Does homeowners insurance cover animal damage in Florida?

Florida homeowners insurance sometimes covers animal damage, but the outcome usually turns on a single question: was the damage sudden and accidental, or did it build up gradually? Many standard policies may pay for abrupt structural harm caused by a large wild animal, while excluding losses tied to rodents, birds, vermin, nesting, or infestation. Policies differ from one carrier to the next, so your own declarations page and exclusions decide what applies.

Insurers draw a line between a covered peril and a maintenance issue. A covered peril is generally something that happens quickly and by chance. Gradual damage, the kind that develops over weeks or months while animals live in a structure, tends to land in the excluded column alongside wear and tear, mold, and rot. The Insurance Information Institute notes that standard policies "will not cover damage due to lack of maintenance, mold or infestation from termites or other pests" (iii.org).

That is why two homeowners with nearly identical attic damage can get different answers. One reports a raccoon that tore through a fascia board during a single break-in and files right away; the other has lived with scratching noises for a season before looking. The first looks sudden. The second looks like a neglected infestation. The framing matters, and it is worth reading your policy or calling your agent before you assume either way.

Which wildlife damages are typically covered vs excluded

As a general industry norm, sudden structural damage from a large animal is more likely to be considered, while damage from rodents, birds, bats, and ongoing infestations is commonly excluded. The Insurance Information Institute puts it plainly: you "probably aren't covered for any damage to the building caused by birds, rodents, insects, or vermin," and there "probably won't be coverage for any nesting or infestation" (iii.org). Coverage varies by policy, so treat the following as typical patterns rather than guarantees.

Here is how the common Central Florida offenders usually get categorized:

• Raccoon attic damage. A raccoon is large enough that a sudden break-in through a soffit or roof edge sometimes reads as accidental structural damage. But once a raccoon has denned, torn insulation, and soiled the space over time, carriers often reclassify the loss as an infestation or maintenance problem and deny it.
• Rodent gnawing (roof rats and mice). This is the classic exclusion. Chewed wiring, gnawed wood, and ruined insulation from rats or mice are almost always treated as vermin or infestation damage and denied on a standard policy.
• Squirrel chewing. Squirrels are frequently grouped with rodents. Their gnawing on wiring, trim, and vents is commonly excluded for the same reason, even though the fire risk from chewed wiring is real.
• Bat guano and urine. Cleanup and contamination from a bat colony is typically denied as an infestation and sanitation issue rather than a sudden covered event. Bats also carry legal protections in Florida that affect when and how they can be removed.

Because carriers define "rodent" and "vermin" differently, the Insurance Information Institute recommends asking your agent exactly what your policy counts as a rodent or vermin before you need to file. If you are dealing with a raccoon specifically, our raccoon behavior and removal page explains how these animals get in and why the damage compounds so fast.

How to document damage for a claim

Good documentation is the single biggest thing within your control. Before anything is cleaned or repaired, photograph the damage from wide and close angles, capture dates, and get a written professional assessment describing what caused the damage and when it likely occurred. A clear record that ties the loss to a specific event helps an adjuster see the claim the way you do, and it protects you if the carrier pushes back.

A practical documentation checklist for a wildlife claim:

• Photos and video, timestamped. Shoot the entry point, the interior damage, soiled insulation, chewed materials, and any affected wiring or ductwork. Wide shots establish context; close-ups show detail.
• A dated written report. Note when you first noticed signs (noises, droppings, a hole) and when the damage was found. Honesty here matters, since the timeline shapes the sudden-versus-gradual question.
• A professional assessment. An inspection report from a licensed wildlife company that identifies the animal, the entry points, and the scope of damage carries more weight than a homeowner's description alone.
• Repair estimates and invoices. Keep itemized quotes and receipts for exclusion work, sanitation, insulation replacement, and structural repair.
• Do not throw anything away prematurely. Hold onto damaged materials where practical until the adjuster has seen them or signed off.

How Dr. Critter's assessment and repair documentation supports your claim

When we inspect a home, we produce the kind of record adjusters actually look for: identification of the animal, mapped entry points, photos of the damage, and an itemized scope for exclusion, cleanup, and repair. We do not adjust claims or decide coverage, and no contractor can promise an insurer will pay. What we can do is give you a clear, professional paper trail that describes what happened and what it will take to make the home whole again.

Over years of attic work across Central Florida, we have handed homeowners the assessments they took to their carriers. Our reports separate the sudden structural damage from the sanitation and exclusion work, which helps everyone see the loss clearly instead of lumping it into one vague "animal problem." When repairs move forward, our attic restoration and attic animal removal documentation gives you itemized invoices that match the estimate, so there are no surprises if an adjuster asks for detail. Whatever the coverage decision turns out to be, you are working from facts.

When it's worth filing vs paying out of pocket

Filing makes the most sense when the damage is clearly sudden, well documented, and costs meaningfully more than your deductible. For smaller repairs that sit close to the deductible, or for damage a carrier is likely to exclude as infestation, paying out of pocket often protects you from a denied claim on your record and possible premium effects. Weigh the likely payout against the deductible and the hassle before you file.

A few things to think through: how your deductible compares to the estimated repair, whether the damage reads as sudden or gradual, and how a claim, even a denied one, might factor into future premiums or renewals in Florida's tight insurance market. Knowing the ballpark cost of the removal and repair helps you make the call, and our wildlife removal cost guide for Central Florida lays out what these jobs typically run. You can also see how we price and stand behind our work on our pricing and guarantee page. Often the fastest path is simply to get the home fixed correctly and keep the animals out for good, claim or no claim.

Frequently asked questions

Does homeowners insurance cover raccoon damage in Florida?

Sometimes. Because a raccoon is a large animal, a sudden break-in that causes structural damage may be considered under some policies, but damage that accumulated while a raccoon lived in the attic is frequently denied as infestation or maintenance. The result depends on your specific policy language and how the damage is documented, so review your policy or ask your agent.

Is rat or squirrel damage covered by homeowners insurance?

Usually not. Rats, mice, and squirrels are commonly classified as rodents or vermin, and standard homeowners policies typically exclude damage caused by them, including chewed wiring, gnawed wood, and ruined insulation. Carriers define these terms differently, so confirm with your agent what your policy counts as a rodent before you assume anything.

Will insurance pay to clean up bat guano?

Bat guano cleanup and contamination is generally treated as an infestation and sanitation issue, which most standard policies exclude rather than cover as a sudden event. Bats also have legal protections in Florida that restrict when they can be removed, which affects the timing of both removal and any repairs. Check your policy and consult a licensed professional.

Does filing a claim raise my insurance premium?

It can. Even a denied claim may appear on your loss history and factor into future pricing or renewal decisions, which is a real consideration in Florida's current market. For repairs near your deductible, paying out of pocket sometimes protects you more than filing. Talk with your agent about how a claim could affect your specific policy.

What documentation do I need before an adjuster visits?

Have timestamped photos and video of the entry points and interior damage, a dated note on when you first noticed signs, a professional inspection report identifying the animal and scope, and itemized repair estimates. The stronger and more specific your record, the easier it is for an adjuster to evaluate the claim accurately.

Get your damage assessed the right way

Whether or not you end up filing, the first step is the same: know exactly what got in, what it damaged, and what it will cost to fix and seal. We give you that in writing, with photos and an itemized scope you can hand straight to your carrier. Get Your Free Estimate and we will document the damage, remove the animals, and keep them out.

What determines the cost of wildlife removal?

After more than 30 years working attics and crawlspaces across Orlando, Kissimmee, Sanford, and out toward Daytona Beach, we've learned the price comes down to a handful of things. The species matters first. The number of animals matters too, because one squirrel is a different job than a nesting colony. Then there's the size of the structure, how the animals got in, the damage to insulation and wiring, and whether the space needs decontamination. A one-time trap-and-remove sits on the low end. A full home seal with repairs and warranty coverage runs higher. Our humane critter removal team walks the property and prices the actual work instead of guessing.

Is removal or exclusion more expensive?

Exclusion costs more than a simple removal, and there's a good reason for that. Removal gets the animal out today. Exclusion finds every gap, vent, and roofline seam the animal used, seals it, and keeps the next one from moving in. That means more labor, more material, and more time on a ladder. It's also the only version that actually solves the problem. We back our attic animal removal exclusion work with a Forever Warranty, so if a sealed entry ever fails, we come back and fix it at no charge. You pay once and it's done right, instead of paying every season for the same raccoon's cousins.

Does homeowners insurance cover wildlife damage?

Sometimes it does, and this is where a lot of homeowners leave money on the table. Many policies cover sudden damage from wildlife, including chewed wiring, ruined insulation, attic contamination, and even structural repairs. We've helped plenty of Central Florida families document the damage properly and file claims that offset a big chunk of the cost. We photograph everything, write up what caused it, and hand you paperwork your adjuster can actually use. It doesn't apply to every situation, but we'll tell you honestly whether yours looks claimable before you spend a dime.

Why do you need an on-site inspection to quote a price?

Because attics lie. From the driveway, a squirrel problem and a full rat infestation look identical. We need to see the entry points, count the animals, check the insulation, smell for anything dead in the walls, and measure the space before we can quote honest numbers. That's exactly why we don't publish a fixed price list, and why our pricing guarantee is built around a real inspection instead of a phone estimate. The free visit protects you from surprise charges as much as it protects us.

How much does it cost to remove raccoons, bats, or squirrels from an attic?

These three are our most common Central Florida attic calls, and each one prices differently. Raccoons are big and destructive, so they often mean torn ducting and heavy contamination on top of the removal itself. Bats are protected in Florida and can only be excluded during certain windows, which changes the timeline and the price. Squirrels are smaller but chew constantly and rarely travel solo. Rats and mice fall under our rodent removal service and usually need ongoing exclusion. If something died in the wall before you called, dead animal removal and decontamination get added on. Every one of these varies by how far the infestation has spread, which is the whole reason we inspect first.

Want a real number for your home instead of a national average that means nothing? Get your free estimate. We'll come out, inspect the attic, show you exactly what's going on, and quote the honest cost to fix it with the warranty included. You get a straight answer from a licensed local crew that's been doing this in Central Florida for over 30 years, not a figure pulled out of thin air over the phone.

Photo by Ellen26 on Pixabay

While many homeowners assume they need to wait until August 15 before contacting a bat removal company, the opposite is true. In fact, one of the smartest things you can do is schedule a professional bat inspection now.

At Dr. Critter, we've specialized in bat removal, bat exclusion, and wildlife removal throughout Central Florida since 1997. From Orlando and Sanford to Lake Mary, Longwood, Winter Park, Melbourne, Deltona, Clermont, and surrounding communities, we've helped thousands of homeowners safely and permanently remove bats from their homes.

Why Choose Dr. Critter for Bat Removal in Central Florida?

Bat removal isn't the same as trapping raccoons or removing squirrels. It requires specialized knowledge of bat behavior, Florida wildlife regulations, and construction techniques to permanently exclude bats without harming them.

Our experienced wildlife specialists provide complete bat removal services, including:

* Comprehensive bat inspections

* Identification of all active and potential bat entry points

* Professional bat exclusion

* Permanent bat-proofing and exclusion repairs

* Guano cleanup recommendations

* Lifetime Renewable Warranty on qualifying exclusion work

Unlike many companies that simply install a few one-way devices, we inspect the entire structure to identify every potential point of entry. Even a gap less than half an inch wide can allow bats to re-enter your attic.

Our goal isn't simply to remove the bats—it's to make sure they don't come back.

Why You Shouldn't Wait Until August 15

Every summer we receive dozens of phone calls that begin with:

"I know I can't remove the bats until August 15, so I'll just call then."

Unfortunately, that's exactly what thousands of other Florida homeowners do.

August 15 marks the end of Florida's bat maternity season, when full bat exclusions generally resume. However, there is absolutely no reason to wait until then to schedule your inspection.

In fact, scheduling your inspection now provides several important advantages.

1. Reserve Your Spot Before the Rush

Bat season becomes incredibly busy in mid-August.

Homeowners who wait until August 15 to call often discover that experienced bat removal companies are already scheduling weeks into the future.

Scheduling your inspection today allows you to reserve your place in line so your exclusion project can begin as soon as conditions allow.

2. Understand Exactly Where the Bats Are Entering

Every bat infestation is different.

Some homes have a single entry point.

Others have multiple openings hidden behind fascia boards, soffits, ridge vents, roof intersections, or construction gaps.

A professional bat inspection identifies every active and potential access point so your exclusion plan is complete from the beginning.

3. Receive an Accurate Proposal

No two homes are alike.

By inspecting your home before exclusion season begins, we can prepare a detailed proposal outlining:

* Areas requiring repair

* Bat exclusion methods

* Permanent wildlife-proofing recommendations

* Project timeline

* Costs

When August arrives, you'll already know exactly what needs to be done.

4. Avoid Additional Damage

The longer bats occupy an attic, the greater the potential for:

* Guano accumulation

* Odors

* Staining around entry points

* Damage to insulation

* Increased cleanup costs

While inspections don't remove the bats during the maternity season, they allow homeowners to prepare for permanent bat exclusion as soon as it is appropriate.

Why Experience Matters

Since 1997, Dr. Critter has completed thousands of successful bat removal and bat exclusion projects throughout Central Florida.

Our team understands the unique construction methods used on Florida homes and knows where bats commonly gain access.

Some of the most common bat entry points include:

* Roof-to-wall transitions

* Ridge vents

* Gable vents

* Soffit returns

* Fascia gaps

* Construction joints

* Utility penetrations

Finding every entry point is the difference between a successful bat exclusion and having the colony return months later.

Why Homeowners Throughout Central Florida Trust Dr. Critter

Homeowners throughout Orlando, Sanford, Longwood, Lake Mary, Winter Park, Oviedo, Apopka, Clermont, Melbourne, Titusville, Deltona, and surrounding Central Florida communities trust Dr. Critter because we offer:

* Nearly 30 years of professional wildlife removal experience.

* Thousands of successful bat exclusion projects.

* Permanent exclusion repairs—not temporary fixes.

* Highly trained wildlife specialists.

* Fully licensed and insured technicians.

* Lifetime Renewable Warranty on qualifying exclusion work.

* Professional repairs designed to preserve your home's appearance.

Our focus is simple:

Provide a permanent solution—not a temporary fix.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can bats be removed before August 15?

Florida protects bats during the maternity season, which generally means full bat exclusions are postponed until after August 15. However, inspections can and should be performed before then so your project is ready to move forward when exclusion season begins.

How do I know if I have bats in my attic?

Common signs include bats flying from your roofline around sunset, scratching or chirping noises, staining around roof gaps, and the presence of bat guano beneath entry points.

Will bats leave on their own?

In most cases, no. Bat colonies are creatures of habit and often return to the same roost year after year unless the structure is professionally excluded.

Is bat removal dangerous?

Bats are beneficial wildlife and should never be handled by homeowners. Professional bat removal protects both the animals and your family while ensuring compliance with Florida wildlife regulations.

Schedule Your Bat Inspection Today

If you suspect bats are living in your attic, don't wait until August 15 to begin the process.

Scheduling a professional inspection now allows us to identify entry points, prepare a customized bat exclusion plan, provide an accurate proposal, and reserve your place on our schedule before the busy season begins.

Whether you live in Orlando, Sanford, Longwood, Lake Mary, Winter Park, Oviedo, Apopka, Clermont, Melbourne, Titusville, Deltona, or anywhere in Central Florida, Dr. Critter is ready to help.

Looking for Bat Removal in Central Florida?

With nearly 30 years of experience, thousands of successful bat exclusion projects, and a reputation built on permanent solutions, Dr. Critter is Central Florida's trusted choice for professional bat removal.

Contact Dr. Critter today to schedule your professional bat inspection and take the first step toward a bat-free home.

Signs you have a skunk

The smell is usually the first clue, but it is not the only one. A skunk does not have to spray to leave its mark. The animals carry a faint, musky odor that builds up around an active den, so a steady low-grade smell near a deck or crawl space often points to a resident before you ever see one.

Beyond the odor, here is what I tell homeowners to look for:

• Burrow holes about 3 to 4 inches wide dug close to a foundation, deck footing, or shed skirting. Skunk holes tend to be neat and round at the entrance.
• Activity after dark. Skunks are nocturnal. If you are hearing scratching or shuffling under the floor at night and the yard goes quiet by morning, that fits the pattern.
• Cone-shaped divots in the lawn. Skunks dig for grubs and insects, leaving small shallow pits scattered across the grass, almost like someone went at the turf with a trowel.
• A worn path leading to a single entry point under a structure.

Our skunk identification guide has photos of the holes and tracks if you want to compare against what you are seeing in your own yard.

Where skunks den in Florida homes

Skunks are not climbers. They want a sheltered cavity at ground level, and Florida homes give them plenty to choose from. The spots we pull skunks out of most often are the open voids under decks, sheds, porches, and outdoor stairs. A raised deck with a dark, dry space underneath is about as good as it gets for a skunk looking to settle in.

AC units sit on a concrete pad with a gap underneath, and that gap gets used as a den entrance all the time. Crawl spaces under older homes are another favorite, particularly where a section of skirting or a vent screen has come loose. Once a female settles into one of these spots in spring, she stays put with her young, which is why a quick humane eviction beats waiting it out.

Are skunks dangerous? Health and property risks

Skunks are not aggressive animals, but they do carry real risks that homeowners should take seriously. In Florida, skunks are a recognized rabies vector species, so a skunk acting strangely, out in daylight, or showing no fear should be treated as a possible carrier and never approached. The spray is the better-known hazard. A direct hit causes burning eyes, trouble breathing, and an odor that clings to fur, clothing, and siding for weeks. Pets that corner a skunk usually end up sprayed at close range, sometimes right in the face. The digging is the quieter problem. Burrows undermine deck footings, concrete slabs, and AC pads, and the loosened soil pulls moisture and other pests up against the foundation. A skunk denning under an occupied home is not an emergency, but it is worth resolving promptly and correctly before any of that gets worse.

Florida skunk removal laws and humane methods

Skunks are native wildlife in Florida, and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) sets clear rules for how nuisance animals can be trapped and handled. Under FWC guidance, any trap has to be checked at least once every 24 hours, and a live-captured animal must be released or humanely euthanized within 24 hours of capture or trap inspection. Relocation is tightly limited. A native nuisance animal can only be moved within the same county where it was caught, to a site of at least 40 contiguous acres, and only with the written permission of that property owner. The FWC also points out that relocation often does the animal more harm than good, and that changing the conditions that drew the animal in tends to solve the conflict more reliably. You can read the agency's guidance directly at myfwc.com.

This is also why the DIY route falls apart. The popular advice is to scare a skunk off without getting sprayed, using ammonia rags, bright lights, or a radio left on under the deck. It rarely works on a denning female with young. And even when an adult does leave, the litter stays behind and starves, which leaves you with an odor problem and a far worse cleanup than you started with. The method that actually holds up is humane eviction. We confirm whether young are present, install one-way doors at the active entry so the animals can leave but cannot get back in, then seal the opening for good once everyone is out.

How Dr. Critter removes skunks

Our process follows the same path on every skunk job. It is built around getting the animal out without a spray incident and keeping it out afterward.

• Inspection. We find the active entry, look for secondary holes, and check for signs of a litter before we touch anything.
• Humane trapping or exclusion. Depending on the season and whether young are present, we either set a covered trap handled by a licensed technician or fit a one-way door so the skunk leaves on its own.
• Den-site sealing. Once the space is empty, we close the entry and reinforce the surrounding skirting or screening so nothing reopens it.
• Odor and waste cleanup. Den sites collect droppings and musk, so we handle the odor and waste cleanup rather than leaving it for you.
• Prevention. We point out the other voids around the property that a future skunk would target and close those gaps too.

One job in the Orlando area sticks with me. A homeowner had been running a radio under his deck for two weeks trying to drive a skunk out, with no luck. When we inspected, we found the reason: a female with four kits too young to follow her out. We waited until the young were mobile, installed a one-way door, let the family clear out over a couple of nights, then sealed the deck skirting. No spray, no orphaned litter. That is the part scaring an animal off can never get right. You can see the rest of our humane wildlife removal work, and we cover skunk calls across Central Florida.

Frequently asked questions

How do you get rid of skunk smell?

Tomato juice is a myth. The mix that actually neutralizes skunk spray is a quart of 3 percent hydrogen peroxide, a quarter cup of baking soda, and a teaspoon of dish soap, worked into the fur or surface and rinsed off after a few minutes. For den odor that has soaked into soil, insulation, or structural wood, a surface wash will not reach it, and that is where professional odor and waste cleanup comes in.

How much does skunk removal cost?

It depends on where the skunk is denning, whether young are involved, and how much sealing and cleanup the job needs. A straightforward eviction sits at the lower end, while a den under a slab or AC pad with heavy cleanup runs higher. We give a firm quote after the inspection, so you know the number before any work starts.

Will a skunk leave on its own?

An adult skunk passing through might move along in a few days. A female that has denned to raise young will not, and she will stay for weeks until the litter is grown. Waiting it out is also when the digging and odor get worse, so a denning skunk is the case where calling early saves you money and mess.

Photo by Charles & Clint on Openverse — license: BY-SA 2.0

Four animals account for almost every attic noise complaint we take in Central Florida: the Eastern gray squirrel, the Norway and roof rat, the raccoon, and the big brown or evening bat. Each one has a recognizable sound fingerprint that lines up with a specific time of day. Squirrels are daytime animals — rolling, scampering, sometimes the thump of a falling acorn cache — with the heaviest activity in the early morning and late afternoon. Rats are crepuscular and nocturnal; expect light scratching and scurrying along the top plates after sunset and again just before dawn. Raccoons are dusk-to-dawn and the heaviest of the four; what you hear is a deliberate thump or drag, not a scurry. Bats are silent in flight but vocalize as a colony at the roost — high-pitched chirps and clicks at sunrise, sunset, and intermittently through the night during maternity season. Identify the animal before you call anyone — the right service, the legal handling, and the cleanup all depend on it.

It is almost always 2 a.m. when the noise starts. You lie in bed listening to the ceiling. The sound is small, and your house is loud in the dark, and the first instinct is to wait until morning and hope it goes away. It almost never does. What it usually means is that something has found a way into your attic — through a roof return, a soffit gap, a torn vent screen, a piece of failing flashing — and is now setting up house above your insulation.

The good news is that the animal can usually be identified without going up there. Sound, smell, and damage patterns are specific enough that a licensed wildlife control operator can name the species on the phone before the first inspection. This article walks through that triangulation the way we do it on a service call, so you can call the right people in the morning instead of guessing.

Identification by Sound

The single most useful piece of information is when the noise happens. Each of the four common Florida attic invaders is active during a different window, and the activity pattern alone usually narrows it down to one or two species.

Squirrels — daytime, rolling and scampering

Eastern gray squirrels run on a sunrise-to-sunset clock. If the noise is between 7 a.m. and 10 a.m. or 3 p.m. and dusk, and it sounds like something the size of a paperback book is rolling across joists, that is almost certainly a squirrel. They cache nuts and acorns and you can sometimes hear those rolling too. Squirrels enter through gable vents, soffit returns under eaves, and at the ridge cap where shingles meet the roof peak. They will also chew through fascia board to make a new opening if they want one.

Rats — late evening and pre-dawn, scratching and scurrying

Both Norway rats and roof rats are nocturnal. In Central Florida the roof rat (Rattus rattus) is by far the more common attic invader because it is an excellent climber and prefers elevated nest sites. The sound is lighter than a squirrel and more skittering — quick movements along the top plate, brief scratching when they gnaw on wood or wire insulation, then silence. Two peaks: the hour after sunset and the hour before dawn. Rats often enter at plumbing vent boots, around AC line set penetrations, and through gaps where the soffit meets the brick or stucco. Roof rats breed year-round in Florida. According to University of Florida IFAS Extension, a female produces a litter of five to eight pups after a gestation of just 21 to 23 days and can raise four or five litters a year, so a pair that gets in during spring can turn into a colony by fall.

Raccoons — dusk and dawn, heavy thumping

If the noise is loud enough that you sit up in bed, it is probably a raccoon. A mature Central Florida raccoon weighs 15 to 25 pounds and walks the way that weight suggests — deliberate, slow, with a dragging quality when she is moving nest material. During the spring birthing window (typically February through April here) you will also hear the kits, which sound like piglets and chirp constantly. Raccoons enter at roof returns, decorative gable vents (which they will rip out), the cap of an old chimney, and any soffit that has separated from the fascia.

Bats — high-pitched chirping, all night during maternity season

You cannot hear bats fly. What you can hear, especially in summer, is the colony vocalizing at the roost. The sound is high-pitched, almost insect-like, and comes in clusters at sunset (emergence), sunrise (return), and intermittently through the night when bats arrive back from feeding flights. Central Florida bats — usually Brazilian free-tailed bats, big brown bats, or evening bats — squeeze through gaps of three-eighths of an inch or larger, so the entry point may not be visible without a ladder. Common locations are ridge caps, gable louver corners, and barrel-tile roofs where the underlayment has gapped at the eave. All 13 of Florida's native bat species are protected under state law. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission sets the bat maternity season from April 16 through August 14, and under Florida Administrative Code 68A-9.012 it is illegal to exclude a colony during that window because flightless pups would be sealed inside to die.

Identification by Smell

Smell takes longer to develop than sound — usually a few weeks of consistent occupation — but it is more specific than people realize. The species write different signatures.

Rats — musk and ammonia urine

A rat-occupied attic has a sweet, musty smell with a clear ammonia edge from accumulated urine. Roof rats use trail-marking with urine, so the odor builds along the same beams and rafters they walk every night. In a hot Florida attic the smell can leak into the second-floor hallway through can lights and HVAC returns within a month of occupation.

Raccoons — heavy fecal odor, latrine sites

Raccoons establish a latrine — a single spot they return to defecate — and the smell is much heavier and more obviously animal than the rat profile. If the smell is concentrated in one corner of a room rather than spread across a wall, that is almost certainly a raccoon latrine in the attic directly above. Raccoon feces carry Baylisascaris procyonis, a roundworm whose eggs survive in dust for years. According to the CDC, a single infected raccoon can shed millions of these roundworm eggs in its feces every day, and the eggs become infective after two to four weeks and can survive in the environment for years. A raccoon latrine in an attic is treated as a biohazard for that reason, not a mess you sweep up, and getting it out safely is a job for professional attic animal removal.

Bats — ammonia-dominant guano

Bat guano has its own profile — intensely ammonia-dominant, more chemical than the fecal-organic smell of raccoon, and it stains the substrate underneath. If the smell is sharp, clean, and accompanied by black staining on the soffit or below a gable louver outside, you are looking at a bat colony, not a rodent.

Carcass odor — the worst case

If the smell is sweet and putrid rather than ammonia or musk, an animal has died inside the structure. Central Florida summer heat accelerates decomposition; a rat carcass behind a wall reaches peak odor in 7 to 10 days, a raccoon in 3 to 4 weeks. This is the one situation where you stop trying to identify and just call — the location work and the cleanup are the entire job. See our dead animal removal page for what that process looks like.

Identification by Damage

Damage patterns confirm what sound and smell suggest. You can see most of these from the ground with binoculars or from inside the attic hatch with a flashlight (do not climb up there until the animal is out).

Chewed wire insulation — rodents (fire risk)

Both rats and squirrels chew. Squirrel chews are larger, with visible tooth marks and often a fresh resin smell on attic framing. Rat chews are smaller, more concentrated along beam edges, and frequently on electrical wire insulation — which is the fire risk. The National Fire Protection Association attributes a meaningful share of unexplained residential fires to rodent-chewed wiring. If you see exposed copper anywhere in the attic, that is not a future problem; it is a current one.

Torn insulation batts — raccoon nesting

Raccoons pull and tear insulation rather than nest in it neatly. A raccoon nest looks like a small clearing in the insulation, often with the batts piled to one side like bedding. Squirrels by contrast burrow into insulation and leave it relatively intact around their nest cavity. The scale is the obvious tell — a raccoon clears two or three square feet; a squirrel clears the size of a salad bowl. For a photo walkthrough of what raccoon damage in a Florida attic looks like, read our Winter Park case study.

Greasy rub marks on rafters — rats

Roof rats walk the same paths every night and leave brownish, greasy rub marks on the wood they touch repeatedly. These show up at the top of beams near vents and around any penetration into the attic. The marks are subtle but unmistakable once you have seen them — a thin, polished line a quarter-inch wide along an otherwise dusty rafter.

Staining below roost points — bats

Outside the house, look for black or dark-brown staining on the soffit, the gable louver, or the underside of the roof tile directly below the entry point. That is urine and guano residue from bats leaving and returning. Inside the attic, the same staining will be on whatever surface the colony hangs from — usually the underside of the roof decking or the top of a king post. A pile of guano that looks like dark grains of rice on the attic floor confirms it.

The Florida Health Picture

Identification matters partly because the disease risks are species-specific, and partly because the cleanup standards differ. We covered this in detail on the attic restoration page, but the short version:

• Bat guano can carry Histoplasma capsulatum, the fungus that causes histoplasmosis — a lung infection that the CDC describes as a serious risk in immunocompromised individuals. Disturbed guano releases spores into the air. Remediation requires HEPA-filtered respirators and EPA-registered antimicrobials.
• Raccoon feces carry Baylisascaris procyonis, a roundworm whose eggs survive in attic dust for years and can cause neurological damage if ingested. Latrine remediation is one of the more specialized post-removal procedures.
• Rat urine can transmit leptospirosis, which the Florida Department of Health tracks as a reportable disease. Contaminated insulation must be removed, not just disinfected in place.

The point is not to alarm you. The point is that you do not investigate an attic infestation by climbing into the attic in shorts and a t-shirt, and you do not vacuum guano with a household shop vac. These animals are removed by people with the right respirators and the right protocols, and the remediation work is a separate phase that protects the people who live in the house going forward. Once you know what is up there, that is where professional attic animal removal in Central Florida takes over.

What to Do Tonight

You have heard the noise and you have read this far. Here is what to do before you fall back asleep, in order.

1. Do not open the attic hatch. A frightened raccoon or rat in a small dark space behaves badly. There is nothing in the attic at 2 a.m. that needs to be confirmed at 2 a.m.
2. Do not attempt DIY trapping. Raccoons and bats are protected species in Florida under Florida Administrative Code Chapter 68A-9 — the rules for nuisance wildlife. Bat exclusion is specifically prohibited between April 16 and August 14 (the maternity season) under FAC 68A-9.012, and unlicensed handling of either species carries real penalties. Squirrels and rats are not protected, but DIY trapping of any animal in an attic without exclusion-work follow-up is the surest way to end up with a fresh population in a month.
3. Keep pets out of the attic. Cats in particular will go up and engage; that is how households end up with rabies-vector or roundworm-egg exposure events.
4. Listen for one more cycle of activity, so you can give your wildlife operator the time-of-day pattern. That alone often confirms the species.
5. Call a Florida-licensed wildlife control operator in the morning. The state credential to ask about is the FWC Nuisance Wildlife Trapper registration. Anyone working on bats, raccoons, opossums, or armadillos in Florida is supposed to hold it.

Which Page to Read Next

Once you have a working species guess, the species-specific page is the next stop. Each one walks through the typical entry points, the removal sequence, and what the post-removal restoration looks like:

• Squirrels — daytime scampering, attic insulation damage, soffit and gable-vent entries.
• Raccoons — heavy thumping, latrine sites, large entry points at roof returns and chimneys.
• Rats — late-evening scurrying, wire chewing, plumbing-vent and AC-line-set entries.
• Bats — chirping at sunset and sunrise, guano staining, FWC-protected maternity-season rules.

Whichever species it turns out to be, the permanent fix is the same: seal entry points with wildlife-proofing so the next animal can’t follow the same route back in.

For a Central Florida location-specific page, the closest match by service is usually one of:

• Bat exclusion in Orlando, FL
• Raccoon removal in Orlando, FL
• Squirrel control in Orlando, FL
• Rat and rodent removal

Ready for an Inspection?

If you have heard the noise twice and you are now reading this article, the next step is an inspection, not another night of listening. Dr. Critter has been doing this work in Central Florida since 1996 under FWC Nuisance Wildlife Trapper registration. Same-day response, lifetime warranty on sealed entry points, and the remediation done as part of the same job rather than as a surprise second invoice.

Request a Free Inspection →

Or call 800-932-7287 — we answer day, night, weekend, and holiday.

References: FWC Nuisance Wildlife Trapper Registration; Florida Administrative Code Chapter 68A-9; CDC Histoplasmosis; Florida Department of Health — Leptospirosis; USDA APHIS Wildlife Services.

Hero photo by Kincse_j on Pixabay.

Here's what Florida homeowners need to know about armadillo damage, what Florida law says about removing them, and how Dr. Critter handles armadillo problems differently from your average pest call.

How to Tell an Armadillo Is the One Wrecking Your Yard

Armadillo damage is distinctive enough that you usually don't need a wildlife camera to confirm. Look for:

• Conical holes 3–5 inches across and 3–8 inches deep, scattered across the lawn, mulch beds, or under shrubs. The holes are vertical with sharp edges — not the angled trenches a dog digs and not the surface tunnels of moles.
• Uprooted plants and mulch shoved aside. Armadillos eat earthworms, beetle grubs, and ant pupae; they push aside everything else looking for them.
• Burrow entrances 6–10 inches wide in shrub lines, under decks, against concrete pads (AC, pool equipment), or in dense plantings. A single armadillo will dig several burrows across its range.
• Heavy damage after rain. Wet soil is easier to dig and brings invertebrates closer to the surface. Most homeowners notice armadillo activity after a thunderstorm.
• No tracks or droppings on hard surfaces. Armadillos avoid pavement when they can. If the damage stops at the driveway and resumes on the other side, that's consistent.

Most homeowners notice the damage the morning after — armadillos are nocturnal in Florida summers, doing most of their foraging between dusk and 3 a.m.

Why Armadillos Have Become a Florida-Specific Problem

Armadillos are not native to North America. The nine-banded armadillo expanded out of Mexico in the late 1800s and reached Florida by the early 1920s, partly under its own dispersal and partly through human introduction. Their range now covers the entire state, and Florida's combination of soft, moist soil, abundant grubs and earthworms, mild winters, and protected suburban habitat is essentially the perfect armadillo environment.

According to the University of Florida IFAS Wildlife Extension, a nine-banded armadillo digs and maintains an average of ten burrows within its home range, and a single burrow can run up to 20 feet long and 7 feet deep. Those tunnels frequently undermine foundations, driveways, AC pads, and pool decks, which is why armadillo damage often costs more than the torn-up turf suggests.

A few traits make them harder to deter than most yard pests:

• They're solitary and territorial. Removing one armadillo from a property doesn't guarantee another won't move in, but the next one usually takes weeks to months to establish — not the overnight replacement you see with rats.
• They almost always produce four identical pups per litter. Armadillos give birth to four genetic clones — a single fertilized egg always splits into quadruplets. A breeding female on your property next door means four more juveniles dispersing within 8 months.
• Their armor protects them from most predators in suburban environments. Coyotes and large dogs can take adult armadillos, but the average backyard predator profile (foxes, raccoons) doesn't include them.
• They cannot be deterred chemically. No bait, repellent, or treatment marketed for armadillos works reliably. The University of Florida IFAS extension service is direct about this in their armadillo management publication: physical trapping and exclusion are the only methods with documented success rates.

Are armadillos protected in Florida?

No. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) classifies the nine-banded armadillo as a non-native, non-protected species, so it can be legally trapped and removed on your own property year-round without a special permit. There is no closed season and no bag limit. The rules that do apply concern trapping method and relocation, not protection:

• Live trapping on your own property is legal without a special permit. You may use a humane cage trap and remove the animal.
• Relocation is restricted. Under Florida law, you generally cannot transport and release a live nuisance animal on land you don't own. Most relocated armadillos either die en route or fail to establish in unfamiliar territory anyway, so relocation isn't humane in practice.
• Lethal methods must be humane. Florida statute requires animals taken as nuisance wildlife to be dispatched humanely. Poisoning, drowning, and live-burying are all illegal.
• Discharging a firearm is regulated by local ordinance even when state law would allow it. In most Central Florida residential neighborhoods, this is not a legal option for armadillo removal.
• A licensed nuisance wildlife operator (which Dr. Critter is) handles all of the above within the law and saves homeowners from accidentally violating a local ordinance during a DIY attempt.

Florida has just one armadillo species, the nine-banded armadillo, which the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission lists as non-native and unprotected. Because it carries no legal protection, FWC rules let a property owner live-trap or humanely remove nuisance armadillos on private land at any time of year, without applying for a special permit.

The FWC's armadillo species profile is the authoritative reference for current regulations.

The Trapping Process That Actually Works

Most homeowners who try to trap an armadillo themselves give up after a few empty mornings. The reason is almost always trap placement, not the trap. Armadillos don't respond to bait the way raccoons or rats do — they smell and dig for prey rather than approaching food set out for them. The reliable approach is exclusion-funnel trapping:

1. Identify the active travel route. Armadillos use the same paths repeatedly. Look for matted vegetation, repeated dig clusters, or a worn line between two areas of fresh damage.
2. Place the trap directly in the travel path, not next to it. A live-cage trap (32×10×12 inch minimum) set lengthwise in the path catches the animal as it walks through. Baited traps not in the path almost never produce a catch.
3. Build wing walls. Place 6-foot lengths of 1��6 lumber or temporary plastic landscape edging in a "V" extending out from the trap entrance to funnel the animal toward the opening. This is the single biggest factor in trap success rates.
4. Set after sunset, check before dawn. Daytime traps are wasted; armadillos are not active. Pre-dawn check minimizes the time a captured animal spends stressed.
5. Dispatch or transport per Florida law. See legal section above. Dr. Critter handles this step for clients.

For multi-armadillo properties (especially where a litter of four juveniles has dispersed), the process repeats per animal. Plan on 2–6 nights of trapping for a single problem armadillo, and 2–3 weeks for a property with an active breeding adult plus offspring.

Prefer to skip the 2–6 nights of pre-dawn trap checks? Our humane armadillo removal service handles the trap-and-relocate work for you from first inspection to final exclusion.

Why DIY Repellents and Home Remedies Don't Work

The internet has a substantial body of advice on "natural armadillo deterrents" — castor oil, mothballs, predator urine, ammonia-soaked rags, motion-activated sprinklers, ultrasonic devices. The University of Florida IFAS extension and the National Wildlife Control Operators Association both report that none of these produce documented, reliable results. The reason is that armadillos are driven by prey scent (worms and grubs in the soil), not by aversion to surface smells. Their poor eyesight and high tolerance for human-adjacent disturbance make most sensory deterrents ineffective.

The two methods that do work are physical — trap-and-remove the animal, and structural exclusion to prevent re-entry to specific areas. Neither requires repellent products.

Permanent Exclusion: Keeping Armadillos Out for Good

Once a property's resident armadillo is removed, the next question is preventing the next one from moving in. Exclusion options ranked by effectiveness for Central Florida properties:

• Buried wire fencing around vulnerable areas — flower beds, foundation lines, under decks. The fence should be 24 inches above grade and 12–18 inches below grade, angled outward at the bottom. 1×1 or 2×2 inch galvanized wire mesh works; chicken wire is too soft and gets pushed aside.
• Under-deck and crawl-space sealing. Armadillos love sheltered burrow spots. Skirting under decks, sealing crawl-space lattice with mesh, and blocking gaps around AC pads and pool equipment eliminates the high-value den sites.
• Lawn integrated pest management. Reducing grub populations (the armadillo's primary food) reduces the property's attractiveness. Beneficial nematodes, biological grub treatments, and well-timed lawn aeration all help — your lawn care company handles this side; Dr. Critter handles the armadillo side.
• Removing brush, woodpiles, and dense ground cover within 18 inches of the foundation. Eliminates intermediate cover that lets armadillos approach the house without being detected by yard dogs or motion lights.

For full-property exclusion in heavily armadillo-active areas, Dr. Critter's wildlife proofing program bundles inspection, trap-and-remove, and structural exclusion into a single quoted job.

Health Concerns: Armadillos and Hansen's Disease

One health note worth mentioning briefly because it surprises homeowners: nine-banded armadillos are one of the few wild mammals naturally susceptible to Mycobacterium leprae, the bacterium that causes Hansen's disease (leprosy). The CDC has documented zoonotic transmission from armadillos to humans in the southeastern United States, including Florida. The risk is genuine but low and is associated specifically with direct handling, butchering, or consuming armadillo meat. Casual yard contact does not transmit the disease.

The concern is regionally specific. In the CDC's Emerging Infectious Diseases journal, researchers reported that Central Florida accounts for roughly 81 percent of the leprosy cases reported in the state and nearly one-fifth of all U.S. cases, and that the same M. leprae strains carried by wild armadillos have turned up in local human patients.

The practical implication for homeowners: don't handle a live or dead armadillo with bare hands. Use gloves, wash thoroughly afterward, and let a licensed operator handle removal. The CDC's Hansen's disease transmission page covers the science in detail.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much damage can one armadillo do in a night?

A single armadillo can leave 30–60 conical holes across a half-acre lawn in one night of foraging, especially after rain when the soil is soft. Repeat nights compound the damage; a week of unchecked activity can require complete reseeding or resodding of affected areas.

Will armadillos go away on their own?

Generally no. An armadillo with an established burrow on a property with abundant food will stay indefinitely or until it's killed by a vehicle. The "they'll move on" expectation is the most common reason homeowners watch damage compound for months before calling.

Can I shoot an armadillo in my yard?

Florida state law permits taking armadillos as non-protected nuisance wildlife, but local ordinances in residential areas almost always prohibit firearm discharge. In Orange, Seminole, Brevard, and most Central Florida counties, this is not a legal DIY option. Live trapping is the lawful path, and licensed armadillo removal in Orlando relies on it exclusively.

How much does professional armadillo removal cost?

Pricing depends on the number of animals, the size of the property, and whether exclusion work is included. A single-animal trap-and-remove job is priced as a standard nuisance wildlife visit; full-property exclusion (recommended for repeat-armadillo properties) is quoted after inspection. We provide free phone estimates.

Are baby armadillos dangerous?

Not aggressively, but baby armadillos (born in March–April litters of four) often emerge from a burrow uncertain how to navigate the yard. They're vulnerable to dogs and can wander onto patios. Handle with gloves if you must move one — Hansen's disease risk applies — and call us to relocate the full litter together with the mother.

Photo by Nelli Neufeld on Pexels

This guide walks through exactly why raccoon feces is dangerous in a Florida attic, what professional cleanup actually looks like, and the specific calls to make when you find a latrine in your home.

Baylisascaris Procyonis: The Raccoon Roundworm Threat

Baylisascaris procyonis is a parasitic roundworm that lives in raccoon intestines. An infected raccoon — and infection rates in some surveyed populations run above 70% — sheds millions of microscopic eggs in its feces every day. The eggs are not infectious immediately after being shed; they need about two to four weeks in the environment to develop. Once they do, they remain viable for two to five years, surviving Florida heat, freezing, drying, and most household disinfectants.

Humans become infected by ingesting eggs. That sounds unlikely until you list the realistic pathways:

• Touching contaminated insulation, then touching food, your face, or a child.
• Inhaling dust when an attic vent runs, when AC ducting moves contaminated air, or when someone sweeps or vacuums a latrine without a HEPA filter.
• Pets tracking eggs indoors on their paws after entering a yard or shed where a raccoon has defecated.
• Children handling soil or items from an outdoor latrine site — woodpile, deck corner, sandbox — and putting hands in mouth.

Once ingested, the larvae hatch in the small intestine and migrate through body tissue. In raccoons, the lifecycle continues normally. In humans, the larvae get lost — they travel through the liver, lungs, eyes, and most catastrophically the brain and spinal cord, causing neural larva migrans. CDC documents fewer than 30 confirmed U.S. cases, but case-fatality and severe-disability rates among diagnosed cases are extremely high. There is no consistently effective cure once neurological symptoms appear — most treatment protocols focus on slowing progression with anti-helminthic drugs and steroids.

The low official case count is the dangerous part. Mild exposures may go undiagnosed because doctors rarely test for it, and the symptoms (fatigue, vision problems, coordination issues) overlap with many other neurological conditions. The conservative public-health stance is: treat any raccoon latrine as a serious biohazard regardless of how few cases have been documented.

Leptospirosis from Raccoon Urine

Where there are raccoon droppings, there is also raccoon urine, and the urine carries its own pathogen risk. Leptospira bacteria are shed in urine and survive in damp materials for weeks to months — longer in Florida's humidity than in drier climates. Exposure happens through:

• Contact between contaminated water or soil and broken skin (a cut, scrape, or insect bite).
• Splashing into the eyes, nose, or mouth during cleanup.
• Pet exposure — dogs can contract leptospirosis from sniffing or licking contaminated soil, and the disease is serious in dogs.

Human leptospirosis can run from a mild flu-like illness to severe Weil's disease with liver failure and meningitis. It is treatable with antibiotics if caught early. The Florida Department of Health tracks leptospirosis as a reportable disease and notes that wildlife exposure is a recognized risk factor.

Why You Cannot Safely Clean a Raccoon Latrine Yourself

The instinct is to grab gloves, a trash bag, and bleach. That approach fails on every front:

• Common disinfectants do not kill Baylisascaris eggs. The eggs have a thick, sticky outer shell engineered to survive in the environment. Bleach, quaternary ammonium cleaners, hydrogen peroxide, and standard veterinary disinfectants do not reliably destroy them. Heat above 62°C (144°F) for a sustained period works, but you cannot apply that to insulation in place.
• Sweeping or vacuuming releases the eggs into the air. A standard shop vac will recirculate microscopic particles right out the exhaust. Without HEPA filtration on a properly sealed unit, you turn a localized contamination into an airborne one.
• The latrine is rarely the whole problem. Raccoons defecate in the same spot repeatedly, but they walk, urinate, and shed across the entire attic. Cleanup that addresses only the visible pile leaves contaminated insulation everywhere the raccoon traveled.
• Inadequate PPE leaves you exposed. The minimum safe equipment is a P100-rated respirator (not a basic dust mask), eye protection, disposable Tyvek-style coveralls, sleeved gloves, and footwear that stays in the contaminated zone. Most homeowners don't own any of that.
• Disposal is regulated. Wildlife waste contaminated with Baylisascaris isn't supposed to go in standard household trash. It needs to be double-bagged and either incinerated or disposed of through a regulated biohazard channel.

This is the rare cleanup that genuinely is dangerous enough to outsource — not because of difficulty, but because the consequences of doing it half-right include a parasite that survives years and a disease there's no cure for.

What Professional Raccoon Attic Cleanup Looks Like

Done properly, professional critter waste and droppings cleanup is a structured remediation, not just "scoop and spray." The Dr. Critter process for a contaminated attic runs roughly:

1. Inspect and map. Walk the attic in PPE to identify the latrine, satellite defecation spots, urine staining, nesting material, and the structural entry points the raccoons used. Document the contamination footprint with photos.
2. Contain. Seal the access hatch and any HVAC return openings with plastic sheeting and tape so the cleanup doesn't push particles into the living space below.
3. Remove solid waste and contaminated insulation. Bag the visible feces first, then remove insulation from the latrine area plus a generous radius around it �� usually the entire bay or section, not just the obvious pile. Insulation is the absorbent matrix that holds eggs, urine, and nesting bacteria; trying to salvage it is the most common shortcut and the most common reason recontamination shows up six months later.
4. HEPA vacuum. Vacuum down to the framing and decking with a sealed HEPA unit to capture loose particulate that became airborne during removal.
5. Enzyme treatment. Apply an enzyme-based biological cleaner to the framing, decking, and remaining substrate. Enzymes break down the organic matter the eggs adhere to, which is the practical mechanism for getting them off porous surfaces.
6. Replace insulation. Install new insulation (typically blown-in cellulose or fiberglass batt depending on the structure) to bring the attic back to its target R-value.
7. Seal entry points. The cleanup is wasted if the raccoons return. Seal every gap larger than a half-inch with stainless steel mesh and structural fasteners, repair chewed soffit and fascia, install chimney caps, and screen attic vents.
8. Document and warranty. Photo documentation of every entry point sealed, plus a written warranty on the exclusion work.

A full cleanup like this typically takes one to two days for a single-family home depending on attic size. Dr. Critter's attic restoration program bundles all of these steps into a single quoted job.

How Much Insulation Do You Need to Remove?

The honest answer: more than you'd guess looking at the visible mess. The contamination radius around a raccoon latrine depends on:

• How long the raccoons were active — a colony there for six weeks contaminates a much smaller footprint than a family that's been using the attic for two years.
• Whether HVAC ducting runs through the attic — air handling pushes contaminated particulate well beyond the latrine itself.
• Whether there's been water intrusion — roof leaks or condensation that wet the insulation spread the contamination further and degrade the substrate.
• Whether the latrine is the only one — raccoons often establish multiple defecation sites; some are obvious, some are tucked behind HVAC or in eave corners.

For a typical Central Florida single-story home with a single moderately-used latrine, plan on replacing 25–40% of the attic insulation. For a long-term colony with multiple latrines and HVAC contamination, full removal and replacement (the core of attic restoration after raccoon contamination) is usually the right answer — partial removal leaves contaminated material that off-gasses and harbors viable parasite eggs for years. The cost differential between partial and full replacement is usually less than the differential between doing it once vs. having to redo it after a homeowner gets sick.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I clean raccoon droppings myself if I wear a mask?

A standard dust mask or surgical mask does not stop Baylisascaris eggs. The minimum effective respiratory protection is a P100-rated full-face or half-face respirator, plus Tyvek coveralls, eye protection, and sleeved gloves. Without that combination, you are exposing yourself to a parasite for which there is no reliable cure once neurological symptoms develop. The CDC's official guidance is to have professionals handle latrine cleanup.

How do I know if my attic has raccoon feces?

Raccoon droppings are 2 to 3 inches long, blunt-ended, tubular, and often piled in the same location repeatedly (raccoons are latrine-defecating animals). They commonly contain visible berry seeds, corn kernels, or other recognizable food remnants. The smell is sharp and ammoniac due to associated urine. If you've found anything matching that description, do not disturb it.

Is one raccoon enough to contaminate an attic?

Yes. Infection rates in raccoon populations across the southeastern United States routinely exceed 60%, and a single infected raccoon sheds tens of millions of Baylisascaris eggs over the course of a few weeks. One animal using one latrine for a single season is sufficient to contaminate the surrounding insulation to a degree that requires professional remediation.

How long does the contamination remain dangerous?

Baylisascaris eggs survive in environmental conditions for two to five years. They resist freezing, drying, and most disinfectants. This is why "letting it dry out" or "leaving the attic for a year" is not an effective approach — the contamination is more dangerous after eggs have had time to mature, not less.

Do I need to do anything about my HVAC system?

If raccoons were active in the attic and your HVAC ducting runs through that space, the ducting should be inspected. Visible contamination, urine staining, or torn insulation around the ducts means the duct interior may also carry pathogens. Have the ducts professionally inspected — and in serious cases, cleaned or replaced — before reusing the system. And if the raccoons are still coming and going, no cleanup will hold until you have the animals professionally removed from your attic and the entry points sealed.

Photo by Andrew Patrick Photo on Pexels

Most Central Florida homeowners reach for a pest control company because that's the name they know. About half of those calls end in a referral to someone else, because pest control and wildlife control are two different licensed trades doing two different jobs. Calling the wrong one wastes a service visit, sometimes burns a few hundred dollars on a treatment that legally can't work on the animal in your house, and delays the actual fix.

The Core Difference in One Sentence

Pest control handles insects and rodents using chemical and bait-based treatments. Wildlife control handles vertebrate animals — raccoons, bats, snakes, squirrels, opossums, armadillos — using trapping, hand removal, and structural exclusion.

If the animal has fur, scales, or feathers, you almost always need a wildlife company. If it has six legs and a body smaller than a pencil eraser, you almost always need pest control. Rodents are the gray zone, covered further down.

What Pest Control Companies Can't (and Won't) Do

A licensed pest control company in Florida is set up to do one core thing well: apply EPA-registered pesticides to control insects and, separately, deploy rodenticides under their license. They have inventory and training built around that work. They are not legally or practically equipped to:

• Trap, remove, or relocate raccoons, bats, opossums, squirrels, armadillos, or protected snakes. Florida wildlife handling requires the FWC Nuisance Wildlife Trapper credential, which pest control technicians don't hold by default. FWC's Nuisance Wildlife program spells out the requirements.
• Do exclusion work — sealing soffit gaps, repairing chewed fascia, installing chimney caps, screening attic vents. This is carpentry-and-screen work, not chemical application. Pest control companies almost never carry the materials or the experience.
• Treat bats during maternity season. Florida law prohibits all bat exclusion between April 16 and August 14 under FAC 68A-9.012 to protect pups too young to fly. This rule applies to every operator regardless of license type — and a pest control company offering to "spray for bats" is offering something illegal in any month.
• Sanitize attics contaminated by wildlife. Raccoon latrines, bat guano, and rodent nesting material carry Baylisascaris roundworm, histoplasmosis spores, and leptospirosis bacteria. The cleanup requires HEPA respirators, enzyme-based treatments, and insulation replacement — not a pesticide application.

Some larger pest control franchises advertise "wildlife services" by partnering with or owning a separate wildlife division. That can work fine — just verify the technician arriving at your house holds the actual FWC credential and isn't a pest tech sent on a side errand.

What Wildlife Control Companies Handle

A wildlife control company is built around vertebrate removal and structural exclusion. The day-to-day work is inspection, trapping, exclusion install, and remediation — not chemistry. In Central Florida, the species mix typically runs:

• Raccoons in attics, dumpsters, chimneys, and crawl spaces.
• Squirrels chewing soffit and fascia to nest in eave cavities.
• Bats roosting under tile, behind shutters, and in attic voids.
• Snakes on the property, in garages, under pool decks, and occasionally indoors.
• Opossums in crawl spaces and under decks.
• Armadillos rooting up turf and digging burrows under foundations.
• Rats and roof rats in attics and wall voids — the species pest control also treats. See the next section.

A typical wildlife job looks like this: inspect the entire structure for entry points, set traps or perform hand removal, install one-way exclusion devices so animals can leave but not return, seal every gap larger than a half-inch with stainless mesh and structural fasteners, then return for follow-up and remediation if there's contaminated insulation. None of that is pest control work.

The Gray Zone: Rats and Mice

Rodents are the one category both trades legitimately handle, and the right choice depends on what you actually want fixed.

Call pest control for: a quick rodent population reduction when you don't yet have structural damage — a bait station program, snap-trap deployment in a contained area, and exterior perimeter treatment.

Call wildlife control for: a rat or mouse problem that already involves the attic — chewed wiring, soiled insulation, gnaw marks around plumbing penetrations, droppings on stored items. The fix isn't more bait; it's finding the holes, sealing them, replacing insulation, and verifying with a follow-up inspection. Dr. Critter's rodent removal program is designed around the exclusion-first approach because bait alone in an attic just creates dead-rodent smell problems three weeks later.

If you've already been on a quarterly pest control plan for years and the rats are back every winter, the underlying issue is almost always a structural gap that bait can't close.

Florida-Specific Situations That Require a Licensed Wildlife Trapper

A few scenarios in Central Florida have legal requirements beyond "call any handyman":

• Bats anywhere on the property. All Florida bat species are protected. Exclusion is legal only outside maternity season (April 16 – August 14) and only by operators following FWC-approved one-way devices. We cover this in detail in Florida Bat Removal Laws: What Homeowners Must Know.
• Eastern diamondback rattlesnakes, cottonmouths, coral snakes. Venomous removal calls require trained handlers with the right gear — not a pest control sweep.
• Protected species — gopher tortoises, certain wading birds, federally protected migratory birds nesting in eaves. Even removing a nest can violate state or federal law without the right paperwork.
• Alligators. These go through Florida's Statewide Nuisance Alligator Program (SNAP), not pest control and not a wildlife company. Call FWC's nuisance alligator hotline at (866) 392-4286.

Red Flags When Hiring Either Type of Company

• "We'll poison the raccoons / bats / squirrels." Florida law does not allow toxicant use on non-target wildlife. Anyone offering this either misunderstands their license or is operating outside it.
• No exclusion work, just trapping. A trap-only approach without sealing entry points is a guaranteed repeat visit — and a repeat invoice. Wildlife flows in to fill any empty cavity.
• "Lifetime guarantee" with no exclusion documented. A guarantee is only worth as much as the seal work it's backed by. Ask for photos of completed exclusion points.
• Unwillingness to show a license. Florida-licensed wildlife trappers carry an FWC authorization number. Florida pest control techs carry a card under their company's structural pest license. Both should be producible on request.
• Treatment quoted without inspection. No reputable wildlife company quotes a job without seeing the attic, soffit line, and entry points first.

Dr. Critter's Approach: Why We Don't Use Pesticides

Dr. Critter is a wildlife-only company. We have held the FWC Nuisance Wildlife Trapper authorization continuously since 1996. We don't carry pesticides, don't bid pest control work, and don't treat insects — because the right answer for an insect problem is a pest control company, and we won't pretend otherwise.

What we do is the opposite of chemistry: physical removal, mechanical exclusion, and remediation. Trap the animal, find every entry point, seal the structure with stainless steel mesh and structural-grade fasteners, replace contaminated insulation, sanitize affected surfaces, and back the seal work with a written warranty. If the issue is actually pest-related and we discover that during inspection, we'll tell you and recommend a pest company — same way we'd hope a reputable pest control company tells you to call us if they walk into a raccoon job.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can pest control companies remove raccoons?

Not legally in Florida. Raccoon removal requires the FWC Nuisance Wildlife Trapper authorization, which pest control techs don't hold by default. A pest control company that quotes raccoon removal is either subcontracting it to a licensed wildlife operator or operating outside their license.

Will pest control kill rats in my attic?

Bait stations will reduce the population, but rats will keep returning as long as the structural gaps that let them in remain open. For a permanent fix, the exclusion work — which is wildlife control's specialty — has to come first.

Is there a service that does both pest control and wildlife removal?

Some larger franchises offer both through separate divisions. The key question is whether the technician arriving at your house holds the actual FWC wildlife credential for the specific job, or whether they're a pest tech being asked to handle work outside their training.

How do I know which one I need?

If you can see, hear, or smell something larger than an insect, call a wildlife company first. They can identify the species during inspection and refer you to pest control if it turns out to be an insect or pure rodent issue. Going the other direction — calling pest control first for a vertebrate problem — almost always wastes a visit.

Photo by Patrick on Pexels

Older take on the same question, kept for reference: pest control vs wildlife control — which do you need.

If you’ve found bats in your attic and started searching for help, the first thing to know is that Florida’s bat removal laws are stricter than most homeowners expect — and the wrong company can get you a fine, a stalled job, or a colony of dead pups in your walls. This guide is the same legal and procedural overview I walk through with every new bat client.

Is it legal to remove bats in Florida?

Yes, with restrictions. Florida bats are a protected nongame species under Florida Administrative Code 68A-9.012. Homeowners and wildlife control companies are allowed to exclude bats from a structure, but trapping or killing them is prohibited, and exclusion is illegal during the maternity season (see below). The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) is the enforcing authority. FWC bat conservation guidelines covers the official rules.

In practical terms: you can hire a licensed company for bat exclusion service in Orlando and the surrounding area to humanely exclude the colony using one-way devices, and you can have the resulting guano remediated. You cannot poison bats, you cannot seal them in, and you cannot do anything that traps adults away from their pups.

Florida’s Bat Maternity Season: April 16 – August 14

This is the most important date range in Florida bat law. From April 16 through August 14, exclusion of bats from any roost is prohibited. During this window, flightless pups are present in the colony; adults leave each night to feed and return to nurse. An exclusion installed during maternity season locks adults out and leaves the pups inside to starve.

The legal exclusion window is roughly mid-August through mid-April. If you discover bats in May or June, the legal options are: monitor the colony, document the entry points, plan the exclusion for late August, and address any health risk in the meantime (sealing off interior access to the attic, for example). A reputable company will tell you this even if it costs them the immediate job.

Which Bat Species Are Protected in Florida?

All native Florida bats are protected, but the level of protection varies by species. The three species most relevant to Central Florida attics:

• Florida bonneted bat (Eumops floridanus): Federally endangered under the U.S. Endangered Species Act. Rare in attics but possible in southwest Florida. Any contact with this species requires FWC and U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service involvement.
• Brazilian Free-Tailed Bat (Tadarida brasiliensis): By far the most common attic species in Central Florida. Protected as a native nongame species; subject to the maternity-season ban.
• Evening Bat (Nycticeius humeralis): Second most common Central Florida attic species. Protected as a native nongame species.
• Little Brown Bat (Myotis lucifugus): Less common in Florida than in cooler states. Populations have been reduced by white-nose syndrome elsewhere on the East Coast, so finds in Florida are increasingly notable.

Bat species identification matters because it tells you the colony size (Free-Tailed colonies can run into hundreds; Evening Bat colonies usually under 50) and because if you happen to have a Florida bonneted bat, the legal process changes. A good company will identify the species during the evening emergence count before any work is scheduled. We cover identification in more depth in our field guide to Central Florida bat identification.

What Is Bat Exclusion and How Does It Work?

Bat exclusion is the only legal removal method in Florida. It is not trapping and it is not extermination. The technique works like this:

1. Evening emergence count: A technician sits outside at dusk to count bats exiting the roost. This confirms the species and colony size and identifies every active entry point.
2. Entry point identification: Bats can squeeze through any gap larger than 3/8 of an inch — roughly the width of a pencil. The most common Central Florida entry points are soffit gaps, ridge vents, gable louvers, dormer flashing, and chimney junctions.
3. One-way exclusion device installation: A vented funnel or netted sleeve is installed over each active entry. The geometry lets bats drop down and fly out at dusk; it does not let them crawl back in.
4. 5-7 night exclusion window: Devices stay in place long enough for every animal — including stragglers and sub-adults — to leave the roost. Removing them too early is the single most common reason DIY exclusions fail.
5. Permanent sealing: Once the colony has fully exited and a final emergence count confirms zero activity for two consecutive nights, the devices come off and every entry point is sealed with copper mesh, polyurethane foam, and matched flashing.

What Happens After Bats Are Removed?

Removing the colony is only half the job. Bat guano accumulates in roosts for years and carries Histoplasma capsulatum, the fungus that causes histoplasmosis — a lung infection that ranges from flu-like in healthy adults to life-threatening in immunocompromised people. The fungus becomes airborne when dried guano is disturbed.

Proper post-exclusion remediation involves: For a step-by-step walkthrough of what professional remediation looks like in a Florida attic, see bat infestation cleanup and attic restoration. HEPA-filtered respirators and Tyvek suits, an EPA-registered antimicrobial misted on the deposit to suppress airborne spores, HEPA-vacuum and bagged guano removal, replacement of contaminated insulation, and antimicrobial fogging before reinsulating. For any deposit larger than a small flashlight beam, this is not a DIY job — a simple dust mask does not stop Histoplasma spores. The CDC publishes a histoplasmosis fact sheet with the medical detail.

This is also when entry points get permanently sealed and the attic is restored to its original R-value with replacement insulation. We go through the full restoration scope on the attic restoration page.

DIY Bat Removal: Why It’s Illegal and Ineffective in Florida

Most DIY methods either violate FAC 68A-9.012, fail outright, or both:

• Mothballs and ultrasonic devices: Do not work. There is no peer-reviewed evidence that either deters established bat colonies.
• Sealing entry points before exclusion: Traps the colony inside. The animals die, the structure smells for months, and you have just committed an animal cruelty violation under state law.
• Trapping: Trapping bats requires an FWC permit that is not available to homeowners or unlicensed companies. Releasing them elsewhere is also restricted.
• Maternity-season exclusion: Whether you do it yourself or hire someone who agrees to, this is illegal and dooms the pups. Reputable Florida companies will refuse the job during this window.

The job is also genuinely dangerous: between rabies risk (rare but real in Florida bats) and histoplasmosis from disturbed guano, the PPE and procedures are not DIY-friendly.

How to Choose a Licensed Florida Bat Removal Company

Before you sign anything, verify the company can answer these questions clearly:

• Are you licensed as a Florida Nuisance Wildlife Trapper? This is a state-issued credential through FWC. Ask for the license number.
• Will you do an evening emergence count before quoting the job? Anyone quoting bat exclusion without a dusk count has not yet identified the species or the colony entry points. The quote is a guess.
• How long do exclusion devices stay in place? Correct answer: 5-7 nights, sometimes longer. If they say one or two nights, walk away.
• What is your maternity-season policy? The right answer is “we do not exclude between April 16 and August 14 except in narrow medically necessary cases under FWC consultation.” If they offer to do it anyway, walk away faster.
• Do you handle guano remediation and insulation replacement? If not, you will need a second contractor — and the company should be telling you that up front.
• Are you bonded and insured? Wildlife work involves attic access, roof work, and electrical proximity. Insurance is non-negotiable.

Dr. Critter’s Bat Exclusion Process in Central Florida

We have been doing bat work in Central Florida since 1996. Our process matches the legal procedure above, with one local detail: we schedule the evening emergence count in advance and time the exclusion start to land in the legal window. If you’re calling us in May, we’ll come out for the inspection now, give you a written scope, document the entry points with photos, and put the work on the calendar for the second half of August.

Service areas with active bat work currently underway or scheduled include:

• Bat Exclusion in Casselberry, FL
• Bat Exclusion in Lake Mary, FL
• Bat Exclusion in Daytona Beach, FL
• More about Florida bats
• Dead animal removal and guano connection
• All Central Florida service areas

To schedule a free bat inspection, request a quote or call 800-932-7287. We will identify the species, map the active entries, and put together a legal exclusion plan timed for the open window.

Photo by PublicDomainPictures on Pixabay

Related reading:

• Repairs that hold up
• Proven track record

Need help now? Schedule a professional wildlife removal — same-day response across Central Florida.

Welcome to Central Florida, where the sun shines, the palm trees sway, and occasionally, a snake decides your backyard is the perfect place to sunbathe. Before you panic, let's slither through some facts and tips to handle these unexpected guests.

Why Are Snakes Visiting My Yard?

Florida's warm climate and lush landscapes make it a haven for various snake species. From the harmless black racer to the more concerning eastern diamondback rattlesnake, our state is a reptilian hotspot. Snakes often wander into residential areas searching for food, water, or shelter.

Identifying the Uninvited Guest

Not all snakes are created equal. While many are non-venomous and beneficial (they help control pests like rodents), others can pose risks. Florida is home to six venomous snake species, including:

• Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnake
• Cottonmouth (Water Moccasin)
• Coral Snake
• Pygmy Rattlesnake
• Timber Rattlesnake
• Copperhead

If you're unsure about the snake's identity, it's best to keep a safe distance and consult a professional.

Dos and Don'ts of Snake Encounters

Do:

Stay Calm: Sudden movements can startle the snake.

Keep Your Distance: Maintain a safe space to avoid provoking it.

Observe: Take note of its color, patterns, and behavior for identification purposes.

Don't:

Attempt to Handle: Even non-venomous snakes can bite when threatened.

Use Makeshift Tools: Avoid using sticks, brooms, or other household items to move the snake.

Corner the Snake: Give it an escape route to prevent defensive behavior.

When to Call in the Pros

If a snake has taken up residence in your home or yard, it's time to call experts like Dr. Critter for professional snake control and removal. Our trained professionals can safely and humanely remove the snake, ensuring both your safety and the snake's well-being.

Preventing Future Visits

To make your property less inviting to snakes:

• Seal Entry Points: Close gaps in doors, windows, and foundations.
• Maintain Landscaping: Keep grass trimmed and remove debris where snakes can hide.
• Control Rodents: Since snakes feed on rodents, reducing their presence can deter snakes.

Venomous Snake Guide

Dr. Critter has a Venomous Snake Guide available for download - visit https://drcritter.com/venomous-snake-guide/ to download a copy.

Need Assistance?

If you spot a snake or want to snake-proof your property, contact Dr. Critter at 800-932-7287 or visit drcritter.com. We're here to help you coexist safely with Florida's native wildlife.

Related reading:

• Where snakes show up most in Central Florida
• Snake safety tips for Florida homeowners

Need help now? Schedule a humane snake removal service — same-day response across Central Florida.

By Steve Walker, Dr. Critter Commercial Services

Central Florida summers are known for their scorching temperatures, daily thunderstorms, and relentless humidity. While most of us retreat indoors to enjoy the air conditioning, local wildlife reacts quite differently. At Dr. Critter, we see a noticeable uptick in calls for wildlife control during the hottest months—and it's no coincidence.

Understanding how animals adapt to Florida's extreme summer heat can help homeowners and property managers stay ahead of potential issues before they turn into infestations or safety hazards.

How Florida Heat Affects Wildlife Behavior

When temperatures rise, animals seek shelter, food, and water—just like we do. The difference is, their search often leads them into attics, crawl spaces, garages, and under decks.

Here are a few key changes in animal behavior we observe during the summer:

1. Increased Nocturnal Activity

To avoid the midday heat, many animals—including raccoons, opossums, and armadillos—become more active at night. You may hear them rummaging through trash, digging up lawns, or nesting in attic spaces during the cooler evening hours.

2. More Frequent Human-Wildlife Encounters

As natural water sources dry up and food becomes scarcer, wildlife ventures closer to homes. Pools, pet water bowls, and bird feeders are all attractive resources. Snakes, in particular, may be drawn to shaded patios or garages looking for cool shelter or easy prey.

3. Nesting in Cooler, Man-Made Structures

Animals like squirrels, bats, and rodents often move indoors to escape the heat. Your attic or crawl space may seem like a safe haven—especially if there are small openings or damaged vents.

4. Reproduction and Territorial Behavior

Some species, like raccoons and squirrels, have a second breeding season during the summer. This leads to increased territorial disputes and more aggressive behavior, especially if they feel cornered or threatened.

Common Wildlife Issues in Central Florida Homes During Summer

• Bats roosting in attics or soffits
• Snakes hiding in shaded or damp areas around foundations
• Rats and mice nesting in insulation
• Raccoons and opossums overturning trash bins or nesting in crawl spaces
• Squirrels chewing through rooflines and creating attic nests
• These animals can cause significant property damage—not to mention health risks from droppings, parasites, and potential bites.

Proactive Wildlife Control Tips for Summer

Seal entry points: Inspect your roof, soffits, vents, and foundation for gaps or damage.

Eliminate attractants: Secure trash bins, remove outdoor pet food, and fix leaky faucets or standing water.

Trim vegetation: Keep tree limbs and shrubs cut back from your roofline to reduce access points.

Install chimney caps and vent covers: These prevent unwanted guests from sneaking in.

Schedule a professional inspection: A licensed wildlife control expert can spot vulnerabilities and address active problems before they escalate.

When to Call a Professional

If you're hearing strange noises at night, noticing droppings or odors, or seeing animals around your property more frequently, it's time to act. When the situation is urgent, our same-day emergency wildlife removal can respond fast. DIY solutions often fall short—and can make matters worse. At Dr. Critter Commercial Services, we specialize in humane wildlife control and exclusion techniques tailored for Florida's climate and wildlife laws.

Don't wait until the problem grows. Florida's summer heat doesn't just bring discomfort—it brings wildlife indoors.

Need Help With Wildlife Control?

We're here year-round to protect your home or business from nuisance animals. Contact Dr. Critter today for an inspection or visit our blog to learn more.

Related reading:

• Snake safety in Florida summers
• Bat season in Central Florida

Need help now? Schedule a Dr. Critter service areas — same-day response across Central Florida.

Florida is home to a diverse range of wildlife, and while many animals prefer to keep their distance, some find our neighborhoods—especially communities like The Villages—irresistible. One such visitor that's been showing up more frequently is the armadillo.

Why Are Armadillos in My Yard?

Armadillos, particularly the Nine-Banded Armadillo, are common in Central and North Florida. They are nocturnal, solitary animals known for their strong claws and unique armor-like shell. Their primary diet consists of insects, grubs, and other invertebrates found in the soil, which is why they're often seen digging in lawns, gardens, and flower beds.

Are Armadillos Harmful?

While armadillos are not aggressive and typically avoid human contact, their digging habits can cause significant damage to landscaping. Shallow holes, uprooted plants, and even structural damage to patios or foundations can occur if armadillos burrow too close to a home. In rare cases, they can carry diseases, such as leprosy, although the risk of transmission to humans is extremely low.

How Do You Get Rid of Them?

Armadillos can be difficult to trap due to their unpredictable behavior and lack of interest in bait. At Dr. Critter, we use a strategic and humane approach to armadillo control. By setting up guiding fences and funnels, we're able to direct the armadillo into a live trap without causing harm. This method not only increases capture success but also reduces the stress on the animal.

Need Help with Armadillos?

If you've noticed signs of armadillos—or any other nuisance wildlife—on your property, don't wait for the problem to get worse. Contact Dr. Critter for expert, humane wildlife removal services. We're experienced, efficient, and ready to help you take back your yard.

Related reading:

• What sets Dr. Critter apart
• Summer wildlife issues in Central Florida

Need help now? Schedule a every Central Florida city we serve — same-day response across Central Florida.

We are thrilled to announce the launch of our brand-new website at www.drcritter.com! 🎉

At Dr. Critter Wildlife Control, we specialize in top-rated wildlife control, pest management, and exclusion services for residential customers, businesses and commercial properties throughout Orlando and Central Florida. Our updated website makes it easier than ever for you to:

✅ Learn about our services – From humane wildlife removal to long-term pest prevention, we've got you covered.

✅ See why we're highly rated – Our commitment to excellence has made us one of the most trusted service providers in the area.

✅ Request a consultation – Need help now? Contact us directly through our site!

Whether you're dealing with rats, raccoons, squirrels, bats, or other nuisance wildlife, Dr. Critter has the expertise to protect your home or business.

👉 Visit us today at www.drcritter.com and see how we can help!

Have questions? We're happy to help—call us or send a message through our website!

The entire team is top notch, communicative and detail oriented. Sam went above and beyond, getting traps into some really narrow spaces in our attic. Steve even answered the phone while he was on vacation. I hired another company, paid a ton of money, and the issue was not resolved 3 months later. Dr. Critter had the rodents out and our home sealed in a couple of weeks. Save your money and come to these folks first!

There are a few things that stand out here for us.  Firstly, we strive to help each and every customer we meet, and always want to exceed expectations.  Secondly, this particular review hits on a number of key points which we bake into our every day, professional lives.  Finally, this (unfortunately) is a common experience expressed by our customers.  We get multiple calls each week from customers who have had a negative experience with a competitor, or have hired someone else who is unable to solve their problem.  Through our many decades of experience, we truly are experts when it comes to solving animal problems, be it rats, bats, squirrels raccoons or any of the other nuisance wildlife problems our customers may experience. 

 But don't just take our word for it - read our reviews at https://g.page/r/CbypwSxKsYnVEAE/review and see for yourself.  And of course, feel free to leave one of your own if you've had a positive experience with our fantastic team!  (and while we're at it, here's a photo of Steve with an Otter)

Related reading:

• Why Dr. Critter
• The repairs we do after

Need help now? Schedule a free wildlife inspection — same-day response across Central Florida.

 When considering how to provide exclusion repairs to different areas of your home, there are a number of factors we consider:

1. It has to be animal resistant.  There's zero point in providing services that animals can instantly chew through, bypass or otherwise get around.
2. It has to allow for the natural ventilation of the area we're working on to continue.  As most areas animals breach are ventilation areas on or adjacent to your roof, any materials we use must not impact that.
3. It has to take water proofing into consideration.  We see a lot of competitors, particularly traditional Pest Control companies, using materials and fasteners that pierce areas of your roof designed to keep water out.  This is inviting potential disaster at worst, and costly repairs at best.
4. It has to look good.  With almost 30 years experience, we know what looks good, what looks bad, and what you can't see at all.  Wherever possible, we want to leave your home in the same, or a better condition than when we arrive. 

The most common area we work on are eave gaps - these areas can be one of the most obvious entry points, and if not sealed correctly, they leave your home looking like it was patched by a toddler!  Even worse, especially in the case of barrel tile roofs, we see many companies that only seal what they can see above the tile itself.  This leaves your home wide open to potential animal entrance and never really solves your problem.  When evaluating a company to seal your barrel tile eaves, ask them exactly they plan on repairing it.  If they're not prepared to remove your tile before sealing it, they're not actually sealing it, as you can see from the attached photos.

Related reading:

• Our wildlife expertise

Need help now? Schedule a humane exclusion + repair — same-day response across Central Florida.

Generally speaking, the pest industry falls into two categories - Pest Control and Wildlife Control.  So what's the difference? In very loose terms, pest control is the control and eradication of insects, whereas wildlife control is the control of animals.  The line gets a little blurred when it comes to rats and mice, as both industries practice the removal of these animals, albeit in different ways.  Indeed, a number of companies in the traditional pest control industry branded out into bug control after beginning in rodent removal.

What's the right approach?

The Pest Control industry makes their money from locking customers into contracts and taking a more long term approach to animal problems.  Their business model revolves around taking basic measures to treat a problem when it arises, and being there to help you if it happens again.  The Wildlife Control industry takes a more permanent approach, whereby existing animals are removed, and services provided to prevent it from happening again.  The pest approach typically has a lower up front cost, with payments spread over a longer period, whereas the wildlife approach has a higher upfront cost, but once the problem is solved, there is no need for further expense. 

So which approach is right?  We may be a little biased, but in almost every instance, the permanent solution offered by your wildlife control company is the better approach financially, and when taking your health and safety into consideration.  Remember, with the chance that a rat can chew on a wire before you know it's there, you're only 30 seconds from disaster.

An evolving industry

In recent years, we've seen a shift from pest control companies simply setting traps or poison, to where they're beginning to offer exclusion and prevention services that were long left to the wildlife industry.  As recently as 15 years ago, it was unheard of for a pest control company to offer services for armadillos, or raccoons in your attic, but that's not the case today.  At Dr. Critter, we've been doing this for almost 30 years.  We've made mistakes along the way, experimented with different methods, and are continually evolving.  The pest industry not only lacks our experience, and intimate knowledge of animal behavior, but they haven't learned our methods for the most effective and eye-pleasing ways at controlling animals.  They don't specialize in this line of work - put simply, they dabble in what we do to make money.  When you consider wildlife control is all we do, each and every day, our skillset isn't diluted and we are continually improving.  This can't be said for the pest industry that practices wildlife control on a part time basis.

Contractors vs. Subcontractors

Another thing to consider is who will be doing the work.  Does your pest control company perform wildlife services themselves, or do they contract it to a professional wildlife extractor?  If they do it in house, do they have the knowledge to do it right?  If they subcontract it, what is their markup (after all, any service company exists to make a profit)?  Is it more financially beneficial for you to go directly to a wildlife company rather than have your pest control company subcontract the work?

Your largest investment

In most cases, your home is your largest investment.  Our years of experience, continuous evolution and world-class training programs mean we're looking out for your largest investment.  Your pest control company might know how to fill in a hole, but do they do know how to do it effectively?  We have seen hundreds of instances where they don't use the correct materials, in the correct manner - particularly when you have a tile roof (we've attached photos to this blog entry that shows this better than we can explain it).  Do they know how avoid roof leaks?  Again, tile roofs present problems where incorrect materials can lead to water intrusion if not sealed correctly.  There are some areas of a tile roof that might look like potential entry points, but in reality are areas for water to drain and incorrect exclusion can create future problems.  Do they adhere their repairs in a way that doesn't impede ventilation or water ingress?  Do they use materials that are animal proof?  As you can see from the photos attached to this article, duct tape and expanding foam are products the pest control companies are using to keep animals out.  It seems like common sense, but these aren't materials that should be used to animal-proof a home.  Finally, do they perform repairs in a way that are both functional and aesthetically pleasing?  The answer to each of these questions is almost always "No" when you hire a pest control company to perform exclusion repairs.  In fact, we struggle to think of a single instance where we have seen a pest company check any of the boxes above, let alone all of them, and it's common across the entire industry in every market we've had the pleasure of working in.

Conclusion

Pest control companies perform a valuable service - we would all experience a lot of unfortunate issues without them.  But we recommend leaving the wildlife to us and let them stick to what they're good at.  After all, we don't work with lawns, insects or termites.  

Related reading:

• What makes Dr. Critter different
• Common Central Florida wildlife issues

Need help now? Schedule a humane wildlife control — same-day response across Central Florida.

The Crayfish (or Crawfish) snake is local to the Florida peninsula - Steve has spent his life searching for snakes as a hobby, but never managed to see one until now.  In fact, it took a call to our resident snake ID expert (also one of Steve's children) to find out exactly what species we were looking at!

Whether you're in Orlando, or anywhere else in Central Florida, rest easy when you call the Dr. Critter team that we know exactly how to find snakes even in difficult circumstances.

Related reading:

• Orlando snake removal
• What to do after a rattlesnake strike

Need help now? Schedule a professional snake removal — same-day response across Central Florida.

 We quickly and safely secured the snake for transportation to a licensed facility, but not before snapping a few photos and videos of him displaying his potent defense mechanisms.

After a quick google search on how best to clean snake venom from a camera, it was back to business as usual at Dr. Critter.  We've attached a few photos below, but we'd strongly recommend you head on over to our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/drcritter to watch the incredible video of the snake biting the camera!

Related reading:

• How to avoid rattlesnake encounters
• Orlando snake removal

Need help now? Schedule a snake removal service — same-day response across Central Florida.

The dedicated team at Dr. Critter has been diligently tackling bat removal projects across the Space Coast, making significant strides in the past week. Our recent operations have extended from West Melbourne, to Rockledge, and Viera. Brevard County, known as a hotspot for bat activity in Central Florida, particularly in the Southern regions around Palm Bay, and Northern reaches near Titusville, have been a focus area for us.

Dr. Critter is exceptionally equipped to handle bat projects of any scale. We've not only successfully assisted Fortune 500 companies in ethically resolving bat issues but also possess extensive expertise in the nuances of residential bat removal.

Each bat project is inherently unique, with no two homes presenting the same challenges. Even homes constructed identically exhibit differences due to the distinctive formations of bat colonies. While general assumptions about bat behavior can be made, we approach each home or business without preconceptions. In Florida, strict regulations from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Committee (FWC) dictate our removal efforts, especially during the cooler months, where weather and temperature conditions are significant factors. Our commitment lies not only in the welfare of the animals and property owners but also in ensuring strict compliance with all legal requirements.

In Brevard County, many bat removal cases involve bats infiltrating homes through roof or siding ventilation areas. These flying mammals can access attics through minuscule openings, often going unnoticed by homeowners. Frequently, our calls come from concerned neighbors who spot bats during their walks around sunset or sunrise.

As a property owner, staying vigilant about potential bat infestations is crucial. Indicators include dark stains around entry points, high-pitched squeaking sounds from the attic or soffit, bats flying around the structure during dawn and dusk, strong odors of bat guano, and scratching noises from the soffit or attic.

It's imperative to recognize that a bat problem seldom resolves itself and tends to escalate, leading to health and structural issues. Prompt initiation of bat removal procedures is not only in the best interest of all parties involved but also serves as a cost-effective measure, saving property owners from extensive cleanup and repair expenses - now is the least expensive time to solve any bat problem!

Fortunately, Dr. Critter stands as the premier resource for Brevard County Bat Removal. With extensive experience across projects of all sizes, our expertise is unparalleled. Visit our website at www.drcritter.com for details on our services, or call us at 800-932-7287. Your bat-related concerns are in capable hands with Dr. Critter.

Related reading:

• Bat removal across Central Florida

Need help now? Schedule a humane bat exclusion service — same-day response across Central Florida.

By 9 a.m. we were in her Winter Park attic. By noon we knew the scratching had been the smallest part of the problem. This is what we found, what it cost to fix, and what we'd tell any Central Florida homeowner who's hearing the same sound right now.

What We Found During the Inspection

The home was a 2,400-square-foot single-story built in 1962, in a quiet Winter Park neighborhood about three blocks south of Park Avenue. Mature oak canopy. Cedar-shake roof replaced in 2014 with a tile overlay. Soffit returns that hadn't been touched since the original construction.

The entry point took ninety seconds to find. A gap roughly 4 inches wide where the soffit meets the corner of the gable — daylight visible from inside the attic. The wood around the gap was raked smooth on the lower edge from repeated paw contact. There was a clean fingernail-deep scratch pattern in the vinyl just below the opening. One adult raccoon had been using this route for at least several weeks.

Inside the attic, the picture was bigger than one animal. Over the course of the inspection, we documented:

• Approximately 18 linear feet of disturbed insulation radiating out from the entry point. The original 12 inches of R-30 blown-in cellulose was compacted, urine-saturated, and torn apart in nesting paths. In the worst spots, effective R-value had dropped to roughly R-8 — a 73% loss of thermal performance in those bays.
• A defined latrine site against the south wall of the attic, approximately 4 feet from the master bedroom ceiling. Roughly 30 stacked droppings, multiple visits over time. This is the highest-risk finding in any raccoon attic job — see the section on health risks below.
• Three sets of paw prints in HVAC dust, suggesting the animals had walked across (not chewed through) the flex duct serving the master suite. The duct insulation was visibly compressed where weight had been borne.
• A torn vapor barrier over a 6-foot stretch where the raccoons had pulled at the foil for nesting material.
• One juvenile raccoon tucked behind the HVAC plenum. The mother had used the master bedroom ceiling as a nursery. The kit was old enough to be mobile but not yet to follow the mother out the entry point.

The scratching sound that woke the homeowner had been the kit, alone, calling for food while the mother foraged.

The Removal Process

Raccoon removal during nesting season — especially when juveniles are present — is a sequenced operation, not a single trap-and-go event. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission requires that adult and dependent young be handled together; abandoning a kit in the structure is both inhumane and illegal under FWC nuisance wildlife rules. Our sequence:

1. Day 1 (morning): Inspect. Document. Confirm the kit was the only dependent young (sometimes there are 2–4 in a litter; here there was just one). Discuss findings, expected costs, and timeline with the homeowner.
2. Day 1 (afternoon): Hand-remove the kit and transport it to a quiet enclosure on our vehicle. Set a one-way exclusion door on the soffit gap calibrated so the mother can exit but cannot re-enter.
3. Day 1 (evening): Reunite kit and mother outside the structure using a known-effective reunification box placement against the exit. The mother carried the kit to a backup nesting site within four hours, exactly as expected.
4. Day 2: Confirm no return activity. Permanently seal the entry point with 19-gauge stainless steel mesh, structural fasteners, and matched soffit material so the repair is visually invisible from the ground.
5. Day 3: Begin attic remediation. (See next section.)

Total elapsed time from initial call to fully removed animals and sealed structure: 48 hours.

Why Raccoon Damage Requires More Than Removal

The instinct most homeowners have — and the upsell shortcut some lesser operators take — is to view the job as "remove the raccoon, seal the hole, done." That approach leaves three serious problems untouched: contaminated insulation, compromised HVAC ducting, and the biological hazard in the latrine site. None of those resolve on their own; some get worse with time.

What attic restoration after a raccoon intrusion actually involves:

• Bagged removal of contaminated insulation across the disturbed footprint. In this house, we removed insulation from the entire 18-foot radius around the entry point and the latrine — about 280 square feet of attic floor area. Salvaging insulation in this scenario is almost always false economy; nesting odor and pathogens stay bound to cellulose fibers regardless of how dry the material appears.
• HEPA vacuum down to framing and decking, capturing the airborne particulate that gets released during insulation removal.
• Enzyme-based sanitization of decking, joists, and framing in the latrine area. Standard bleach does not effectively neutralize the surface-adhered particles that carry the highest health risk; enzyme treatments break down the organic matter that those particles bind to.
• HVAC inspection. Where ducts have been walked on or pawed at, the insulation jacket may be compromised. In this case, two flex-duct segments needed replacement; the rest were intact and were wiped down externally.
• Reinsulation to original or improved R-value with new blown-in material. For this Winter Park home, we re-blew to R-38 — a small uplift from the original R-30 that pays back on summer cooling costs.
• Vapor barrier restoration where torn or pulled.

This is the work that Dr. Critter's attic restoration program bundles into the same quoted job as the wildlife removal. Pricing it as a separate "phase 2" months later is how the industry creates surprise bills; we don't operate that way.

Health Risks You Need to Know Before Entering That Attic

The single most dangerous thing about a raccoon latrine isn't the smell or the mess — it's Baylisascaris procyonis, the raccoon roundworm. The eggs of this parasite are shed in raccoon feces in enormous numbers (an infected raccoon sheds tens of millions of eggs in a few weeks), and the eggs remain viable in insulation, drywall dust, and soil for two to five years. They are resistant to bleach, common disinfectants, freezing, and drying. The CDC's Baylisascaris fact sheet documents the risk in detail.

If Baylisascaris eggs are ingested or inhaled by a human — which is alarmingly easy if a contaminated attic isn't professionally remediated — the larvae can migrate through the brain and spinal cord. There is no reliable cure once neurological symptoms develop. CDC counts of confirmed cases are small, but mild and undiagnosed exposures are almost certainly under-counted, and the conservative public-health position is to treat every raccoon latrine as a serious biohazard.

Secondary risks:

• Leptospirosis from raccoon urine. Leptospira bacteria survive in damp materials for weeks. The Florida Department of Health considers leptospirosis a reportable disease and notes that wildlife exposure is a recognized risk factor.
• Salmonella from feces handled without gloves or transferred via children's contact with contaminated surfaces.
• Rabies exposure if a homeowner is bitten or scratched during DIY removal attempts. Florida's Department of Health rabies protocol documents the public-health response.
• Histoplasmosis in attics where bat or bird droppings have also accumulated alongside the raccoon contamination.

For the Winter Park home, the homeowner had been hearing the scratching for "a few weeks" before calling. The latrine had been actively used for at least that long. We treated the entire south wall floor area as biohazard during remediation. The homeowner stayed elsewhere during the day-of-cleanup phase as a precaution; her cat was confined to the opposite side of the house with separate HVAC zoning until air clearance.

How to Tell If You Have a Raccoon (Not a Squirrel or Rat)

Several different animals can occupy a Florida attic. Before you panic about contamination, you want to know which one. Quick differential:

• Raccoons are mostly nocturnal. The sounds are heavy, deliberate, and intermittent — heavy "thumps" rather than continuous scampering. Active hours: roughly an hour after sunset and an hour before dawn. Droppings are 2–3 inches long, blunt-ended, often with visible berry seeds.
• Squirrels are diurnal. The sounds are light, fast, and concentrated in the morning (especially the first hour after sunrise) and again in late afternoon. Droppings are tiny — 1/4 to 1/2 inch — and resemble dark grains of rice.
• Roof rats are nocturnal but much lighter than raccoons. The sounds are continuous scampering through the night, often in defined "highways" along structural beams. Droppings are 1/2 inch, pointed at both ends.
• Opossums are mostly nocturnal but their sounds in an attic are usually slow movement followed by long stillness. They rarely climb up; they more often enter through ground-level crawl spaces.
• Bats produce no scratching at all — their sound is high-pitched chirping at dusk and dawn as they exit and return. Droppings (guano) are small, crumbly, and accumulate in piles below entry/exit points.

If you're hearing heavy thumping above your bedroom ceiling around 4–5 a.m. or 9–10 p.m., raccoon is by far the most likely answer in a Central Florida home, especially during the late-winter–early-spring nesting window.

The Final Numbers on This Job

For a homeowner trying to understand what a job like this costs, the Winter Park case study breakdown:

• Wildlife removal (mother + kit, reunification, one-way exclusion install, structural seal): mid-range single-call wildlife pricing.
• Attic restoration (insulation removal across 280 sq ft, HEPA vac, enzyme treatment, HVAC duct replacement on two segments, vapor barrier repair, reinsulation to R-38): the larger line item, typical for a contaminated attic of this size.
• Lifetime warranty on the soffit-gap exclusion. If raccoons re-enter through that repair, we return at no cost.

The homeowner could have minimized this job significantly by calling at the first scratching sound rather than waiting. Most of the cost differential between a "small" raccoon attic job and a "large" one comes from contamination spread, which is a direct function of how long the animals had access. The single highest-leverage decision a homeowner makes is the speed of the first call.

If You're Hearing Scratching Right Now

Three things to do, in order, before you do anything else:

1. Do not enter the attic. Especially do not enter to "look around" or "see how bad it is." Without PPE you can be exposed to Baylisascaris eggs in dust, and you can also startle a raccoon mother into defensive behavior. If you must check the access hatch, do not open it.
2. Do not bait, trap, or poison. Raccoons are not legally treatable with rodenticide in Florida. Killing or trapping nursing mothers without removing the kits creates a worse situation — orphaned kits dying in the structure cause more contamination than the original intrusion.
3. Call a Florida-licensed wildlife trapper. Confirm they hold the current FWC Nuisance Wildlife Trapper authorization before scheduling. The credential matters: it's the legal basis for the work and the reason a reputable operator will treat the kits and the mother as one job rather than two.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does a raccoon attic job take from first call to finished?

For a simple, single-animal intrusion with no significant contamination, 24–48 hours from the inspection. For a job involving a nursing mother and kits or a long-active latrine site, plan on 3–5 business days, primarily because remediation cannot start until the animals are confirmed out and the structure is sealed.

Will a raccoon damage my roof or just the insulation?

Both, usually. Insulation is always damaged on a multi-week intrusion. Roof damage depends on the entry point — a soffit gap typically requires only soffit and fascia repair, but raccoons can also tear shingles or pull at flashings near roof valleys. In this Winter Park case, the roof itself was intact; only the soffit corner needed structural repair.

Can a raccoon get back in after the exclusion is sealed?

If the seal is done correctly with stainless steel mesh and structural fasteners, no — raccoons are strong, but they can't compromise a properly attached mesh-and-fastener repair. If a different gap exists on the same structure, raccoons can find that one. This is why a thorough inspection of the entire structure (not just the obvious entry point) is part of every job.

Do I need to replace all the insulation, or just some?

Depends on contamination spread. For a brief, contained intrusion without a latrine site, partial insulation replacement may be appropriate. For any case involving a confirmed latrine, HVAC walk-over, or long-term occupancy, full or near-full replacement across the disturbed area is the right call. We document the contamination footprint with photos so you can see exactly what's being recommended and why.

Photo by Dave Bishop on Pexels

"A Proven Record of Success" - many companies tout this as their most important ability when it comes to differentiating themselves from the competition. We even see it as one of the more common catch-cries on resumes.  But what does it mean?  Can they really prove their track record?  Or is it just a trendy word to get clicks and win the sales game?  In our case, it's something we're good at, something we can back up with countless examples and facts, and something we can prove with photos, videos and customer testimonials.

One Tricky Rat

Recently, we came across what has most likely been our toughest opponent in almost 30 years in the industry.  We were contacted by an apartment complex we partner with almost six months ago about a rat inside the living space of a tenants home.  This was a tricky project from the beginning, as the rat was being seen in the kitchen, where it had found a source of food, the customer had time constraints regarding when we could be there and a dog that freely roamed the house during the day.  We quickly identified the problem source as the area below a utility closet, where the rats were nesting and able to access the kitchen at night.  After about a month, we'd caught 4 rats, but the problem persisted resulting in our management team becoming increasingly involved.

It became more and more apparent that our ability to catch this one rat that was left behind was being hampered by factors outside our control, namely:

• The rat had an established food source, and was not interested in any bait we could place in our traps;
• The tenant would only allow us access at specific times of day that didn't always fit into our schedule;
• The tenant's dog was able to roam the house 24/7 which removed our ability to put traps where we needed them; and
• The tenant's dog having access to the kitchen limited the type of traps we were able to use

Essentially these limitations meant we were attempting to catch an animal that didn't want the bait we could use in our traps, we couldn't use the traps we needed to catch the animal, and we couldn't put the traps where we needed to put them.

 After another month of fruitless efforts, it was time to make serious changes, however the tenant refused to help us.  She wouldn't remove the dog, or limit it's access to the kitchen which was our largest limitation.  Usually in situations like this, the use of glue traps in strategic locations can overcome the animals hesitance to eat a particular bait, but it would create problems with the dog.  Eventually we reached a point where we had no choice other than to build an enclosure for the glue boards.  Again, the tenant was thwarting our efforts by moving these glue boards, and our access to put them where needed wasn't ideal.  Another month went by and we still hadn't had any luck.  

Modern Technology to the Rescue

Our next step was to use modern technology to help.  Motion cameras are a tool we commonly use in attic spaces, but due to privacy concerns they aren't ideal within the living space of a home.  We were at the point where we needed to take more extreme measures here and fortunately this was something we could convince the tenant to help us with.  After setting a number of cameras in the area surrounding the kitchen, we felt we had a good idea of the rats movement patterns, but were still limited in our ability to put the traps where they were needed.  We had multiple sightings on our cameras and generally understood where we wanted to place our traps, but the dog was still an issue.  Fortunately, as were getting close to the Christmas period, the tenant had plans to go out of town and she was taking her dog with her.  This gave us three days to access the home when we wanted, and to put the traps we needed in the places where we needed them.  Still, the rat wasn't showing up on camera in the same places on a consistent basis, so there was no guarantee three days would be enough.  

Building a Better Rat Trap

We needed to get creative.  After almost six months on this project, we were frustrated, the property owner was frustrated and the tenant was frustrated.  We needed to catch this rat, and there may not be an opportunity like this again where we essentially had free access to the apartment.  What followed was the most intricate and most expensive rat trapping layout we had ever created.  We built a serious of fences and gates to funnel the rat to where we wanted it which involved a significant expenditure in time, effort and finances.  Our team of wildlife technicians put their custom carpentry skills to the test and the end result was a trap like no other.  More than 20 glue boards, and more than 20 snap traps were littered across the first floor of the apartment.  Cameras were being monitored 24/7 while our team was meant to be enjoying their Christmas break, but for the first time in the last month there was no activity on our camera in days.  Had the rat moved upstairs?  Were our changes to its environment causing a change in its behavior?  Had it finally been caught?  Four days later, after the tenant returned home from her Christmas vacation, we got some good news - the rat was caught in one of our snap traps.

Final Takeaways

As we've no doubt made clear, this was a frustrating project for everyone involved.  If you're reading this blog, and are in a similar situation, we have some advice to offer.  Firstly, let your wildlife company do what they need to do.  Landlord/Tenant situations are tricky, because the person most directly impacted is the tenant, and they have the lowest level of motivation of any of us to ensure a speedy resolution.  They don't have a direct financial stake in the game, and, as in this case, their only motivation is that their life return to normal.  If your wildlife technician is telling you to put your dogs in a different area of the home, limit their access, or remove them entirely, there is a very good reason for this.  

Secondly, find a company to partner with that is experienced in these situations.  Traditional Pest Control companies practice rodent removal, however their approach is very different to ours.  They aren't necessarily motivated by resolving problems, and their business model revolves around annual contracts.  When your problem is solved there is no further need for their services.  Traditional Pest Control companies usually operate by training their staff to approach each situation the same way to achieve the highest rate of success.  This approach wouldn't have worked in this circumstance (indeed, the first month of the project saw us attempting the same) - sometimes, particularly in these tricky cases, we need to get creative.  With years of experience in the industry, we can't overstate the times we've been called to these problem jobs after the competition has come up short.  

Finally, look for the company that has experience.  A smaller, one-man operation might not have the resources to get the project completed, especially when it calls for thousands of dollars in traps, building supplies and hardware.  Google is littered with reviews from companies that abandon jobs when it gets too tricky - look for the company that has the reviews, experience and background to complete any job.

These jobs aren't easy, but do you want to partner with the company that will do the same thing every time and hope for the best, or the company that is not only experienced in these difficult circumstances, but has a Proven Track Record of Success?

Related reading:

• Why Dr. Critter
• Customer service in action

Need help now? Schedule a free wildlife estimate — same-day response across Central Florida.

In 2023, Central Florida and Orlando are witnessing a surge in snake bites, according to Florida state agencies. The majority of these incidents involve the Cottonmouth, the most common venomous snake in the region. Discover essential information on snake safety to protect yourself and your loved ones.

Avoiding Snake Bites in Central Florida

To minimize the risk of encounters with snakes:

Choose Your Path Wisely: Stay away from snake-prone areas like tall grass, rocky terrain, swamps, and marshes.

Use Caution: When navigating through grassy areas, use a long stick to gently probe the ground ahead to scare off snakes.

Wear Protective Gear: Opt for loose, long pants and sturdy leather or rubber boots to reduce the chance of a snake bite.

Stay Vigilant: Be mindful of where you step and sit when outdoors.

Illuminate Your Path: Use a flashlight when walking outside at night to spot and avoid snakes.

Responding to a Snake Bite

If bitten, follow these crucial steps:

Stay Calm: Keep a level head to think clearly.

Call for Help: Dial 911 immediately and follow professional advice.

Observe the Snake: Remember its appearance but do not approach or attempt to capture it.

Remove Jewelry and Tight Clothing: Minimize swelling by removing items near the bite.

Elevate the Affected Limb: Keep the bitten limb level with your heart.Clean the Wound: Wipe away from the wound to prevent infection.

Seek Medical Attention: If the snake is venomous, head to the hospital promptly. Do not attempt to treat the bite yourself.

Central Florida Case Study: A Cautionary Tale

In October, a local resident in Lake Mary, just north of Orlando, experienced a Cottonmouth bite. Despite being knowledgeable about handling venomous snakes, a small mistake led to a severe bite. Prompt action, including a swift 911 call and specialized hospital treatment, saved his life. View the accompanying photos depicting immediate swelling and tissue damage post-bite. This case underscores the importance of snake safety, even for experienced individuals.

Prevention Programs in Central Florida

Don't take chances if you suspect snakes near your home. Explore our programs designed to prevent encounters and provide assistance if you happen across a snake. Your safety is our priority.

Stay informed and proactive to ensure a snake-safe environment in Central Florida and Orlando - visit us at www.drcritter.com

Related reading:

• Where Florida snakes are most active
• Rattlesnake strike: what to do

Need help now? Schedule a humane snake removal — same-day response across Central Florida.

The First Phase Unveiled

The first phase of The Grow is set to feature 504 lots, presenting a diverse range of housing options. This includes a nine-acre operational farm, two barns, a farm stand, and a restaurant and welcome center. Pulte Group's investment is a testament to their commitment to transforming this expansive land into a vibrant and sustainable community.

The Grand Vision of The Grow

Upon completion, The Grow will sprawl across a total of 1,185 acres between Lake Pickett Road and State Road 50. Envisioned by Pulte, it will comprise 2,078 residential lots and over 165,000 square feet of commercial space, with the working farm standing as the heart of the community.

The project is not merely about housing; it is a holistic approach to community living. In addition to various housing types, The Grow will boast 21 acres of community gardens, a 20-acre park, 12 miles of recreational trails, an equestrian facility, edible landscaping, a street for farmers' markets, and a farm-to-table restaurant, among other agricultural amenities.Pulte's Investment and the Project's Past
Pulte's recent acquisition encompasses 407 acres on the southern portion of the site. Prior to Pulte's involvement, the land was under the ownership of an entity led by Dwight Saathoff, the proprietor of Project Finance & Development. Saathoff, who dedicated over a decade to securing necessary approvals, expressed enthusiasm about seeing The Grow materialize.

Construction Milestones

With the closing formalized, Pulte is gearing up to construct 76 townhome units and 428 detached homes during the initial phase. Five of these homes will sit on spacious lots, some as large as half an acre. The construction, expected to commence in late January, includes the development of the first of two large pool and cabana facilities.

Challenges and Anticipated Progress

While clearance has been granted by Orange County for some aspects of the project, certain elements, such as the internal farm and associated structures, are still pending final approval. Dwight Saathoff highlighted the uniqueness of the project and the meticulous planning that has gone into the design details.

"This is a very unique project, and we have labored over the design details extensively," Saathoff said. "The team is very talented, so we are really excited to actually see the translation of the drawings as built out in the field."As The Grow takes root, Orlando's landscape is set to transform, offering residents a distinctive and sustainable living experience. Stay tuned for updates on this groundbreaking project that is poised to redefine community living in Orlando, Florida.

The Grow: A Vision Unveiled

The Grow project, spearheaded by Pulte Group, is set to be a one-of-a-kind venture that combines residential living with agricultural sustainability. The first phase, now officially underway, includes the establishment of a nine-acre working farm, signaling the start of a development that promises to be distinctive and forward-thinking.

Pulte's Continued Commitment

Dwight Saathoff, the driving force behind The Grow, revealed that Pulte Group is poised to close on an additional 395 approved lots in January. Max Perlman, VP of Land Acquisition for Pulte's Central Florida division, expressed gratitude for being part of this visionary project, highlighting the team's enthusiasm for contributing to the unique landscape of The Grow.

Diverse Architectural Styles and Home Types

The Grow is set to offer a diverse range of housing options, with lots varying from 32 feet to one acre. Townhomes, ranging between 1,600 and 1,900 square feet, will feature 3-4 bedrooms, while detached homes will span from 1,600 to over 5,000 square feet. This diversity ensures that The Grow caters to a wide range of preferences and needs within the community.

Expert Project Team

The development of The Grow is backed by a team of experts in their respective fields. VHB and Jim Hall with HallDSI are overseeing subdivision plans, with VHB also serving as the civil engineer on the project. Bio-Tech Consulting Inc. is managing environmental affairs, and Allen & Company is contributing as the surveyor. Longwood-based landscape architect Dix.Hite+Partners is an integral part of the project team, ensuring a thoughtful and aesthetically pleasing design.

The Agrihood Concept

The Urban Land Institute defines Agrihoods as communities built with a working farm or community garden as a focal point. The Grow aligns with this concept, bringing together residential spaces and agricultural sustainability to create a harmonious and unique living experience.

Joining a Growing Trend

According to ULI, there are over 200 agrihoods across the United States, spanning at least 30 states. From rural communities to major cities, the agrihood trend is gaining momentum, and The Grow stands out as a pioneering example in Orlando.

As The Grow takes shape, Orlando residents can anticipate a community that not only offers diverse and sustainable living options but also contributes to the flourishing trend of agrihoods across the nation.Stay updated on The Grow's progress and learn more about how this innovative project is reshaping the future of community living in Orlando. Visit our blog section at drcritter.com for the latest information.

How do I get bats out of my attic? 

Removal of bats is accomplished through a combination of sealing holes on the exterior of your home – essentially bat proofing the structure – and installing bat eviction devices that encourage them to leave but make it impossible for them to return. Due to the intricate nature of bat removal, it is not something we recommend a home or business do themselves. 

As with other animals, there are three elements to seeing a bat job through to a successful completion – what we refer to as the AAA's of animal Control: 

A. Animal - accomplished in this case by successfully removing the animals;

A. Attraction – this is accomplished by removing scent markings that attract animals to return to your home; and

A. Access – this is accomplished by sealing the entry points the animals are using, or can potentially use, to enter your home. 

Why is it important to remove bats, aren't they great for the environment? 

Absolutely. Bats are great for the environment, but they don't belong in your home. Our methods of bat removal don't harm or injure the bats, and when performed at the correct time of the year, ensure a successful resolution that is environmentally conscious. But to answer the question, bats can be dangerous house mates. Bats are a vector for the rabies virus, which is essentially 100% fatal to humans if not treated in time. Because of their small size, and tiny teeth, it's possible to get bitten by a bat without realizing it. Their feces, also known as guano, contains bacteria that can also lead to health problems – and besides – no one wants to live with animal poop in their home! Additionally, due to the large size of some colonies, and the sheer volume of waste they can create, the weight of bat guano can cause problems with your home. We have even seen instances of ceilings collapsing due to the amount of guano that accumulates in attic spaces. 

What should I consider when choosing someone to remove bats from my attic? 
Aside from the usual questions you ask of any service provider, such as experience, time in business, licensing and cost; the intricacies of bat removal require more than just another animal trapper. Firstly, what do they specialize in? Many traditional pest control companies are dipping their toes in the water when it comes to animal removal. Because bats aren't removed like other animals, your larger pest control companies often don't know how to treat for bats correctly. Secondly, what materials will be used to complete the project? There are a number of ways to keep bats our of your home, but they're not all created equally. Companies experienced in bat removal will be able to tell you exactly how they plan on completing the work, and what it will do as far as the aesthetics of the building are concerned. Finally, ask them to walk you through the process. Bat eviction isn't an easy process, but a company well versed in the process will be able to explain it to you in very simple terms, making it sound like a walk in the park! 

Remember – you get one shot at a successful bat eviction. If it isn't done correctly the first time, it can end up costing you thousands of unnecessary dollars, create health problems for you, your family and your pets, and be a source of frustration! 

At the end of the day, if you have bats, or suspect you have bats in your home, give us a call here at Dr. Critter or visit our website at www.drcritter.com – every home is different, and we can make sure we tailor a solution to your home.

Related reading:

• Bats in Brevard County

Need help now? Schedule a humane bat removal service — same-day response across Central Florida.