Welcome to Urban Wildlife Control!

We are a nuisance animal removal company that serves the greater Atlanta area. Rodent control and removal is one the services we perform most frequently. There are common misconceptions about rodent control and rodent removal due to an abundance of misleading websites and products on the internet today. Urban Wildlife Control field technicians have composed this page in an effort to set the record straight. Below is a list of questions our field technicians hear daily with answers we believe are honest and accurate, based on our knowledge in the field of rodent removal.

If you are an Atlanta area resident and need to hire a professional business with a track record of success, feel free to contact us, by phone for an estimate on any rodent pest control service. In most cases, Urban Wildlife Control provides free inspections and written estimates for structural rodent control. Urban Wildlife Control technicians have been in the field working to eliminate nuisance animal issues since 2001 and we have amassed a a large group of happy clientele that have finally found peace and quiet from their rodent problem.

What exactly is a rodent?

A rodent is a mammal in the order rodentia, distinguished by thier two continously growing incisors (front teeth). Rodents front teeth are used for gnawing, eating food and self-defense. Almost half of the mammal species in the world are rodents.

Rats belong to the order of Rodentia and are members of the superfamily muroidea. Rats are short-bodied rodents, usually having a pointed muzzle, long slender, almost hairless tail and dexterous forepaws.

Squirrels are members of the Sciuridae family. Species in this family have four fingers on their front feet and five fingers on their hind feet. They have relatively large ears and thick body fur. Their bodies are slender and tails are furry. Some species are arboreal (flying squirrels and gray squirrels), they live in trees and your attic, while others are ground-dwelling (chipmunks) and dig burrows or live in crawl spaces.

Several kinds of squirrels, rats and mice are found around the United States. However, in Georgia, the Southern Flying Squirrel, Eastern Gray Squirrel, Norway rat, the roof rat, the house mouse and the vole are the common pests found around businesses, farms and homes.

Can rodents get into my attic?

Yes. In fact, it is the most common rodent pest problem for atlanta residents. Most rodents prefer your attic over other dwellings due to the shelter your attic provides.

How are these rodents getting into my attic? I don’t have any trees touching my house.

This question is asked a lot. Think about this, grey squirrels can run up and down trees effortlessly. Now, most home’s siding provides a similar surface, wither it be brick, lap siding, vinyl or stucco. These materials provide excellent grip similar to the bark of a tree. Now we think about rats, roof rats get their name because they have superb climbing abilities just like grey squirrels. Both these critters are able to climb almost anything, even downspouts on your gutter system. It never ceases to amaze us when we are in the field, the acrobats we see these animals perform. The short answer: rodents are well equipped to run up the side of your home without any trouble at all!

What types of damage do rodents cause in an attic?

The main problem rodents present, other than the annoying noises and the potential disease factor is the possibility that they will chew electrical wires creating the possibility of a structural fire.

Other damage includes: Insulation damage thereby decreasing the thermal efficiency of your home. Rodents may also cause water damage from chewing on roof shingles, water pipes and fascia boards. and also chewing into HVAC ducts.

Should I use poison for rodent pest control?

If you are having a rat control issue outside of a commercial or residential building poisoning may help reduce the number of rats or mice present. We always recommend any business involved in the food service industry have an on going baiting program in place. If you are a home owner however, we recommend that you DO NOT use poison baits for rodent pest control due to the risk of rodents dying inside your home, the potential for an odor problem and a need for dead animal removal can occur. It is a violation of federal law to poison squirrels, obviously we do not recommend that.

Does rat poison make rats and mice thirsty so they go outside to die?

A number of unscrupulous pest control companies that will tell you these false statements. We hear this all too often when called out to locate and remove a dead animal, the truth is there is NO such rodenticide. If you allow a pest control operator to use rodent baits inside you can rest assured that they will die in areas they frequent most often: the nesting site, most often your attic, basement or wall; their feeding location, your pet’s food, bird feeder, or trash cans. Most rodenticides on the market are anti-coagulants or neurotoxins. These cause internal bleeding or respiratory failure.

I am hearing noises. What kind of rodent is it?

Rats are nocturnal . So if you are hearing chewing and shuffling in the attic or walls, at night, chances are you may have a rat problem. Noises at night may also require flying squirrel control, raccoon removal or another rodent control service. Noises in the day time may require gray squirrel removal.

How many rodents can possibly be living in my home?

Rats, flying squirrels and mice are colonizing rodents and the number of these rodents present in your home usually depends on how long the problem has been present, the number of rats can be in the double digits making rodent control and removal a longer process. Gray squirrels are territorial; typically, only one family will live in an attic at any one time which makes this rodent removal process relatively quick.

I live in the greater Atlanta area and have tried other companies in the past, how can Urban Wildlife Control help me with rodent pest control?

Urban Wildlife Control uses an effective, 4 step, rodent pest control process to rid your home or office of unwanted rat pests.

Inspection

Urban Wildlife Control will first inspect the roof line, attic, crawl space, basement, etc. looking for rodent damage, rodent droppings, and rodent nesting sites to determine the species of rodent that is the problem.  Urban Wildlife Control will then determine how the rodents are gaining access to the building. Once we locate point(s) of entry we will also locate future vulnerable areas that may need to be reinforced.

Trapping

Rodent trapping takes place in the attic, basement and crawl space of the building.  Traps are set wherever activity is found. Rodent Traps are baited with food, not poison.

Exclusion

This step involves “rodent proofing” all the entry points identified during the initial inspection. This process is essential to solving the rat pest control problem long-term. Reinforcing vulnerable areas, such as a construction gap , is another example of proper “rodent proofing”.

Deodorizing and Disinfecting

After the pest rodents have been trapped and the exclusion process is complete, Urban Wildlife Control offers deodorizing and decontamination services. This service eliminates the rat and squirrel odors and the bio hazardous contamination that may be present in your home’s interior.

Deodorizing and decontamination involves applying an organic enzyme and a hospital grade disinfectant. An atomizing sprayer “fogs” the area and breaks down rodent odors created by urine and other excrement.

This step is necessary because the bio-hazard and odor of rodents coming from an attic is a signal to other animals that your home is an excellent place to reside.

Learn more about our rat removal service.

Learn more about our squirrel removal service.