[PCT's Annual Wildlife Control Issue] Top Five

Urban wildlife is not a problem until those animals decide to take up residence in YOUR house. Then it becomes, "Do whatever you have to do to solve this problem as fast as possible!" Mild mannered and sweet women want the offending party torn limb from limb. The noise above their bed at night might be causing them to lose sleep. The disturbances may change how they do everyday things.

The daughter of one of my customers got the scare of her life when she sat on the toilet and heard a noise underneath her. I’m sure her scream could be heard throughout the neighborhood. The hysterical teenager called her father’s cell phone to tell him about the rat in the toilet. She will never go to the bathroom again without looking first.

So, here are my choices for the "Top five" urban pests for my area of the country (St. Louis):

1. Squirrels

2. Raccoons

3. Mice/Rats

4. Birds

5. Moles

GRAY SQUIRRELS. These are the cute, spirited animals that claim the homes of people who unknowingly provide them a special place. What kind of damage will they do? Many times they find their way into a structure and once in the home, they may chew on wiring, creating a possible fire hazard; they may disturb the insulation, making trails through it; they may chew rafters or window trim or scratch through drywall. But by far the biggest complaint is the noise. They are active primarily from 5 a.m. to 7 a.m., meaning they can loudly wake up anyone that might be sleeping under them.

They might move into a structure in October or November and sometimes stay through March or April. They may give birth inside of a structure in February or March and again in August. As the heat of summer comes, they may move out. In my opinion, the only good way to deal with gray squirrels is to trap them. What separates the novice from the professional in catching squirrels is that the novice has only one plan to trap the animal — the professional will have plan A, B and C if necessary. Use different baits, move the traps or change the type of trap you use if you are not having success. I trap them until I have no activity at the traps for a week or so, then I make a temporary cardboard repair over the hole. If the temporary repair is not disturbed in a week, then I permanently repair the hole. For a permanent repair, I use either a double layer of ½- by ½-inch hardware cloth or sheet metal (whichever one works best for the situation).

RACCOONS. This masked bandit is one of the strongest animals, pound for pound. I have had a raccoon on the end of a catchpole move my 230-pound frame. Raccoons also are one of the most intelligent animals I deal with. Some of the creative ways they enter a structure are amazing. I serviced a three-story house where they hung over the roof, ripped off the soffit and got in. They may tear apart a gable vent, open a hole in the roof or climb in a chimney to have their young.

If you want to be embarrassed, raccoons will do it to you. Catching a trap-shy raccoon can be quite a feat. Trap shyness comes primarily from relocation. They have learned that a trap is not a place they want to be. No matter how good the bait is, they may go somewhere else. Once they have been imprinted with the idea that "traps are not fun," the bait is not worth the risk. To catch a trap-shy animal, I may tie open a trap, fill it with bait to get them comfortable eating in the trap, then untie the door. This also works well for the job that’s open and you’re taking a few days off. Bait the traps heavily and tie them open. You waste a trip but you may make up for it in the increased speed of trapping the animals.

I believe relocation is unkind and ineffective. I have found that most relocated animals don’t stay on the property they are taken. They leave in search of their previous home. Many times they become a "victim" killed on the road. Left to nature, animals don’t welcome newcomers to their area or invite them over for dinner. Animals are territorial about food stores and about boundaries. The relocated animals frequently die of starvation or are killed by the animals in their new territory.

It is my opinion that all animals trapped within a structure should be euthanized. But, be aware that you also need to look at your state’s laws. The state or county in which you operate may tell you what has to be done with the animals you trap. You need to find out about laws regarding disposal of the carcasses in your state. This varies from state to state and/or county, township, etc.

MICE AND RATS. Mice and rats are a huge part of my business. I frequently find evidence of rodents while inspecting for squirrels or raccoons. This is why I have included them in the top five wildlife problems. The complaints I usually receive are of a noise in the attic or maybe droppings under the sink.

I use traps inside the house and rodent stations outside the house. Inside I want to know where the rodent is going to die. I used to tell prospective customers to buy snap traps and do it themselves, but I discovered something: they wouldn’t have called if they didn’t want me to come and help them. Even if it’s as simple as instructing them on how to set a mouse trap I’m helping them. Place packs indoors or in stations inside may create a smell for you to find later. After a rodent has eaten a rodenticide it’s a "dead mouse walking" for up to five days. Where it stops is where it smells: in or out of the wall. I don’t use glueboards for mice except inside a mechanical trap. In the mechanical trap, they will die anyway and the boards prevent escape. I also use live traps for rats indoors. I’ve found that rats and mice like vanilla extract, so I put that under the triggers of all the traps I set.

BIRDS. A residential pest bird job usually involves fixing or repairing something. This can be an excellent revenue source. The problem may be simple to solve, although a ladder is going to be needed. You must identify the bird species before you attempt any type of control.

Most pest birds are starlings, sparrows or pigeons. These are not protected by the Migratory Bird Act; just about every other species is protected.

Woodpeckers can be trapped with the right permit. Woodpeckers may peck out the knotholes in wood siding and starlings may move into the holes to build their nests. I make a trap in the shape of a birdhouse, with a hole in the front and a back hole that I place over the hole in the siding. Inside the birdhouse trap, I place a rat trap. This has been relatively effective for problem birds.

Most pigeon work involves exclusion techniques, such as spikes or netting. It may involve only repair of a structure to close the opportunistic holes or cracks. Once again, the repairs are generally made with hardware cloth, sheet metal, caulk or any combination of these materials.

MOLES. This pest is enemy No. 1 in many people’s minds. They spend time and money on their lawns and are furious at the damages wrought by such small creatures. In my opinion, the only effective way to eliminate moles is to trap them. I have traveled the country as "The Mole Hunter," speaking at home shows teaching people how to rid their yards of moles and keep them that way. Education combined with the right tools can make you a champion mole catcher. If you take care of someone’s mole problem, you will have a customer for life.

The author is president of Holper Pest & Animal Solutions, St. Louis, Mo. He can be reached at jholper@pctonline.com.