Author Archives: Cyberoptik

Why Attic Restoration is Important

Cleanup and restoration of your attic after animals have been living in the space is critical for the health of you and your family.

Attic restoration means to clean and restore your attic to the condition it was in before unwanted wildlife moved in and created a mess.

You may think getting rid of the animal in your attic is enough, but that is not the end of your problem. Animals living in your attic will make a mess, leaving feces and diseases after they are gone.

For professional attic restoration in the Chicago area, please contact us online or call (847) 464-1861

Problems caused by animals in the attic

Animal feces and urine in your insulation
Leftover food and food waste
Animal and urine odors
Mold growing in urine soaked areas
Roundworms, parasites and their eggs
Animal scents which can attract more pests

It’s extremely important to make sure all these issues are taken care of. They are not something that you would want to attempt on your own because you risk becoming infected by some diseases.

Parasites such as roundworm can become airborne, risking infection simply by breathing them in.

A trained professional attic restoration technician will clean, disinfect, and repair the attic using an air filter and protective clothing.

You will also need to make sure that you inspect the home to locate and repair any points where animals have entered your home. This may include roofing, fascia, soffit, siding, and chimneys.

Professional cleanup and attic restoration helps protect you and your family from disease. Animal entry repair will prevent the problem from happening again.

Live animal trapping and attic restoration video

In this video, you can see the Attic Solutions team cleaning and restoring a customer’s attic and returning it to its original state.

For animal removal and attic restoration services in Chicago, the Chicago suburbs and southern Wisconsin, contact us online or phone (847) 464-1861

Suburban Raccoon Populations Are Growing and Getting Smarter

Raccoons are everywhere in the suburbs and their numbers are growing.

Not only is raccoons territory growing, but they adapting, learning and getting smarter.

Even stranger, they’re getting smarter because humans are forcing them to learn and adapt.

The raccoon population in the midwest and Untied States has expanded at an “astonishing” rate over the past 80 years, according to zoologist Sam Zeveloff, author of “Raccoons: A Natural History.

Raccoons have become highly tolerant of humans.

Their numbers in the suburbs have been growing for decades and they continue to expand in dense urban areas as well.

They’ve been able to expand into the city because of their tolerance for humans, their capability to eat anything; vegetable, meat, birdseed, cat food or garbage, and because of their ability to learn.

Raccoons will sleep anywhere too, from a hollow log, an abandoned burrow, under your deck, in your attic, in the garage or anywhere they can feel safe.

For professional raccoon removal in Chicagoland, call us at (847) 464-1861

To summarize, they’re not picky eaters, not picky sleepers, aren’t very afraid of humans, and most of all, they have nimble hands and the ability to learn from their environment.

This ability to live among humans has been a problem because raccoons are more likely to carry rabies than other animals, often suffer from distemper and can spread diseases through raccoon feces.

Related: Common raccoon diseases

In Toronto, which is known as the “Raccoon Capital of the World”, the city has been fighting a losing war against raccoons. The pests have been able to adapt and learn how to open every garbage can and dumpster lid that the city has tried to use to keep them away from trash.

And this is how we are unintentionally making raccoons smarter.

“If we have this evolutionary arms race to keep them out of our attics and garbage cans, and those that survive figure out how to get in, then what you’re going to see over generations is their brains are different,” says biologist Suzanne MacDonald from York University in Toronto.

So raccoons are adapting to us, we are adapting to them, and they continue to adapt to us.

Time will tell who will win in the end. Or if there is even an end to this war.

One thing that is certain, though, is that the man versus raccoon war will not be over anytime soon.

For professional raccoon removal in Chicagoland, call us at (847) 464-1861

Sources:

The Intelligent Life of the City Raccoon

Will Raccoons Trump Rats as the Ultimate Urban Mammal?

Raccoons: A League of their own

How to Get Bats Out of the House

Do you have a bat in the house?

Is it flying around in circles in your living room right now?

Remain calm!

Catching a bat is not necessarily easy, or recommended by us. But if you’re the DIY type, we won’t try to stop you.

For a FREE bat removal estimate call: (847) 464-1861

Will a bat attack people?

Bats are generally not aggressive but if it feels like you are threatening it, the bat could potentially bite you.

That bat doesn’t want to be in your house either. He’s trying to figure out how to get outside too.

The bat doesn’t want to fly into your hair and get stuck. The bat doesn’t want to bite you or suck your blood. That’s just what television makes you think.

However, a bat is still a wild animal, and wild animals can be unpredictable, they can bite, and bats can carry rabies or other diseases. Keep your pets away and proceed with caution!

Related: Bat myths and facts

Here is what you can do to get that bat out of your house.

If the bat can be isolated in a single room, that’s ideal. Start by closing interior doors to that room so the bat won’t escape to another part of your home where it may be even harder for him to escape or you to capture.

We don’t suggest you try catching a bat, but if you’re going to try, wear gloves, long pants and long sleeves, shoes and socks.

Open your windows and doors

Your first and easiest option is to open all the windows and doors in your home. Bats use echolocation to find their way around and they may be able to find their way out an open door or window without any help or coaxing.

Turning off interior and exterior lights may help. If there is something noisy such as a TV or an air conditioner in the room, it should be turned off as well.

Catch with a butterfly net

If the bat takes a moment to land, you may be able to safely capture it with a butterfly net (if you have one). Catching the bad mid-flight can be very challenging.

When caught, pull the top of the net closed or cover the opening with something like a piece of corrugated cardboard from a box. Be careful not to crush the bat or to touch it. Carry it carefully outside and release.

Catch it with a container

You can use a bucket, Tupperware container or a large plastic bowl to try and capture the bat when it has landed. Carefully place the container over the bat on the wall and then use a piece of cardboard to slide under it before removing. Take it outside and release it.

Catch it with a blanket

You can use a blanket to try and capture a bat that has landed. Place it over the bat and gently bunch it up so it is closed inside. This method may not be best for the bat, because it could be easy for you to accidentally injure it.

For professional bat removal in Chicagoland call us at (847) 464-1861

What to do When Your Dog Gets Skunked

Something smells….. skunky.

Uh-oh!

So your dog just got skunked. Bad news. Now what?

There are over the counter skunk odor removal products. You can start there if you have some already on hand. You may not want to make the trip to the store right now. What are your other options?

Related: How to get rid of skunk smell

Step One: Keep your dog outside

If you’ve already let your dog into the house, then sorry. Sometimes your dog comes inside the house before you realize what has happened.

We’ve heard the horror stories about how a dog will run inside that then immediately start rolling on the carpet or couch to get that smell off. You do not want that happening!

If you do notice that your dog has red, irritated or swelling eyes, immediately flush them with cool water.

You may want to get a towel over him to help try to keep the odor off of you and help sooth him.

Related: Protect your yard from skunks

For professional skunk removal in Chicagoland, please call (847) 464-1861

Step Two: Homemade skunk odor removal solution

A popular home remedy people have heard of is tomato juice. It’s not actually the most effective method, though. It will help cover up the smell in the short term but tomato juice will not actually remove it.

Here is a better skunk odor removal solution, and you may already have all these ingredients in your home.

Skunk rinse recipe:

1 quart of 3-percent hydrogen peroxide (available at any pharmacy)
1/4 cup baking soda
1-2 teaspoons of liquid dishwashing soap

For a larger dog, you may need to double or triple this recipe.

Mix your ingredients together. DO NOT make this mix ahead of time because this solution can become unstable over time when stored.

Use a wash basin or tub if possible. If you have dishwashing gloves or some type of work gloves you don’t mind sacrificing to the cause, we recommend using them to protect yourself from the skunk smell.

Get your dog into the wash tub and rub the mixture through their fur, and over their entire body, but be sure to avoid the eyes. Rub and lather the mixture well into your pet’s coat and skin. Rub the solution around for about five minutes or until the skunk smell starts to dissipate.

Be careful about leaving it on too long because peroxide could bleach their fur. Rinse thoroughly.

You may need to repeat the lather and rinse process up to three times for it to be most effective, but it’s a very good method for removing the skunk smell from your dog.

Step Three: Rinse solution and then shampoo

After you have thoroughly washed your dog with the homemade skunk rinse, wash all the solution off of them. Then get the shampoo that you would normally use to wash your dog and give him a good shampoo followed by another water rinse.

Give your dog a good towel dry and he should be better now.

No matter what you do, it will be a challenge to completely remove the odor from your dog. It’s common for dogs to get sprayed right in their face and this can be a very challenging area to wash fully and completely because it’s sensitive and your do will probably fight it.

We hope this helps!

Cleaning a skunky dog is not fun, for either of you. It has to be done, though.

Be careful about letting your dog into the yard at dawn and dusk when skunks are most active. Don’t leave out any food or trash which could attract them.

For professional skunk removal, contact us online or call (847) 464-1861

Photo credits: Skunk image | Dog in washtub

How to Get Rid of Squirrels

Ah squirrels. To some people they’re cute little critters. Not to us though, and not to you either.

You know about the damage a squirrel can cause. They use their choppers to chew up your flowers, roof shingles, siding, patio furniture, electrical wiring in your home and just about anything they can their little paws and teeth onto.

So how to get rid of squirrels? It’s not easy, we know. We get a lot of calls from people who have given up and “called for backup”, which is us.

You can try a lot of different methods and still have trouble with them. We’re going to go over some of the ways you can try to get rid of squirrels in your home and your property.

If you’d rather just have us get rid of your squirrels, don’t hesitate to email or phone us at (847) 464-1861.

How to get rid of squirrels in your house

Let the squirrel leave on its own – A squirrel will leave your house on its own if given a chance. If there’s a squirrel in your attic, it will leave on its own to go in search of food. Wait for it to leave and then search for the entry point and cover it up as quickly as possible so it can’t get back it.

Squirrels in your walls can be a challenge. We recommend you contact us to have them removed.

If the squirrel is trapped in your house – If a squirrel has not made a home in your attic and instead has accidentally become trapped in your house, you’ll have a few different options, but please use caution.

Make sure all your pets are out of the squirrel’s way. Squirrels can carry diseases that could be passed on to your pets.
Confine the squirrel to a single room. Close all doors that lead to another part of the house. Then open all windows and any doors that lead to the outside.
Leave the room. Let the squirrel feel safe enough that he can make his escape. He doesn’t want to be there and he’ll leave if he feels he can do it safely.
Alternately, you can use a humane capture trap, bait it with some peanut butter and capture the squirrel. Get it as close the squirrel as you can and then leave.

We’ve heard of people capturing squirrels by using heavy blankets and sneaking up on them, but we do NOT recommend that.

How to keep squirrels out of your garden

Squirrels in your garden can be extremely annoying. Sometimes they will pick whole vegetables and run off with them. What’s even more annoying to me though is their habit of taking one bite out of your vegetable and then leaving the rest on the vine or the ground.

Citrus fruit peels – Save a big container or orange and lemon peels from over the winter months. When it is spring planting time, bury the old rinds just under the top of the soil and they will discourage the squirrels.
Scatter dog and human hair around your garden – Squirrels do not like the smell of humans and they fear the smell of dogs. Just like the citrus peels, bury it just below the top level, or even sprinkle some right on top of problem areas.
Spices – Garlic powder and cayenne pepper sprinkled on top of your bulbs can keep squirrels away.
Squirrel repellents – People report varying levels of success using these products. Your results may vary but they do sometimes work, but sometimes squirrels may build up a tolerance to them over time.
Motion activated sprinklers – These can be used to keep all kinds of animals out of your yard. As a bonus, they can water your lawn and garden!

Call a professional

If you don’t want to remove squirrels yourself (and we DON’T recommend it), then please call Attic Solutions at (847) 464-1861 for professional squirrel removal in the Chicagoland area.

Common Raccoon Diseases

There are plenty of reasons why you don’t raccoons on your home or property, but probably the biggest concern is the diseases that they carry.

Diseases that raccoons carry can be spread to humans and also to our pets.

You can be in danger of contracting diseases from not just an encounter with a raccoon, but also from accidentally coming in contact with their urine or droppings. This can especially put children or pets at risk because innocent play can bring them in contact with excrement.

That’s all the reason you need to want to get rid of raccoons. You don’t want them in your attic, under your shed or on your property.

Let’s review a list of some of the dangerous and contagious diseases that raccoons can carry.

If you need professional raccoon removal, contact us online or call (847) 464-1861

Common Raccoon Diseases

Distemper

Distemper is a viral disease that can infect raccoons, skunks, foxes, coyotes, and many other animals. Dogs are especially susceptible to contracting the disease from wild animals or infected dogs.

It is much more dangerous to your dog actually than it is to you. Humans can contract the virus but usually produces no symptoms or illness.

Giardiasis

Giardiasis is an infection that can be transmitted by raccoons as well as many other animals. It is a microscopic parasite that can be spread through feces and can contaminate water, soil or any surface it contacts. Humans can become infected by unknowingly ingesting the droppings on contaminated surfaces.

Leptospirosis

Leptospirosis is a bacterial infection that raccoons can spread through their urine and droppings. This infection can spread to both humans and animals. Without treatment, Leptospirosis can lead to kidney damage, meningitis, liver failure, respiratory distress, or even death.

Salmonella

Salmonella is a bacteria that is infectious to humans and can cause severe illness. It can spread from raccoon droppings which contain the salmonella bacteria. This can infect surfaces with salmonella and then be accidentally ingested or spread through contact.

The bacteria can stay dormant in a dry environment for a long time, and then become active when conditions become favorable to it. It can cause fever, severe diarrhea, and abdominal pain.

Rabies

Rabies is a virus which can be carried by raccoons and many other wild animals. It can infect both humans and pets. It can spread from saliva or by being scratched or bitten by a raccoon. It is very important to seek treatment if you have come in contact with a raccoon because rabies can be fatal.

Roundworm

Roundworms are parasites that can spread from raccoons to humans and pets. Raccoons can be infected with roundworms and then spread their eggs through their droppings. The eggs are very tiny and may become airborne, making it possible for them to be inhaled and infecting people.

If infected with roundworms, symptoms are likely to show and cause serious illness within a week. Roundworms can affect the central nervous system, impair organs, impair brain functioning and can even be fatal or cause blindness.

If you need professional raccoon removal, contact us online or call (847) 464-1861

Squirrels Chewing Wires is a Major Problem

Are there squirrels plotting right now to take out the power in your home?

We’ve talked before about the damages squirrels can cause in the attic and how they’ve even gone as far as to attack a Chicago politician.

The biggest problem they can potentially cause though is to start an electrical fire in your home. Although we like to have fun and joke about animals, a fire in your house is no laughing matter.

Squirrels chewing on wires in your home are a major problem. Although it’s hard to find a reliable number, it’s known that squirrels cause many home fires every year.

They caused a fire that burnt down a home in the UK while a family was on vacation. They caused a fire in a pastor’s home in Florida. Squirrels have even been reported to knock out power to entire towns.

We’ve read claims that squirrels cause 30,000 house fires a year. We can’t say how reliable that number is but having seen the damages that squirrels cause all across Chicagoland, we wouldn’t be surprised.

Let’s talk about why squirrels do then and how you can stop them.

For professional animal and squirrel removal in Chicagoland Call (847) 464-1861

Why squirrels chew electrical wires

Squirrels are a common nuisance in homes and often may enter the home during winter months. They are looking for a warm and dry place to stays, and maybe even to hide some nuts from rivals or to raise a family.

The reason that squirrels chew is because their teeth never stop growing. Their teeth will continue to grow throughout their lifetime.

Because of this, squirrels need to chew on hard objects, such as metal wires, so that they can slow the rate of their teeth growing and control their length.

Chewing also keeps their teeth hard, and chewing on metal wires can help keep them sharp. Squirrels need hard, sharp teeth to break through hard nut shells and will engage in chewing and sharpening behaviors throughout their entire lifetime.

How to protect your electrical wires from squirrels

So how do you protect your home and family from the dangers of squirrels chewing your wires?

First off, if you think you have squirrels in your home, get rid of them! As soon as possible!

For professional inspection and animal removal call (847) 464-1861

If you don’t have squirrels in your attic, hooray! Let’s keep it that way. Nothing can protect your home like putting some time into prevention.

common animal entry points in home

Learn what the most common entry points for animals to enter your home and then inspect your house to make sure you’re not giving them an easy way in. Learn how to squirrel proof your home and keep them out.

Try to keep them away from your bird feeders and don’t give them any other sources of food.

Keep your house secured from squirrels and you will also be helping to keep other pests out as well.

Nobody likes an uninvited animal guest so make sure you’re not leaving them a welcome mat.

For more animal prevention tips read our blog.

For professional animal removal services in Chicagoland including squirrels, raccoons, bats and more, contact Attic Solutions by email or call us at (847) 464-1861

Dangers of Raccoon Feces in Attic

Beware of raccoon feces in attic

Raccoons are a common nuisance in the Chicagoland area. They can knock over your garbage cans, dig in your lawn and enter your shed, garage or attic.

Raccoons in your home are definitely unwanted and an issue you should take care of as soon as possible.

If you end up with raccoons in your attic then you will not only have to deal with potential damages and messes they cause, you can be at risk for diseases raccoons carry such as leptospirosis.

For professional attic restoration services contact us at (847) 464-1861 to get a free estimate.

Raccoon Disease Contamination

Some of the diseases that raccoons carry can be transmitted to humans through contact not just with the raccoon but inadvertent contact with their droppings or areas where they have been active or defecating.

These diseases could also be potentially spread to your household pets as well.

Because of this it’s very important to not only remove raccoons from your property but to perform careful raccoon feces cleanup and attic restoration to remove the dangers of disease.

Identifying Raccoon Feces

Raccoon poop will closely resemble the appearance of feces of a smaller sized dog. It will be brown/dark brown and cylindrical in shape. Very frequently you will notice undigested berry seeds within it.

Raccoon Latrines

Raccoons will commonly defec raccoon feces in attic ate and urinate in the same place. The place where a raccoon continues to return to will begin to form noticeable piles. These areas are commonly referred to as raccoon latrines.

In nature you will find them near trees or tree stumps. Around the home you find them along fences, the corners of garages, under decks, or worst of all inside a shed or an attic.

Raccoon Feces Removal

Never attempt removing raccoon feces without protective clothing and equipment! Because of the diseases raccoons carry, their is a threat of the spread of disease and contamination.

Any insulation that has been urinated on or defecated on will need to be removed and disposed of.

The area will need to be disinfected to remove disease and bacteria. It will also need to be treated in order to kill any pests that the raccoons brought in with them such as ticks or fleas.

Contamination from raccoon pet is a serious threat to you, your family and pets.

We do not recommend that you attempt to clean up raccoon feces in your attic or on your property yourself.

For a free estimate on raccoon feces removal anywhere in the Chicago area, call us today at (847) 464-1861

Photo credit: Benny Mazur

More info about raccoons on Wikipedia

Raccoons Living Under Your Shed or Deck

raccoon family on property

Do you have raccoons on your property? These creatures are common visitors in Chicagoland. Though their natural habitat is wooded areas, they are very adaptable to the urban environment and will live under sheds and decks, in garages or even move into your attic.

If a raccoon makes a home on your property, it’s very likely that they will begin to cause problems such as digging in your yard or getting into trash cans. It’s also likely that females will make a den and raise young.

We provide professional raccoon removal services in Chicago area but sometimes you can scare raccoons away on your own.

Below are some tips on how to get rid of raccoons under your shed or deck.

For professional raccoon removal phone (847) 464-1861

What to do if a raccoon is living under your deck or shed

Option one – Leave them alone

One option in this situation is to leave the raccoon alone. If a raccoon has dug a den under your shed or deck, it’s safe to assume she may be raising a family.

Raccoons will usually only live in a den for a few months while the babies are too young to be independent. The babies will go out on their own by the end of the summer and then the mother will be likely to move on as well.

So even if you do nothing, the raccoons are likely to leave on their own after a few months. Some people choose this route so as to not worry about upsetting the mother and babies.

Contact us with questions or for a free animal removal estimate

Option two – Humane harassment

The mother raccoon has chosen to make a den under your deck or shed because it is a safe, dark and quiet place to raise a family.

If you disrupt this quiet environment, then you might be able to convince the raccoon to leave your property.

To disrupt their living space, you upset their sense of quiet, darkness and safety. You can do this by placing a light at their entrance to create a constant light source that will irritate them. You could also place a radio by the den set to a talk radio station to create a constant source of human voices and noise.

These are your best sources to disrupt their happy home but you can also try using scents in combination with these methods as well. Soak old rags in apple cider vinegar and place them in a plastic bag with several holes poked in it. You could also use old used kitty litter if you have a cat. Then hang or nail the bag right by the den entrance.

How to tell if the raccoons are gone

During daylight hours when the raccoons are likely to be inactive, you can test if they have moved out by using an old newspaper. You can take a couple pages and bunch it up into a ball and place it into the entrance. You can also tape it over the entrance depending on what type of den. Check back the next day and see if the newspaper is removed.

If you’d prefer to have professionals safely remove the raccoons call (847) 464-1861 for a free estimate

How to Get Wild Animals Out of Your House

Do you have a wild animal in your home?

Besides an animal moving into your attic, porch or garage, sometimes a wild animal will find itself accidentally in your home. It found it’s way inside, perhaps looking for food, and became trapped.

Do you have one in your home RIGHT NOW and you’re desperately looking for help?

I want a professional to take care of this right away!

First of all, remain calm!

Let’s quickly go over some dos and dont’s about what to do when you have an animal in your house.

DONTS

Don’t touch it! Even a harmless looking baby animal might be dangerous or carry disease.
Don’t panic! Try to remain calm. We don’t want to make the animal any more panicked than it already is. Unless it has set up a home, this animal doesn’t want to be in your house either. It got inside and became trapped.

DO

Try to close it into a room if possible. Close all other interior doors in your home. You want to try to keep it contained into an area and not wandering around your home.
Open windows and exterior doors. If this animal became trapped in your house, it definitely would rather get away from you. Give it the chance to escape.
Keep your pets away. Remove your dogs and cats to another part of your home. They could get seriously hurt from a confrontation with a frightened wild animal. They could also panic the animal and cause it to be more aggressive.
Be patient. Some animals may decide to hide and wait for darkness to escape. It’s not the ideal solution but it might work.

Your first priority should be to keep you, your family and pets safe.

If you’re worried, you can always contact a professional for help if you need it. Possessions can be replaced in need be. Keeping your family safe is always the top priority.

For professional attic restoration in the Chicago area, please contact us online or call (847) 464-1861

Problems caused by animals in the attic

For animal removal and attic restoration services in Chicago, the Chicago suburbs and southern Wisconsin, contact us online or phone (847) 464-1861

For professional raccoon removal in Chicagoland, call us at (847) 464-1861

For professional raccoon removal in Chicagoland, call us at (847) 464-1861

For a FREE bat removal estimate call: (847) 464-1861

For professional bat removal in Chicagoland call us at (847) 464-1861

Step One: Keep your dog outside

For professional skunk removal in Chicagoland, please call (847) 464-1861

Step Two: Homemade skunk odor removal solution

Step Three: Rinse solution and then shampoo

For professional skunk removal, contact us online or call (847) 464-1861

If you’d rather just have us get rid of your squirrels, don’t hesitate to email or phone us at (847) 464-1861.

How to get rid of squirrels in your house

How to keep squirrels out of your garden

Call a professional

If you need professional raccoon removal, contact us online or call (847) 464-1861

Common Raccoon Diseases

Distemper

Giardiasis

Leptospirosis

Salmonella

Rabies

Roundworm

If you need professional raccoon removal, contact us online or call (847) 464-1861

Are there squirrels plotting right now to take out the power in your home?

Why squirrels chew electrical wires

How to protect your electrical wires from squirrels

For professional inspection and animal removal call (847) 464-1861

For professional animal removal services in Chicagoland including squirrels, raccoons, bats and more, contact Attic Solutions by email or call us at (847) 464-1861

For professional attic restoration services contact us at (847) 464-1861 to get a free estimate.

For a free estimate on raccoon feces removal anywhere in the Chicago area, call us today at (847) 464-1861

For professional raccoon removal phone (847) 464-1861

What to do if a raccoon is living under your deck or shed

If you’d prefer to have professionals safely remove the raccoons call (847) 464-1861 for a free estimate

DONTS

DO

If you are want a professional to take care of this as soon as possible, call us at (847) 464-1861