ignore it! It only takes one hole, gap, or crack for one of these rodents to infiltrate your home. Their ability to avoid detection and breed rapidly make it a difficult task for DIY rodent control.

Protect your property from these common rodents by partnering with the rodent professionals at Critter Control®  Dallas. With over three decades of experience, our technicians will identify entry points and remove all wildlife from your home with humane rodent services. For more information, call us today at 214-225-2217 for a free inspection.

If your Dallas property is not well maintained or regularly inspected by pest control professionals, it may
become vulnerable to unwanted animal infestations. Invasive critters will settle in and fill your property
with strange noises, costly damage, and foul smells. More often than not, nesting wildlife can become
trapped in the walls and crawl spaces of a home and die, releasing toxic odors as they decompose. The
stench of a dead animal can quickly overtake your home and is not easy to remove without the
assistance of professional odor removal equipment. Here’s how to tackle dead animal removal and
eliminate a dead animal smell from your property.

Removing Dead Animal Smells

First, you’ll want to identify the source of the dead animal odor in your home. Common areas include
inside attics, air vents, or interior walls. Signs that a dead animal is present include:

•  Strong odors in certain areas of your home
• Decomposition stains along floors or walls
• The presence of other pests in your home, such as flies

Once the dead animal and its odor are located, you’ll want to thoroughly wash the area using strong
disinfectants and warm water to dilute the strength of the smell. You should wear gloves when dealing
with dead animal odor removal.

Natural Odor Removal Remedies

In areas where the smell is still lingering, use a sponge or cloth soaked in essential oils or disinfectant to
neutralize the smell. You can also use the following common household products to control odors from
spreading while you wait for dead wildlife removal experts to arrive.

• Vinegar: Vinegar is a natural disinfectant that helps absorb odors rather than mask them. Fill a
  bowl with vinegar and a few drops of lemon juice, then place it in the room that’s exhibiting the
  smell and let it sit overnight. Adding a few drops of essential oils to the vinegar will help
  neutralize the odors.
• Coffee grounds: Coffee grounds help absorb odors. Coffee filter packs or coffee grounds that
  have been lightly dampened with water can be used. Place the coffee in an open container and
  let it sit for several hours in the affected area. To thoroughly eliminate the odor, you may need
  to repeat the process several times.
• Baking soda: Baking soda is used to neutralize unpleasant smells. Sprinkle some baking soda on
  the affected area and let it sit for several hours. To remove the baking soda, use a vacuum.
  Repeat the process until the odor is completely gone.
•  Charcoal: Charcoal briquettes are an effective method used to remove the dead animal smell.
  Place several briquettes in a bowl and place it where the smell is the strongest. Do this for
  several days to thoroughly eliminate the smell.
• Commercial household products: These products can eliminate lingering smells by chemically
  bonding with the particles that cause the odor and neutralizing them. These products may be more expensive, but they are worth investing in if you want your home to return to being odor free.

While natural odor removal remedies may be effective short term, they will only mask the smell until
the dead animal is found and safely removed. However, contact with a live or dead animal can spread
diseases and pose a significant health threat to you and your family. Therefore, you should rely on the
experts at Critter Control® of Dallas to remove any dead animals and their odors from your home.

Dallas-Area Dead Animal Odor Removal Services

At Critter Control® of Dallas, we pride ourselves in using eco-friendly and humane methods to remove
alive or deceased animals from your Dallas property. No matter where the animal died on your
property, our licensed, trained and experienced wildlife experts are prepared to prevent the spread of
contamination, odors, and disease. If you’re dealing with the lingering smell of an unwanted dead
animal, give us a call at (214) 225-2217 to schedule an inspection and receive a free wildlife removal
estimate.

As a homeowner, finding a dead animal in your home is an unfortunate, but possible, situation that you could one day face, especially if your property is not well maintained or regularly inspected by pest control professionals. In addition to getting rid of the dead animal’s carcass, you’ll also have to remove the unmistakable smell it creates. Here’s how to get rid of a dead animal smell from your property.

Removing a Dead Animal Smell from Your Home

The first thing you’ll want to do is identify where in your house the odor’s coming from. It’ll most likely be around your attic, air vents or walls as that’s how most animals enter your home. Some signs to look out for include:

• Stronger areas of odor in certain parts of your home
• Grease stains around floors or walls
• Other pests, such as flies

After you remove a dead animal from your property, you’ll want to thoroughly wash the area where its body was. Use a strong disinfectant and warm water to prevent the smell from spreading. It’s also a good idea to wear gloves. Once the area is disinfected, place a cotton ball or cloth soaked in odor removal in spots where you notice the smell lingering. Odor removing sponges can also help neutralize the smell.

Ineffective Ways to Remove a Dead Animal and Its Odors

While DIY odor removal methods may take care of the job if you manage to find the dead critter quickly, you likely won’t notice a dead animal smell until it’s too late. And the longer it takes to remove a dead animal, the longer its smell will last. Unfortunately, over-the-counter deodorizers and natural at-home methods are often not strong enough to eliminate the lingering stench of a dead animal. 

Furthermore, dead animals could pose just as many health threats as live ones as their rotting carcass can be host to diseases, parasites, and contamination. So, don’t put yourself at risk by trying to get rid of the problem yourself. If you need to remove a dead animal and its smell from your home, rely on the wildlife removal professionals at Critter Control® of Dallas. 

Professional Dead Animal Odor Removal Services

At Critter Control® of Dallas, we pride ourselves in using eco-friendly and effective methods to remove alive or deceased critters from your home or workplace. If you’re dealing with an infestation or lingering dead animal smells, know we’re here to help. Call us at (214) 225-2217 to schedule an inspection and receive a free animal removal estimate.

Opossums like to sneak into homes and nest during the winter where it’s safe and warm. While these creatures may look cute, they can cause health and structural problems for you and your home. Because possums are normally docile, you may be considering trying to remove the critters yourself. However, hiring a possum removal professional to get rid of opossums is your safest bet.

Risks of Opossums

While possums do not carry rabies, the critters are known carriers of several other diseases, including leptospirosis, toxoplasmosis and even tuberculosis. They also can carry parasites onto your property that can be passed through contact. Their droppings contain bacteria that make you and your loved ones sick. 

Opossums aren’t aggressive, but they will lash out when they feel threatened. An opossum bite or scratch can pass on these dangerous diseases, putting your health at risk. If the possum tries to flee, it could also injure itself in the process. 

Get Rid of Opossums Professionally

DIY opossum removal may feel like the cheaper and better option, but it’s not worth it. At-home methods to get rid of opossums can be dangerous at best and inhumane at worst. An opossum removal professional will have access to safe and humane methods that will permanently get rid of possums in your home or business. That’s why if you’re dealing with an unwanted possum inside your Fort Worth  home or workplace, rely on the experts at Critter Control® of Ft. Worth. 

Expert Opossum Removal Services Near You

At Critter Control® of Ft. Worth, our licensed team of trained professionals are experienced and equipped to efficiently remove nuisance pests from your property. We’ve been helping Texans deal with opossums and other critters for more than 30 years. Our eco-friendly removal methods ensure permanent removal and the health and safety of everyone involved.

To schedule your inspection and receive a free estimate for our opossum removal services, call Critter Control® of Ft. Worth today at (214) 225-2217.