The Critter Team Wildlife Removal Podcast

No, squirrel feces aren't a hantavirus concern. Squirrels aren't among the rodents known to carry the hantaviruses that cause illness in the United States. Those are specific species of mice and rats, mainly the deer mouse, along with the white-footed mouse, the cotton rat and the rice rat. What matters is making sure the droppings in your attic actually came from squirrels.

The CDC's report on preventing hantavirus pulmonary syndrome names the deer mouse as the host of Sin Nombre virus, the main cause of hantavirus pulmonary syndrome in the United States. It lists the white-footed mouse, the cotton rat and the rice rat as hosts of other hantaviruses known to cause the illness. Tree squirrels aren't on that list.

Attics don't always hold just one animal. Mice and rats scatter droppings everywhere they travel, so droppings spread along beams, ductwork and the edges of the attic can point to a rodent problem other than squirrels. Tracks help sort it out. On dusty ductwork, squirrels leave little toe prints and rats leave tick marks, and the width of the trails running through attic insulation helps identify which animal made them. If it turns out you have rats, our roof rat removal work is a different job with different entry points than squirrel removal.

Even when the droppings are from squirrels, they shouldn't stay in the attic. Nest material, droppings and urine soak into attic insulation, bring odor and leave the attic insulation crushed and less effective. Whatever animal left them, don't sweep or vacuum droppings while they're dry. Wet them down with a disinfectant first and let it soak before cleaning them up.

The Critter Team provides squirrel removal services that start with identifying every animal in the attic before we set a trap. Once the squirrels are out and the house is sealed, we remove the nest, clean and deodorize the attic, and replace damaged attic insulation.

No. Squirrels aren't known carriers of hantavirus in the United States. The rodents behind it are the deer mouse, the white-footed mouse, the cotton rat and the rice rat. Squirrel droppings still need to be cleaned out of the attic, and it's worth confirming that squirrels are the only animals leaving them.

The Critter Team - Humble Office

The Critter Team - Spring Office

The Critter Team provides squirrel removal in Spring, TX. Spring Creek runs along the north edge of Spring, and the wooded corridor along the creek keeps squirrels close to neighborhoods from Old Town Spring to the newer subdivisions. Our Spring office sits right here on Shadow Valley Drive.

This episode covers how to tell whether the noise in your attic is squirrels or rats. Squirrels are active during the day and rats at night, and in the attic squirrels leave little toe prints on dusty ductwork while rats leave tick marks. We talk about why getting the animal right matters, because the trapping, the exclusion and the cleanup are different for each one. We also walk through our inspection, which runs from the foundation to the peak of the roof and through every attic space before we build a squirrel control plan.

The Critter Team is a veteran-owned family business, and all of our work is done in-house. Our technicians are Ridge Guard Certified Installers and Advanced Metal Fabrication certified, and owner Mike Garrett completed NWCOA Wildlife Control Operator training. Our squirrel exclusion work comes with a written warranty in one-year and three-year terms, and phone consultations are always free.

Don't forget to listen to our latest podcast on squirrel removal in Spring, TX - https://thecritterteam1.podbean.com/e/spring-tx-squirrel-removal/

The Critter Team squirrel removal near Spring, TX on Google Maps

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The Critter Team provides squirrel removal in Cypress, TX. Cypress was farmland not that long ago, and much of the housing here is newer construction in master-planned communities. Squirrels move through the area along fence lines, power lines and the trees along Cypress Creek.

In this episode, we talk about why a brand new home in Cypress can still have squirrels in the attic. The same soft roof connections where the soffit meets a roof transition show up on new construction, and squirrels gnaw their way in there or push through vents. We cover the attic insulation they crush and the wiring and wood framing they gnaw once they're inside. We also explain how our squirrel exclusion work closes those builder gaps with 23 gauge aluminum fabricated on-site and clear sealant along the roof line.

As a veteran-owned family business, The Critter Team performs every step of the job in-house. Mike Garrett, our owner, completed NWCOA Wildlife Control Operator training, and our technicians are Ridge Guard Certified Installers with Advanced Metal Fabrication certification. We carry $1 million per occurrence and $2 million aggregate liability coverage plus full workers' compensation, and all of our exclusion work is backed by a written warranty in one-year and three-year options.

Don't forget to listen to our latest podcast on squirrel removal in Cypress, TX - https://thecritterteam1.podbean.com/e/cypress-tx-squirrel-removal/

The Critter Team squirrel removal near Cypress, TX on Google Maps

The Critter Team

The Critter Team provides squirrel removal in Klein, TX. Klein's established neighborhoods have big shade trees that hang over a lot of rooflines, and that's exactly the setup squirrels look for. By the time a homeowner hears them, the squirrel has usually already gnawed through a soffit or pushed through a vent.

This episode covers what happens during a squirrel inspection on a Klein home. We start outside and work from the foundation all the way to the peak, looking for chew marks, staining and gaps. Then we go through every attic space and photograph the trails in the insulation, the nesting areas and any chewed wiring or wood. We talk about how those photos go into your estimate, so you can see exactly what the squirrels did and what it will take to fix it.

The Critter Team is a veteran-owned family business, and squirrels are one of the animals our crew works with most. Owner Mike Garrett completed NWCOA Wildlife Control Operator training, and our technicians are Ridge Guard Certified Installers who are also certified in advanced metal fabrication. Every job is performed in-house, and our squirrel trapping and exclusion work is backed by a written warranty in one-year and three-year options.

Don't forget to listen to our latest podcast on squirrel removal in Klein, TX - https://thecritterteam1.podbean.com/e/klein-tx-squirrel-removal/

The Critter Team squirrel removal near Klein, TX on Google Maps

The Critter Team

The Critter Team provides squirrel removal in Champions, TX. The Champions area grew up around Champions Golf Club between Highway 249 and I-45, and most of its homes were built in the 1960s and 70s in heavily wooded subdivisions. Those tall trees keep plenty of squirrels close to the houses.

In this episode, we talk about what decades of weather do to the wood soffits and fascia boards on older Champions homes, and why squirrels go straight for that weak wood. They gnaw through the soffit where it meets the roof, move into the attic, and crush insulation while chewing on wiring and wood framing. We cover the signs that a squirrel has already found a soft spot. We also explain how we remove the squirrels, repair the damaged soffits and fascia boards, and seal every opening with metal we fabricate on-site and paint to match the house.

The Critter Team is a veteran-owned family business rated 4.6 stars across 67+ Google reviews. Our technicians are Ridge Guard Certified Installers and Advanced Metal Fabrication certified, and owner Mike Garrett completed NWCOA Wildlife Control Operator training. All work is performed in-house, and our squirrel control and exclusion work comes with a written warranty, available in one-year and three-year terms.

Don't forget to listen to our latest podcast on squirrel removal in Champions, TX - https://thecritterteam1.podbean.com/e/champions-tx-squirrel-removal/

The Critter Team squirrel removal near Champions, TX on Google Maps

The Critter Team

The Critter Team provides squirrel removal in Katy, TX. Katy grew from a rice-farming town into neighborhood after neighborhood of homes. Squirrels travel the tree lines and fence lines that connect those neighborhoods to reach the rooftops.

This episode covers why sealing only the one hole a squirrel chewed often doesn't solve the problem in Katy. The squirrel simply moves on to the next soft roof connection or vent, and the damage inside the attic keeps adding up, from crushed insulation to gnawed wiring and wood framing. We talk about the difference between full exclusion, which covers the entire home, and partial exclusion, which covers only the areas we work on. We also explain why the squirrels are always removed first and the sealing comes after.

The Critter Team is a veteran-owned family business, and every job is performed in-house. Owner Mike Garrett completed NWCOA Wildlife Control Operator training, and our technicians are Ridge Guard Certified Installers with Advanced Metal Fabrication certification. Our squirrel exclusion work comes with a written warranty in one-year and three-year options, and most of the time we can identify the problem and give an accurate estimate over the phone.

Don't forget to listen to our latest podcast on squirrel removal in Katy, TX - https://thecritterteam1.podbean.com/e/katy-tx-squirrel-removal/

The Critter Team squirrel removal near Katy, TX on Google Maps

The Critter Team

The Critter Team provides squirrel removal in Tomball, TX. Tomball is named after Thomas Ball, who helped bring the railroad through in the early 1900s, and a lot of homes here still sit on wooded lots or acreage. Squirrels move from the tree line to the roof without ever crossing an open yard.

In this episode, we talk about how we handle squirrel trapping humanely in Tomball's heat. We place our traps under the soffits for shade, and picking up trapped animals is our first stop of the day. Every squirrel is brought down, offered water and kept in the shade. We also cover the crushed attic insulation and gnawed wiring and wood framing squirrels leave behind, and how we replace damaged attic insulation and seal the soffits, fascia boards, roof openings and vents once the attic is clear.

The Critter Team is a veteran-owned family business, and all of our trapping, repair and exclusion work is performed in-house. Our technicians hold Ridge Guard Certified Installer and Advanced Metal Fabrication certifications, and owner Mike Garrett completed NWCOA Wildlife Control Operator training. We're covered with $1 million per occurrence and $2 million aggregate liability insurance and full workers' compensation, and our exclusion work carries a written one-year or three-year warranty.

Don't forget to listen to our latest podcast on squirrel removal in Tomball, TX - https://thecritterteam1.podbean.com/e/tomball-tx-squirrel-removal/

The Critter Team squirrel removal near Tomball, TX on Google Maps

The Critter Team

The Critter Team provides squirrel removal in Magnolia, TX. Magnolia sits in pine country, and with tall pines standing close to so many homes, squirrels have an easy climb to the roof. Wooded acreage around town keeps the squirrel population close by.

This episode covers what it means when the scratching isn't overhead at all but inside a wall. A squirrel that gets into the attic can work its way down into the walls, and left alone, it can chew its way into the living space. We talk about how squirrels gnaw through soffits and roofing material to get in, and how they crush attic insulation and chew on wiring and wood once inside. We also explain how we find the entry point outside, trap the squirrels out, and then seal the opening and repair any damaged drywall or attic insulation.

The Critter Team is a veteran-owned family business, and every repair and seal is performed in-house by our own wildlife technicians. Owner Mike Garrett completed NWCOA Wildlife Control Operator training, and our technicians are Ridge Guard Certified Installers who are also Advanced Metal Fabrication certified. Our squirrel exclusion work is backed by a written warranty in one-year and three-year options, and we answer the phone 24/7.

Don't forget to listen to our latest podcast on squirrel removal in Magnolia, TX - https://thecritterteam1.podbean.com/e/magnolia-tx-squirrel-removal/

The Critter Team squirrel removal near Magnolia, TX on Google Maps

The Critter Team

The Critter Team provides squirrel removal in Montgomery, TX. Montgomery dates back to 1837 and calls itself the birthplace of the Lone Star Flag, and the older homes around its historic downtown have the kind of wood trim and soffits squirrels love to chew. On houses with that much character, a sloppy repair stands out.

In this episode, we talk about the materials that hold up against squirrels in Montgomery and the ones that don't. We don't use spray foam or steel wool, because foam gets brittle in Texas heat after about a year and steel wool rusts and falls apart in a couple of months. Instead, we fabricate 23 gauge aluminum on-site and paint it to blend with the house, so it looks like we were never there. We also cover the attic insulation squirrels crush and the wiring and wood framing they gnaw before the squirrel exclusion work begins.

The Critter Team is a veteran-owned family business, and all work is performed in-house. Our technicians are Ridge Guard Certified Installers with Advanced Metal Fabrication certification, and owner Mike Garrett completed NWCOA Wildlife Control Operator training. We're insured with $1 million per occurrence and $2 million aggregate liability coverage plus full workers' compensation, and our exclusion work comes with a written warranty in one-year and three-year terms.

Don't forget to listen to our latest podcast on squirrel removal in Montgomery, TX - https://thecritterteam1.podbean.com/e/montgomery-tx-squirrel-removal/

The Critter Team squirrel removal near Montgomery, TX on Google Maps

The Critter Team

The Critter Team provides squirrel removal in The Woodlands, TX. The Woodlands was designed to keep the forest standing, and in older villages like Grogan's Mill, homes sit tucked under pines and hardwoods that now tower over the houses. Squirrels use those limbs like a highway to the roof.

In this episode, we talk about how squirrels get from the canopy into the attic in The Woodlands. They gnaw through soffits and roofing material, push their way through vents, and settle in where they crush attic insulation and chew on wiring and wood. We cover the scratching homeowners usually hear early in the morning and again in the late afternoon, and what it means when it starts. We also explain how we trap the squirrels out, repair damaged soffits, fascia boards and attic insulation, and secure every opening so they can't get back in.

The Critter Team is a veteran-owned family business, and every repair and seal is performed in-house by our own wildlife technicians. Owner Mike Garrett completed NWCOA Wildlife Control Operator training, and our technicians hold Ridge Guard Certified Installer and Advanced Metal Fabrication certifications. We carry $1 million per occurrence and $2 million aggregate liability coverage plus full workers' compensation, and our squirrel exclusion work is backed by a written warranty with one-year and three-year options.

Don't forget to listen to our latest podcast on squirrel removal in The Woodlands, TX - https://thecritterteam1.podbean.com/e/the-woodlands-tx-squirrel-removal/

The Critter Team squirrel removal near The Woodlands, TX on Google Maps

The Critter Team