SQUIRRELS
Squirrels, a creature we’re all familiar with on a day to day basis! Either by their happy chattering in trees, or running around on the lawn or street, these medium sized rodents are in most of our lives to some extent. Unfortunately however, they come with a mischievous nature, which leads them to break into homes. Since their teeth never stop growing, they’re always looking to chew to keep their teeth manageable and sharp. This leads to squirrels damaging inside homes when left unchecked including, but not limited to, wiring, walls, rafters, siding, soffit, eavestrough, and fascia. The area of entry can be difficult to see, so squirrels can infiltrate attics for a period of time without any detection whatsoever.
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RACCOONS
Raccoons are a creature most people are familiar with as a common pest, sometimes jokingly called the "Trash Panda". However, as cute as they may be, they present a hazard not only in damage to buildings they are in, but also to the health of the building's occupants. Roof, soffit, attic, siding, eavestrough, and crawl space damage can occur if these creatures break in and are left unchecked. Springtime can be a high nuisance time as newborn babies cry during the night, often leading to sleep loss and frustration for homeowners. Several diseases can be passed on to humans and/or their pets by these creatures.
BATS
The only mammal that can truly fly, the bat is a small and extremely beneficial creature to our ecosystem here in Ontario! Consuming as many as 1000 bugs each night, the bat is immensely helpful to control insect populations! An innately social animal, bats can live in groups anywhere from half a dozen, to hundreds based on location and food access. As much as this creature has its incredible benefits, the bat also poses a problem to homeowners. Bats can infiltrate through small cracks and set up residence in walls. As a carrier of the rabies virus, and several other diseases, bats can be harmful to people and pets if not handled carefully. The bat is protected under The Fish and Wildlife Conservation Act, and it is illegal to kill or harm a bat, even if it has invaded a home or dwelling, with fines reaching up to $10,000 per bat, harmed or killed. A relatively small and quiet creature, bats can dwell undetected within walls for a long period of time, only being noticed if one escapes, due to necessity or manmade influence (ie, renovations).
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SKUNKS
Skunks, a black and white creature best known for its rather powerful scent. Having the ability to spray distances of 6-10 feet, in multiple amounts, these animals, most often nocturnal and shy, can pose a large problem for people, but especially their pets. Prone to digging under sheds, decks, steps, or buildings without proper foundations, they cause air pockets under pads of garages, posing a risk of cracking concrete pads. Also known to wander into garages, the smell of pet food or garbage attracts skunks in, only for them later to get trapped once the home owner closes the garage door. This can pose great complications for the occupants of the home or business as safely removing a skunk (without instigating its signature smell) can be a tenuous experience!
MICE
The smallest of the animal pests, mice are a common household issue in late Fall to early Spring in most dwellings of Ontario. Having the ability to squeeze through cracks and crevices of only 1/8” thick, keeping mice out of a house is close to impossible. Bringing diseases such as the hantavirus and salmonella into your home or business, mice are not a healthy creature to be cohabiting with. While most people notice their rice sized black droppings as a sign of entry, many people do not know that mice urinate almost nonstop, causing anything they touch to be soiled.
RATS
Rats are one of the most unwelcome creatures that a home or business owner can run into. Possessing the ability of being able to chew through almost any material, including wood, aluminum, and (in extreme cases) even concrete blocks, rats are a tenacious, smart, and cunning animal. They are able to jump 5 feet across, 4 feet high and can climb indefinitely. Rats can cause a home or business owner multiple headaches due to their crafty ability of taking routes that leave them unseen, all the while causing exceptional damage to your home or place of work. An adult rat can consume any kind of foodstuff, pet/livestock feed, as well as refuse from garbage, adapting to whatever environment they are found in. Capable of having as many as 22 pups per litter, rats can breed and grow at a very rapid rate. Known to be the carrier of multiple diseases, including the flea responsible for the Black Plague, rats are a hazard for the health of pets and humans alike...not an animal you want on the premises for any length of time
STARLINGS
A small, yellow beaked bird, the starling is an invasive species in Ontario, and Canada overall. A very disruptive bird, the starling becomes an annoyance for homeowners in the spring, when they build nests in accessible soffit spaces, wall and roof vents. When these creatures decide to invade, problems that often occur include plugging fan and dryer vents, odour problems due to their unsanitary nesting habits, noise from baby birds, bird mites infesting through fans from the nest, and soiling vehicles and walls of building from their droppings. The carrier of several diseases, starlings typically lay two clutches of eggs a season, making them a prolific and unpleasant bird to have in your home, cottage or place of work.
OPOSSUMS
Not a creature people would be familiar with on a day to day basis, the opossum is the only resident marsupial of Ontario! A normally shy and nocturnal creature, the possum will at times dig under a deck or porch for a place to sleep during the day. Not an aggressive creature unless provoked, the Opossum is also known for its ability to ‘play dead’ when in danger. Due to their love for garbage, the opossum can sometimes be trapped in garages when they came in following the scent of food.
SNAKES
Not everyone’s favourite by far, but snakes are a quiet, necessary creature of the environment. Helpful in controlling insect, mice, and rat populations, snakes of all varieties play a large roll in the ecosystems they are found in. Only one venomous species of snake exists here in Ontario, the Massasauga Rattlesnake, which is native to eastern side of Georgian Bay. Not a common problem in households, but a feared one, snakes can take up residence in garages in the hunt for rodents that are located in the same building. Due to the fact many snakes in Ontario are endangered, it is not recommended any snakes be killed. A quick call and we can relocate these fellows to a new and happy environment away from your home.
GROUNDHOGS
The groundhog is the most efficient digger of all pests in Ontario. Very fond of burrowing under sheds, and large porches, the groundhog lives underground in burrows. An animal that enjoys the daylight, groundhogs can often be seen sunning themselves or eating grass and fruits dropped from trees. They present little, if any, danger to people, however, they can cause issues for pets and livestock as the animals may mistakenly step in their burrow holes and injure their legs.
Exit Wildlife and Pest Control Inc is a Licenced and Insured Structural Pest and Wildlife Control Company
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