How Do You Prevent Animal Wildlife Pests From Entering Your Home Or Business?

How do I keep animal wildlife pests from entering my home or business?

Simple, Call Richmond and Charlottesville, VA Animal Removal and Wildlife Control at (434) 270-0488 or toll-free at (888) 893-1975

prevent animal wildlife pestsWe are often asked by our customers, “How do I keep animals from entering and causing damage to my home?” Many times animal pests enter Richmond, Virginia homes and businesses through weakened or damaged areas. These areas are often the result of storm damage, poor workmanship during construction or remodeling, or simple homeowner neglect of routine home maintenance.

To minimize the possibility of animals entering your Richmond or Charlottesville, VA home and causing further damage to your home’s attic, walls, roof, insulation, wiring, fascia, crawlspace, vents and soffit we recommend that homeowner’s perform an inspection of their home or business twice a year, once just before Spring when newborn animals are typically born, and once in the Fall when animals are looking for Winter denning sites.

By simply taking a pen and paper — or even better, a digital camera — Richmond and Charlottesville, VA home owner’s should examine the entire house and look for signs of loose or missing siding, peeling paint and damaged wood, loose fitting soffits and fascia, cracks in masonry, crawlspace access doors that are missing or will not close properly, and any other problems that animals can exploit to gain entry to your Richmond or Charlottesville Virginia home and cause additional damage. Also look for places where critters such as rats or mice could burrow under the siding or gnaw at the siding or foundation coating. Loose siding needs to be reattached before it rips free and pulls other pieces with it. Wood and masonry siding can be easily reattached and nailed in place; vinyl needs a special siding tool that pulls the lip on one panel over the piece below it to lock the pieces together. Rotting or damaged wood should be replaced. Peeling paint needs to be scraped off before you repaint. Because of the danger of falling, homeowners should stay off the roof and leave that type of work to the professionals. Roof work is too dangerous for novices to walk around up there. Instead, you should examine the roof from the ground using binoculars to look for missing, curling or damaged shingles. Also look for mold or fungus growing on shingles, which discolors them and lessens the life expectancy of the roof. Mold or fungus can be washed off, but, again, this is a job best left to professions.

If an animal damages or enters your Richmond or Charlottesville, Virginia home or business you should contact a professional animal wildlife removal company. Our Richmond and Charlottesville, VA Animal Removal and Wildlife Control Experts provide full-service nuisance animal control services throughout the Richmond and Charlottesville Virginia area. Wildlife Control operators can get rid of all types of nuisance wild animal including the removal and control of such animals as Birds, Bats, Bees, Squirrels, Groundhogs, Snakes, Mice, Skunks, Raccoons, Possums, and Rats. Virginia Professional Wildlife Removal Services, LLC is Virginia’s nuisance animal removal specialist. To schedule one of our Richmond or Charlottesville animal control technicians to inspect and remove wildlife pests from your home or business, call us at (434) 270-0488 or toll-free at (888) 893-1975 or visit us on the web at www.virginiaprofessionalwildliferemovalservices.com

Raccoon Exclusion and Raccoon Damage Repair Services In Richmond and Charlottesville Virginia

Raccoon Removal, Exclusion and Raccoon Damage Repair Services In Richmond and Charlottesville Virginia

raccoon removal

Richmond & Charlottesville Raccoon Removal

Raccoon Removal in Virginia. Call us at (434) 270-0488 or toll-free at (888) 893-1975. Their distinctive black masks giving them the appropriate appearance, raccoons steal into Richmond and Charlottesville yards like thieves in the night. While Virginia home owners sleep, these nocturnal animal pests, along with skunks opossums and groundhogs, destroy gardens and decimate lawns as they hunt for food.

Raccoons frequently forage in trash cans and dumpsters, scattering trash that attracts other noxious pests. Common home invaders, raccoons foul attic insulation with their urine and feces and introduce dangerous diseases and parasites into Virginia homes that can migrate into living areas, placing your family and pets at serious risk. A primary carrier of rabies, raccoons are responsible for the majority of rabies cases reported in the U.S.

Raccoons Have Adapted to Suburban Life in Richmond and Charlottesville, VA
Highly adaptable, raccoons have learned to thrive in suburban and urban environments. Their ability to adapt quickly, coupled with a lack of natural predators, has allowed raccoon populations to swell in Richmond and Charlottesville where their destructive behavior makes these disease- and parasite-infested animals a serious home and health threat. Viciously aggressive when cornered or protecting their young, raccoons will charge if their den site is invaded during removal attempts.

Virginia homeowners who attempt do-it-yourself raccoon removal are at serious risk of being bitten and possibly infected with rabies. For your own safety and to minimize trauma to the animal, the professional wildlife control experts at Virginia Professional Wildlife Removal Services, LLC should be called in to remove invading raccoons and other nuisance wildlife humanely in keeping with Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries regulations.

A woodland creature that lives in tree hollows or underground dens, raccoons quickly adapted to suburban and city life as development encroached on their natural habitat. Today, raccoons frequently seek shelter in Richmond and Charlottesville homes, particularly in the fall when searching for comfortable winter dens and in the early spring when females look for safe, shelters to give birth and raise their young.

When raccoons invade Virginia homes, they most often seek shelter in attics, crawl spaces and chimneys or harbor under decks and porches. Adept climbers, raccoons will scale brick chimneys, wood columns and overhanging trees to invade attics and uncapped chimneys. With their sharp claws, these powerful animals can tear through protective screens to access homes through rooftop ventilators and attic fans. To gain entrance to attics, raccoons have been known to rip through roof shingles and tear holes in soffits.

Raccoon Identification in Richmond and Charlottesville
Raccoons are dark brown to black with a distinctive black mask across their eyes and a ringed tail. Powerful but slow, these mammals have compact torsos with short legs. A North American native, raccoons are 16 to 28-inch long body and weigh between 8 and 20 pounds, although with plentiful food supplies they can reach a length of 3 feet and weigh as much as 30 pounds. These nocturnal nuisance animals are active year-round but will harbor in their dens for weeks at a time during periods of severe winter cold or deep snow. Once hunted for their fur, raccoons have a dense undercoat that insulates them from the cold, protected by a layer of water-shedding guard hairs.

Raccoons have unusually sensitive and dexterous, almost hand-like, front paws. These animals are noted for their unique behavior of dousing, or “washing,” their food. Their name comes from the Powhatan Indian word “aroughcun” which means “one who rubs with hands.” Once thought to be the animal’s way of cleaning its food, wildlife researchers now believe that raccoons immerse their fore paws in water to soften the horny covering that protects their paws and increase tactile sensation. Omnivorous, raccoons feed on almost anything, including plants, fruit, grain, nuts, insects worms, fish, crayfish, snails, frogs, birds, turtles, eggs and even small mammals.

In mid-April, raccoons give birth to a single litter of two to five kits. The mother stays with her young until late fall, although it is not uncommon for a family unit to stay together for the first winter. In the wild, the life expectancy for these animals is only two to three years, hunting and traffic accidents being the primary causes of death.

Raccoons in Richmond and Charlottesville Are Destructive and Transmit Disease
Foraging raccoons help themselves to garden vegetables, chew on tender plant shoots, peel back strips of sod to get to the tasty grubs underneath, scavenge in compost piles and root through trash cans, strewing garbage across the ground that attracts other animal and insect scavengers. Bold and clever, raccoons will even enter northern New Jersey homes through pet doors to feast on dog food. When raccoons invade human habitats, they bring with them fleas, mites, ticks and other parasites that can harm humans and pets. A reservoir for rabies, raccoons are responsible for the majority of rabies cases in the U.S. and are a leading carrier of canine parvovirus (distemper). Their feces contain roundworms that can infest lawns, infecting pets and playing children. Roundworms can cause severe disability in young children.

When they invade your attic, raccoons will destroy and displace insulation and can rip huge shards from wood rafters while sharpening their claws. Invading raccoons will turn your attic into a latrine, their urine staining the ceilings below and their feces fouling insulation. The unpleasant odor of their pungent musk can permeate your home and take months to dissipate. The dangerous parasites that accompany raccoons when they invade Virginia homes can migrate from attics into homes, placing your family and pets at risk.

Do-It-Yourself Treatment is Risky and Ineffective
Raccoons are clever, curious and intelligent, making them difficult to trap and remove when they invade Richmond and Charlottesville Virginia homes. Homeowners should also be aware that the certain restrictions apply to the trapping and release of nuisance wildlife which is regulated by the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries.

Some Virginia home owners will try to frighten away invading raccoons using home remedies or products marketed on the Internet. Tests conducted by University of California scientists found none of these gadgets or products to be effective against raccoons, including loud noises, rock music, flashing lights, ultrasonic emitters, mothballs, ammonia and even coyote urine. These techniques frightened raccoons away for a day or two, but the animals quickly learned they posed no real threat and returned. Some home “cures” can also be worse than the problem. Mothballs (naphthalene), ammonia and predator urine produce noxious odors that can permeate your home and be impossible to get rid of until the odor dissipates naturally, a process that can take six months or more.

While do-it-yourself wildlife removal is not recommended, Virginia home owners can discourage raccoons from moving in by removing possible food sources and eliminating access paths to potential harborage sites.
• Keep garbage cans covered and secured.
• Do not leave pet food out overnight.
• If you have fruit trees, pick up fallen fruit regularly.
• Secure pet doors at night.
• Cut back overgrown shrubbery and trim overhanging tree branches.

Safe, Humane Raccoon Removal Requires Professional Animal Control Services
Their intelligence, ability to manipulate simple latches and excellent long-term memory make raccoons a challenge to trap. Raccoons are viciously aggressive if cornered or when protecting their young which makes removing these animals from their preferred den sites in the confined spaces of attics, crawl spaces, under porches and under decks dangerous work. Raccoon removal carries a very real risk of being clawed or bitten by these rabies-carrying animals.
The nuisance wildlife control experts at Virginia Professional Wildlife Removal Services, LLC (434) 270-0488 or toll-free at (888) 893-1975 use their expert knowledge of raccoon biology and behavior to place on-way tunnel traps effectively these traps allow animals to vacate the premises but not gain re-entry. Once the raccoons are locked out we remove nesting materials, sanitize nesting areas and can repair any damage done to your home.

Homeowners should make sure to check their homeowner’s insurance policy as some carriers will cover the cost of raccoon nest and animal fecal matter cleanup and damage repair charges.

Virginia Professional Wildlife Removal Services – It’s who we are and what we do

Virginia Wildlife Removal, Animal Trapping & Pest Control

(434) 270-0488 or toll-free at (888) 893-1975

virginia wildlife removalVirginia Wildlife Removal Services was started due to the increasing need for nuisance wildlife to be humanely removed from homes, commercial properties and other areas. Our goal has always been to safely remove wild animals and restore your Richmond and Charlottesville Virginia home or business to its normal condition, whenever possible.

Our Professionalism, Education and Integrity sets us apart.

Professionalism:

We arrive on time and are clearly identified by our uniforms and trucks. We provide you with the highest level of customer service every time. We try to clearly explain everything we are going to do before we do it and we are always available to answer questions. If we do not feel we can effectively solve your problem we tell you this BEFORE we start, not after!

Education:

Many animal removal technicians have very little training, experience, or education. Here at Virginia Professional Wildlife Removal Services we put a high priority on advanced education because we believe it enables us to better understand animal behavior, provide effective solutions to various problems, and maintain lifelong scientific learning in this field. Just because your dad or your dad’s dad were trappers DOES NOT make you an effective nuisance wildlife removal and control technician. We are not just trappers, but problem solvers.

Integrity:

We charge a SET fee for trapping and exclusions, which we quote to you UP FRONT. We do NOT charge per trap or per animal caught! Some unethical companies can charge you per animal, and then proceed to trap and catch the SAME animal numerous times costing you much more than it should.

Our normal procedures include checking the live traps to monitor progress, change trap locations as necessary, and changing bait to keep it fresh. We always maintain constant communication with you about our progress. Our customers are what make us successful. Our goal is 100% satisfaction from our customers — they are, after all why we have a thriving business. We love what we do! We provide bat removal, beaver removal, bee control, bird control, deer management, foxes, flying squirrel removal, groundhog removal, mice control, mole removal, opossum removal, raccoon removal, rat removal, skunk removal, snake removal, squirrel removal, vole removal and more. Call us today at (434) 270-0488 or toll-free at (888) 893-1975.

What To Look For In A Virginia Nuisance Animal Wildlife Removal And Control Company

Wildlife removal is our specialty. If you are in need of a company in the Richmond or Charlottesville Virginia areas to provide nuisance animal wildlife removal services there are certain things to consider. First, there are two types of companies out there, pest control operators (PCOs) and wildlife control operators (WCOs). Pest control operators (PCOs) are your typical companies that handle bugs, mice and rats. On the other hand, most wildlife control operators (WCOs) do not handle insects, mice and rats–they only handle wildlife. With us, your in luck. We are a dual licensed company capable of providing wildlife removal and pest control services.

Because of the current economy, some pest control companies are attempting to offer wildlife removal services. Unfortunately, most neither have the necessary training, experience and proper state licensing. You would not hire a plumber to repair the wiring in your home or an electrician to do your plumbing. Likewise, you should not hire a bug control company to solve your nuisance wildlife problem. When searching for a company to solve your nuisance animal wildlife problems in the Richmond and Charlottesville Virginia areas or elsewhere, the company you hire should have at a minimum three things:

1. A local business license,
2. Commercial liability insurance, and
3. A Commercial Nuisance Animal Permit – Issued By The Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries.

A company CANNOT get one permit to cover all employees. Each employee is required to have their own permit.

Finally, don’t be afraid to ask for references. Just because a company has the three items listed above is no guarantee that they have the knowledge, skills and abilities to solve your Richmond and Charlottesville Virginia nuisance animal wildlife problem. Wildlife control operators do not necessarily consider themselves as trappers. While trapping animals is part of the job, we are problem solvers. No two nuisance animal wildlife problems are the same, and some animal species are extremely unique and are difficult for even the most experienced wildlife control operator (WCO). We tell our customers that the only certainty with nuisance animal wildlife is their uncertainty and unpredictability.

If you live in the Richmond or Charlottesville Virginia area and need a company with the knowledge, skills, abilities, and professionalism to handle your nuisance animal wildlife problem contact Virginia Professional Wildlife Removal Services, LLC at (434) 270-0488 or toll-free at (888) 893-1975. We offer the humane and efficient removal of ALL types of animal wildlife. Some of the animals we handle include, but are not limited to: bats, birds, beavers, squirrels, raccoons, snakes, skunks, opossums, groundhogs, moles, voles, foxes, coyotes, muskrats and turtles. Feel free to call us with any of your Richmond or Charlottesville VA animal wildlife problems. If you don’t own a home or business in our service area, we have a network of other wildlife control operators across Virginia that we know and trust that can help you.

We provide residential, commercial and industrial animal trapping, wildlife removal, animal control and wildlife exclusion services 24/7 in the Richmond VA and Charlottesville VA areas and our work is guaranteed!

Raccoons in Richmond Area Believed to Have Canine Distemper

raccoon removalRaccoon removal services needed? Richmond residents have contacted wildlife authorities after residents were complaining about raccoons behaving strangely.

According to sources, the animals appeared to have the debilitating illness canine distemper.

After describing the symptoms to wildlife specialists it was determined the animals were suffering from canine distemper, a viral disease that infects various animals, including unvaccinated dogs. The disease does not affect humans.

Coyotes and skunks are sometimes affected. If dogs are not vaccinated, they can catch the illness from raccoons drinking or eating out of their water and food dishes.

Symptoms of the illness include discharge from the nose and eyes, a rough coat of hair, emaciated appearance and unusual behavior, such as wandering aimlessly, appearing lethargic or having a staggering walk.

Any residents who see raccoons displaying those types of symptoms should contact their local animal control agency.

Raccoons are one of the major carriers of rabies in Virginia, particularly in the Richmond and Charlottesville areas. Their feces is also known to contain raccoon roundworm – a parasite transferable to humans. Add to this the fact that raccoons are known to enter the attic space of homes where they damage insulation and HVAC duct work and you have the recipe for a big problem that could cost you a lot of money to correct. Animal problems almost never go away on their own and only get worse if ignored.

A little information for you DIY homeowners that want to do their own raccoon removal – DON’T. Raccoons are very powerful animals and can be extremely aggressive. Some people buy a raccoon trap at a big box store and try to trap the raccoon themselves. The problem is it’s against Virginia state law for you to transport wildlife and NO ONE can relocate wildlife – it’s simply not allowed.

Call Virginia Professional Wildlife Removal Services, LLC at (434) 270-0488 or toll-free at (888) 893-1975 for raccoon trapping, raccoon control and raccoon removal in the Richmond and Charlottesville, VA areas. We guarantee our work!

More & More Residents Reporting Strange Wildlife Behavior In Richmond And Charlottesville, VA

Each year, local public health agencies in the Richmond and Charlottesville Virginia areas receive more and more calls about unusual wild animal behavior.

Some of the calls have been about “strange” behavior in raccoons and foxes. Callers report raccoons and foxes out during the day, looking confused, staggering, having seizures, or just sitting or lying down. In some cases, a person can get very close to the animal and it never moves.

Raccoons are usually night creatures. However, experts say that raccoons are getting used to residential developments.

Seeing raccoons during the day in Richmond and Charlottesville VA has become more common in recent years. These raccoons may not be diseased, but are getting used to being around people.

There are two diseases that could cause strange behaviors in these animals — canine distemper and rabies. Laboratory testing of the animal is the only way to determine if it is diseased or not.

Employees of Virginia Professional Wildlife Removal Services, LLC—a wildlife animal pest removal company servicing both Charlottesville and Richmond, say it is important to stay away from wild animals as well as domesticated pets. They offers the following tips:

What should you do to keep your pets healthy?
• Vaccinate your pets for both distemper and rabies and keep the vaccinations up-to-date
• Keep them away from all wildlife such as raccoons, skunks or foxes
• If your pet is ill or you have questions, contact your veterinarian
• Keep your pets away from other ill pets/animals
• Discuss your pet’s health and vaccinations with your veterinarian
• Know your area and keep a lookout for sick or injured wildlife in Richmond and Charlottesville
• Do not feed the wildlife, keep trash cans covered

What should you do if you see a sick raccoon or other wildlife in Richmond or Charlottesville?
• Stay away from the animal
• Do not approach or attempt to pick it up
• Alert your family, friends, neighbors to the be on the lookout and avoid the animal
• You may notify animal control or the health department, but the animal will not be picked up and tested unless there is a human exposure

Contact Virginia Professional Wildlife Removal Services at (434) 270-0488 or toll-free at (888) 893-1975 for all of your animal wildlife pest removal needs in Richmond and Charlottesville, VA.

Who Do I Call If I Have A Nuisance Wildlife Pest Problem In Charlottesville Or Richmond, Virginia?

If you own a home or business in Charlottesville or Richmond, Virginia, you know that dealing with strange animals is never any fun. And if you don’t have experience in the matter, you need to seek out an expert for help—a company like Virginia Professional Wildlife Removal Services, LLC.

If you’re having trouble with critters showing up on your Charlottesville or Richmond property, contact Virginia Professional Wildlife Removal Services fast. We know what to do to rid your home or business of its animal troubles.

As a wildlife control company, we are going to make a point to figure what type of animal we’re dealing with before proceeding with any course of action. For instance, you may have trash scattered around your yard every night, but cannot figure out what’s causing the mess. It could be something as simple as a cat, or, on the other hand, it could be a raccoon. It’s hard to figure out what it is if you aren’t an expert. A professional company like ours will know what to do to determine the type of animal that’s at the root of the problem.

Once our wildlife control experts discover what animal is causing all the issues, then it’s a matter of finding out how the animal is getting onto the property. Many times, animals can dig under fences or get in through the smallest cracks or crevices. Our professionals will know how to narrow down the possibilities as far as entry onto the property. As a result, we will keep this in mind when going through the process of how best to keep animals out.

The hardest part of wildlife control is catching the animal. Some animals are easier to catch than others. There are various methods involved in catching wild animals. The thing that our professionals know is that different animals call for different methods of capture. For instance, if the issue involves a snake, our experts are not going to use the same tactics that we would use to catch a possum; and vice versa. The bottom line is that hiring an experienced company like ours will save you time, money and offer peace of mind.

After the animal is caught, it’s essential that our wildlife control specialists properly seal off the opening where the animal is getting in. This way, you can rest assured that the animal doesn’t get in from that location again. Also, our specialists can help in identifying and preventing animals from entering from new locations.

When dealing with critters, you want to make sure whoever handles the problem offers a guarantee. Nothing’s worse than thinking you have all those pests squared away, only to wake up one morning and see one of those same critters staring you in the face. If you’re dealing with a professional company like Virginia Professional Wildlife Removal Services, we will offer a guarantee that the nuisance will be gone or we’ll come out again to remedy the problem.

When you know you have a critter roaming through your Charlottesville or Richmond property, you won’t rest until it’s gone. That’s why you want a wildlife control service company like Virginia Professional Wildlife Removal Services. We use the most humanely efficient methods to rid your home or business of animal pest problems.

Some of the services we offer Charlottesville and Richmond, Virginia homes and businesses include bat removal, bat control, beaver removal, beaver trapping, bird removal, bird control, squirrel removal, squirrel trapping, raccoon removal, raccoon trapping, skunk removal, skunk trapping, snake removal, snake trapping, opossum removal, opossum trapping, groundhog removal, groundhog trapping, mole removal, mole control, fox trapping, fox removal, coyote trapping, coyote removal, chipmunk trapping, chipmunk removal, and turtle trapping and turtle removal. Virginia Professional Wildlife Removal Services, LLC is licensed and insured and provides 24/7 service to home owners and businesses. Call (434) 270-0488 or toll-free at (888) 893-1975 to have us solve your wildlife problem.

3 Raccoons Found with Distemper. Be Sure to Vaccinate Pets!

December 17, 2010 | by Nickie Lewis | Chicago Metro

Wildlife officers at Chicago’s Animal Care and Control recently responded to calls about three raccoons suspected of having contracted distemper, a highly contagious disease that can affect several species, including domestic pets. Humans cannot contract the distemper virus.
“We want people to know that prevention is the best opportunity here,” said Animal Care and Control Executive Director Cherie Travis. “Vaccinating pets against distemper is very important to prevent the spread of the disease.”
Animal Care and Control is offering low-cost vaccine clinics at its facility located at 2741 S. Western Avenue on Tuesday, December 28 from 9 a.m. – noon, and on Wednesday, December 29 from 4 p.m. -7 p.m. The cost of the vaccine is $7 and no appointment is necessary.
Additional Vaccine Clinics will be available on January 15, February 5, February 26, March 19, April 9 and April 30 – all from 9 a.m. until noon.  Rabies vaccinations will also be available at a cost of $15.
Distemper attacks the nervous system and symptoms of the virus include: trembling, seizures, twitching, partial or complete paralysis, and eye and nasal discharge.

The public is encouraged to call 311 to report sightings of wild animals that appear infected and to take pets immediately to a veterinarian if they are exhibiting symptoms.
In 2004, the Chicago area experienced an outbreak of distemper virus that affected over 120 dogs and may have been transmitted to unvaccinated pets through exposure to infected wildlife.

CHARLOTTESVILLE AND RICHMOND VIRGINIA SQUIRREL REMOVAL AND SQUIRREL CONTROL – VIRGINIA PROFESSIONAL WILDLIFE REMOVAL SERVICES, LLC – (434) 270-0488 or toll-free at (888) 893-1975
www.virginiaprofessionalwildliferemovalservices.com