Like most of you, I enjoy watching the small furry creatures of the forest go about their daily lives. Squirrels jumping branch to branch, chipmunks chasing each other, and raccoons grabbing for treats inside logs or out of a creek can all be quite entertaining to watch. Wild animals such as these will bring a smile to your face until they have made their home habitat right behind yours. As cute as these animals are, they can also be a destructive nuisance when they move into your yard, or even worse, into your home.
Bats
Bats are fantastic creatures to have around if you have a lot of mosquitoes. However, the last thing that you want is to have them invade your attic or avoid the daylight in the eaves of your house. Bats in your home can cause serious health risks for you and your family. Bat guano can cause a fungus to grow in soil or other materials and causes a disease called Histoplasmosis, a potentially fatal illness if left untreated. Bats are known carriers of rabies. Cornered bats could bite, so make sure you never try to remove one on your own. If you have bats in your home, call Big Blue Bug to remove them immediately.
Squirrels
Fuzzy little squirrels seem innocent enough when they are in the backyard, but if one decides to nest in your attic, you have the potential for a serious problem. Squirrels chew. A lot! Squirrels are as destructive as they are cute. They will chew through boxes and insulation while they build a nest and will quickly invade your food supplies. They will also chew on the wiring in your home which leaves you with a huge risk of fire. Squirrels are not anything you want to try to handle on your own. They are very fast and scared very easily. These animals will bite if they can't get away from their captor.
Raccoons
There are those out there who would like to tell you all about the raccoon they “tamed”. Don’t you believe it! Though raccoons have been known to be convinced to take the food right out of someone’s hand, these animals are a serious threat if they are allowed to get a little too comfortable around humans. Raccoons that move in looking for a warm spot to spend the winter can do a lot of damage to your chimney, ducts, and attic. A raccoon can demolish a trash can looking for a tasty bite. And if one gets into your kitchen - well, hurricanes have done less damage than one of these guys. Raccoons can be very aggressive if they are cornered. They will bite you or your pet if you try to do so. Raccoons are known carriers of rabies, and their bite is nothing to take lightly. See a doctor immediately if you are bitten or scratched.
Skunks
If you are confronted by a skunk nosing around your trash cans, there is very little doubt that you will not forget the experience anytime soon. For more obvious reasons than the other pests we have talked about, skunks are not popular guests in your yard. They will quickly douse you, your pet, and the whole area if scared or surprised. Skunks that feel threatened also have the potential to bite and are also known carriers of rabies. A skunk can do quite a bit of damage to your property. They will often dig their way under sheds and porches to make a nice cozy nest for themselves. They also find dining in your trash cans an excellent and convenient source of food no matter how much of a mess they make.
The fact is that wild animals are always just that, wild. They do not belong mixing with humans and are best left away from your home and property. If you find that the woodland creatures around your home have gotten a little too close for comfort, call Big Blue Bug Solutions. We have a number of different ways to remove a possible threat to your home and family and can protect your home with wildlife solutions that really work.