4 Animals to Watch for in Your Baltimore Home This Fall:
Everyone loves fall because the weather is starting to cool down. The leaves are changing, the threat of mosquito bites is fading away, and one would think that pests in your home should be less of a problem. However, fall is host to many pest problems in Baltimore. Many animals still linger, looking for a way into your home, hoping to find a warm and safe place to spend the winter.
Besides infesting space between walls and below floors, these animals will cause damage to food, garden, and other valuables. This is why pest control in Baltimore is a critical to many homeowners.
Fall in Baltimore
Below are four of the most common animals to watch for in your Baltimore home this fall:
Mice
Mice are the most numerous rodents in Baltimore, with over 70 species living in North America. They can’t survive in cold temperatures, which forces them to seek shelter in your homes in preparation for winter. You can easily identify house mice as they have large ears, a long tail covered in light velvety fur, and a pointed nose.
You’re more likely to find a house mouse in your home since they’re adaptable to human presence. Mice will eat just anything in your house, including food scraps, electrical wires, and wooden supports, leading to severe home damage and fire risks. While they are small creatures, mice can fit through small spaces, settle in walls, attics, or basements, and spend most of the time hiding from view. Some of the signs of mice infestation include droppings, holes in the walls, signs of chewing on food packaging, and nesting materials.
Rats
Rats inhibit most areas in North America, including Baltimore. Norway rats are among the most common species of rodents found in Greater Baltimore. They contaminate food and love to live in the walls or attic of a home.
They have a dense body covered in shaggy brown or gray fur sprinkled with black hairs. Their underbelly is covered in lighter-colored fur- typically gray or white. Norway rats have blunt noses, small round ears, and small black eyes. Their tail lacks hair and is shorter than the total length of their body. Some of the tell-tale signs that you have rats in your Baltimore home include rat nests, rat holes, scratching noises, rat droppings, and rub marks.
Squirrels
During fall, squirrels start hiding food in many locations for use during winter. For this reason, squirrels will find their way into your home, specifically in your garage, attic, or basement, to find a safe place to store their food. They eat various foods, but nuts are their favorites.
Staying aware of squirrel activity around your house is critical as this helps you to catch and control this problem right away. Some of the signs that you have a squirrel problem in your Baltimore home are strange noises around your home, droppings in your garage or attic, squirrel footprints, and a decaying smell.
Raccoons
During fall, raccoons find natural food sources to be scarce, and they may turn to your home to find food and warmth. While chimneys and attics are common raccoon homes, a resourceful raccoon can make a den just about anywhere in your house. In the process, your home may experience damage, and you and your family may also be exposed to health hazards as raccoons are known to be carriers of rabies.
If you suspect an infestation, you can look for signs such as open garbage cans, bad odors, scratching and rusting sounds in the ceiling, and raccoon waste and hair.
Need Professional Animal Removal in Baltimore? Reach Out to Shumaker’s Animal Control
These are the four most common animals to watch for in your Baltimore home this fall, though there are many more that could stop by for a visit. Luckily, Shumaker’s Animal Control has been providing humane animal removal services in Maryland for over 25 years.
If you suspect an animal infestation in your home, you can trust our experts to have them removed in the most humane way possible while protecting you and your family. Reach out to us when animals try to use your home for shelter from the cold. Visit our website to check our services and fill out our contact form. You can also call us at 443-854-8072 for more information.