Wildlife, Rodent, & Pest Control Services

Having wildlife invade the home is a source of fear for many homeowners. The thought of dirty wild animals running rampant through your walls and attic, spreading their filth, is enough to make anyone’s skin crawl. You’d think that you’d at least know as soon as nuisance animals get into your home but they can be surprisingly stealthy.

The Knoxville area is inhabited by quite a few wildlife species that are notorious for invading local homes, including squirrels, raccoons and bats. If you think you might have a wildlife problem but you’re not quite sure, keep reading to learn the most telling signs of a wild animal in the house that you should be watching for.

How to Tell If You Have a Wild Animal in Your Home

1. Strange Noises – Because wildlife tends to avoid human interaction, you’ll probably hear your wild guests before you see them. Even though they can keep quiet when they want to, wildlife is often very noisy inside a home, especially if they have babies. If you hear strange noises coming from your attic, crawl space or inside your walls, it’s very likely that you have nuisance wildlife in your home in Knoxville. The types of noises you hear can indicate what sort of critter you’re dealing with. Squeaking noises may come from mice, rats or bats; flapping sounds in tandem with the squeaking definitely means bats. Chittering and rustling noises tend to be made by squirrels. If you hear loud thumping and strange vocalizations, you probably have a raccoon in your home.
2. Foul Odors – Even if you don’t see or hear animal intruders in your home in Knoxville, there’s a good chance that you’ll start to smell them. Wildlife has no qualms about using your home as a toilet, and the stench of their urine and feces will soon permeate your home. Opossum droppings are known to smell particularly awful, while the guano produced by bats produces a strong ammonia odor. Then, of course, there are skunks, whose spray is considered one of the most awful smells known to man. It’s also possible that wild animals will die in your attic or inside your walls, which can produce an even worse stench.
3. Visible Damage – Unfortunately, the damage caused by wildlife is often contained to dark and remote areas of your home that you have no convenient access to. But sometimes, wild animals may cause damage that you do notice. Seeing holes or chew marks in your siding or eaves is a telltale sign that raccoons, squirrels or other critters are present on your property. You may also want to inspect your roof for any holes, which wildlife can create or take advantage of to infiltrate your attic. Be especially careful if you discover any electrical wires that appear to have been chewed on; rodents will gnaw on these relentlessly, and it can result in a power outage or, worse, a house fire.
4. Critter Sightings – While wildlife tends to be rather elusive, you may notice critters hanging out around your property. If you think that you have a wildlife infestation in your Knoxville home, start watching the wildlife around your yard more closely. At dawn or dusk, consider going outside and scanning your roofline to see if any wild animals are coming into or out of your house. Most wildlife is nocturnal and will hide in your home during most of the day before emerging to feed at night. However, squirrels are diurnal, so they’ll be on the opposite schedule. If you see critters clambering around on your roof at any time of day, it’s probably time to call a wildlife removal company.

Do You Need Wildlife Removal in Knoxville?

Wild animals belong outside. If you have critters in your home, it’s always best to call a licensed wildlife control company for safe and effective animal removal services. Contact Critter Wranglers today if you need our help to remove wildlife from your home in the Knoxville area!