Not so Cute and Cuddly – The Wildlife You Don’t Want in Your Home

Nothing quite makes a walk in the woods, hills, or along the beach like an unexpected wildlife encounter. Thanks to our diverse terrain, in NC we’re blessed with a huge array of wildlife. From Armadillos to weasels, we’ve got practically the whole alphabet covered. And in their own habitat, how wonderful these creatures can be. Fascinating. Beautiful. Impossibly cute. And sometimes just a little bit scary – no one wants to meet an alligator in a dark alley! But no matter how much you appreciate a walk on the wild side, no one wants wildlife in their home.

At Noosa Pest Management, we’ve been called in to help out with all kinds of unwelcome guests. Rats, bats, squirrels, opossum, skunk, and snakes: you name it; our wildlife removal team have dealt with it. But some animals are more common than others. And some even make a habit out of housebreaking. So, what critters should you be looking out for if you think that something has invaded your home?

The 5 Most Common Wildlife Pests in Charlotte

Racoons

These masked marauders may look as cute as can be, but they are a veritable nightmare if they find their way into your home. No strangers to attics and au fait with the chimney access route, once a raccoon enters your property, they will make it their own. Wires will be chewed, insulation shredded, air ducts destroyed, and wood gnawed on to the point of risking structural integrity. And that’s all before you’ve got to the urine and feces, which can pose a health hazard all of its own.

Opossums

Under the house and in the attic are the most common places that we find opossums. And wow, do they cause some damage. The first clue you’ll have to tell you they’re there is the stench of their feces and urine because for a relatively small creature, they sure know how to poop! But while that’s a big enough problem on its own, opossums can also be pretty destructive. If they’re in your home they’re probably looking for somewhere to nest and your insulation is just perfect for the job. Add in the fact that these creatures generally only live two years and they could well meet their maker while making their home in yours – and that is a smell that you don’t want to encounter – it’s a good idea to call in the cavalry (us!) at the very first sign that an opossum might be there.

Squirrels

Love them or hate them, squirrels are part of life in Charlotte. And most of the time they’re fairly cute. But in your home, they’re serious troublemakers. They will typically chew their way in through the roof, nest in your insulation, have babies and then go to town on anything else they can find. PVC pipes, electrical wiring, shingles, joists and any other woodwork. If left for long enough, a family of squirrels can destroy a home. And even if they leave, they’ll have opened a door to any other local wildlife, which if not closed, could bring its own problems.

Bats

Small as they may be, bats can be really bad news for your home. They’re destructive, carry diseases and their guano carries histoplasma capsulatam, a microscopic airborne fungus, which is known to cause acute or chronic lung disease. They also reproduce rapidly, so once you have a problem it can multiply quickly. You need a license to remove bats, which is one of the reasons it’s always wise to call in the experts.

Snakes

There are only six venomous snakes in North Carolina. The copperhead, cottonmouth, timber rattlesnake, pigmy rattlesnake, eastern diamondback rattlesnake and eastern coral snake. While they cause next to no damage, they’re not always the nicest houseguests to have. A copperhead bite will be extremely painful, but treatable. An eastern diamondback rattlesnake bite can be deadly. But even the non-venomous species can be a problem. If you have a phobia, enough said. If you don’t, some species can prove a threat to pets – didn’t you ever wonder where Mr Snuggles the guinea pig got to that day he mysteriously upped and left? They prefer cool, damp areas. And it’s not a good idea to try to remove them yourself.

Of course, there are other wildlife pests to be found in and around Charlotte. And we’re never surprised by surprises. So, if you find yourself with bats in the attic, squirrels in the sunroom, or a coyote in the kitchen, please get in touch. We’ll do what we can to help. As quickly, calmly and humanely as possible.