by SOS Wildlife Control | Nov 6, 2015 | Squirrel Control, Uncategorized
Last Updated: May 2016
Our Squirrel Removal technicians are ready to help in Toronto, Richmond Hill and the GTA. Removing squirrels can be costly if you don’t act fast. Coming into winter these critters will be looking for somewhere warm and dry to spend the cold winter months. The ideal space is your attic but keeping them out is the best option. Trim the trees from your house to reduce roof access. Remove rotten pumpkins that will attract them. Don’t overfill bird feeders and keep your pet bowls inside. Squirrels can cause a lot of damage if they enter your home. Some homeowners / business owners know they have squirrels and choose to do nothing about it, as they see no immediate problem. However it is. Squirrels teeth constantly grow and to keep them short and sharp squirrels gnaw on objects. This may be branches or nuts outside but in your home it will be your house structure, wires or whatever you have in the squirrels immediate space. Holes in the structure of your house will be costly to fix and increase your energy bill. Chewed wires are a fired hazard. It is common in Ontario for Squirrels to be blamed for power outages, one squirrel got electrocuted and knock out the whole power of Toronto’s Financial Sector for two hours. Generally animals play a large part in outages outside of the downtown area and cause house fires. Removing squirrels immediately will help avoid costly wildlife damage. The amount of damage depends on how long they remain in your attic.They will not cause a lot of damage if they have been in your attic for less than 2 weeks. If it has been a few months though the damage may be substantial. Attic Insulation can be compromised. Squirrels trample the insulation running back and forth, use it for nests and areas will be covered in urine and feces
Additional side effects to the physical damage is the noise they cause. We get many early phone calls from homeowners woken by the squirrels running back and forth the attic. They are quite noisy and irritating. If squirrels die in a unreachable area in your home the smell of their decay can be quite strong and can last for a few weeks. Removing squirrels immediately will help avoid this. With so many dangers in working at heights and possible parasites from the squirrel feces and getting bit or scratched by the squirrel itself, it’s best to call someone who knows the dangers of the job.
Baby Squirrel Removal
Please read further on our baby squirrel removal method. Squirrels have babies twice a year, spring and fall. With babies involved, it is a different removal procedure as mother and babies need to be reunited outside. Read our article Baby Squirrel Removal.
Amazing Squirrel Fact:
Although squirrels rarely interact, they learn who their nearby relatives are by hearing their unique calls. If they fail to hear a relative’s calls for a few days, they may investigate and rescue orphans.
Removing Squirrels
SOS Wildlife Control Incorporated removes squirrels with the use of one-way doors and occasionally live trapping to ensure squirrels do not get trapped inside, causing more unnecessary damage. Our experienced technicians will then seal all entry points with gauge screening, preventing the return of nuisance pests. If requested we will determine any other vulnerable areas of your home and secure these areas using rust proof screens to prevent them from getting back in. By Ontario law the squirrels are then released one kilometer away. A squirrel nest, called a “drey”, is usually built high up in the trees but if no tree is available, the squirrel will build it in the next best thing: your attic. SOS Wildlife Control Incorporated always release the animal in the best possible area for the squirrel to easily adapt to. Squirrels have oil in their fur that can leave a scent behind for years in your home, so even if that animal is removed, if another comes around it could smell the scent and make itself at home. Ensure all the weak areas of your home are reinforced and all holes are covered – wildlife proofing your property.
SOS Wildlife Control Incorporated has plenty experience removing squirrels in attics, squirrels in businesses, removing squirrels from walls, removing squirrels from soffits.
Removing Squirrels? Call SOS Wildlife Control Incorporated at 1.800.981.0330
by SOS Wildlife Control | Nov 4, 2015 | Uncategorized
Last Updated: May 2016
There are many different raccoon removal 
methods of humanely removing raccoon from your property. One-way doors and live raccoon trapping are the most humane options when done correctly. One-way doors are the more preferable method as one way door has minimal to no human-wildlife interaction. The less interaction with wildlife as possible is always preferred as it is best not to interfere with their normal habits. What is a one-way door? One-way doors are specially designed doors which allow the animal(s) to exit the property and not re-enter. SOS Wildlife Control Incorporated will cover all entry holes on your property except one. This remaining hole is where the one-way door is installed and where the raccoon will exit and wont be able to re-enter.
However as every raccoon removal job is different, in some cases different methods must be used. The next most effective raccoon removal method is live raccoon trapping. If relocated after being trapped, under the Ontario laws, wildlife captured must be released back into a natural habitat no further than 1 km away.
SOS Wildlife Control Incorporated does not recommend untrained individuals to live trap a raccoon by themselves as improper trapping can and have led to accidents in Ontario where residents have tried to trap wildlife but instead have trapped neighbors pets or have forgotten about the trap and the animal has died. Raccoon trapping takes experience and knowledge of the animal and wildlife behaviour. Professional raccoon removal technicians will have both the proper equipment, experience and knowledge of provincial laws pertaining to wildlife removal processes.
Our professionally trained technicians at SOS Wildlife Control Incorporated provides a full inspection, analyzes the entry/exit points of the raccoons and installs the wire mesh cages accordingly for the most effective results. Upon successful entry of the raccoons into the cages, our technicians are contacted for pick up of the animals.
Raccoons mate between January and March and the
female raccoon can have a litter up to 7 young. The family live together for approximately 1 year. If they’ve built their den in your chimney, attic, or beneath your porch, it is likely you will need to call a wildlife control company for getting rid of raccoons. There are additional precautions that must be taken to protect the baby raccoons, for example the baby raccoons must not be relocated away from their mother and must be placed in an insulated heated box for their mother to find and relocate them.
Do-it-Yourself Raccoon Trapping Risks
Many things could go wrong trying to capture wildlife on your own which is why we always recommend calling a professional for these services. There have been instances where domesticated pets have been captured, injured, or killed. If you set up a trap in direct sunlight and are not present at the time of capture, raccoons could suffer and die from dehydration and sun stroke. If a cage is not properly set up, raccoons can get out as they are very operative with their hands. This can lead to aggravation where they could cause further damage like chewing on electrical cables, or ripping up screen doors. Raccoon trapping requires strong knowledge of wild animal control laws and regulations. Humane and effective removal of raccoons is the key both for the animals and for the residents. If you’re unsure of the extent of the raccoon problem, or unsure about the behavior of the animals or don’t have proper trapping training and licencing , we don’t recommend doing this on your own.
Yes, they can be a nuisance when they set den in or around your property, or when they go salvaging through your garbage bins for food, but their traits make them an interesting species!
- Their masks symbolize exactly what they are supposed to: raccoons are expert thieves. Aside from using their nimble hands for food, they are known to grab small household or personal items, like make-up, and cutlery
- They have bad eyesight, and are thought to be colorblind but they have excellent hearing and great sense of smell.
At SOS Wildlife Control Incorporated, we provide superior raccoon trapping services for residential, commercial, and industrial clients. Let us help you solve your raccoon problems. We can easily be reached at 1-800-981-0330. Don’t wait and call us to schedule an appointment for a thorough inspection to help evacuate all your unwanted wildlife guests.
by SOS Wildlife Control | Oct 31, 2015 | Animal Control, Bat Control, Bird Control, Groundhog Control, Human-Wildlife Conflict, Mice Control, Opossum Control, Rat Control, Skunk Control, Squirrel Control, Uncategorized
Last Updated: May 2016
What does Toronto Wildlife Removal mean? To us, it means saving our clients from unwanted visitors (a.k.a urban wildlife), and humanely bringing the visitors back to their natural habitats. Both in the City of Toronto and in the Greater Toronto Area, wildlife can be a nuisance to many residents, business owners, and industrial/agricultural environments.
What is Wildlife?
Wildlife traditionally refers to non-domesticated animal species. Wildlife can be found in all ecosystems, in both urban and rural sites. Common wildlife animals found in the GTA are birds, pigeons, skunks, snakes, raccoons, squirrels, opossums, and bats. Most times, these animals will behave in hostile manners when aggravated, and can be considered as dangerous and sometimes infectious.
Wildlife & Human Co-Habitance
In most cases, wildlife and humans can co-exist in urban areas. While everyone goes about their businesses, conflicts do arise at times. As weather gets cooler, urban wildlife starts seeking shelter. Raccoons, squirrels, pigeons, and bats may settle in attics, between walls, and chimneys; causing significant damage and health hazards to homeowners. Skunks could hide under porches or decks and spray house pets or unwary residents. Human-wildlife conflict does arise frequently in Toronto.
Fall is a peak season for Toronto wildlife removal needs as many animals start looking for food and shelter from the fast approaching cold weather conditions. This is the time to wildlife proof your property to avoid unwanted visitors. Usually finding warmth and food in or around a structure. Wildlife such as raccoons and squirrels easily get acclimated to their new habitats, often bringing their dependents with them. Removing wildlife in humane manner requires very specific skill-sets as well as in-depth knowledge of all the animals. Although there are many DIY solutions available for all wildlife removal needs, one can never predict the results of these projects. Trained technicians can understand animals’ behaviors, predict their motives, and even know their next moves. Trained technicians can also tell if wildlife has been breeding, where the babies may be, and if wildlife has or is suffering from any injuries. Most importantly professionals have the proper gear, equipment, and animal storage and removal tools to avoid any harm to you, to the animals, or to themselves. At SOS Wildlife Control Incorporated, we ensure your safety, as well as the safety of the animals. Our trained wildlife control technicians help relocate wildlife as per Environment Canada’s guidelines. We ensure the animals are injury and stress free during this process. We try to use one ways doors as our first solution. This involves no wildlife human interaction but if this option is not suitable we use wildlife friendly cages where animals are transported comfortable and free of restraints to their new, natural environments.
Toronto wildlife removal services have become a necessity for many home and business owners as urban wildlife number are on an increase. Due to the quick adaptability and fast- breeding nature, wildlife quickly adjusts to their new environments and they promptly pass this knowledge down to their offspring, creating a smarter generation of unwanted guests. Once an animal has established a home, they like to keep it. Any female offspring raised here, will also want to return to the same place to have their own litters. Given many of the wildlife are extremely intelligent, it is quite possible for this to take place. For many reasons aside from the simple attachment issues, it is very imperative to remove all wildlife as soon as possible before it becomes a matter of a serious infestation problem.
How to Avoid Toronto Wildlife Removal Services
- Lock up all recyclables and garbage in animal proof bins, ensure lids are securely closed at all times
- Take garbage and recyclables out often
- Remove any and all uneaten pet foods from pets’ bowls, remove all bird feeders at night
- Caution neighbors against wildlife feeding, contact your local council if problem persists
- Survey the structure of your home regularly, be aware of all cracks and holes and ensure proper measures are taken to fix these deficiencies
- Keep your home clean and organized, don’t leave opened packages of food out or overnight
- Keep your yard tidy by removing all unnecessary items and debris. Mow your lawn, and rake leaves regularly
- Ensure doors and windows are closed, as most wildlife are superior climbers
- Screen entry points and maintain fencing
Our Approach to Toronto Wildlife Removal
While there are different approaches trained technicians can use such as no trapping, or lethal trapping; we like to use the One Way Door or the Live Trapping method at SOS Wildlife Control Incorporated. This method allows use to trap the wildlife to ensure successful captivity, but it also allows us to inspect the animals to ensure they are uninjured before releasing them back into the wild. If animals are captured at the time of birthing/nesting period, we place them in protected boxes and ensure they are located to a safe environment, no further than 1 km away from the location of captivity, as per provincial guidelines. We provide the Toronto and GTA residents, humane wildlife removal services.
Wildlife Fun Facts:
- On the mammal IQ scale, raccoons rank higher than cats, and just below monkeys
- Squirrels are extremely intelligent: they are known to put elaborate bogus food burying display to deceive onlookers. The purpose of this fake burial is to trick potential thieves: other squirrels
- Skunks are nocturnal. They sleep during the day and look for food at night
- Opossums have remarkable ability to find food and remember its source. When tested for ability to remember where food it, opossums scored better than rats, rabbits, and dogs. They can also find their way through a maze faster than rodents and cats.
At SOS Wildlife Control Incorporated, we provide superior Toronto Wildlife Removal services for residential, commercial, and industrial clients. Let us help you solve your wildlife problems. We easily be reached at 1-800-981-0330. Don’t wait and call us to schedule an appointment for a thorough inspection to help evacuate all your unwanted wildlife guests.
by SOS Wildlife Control | Oct 23, 2015 | Mice Control, Uncategorized
Last Updated: May 2016
Droppings, chew marks on furniture, household items, food packages and more can be signs of an existing or growing mice problem. Aside from visibly seeing mice, you may also hear their rattling at night as mice are known to come out during the dark and quiet times. Mice enter homes and buildings in search for food and shelter. They have strong sense of smell, so they will generally go to places where they smell food which make places hidden in the kitchen, dining room, and pantry a hot spot. Mice damage property, contaminate food, and spread diseases. If you suspect you have mice problem, you should contact an expert for inspection immediately. With their high breeding rates, mice problems can escalate quickly.
The most common type of mice infesting GTA homes are called house mice.
They weigh approximately 20-40 grams and are approximately 6-8 centimeters long. Their tails are usually an additional length of 5-9 centimeters. House mice can crawl through tiny spaces and live between 1-3 years. An average female mouse can reproduce multiple times in their lives, each pregnancy term taking 19-21 days. They give birth to 10-12 baby mice. Number of mice in an infestation has the possibility to increase by 200% if proper measures aren’t taken.
Habitational and other Characteristics of Mice
As the colors and temperatures change, so do mice’s living behaviors. Although house mice can survive outside, they prefer the warmer temperatures and seek for warmth in the fall and winter months. Since we are in the peak mice problem season, here are some pointers on their habitational characteristics:
- Fall is the most popular mice problem season as they seek warmth and shelter in people’s homes
- They mostly live between the walls, closely monitoring light and sound before they go on a food & shelter journey. They are also known to build their shelters in drawers, shoeboxes, storage boxes, and under cabinets as these places are lesser frequented.
- They build shelters with paper, food, and plastic bits they chew off packaging of food and other supplies, foundation of the structure, and other paper/tissue goods available in their surroundings
- Mice can be carriers of a neurological infection called LCM (Lymphocytic Choriomeningitis).
- Salmonella, which may be contracted through food contaminated by mice droppings, is also a very common and serious disease. Symptoms of Salmonella include high fever, vomiting, and diarrhea. For more information on Salmonella, you can visit the Public Health Agency of Canada website
- They chew electrical wiring and cause hundreds of house fires every year.
Preventing Mice Problem
There are many ways to prevent mice problems becoming a serious infestation in your households, businesses, and in commercial spaces. Here are some tips:
- Sanitation: Cleanliness is the most important preventative measure to take in order to avoid mice in your homes/offices. Keep most frequented spaces like kitchen, dining room, bathrooms clean, free of clutter, and free of open packaged consumable goods. Crumbs, spilled food, and other fragrant items will attract mice. Good sanitation will also help with an existing mice problem as traps and baits will become more effective by reducing food and shelter options for the existing rodents.
- Traps: Setting up traps is an effective mice control method when there are only a few mice present. It is recommended to call a professional.
- Structural Care: Identifying holes, cracks and other structural damages can help avoid dealing with mice entering into your property. Sealing/patching cracks and holes will eliminate mice problem permanently as mice will not find any openings to use to enter the foundation.
- Pets: Although not one of the more effective solutions, cats and dogs spot mice. Their strong intuition, sense of hearing and sense of smell allow cats and dogs to identify mice’s whereabouts as well as their nests.
- Recognition of Mice Problem: Droppings, musky odor, bite marks, and tracks are signs of existing mice activities. Mouse nests made from paper and other fibrous materials are also signs of mice habitation. Depending on the seriousness of these signs, professionals must be contacted immediately for a quick and ultimate treatment.
Although it’s best to have professionals deal with a mice infestation situation, if you do come in contact with dead or trapped mice, wear rubber gloves to remove them and while disinfecting any place where you think may have been contaminated by mice.
At SOS Wildlife Control Incorporated, we provide seamless mice removal services for residential, commercial, and industrial clients. Let us help you solve your mice problem. We are can easily be reached at 1-800-981-0330. Don’t wait and call us to schedule an appointment for your mice removal needs.
by SOS Wildlife Control | Oct 22, 2015 | Uncategorized
Last Updated: May 2016
Autumn is a beautiful time of year in Toronto, with the leaves changing colour, the weather cooling down a bit, and signs of wildlife running around parks collecting food for hibernation. However, Halloween is the time of year you can find raccoons and other wildlife lounging around for treats. If you see a raccoon or any wildlife such as squirrels or skunks around this time on your property, we strongly advise you to assess your home to see how it stands against wildlife intrusions. Assess your property for entry holes, or weak areas where it is possible for wildlife to get through. Nuisance wildlife are now searching for shelter for the winter.
Raccoon Fact: Raccoons are much less active with the cold weather and will sleep for longer periods of time
October is the perfect time to wildlife proof your home as snow hasn’t yet fallen and there are no raccoon babies.
Baby Raccoons
As it is October there will be no baby raccoons which simplifies that raccoon removal process. When babies are involved, raccoon removal involves a the mother first needing to be removed, then the babies who are then reunited.This process is not necessary during the fall season due to the fact that it is not their baby season. Read more on baby raccoon removal here.
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Stop Wildlife being attracted to your home
Check any overhanging trees and trim branches to restrict access to your roof. Put your garbage bins in a garage or secure with a bungee cord to restrict access. Remove any food scraps around your home, and place pet foods inside. Don’t overfill bird feeders. Stopping wildlife from being attracted to your property is step one
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Fixing any weak areas of your home
Assess your home for weak areas. Replace any broken, weakened or missing roof tiles. Check all soffits and vents. If heat is escaping from parts of your home, fixing this will not only reduce energy costs but will not attract unwanted critters. If they can’t find any weak areas they will move on. If anything is torn open or got holes big enough for a raccoon can enter then you may already have wildlife in your home. Do not seal them unless you know there is no wildlife inside. You can either do this yourself but calling a professional is recommended.
Unfortunately your Halloween pumpkins might also attract wildlife to your property, but if you wildlife proof your property they will be restricted from getting in the property. .You can wildlife proof your property yourself or you can hire a professional like SOS Wildlife Control Incorporated to do it for you. Doing this now will save you money in the long run. It is more convenient to prevent a raccoon from entering now than removing it in the middle of the winter when there is snow on the ground. Do not climb on an icy roof to cover holes yourself as this is dangerous, you may risk falling.
Denying raccoons access in the fall gives them time to search for another appropriate living space. If they are found and removed during colder months, their chance for survival is threatened.
Happy Halloween everyone!
Call SOS for Raccoon Pest Control at 647-994-9453
by SOS Wildlife Control | Oct 5, 2015 | Uncategorized
Last Updated: May 2021
Removing raccoons from your home or property is a commonly requested service, especially in Toronto GTA. Ontario has a large population of raccoons so it’s safe to get your home checked and proofed. Your property is the perfect shelter for a raccoon with heat and food supply. While good for the raccoons, this is almost always a nuisance to homeowner and property owners!
The most common raccoon complaints we receive from customers are:
- removing raccoons from attic
- removing raccoons from chimney
- removing raccoons from crawl space,
- removing raccoons from yard
- removing raccoons under porch
Raccoons can be loud, cause damage to the building structure/contents and can be dangerous for your health with the diseases they carry. It is important to have them removed professionally, humanely and effectively.
Common Times for Raccoons to Enter your Home
Raccoons can enter your home anytime of the year but they are more likely to do so during spring and winter. During the winter period it’s more difficult for raccoons to find food and shelter making your home very appealing. In the Spring, raccoons give birth to a litter of 3-7 babies. The mother scouts several dens before choosing one, the attic of your house or under your porch is a nice secluded area that is a common spot for them.
Raccoons are quite large animals compared to squirrels and other wildlife animals that come inside your home. Since they are heavier you will hear loud thumping rather than scratches if they are in your attic. If it’s a family of raccoons consisting of a female adult raccoon and a litter of her babies living up in your attic, you will hear the baby’s unique whining and crying
Removing raccoons from your home
Raccoon removal once you find the raccoon is recommended because they can be very dangerous and damaging. Getting rid of raccoons involves scare tactics, baiting, cages, although we do not recommend this unless you are a licensed and trained professional. Wildlife can be quite aggressive when under threat so be careful and remember that raccoons can carry several diseases dangerous to humans like rabies and roundworm. If you are getting rid of raccoons it’s strongly recommend you use a professional like SOS Wildlife Control Incorporated.
Call SOS Wildlife Control Incorporated at 647.994.9453
