Category Archives: Bats

How to Keep Animals Out of Your Chimney with a Chimney Cap

In this post, we’ll discuss how to keep animals out of the chimney of your home.

That chimney on your house may look like an inviting home to wild animals. It’s a common nesting place for birds, bats, raccoons and squirrels.

To an animal, a chimney is a nice warm space safe from predators. But these animals bring insects and diseases with them and their droppings can be a difficult issue to deal with.

If you get to the point where you require professional animal removal service, then we can help you with that. But we bet that you would prefer never having the situation get to that point.

For professional removal of animals from your chimney in Chicagoland, call (847) 464-1861

Install a chimney cap

A chimney cap is the best way to prevent wildlife from moving into your chimney.

It’s an affordable solution that can prevent the problem for decades. If you don’t mind working on your roof, then it’s possible that you can even install it on your own if you want.

A chimney cap can be purchased at your local home improvement store for as little as $50. High-end models may cost several hundreds of dollars. There are many sizes and styles to choose from, from stainless steel to chimney caps made of copper.

How to install a chimney cap

Tools you will need:

Measuring tape
Ladder
Chimney cap
Screwdriver and/or wrench
Caulk for chimney flues made of tile or brick

How to choose a chimney cap

The screen height of the chimney cap you choose must be sufficient to allow your chimney to draft properly. It is recommended that your cap should be about six inches higher than the chimney flue.

Stainless steel is usually the best value for your money. You may choose a different cap though which better suits the look and architectural style of your home.

Whatever style you choose, installing a chimney cap will provide you a reliable solution for keeping wildlife out of your chimney and could save you hundreds of dollars in animal removal, dead animal removal and repairs of your home.

For professional removal of animals from your chimney in Chicagoland, call (847) 464-1861

How to Tell What Kind of Animal is in My Attic?

Hearing noises coming from your attic at night?

Unfortunately, in Chicagoland, it’s not an uncommon thing. The extremes of weather here, especially during winter months will send a lot of animals searching for shelter. They might just decide your attic is the perfect place to settle down to keep warm or raise a family

In this post, we’ll cover some basics on how to try and identify what that animal in your attic is.

Identifying animal sounds in the attic

Most common animals in attic

The two most common kinds of animals that will enter your attic are raccoons and squirrels. This is a good place to start because most of the time that sound is going to be one of these two critters.

Related: Common animal entry points

Raccoon sounds

If you are hearing animal sounds in your attic at night, it is most commonly a raccoon because they are nocturnal animals and thus most active at night.

Raccoons are often the loudest sound you will hear in your attic. They are the largest animal that will enter your home. It will make heavy, thudding, dragging, slower moving sounds. They will sound more like footsteps than any other animal, which can be frightening sometimes.

Squirrel sounds

If you are hearing sounds in your attic during the day, it’s probably a squirrel. They are typically only active during daylight hours.

Squirrels will make more erratic kinds of sounds. They ar lighter and will scurry and move around faster than a raccoon. Squirrels will usually stick to a schedule and so you’ll hear them moving around at the same time every day, usually around dawn and dusk.

If you hear one in the wall near you and bang on the wall, unlike some animals you’ll hear the squirrel run away from you.

Related: How to get rid of squirrels

Mice sounds

Being the smallest animal, mice will be much harder to hear. The saying “quiet as a mouse” exists for a reason. But it is possible you may hear them moving around at night. It might sound like a light scratching or chewing sound.

If you hear a mouse in the wall and bang on the wall, unlike a squirrel, it won’t run away. It will remain perfectly still for at least a minute, waiting to move again.

Bats

You usually won’t hear a bat at night. They are in places where they’re not likely to be heard unless they are trying to crawl through your wall. In most cases you’ll see a bat in your house before you hear it.

For professional animal removal services or attic cleanup and repair in Chicagoland call Attic Solutions (847) 464-1861

Image Source

Do I Need a Permit to Remove a Nuisance Animal in Illinois?

Raccoons carrying disease into your home

You may not realize it, but that nuisance animal in your attic, shed, garage or on your property might be legally protected in Illinois.

Most wildlife is protected by law and cannot be killed or even removed without a permit.

The Illinois Department of National Resources is tasked with conservation and management of wild species in Illinois. By Illinois law, a property owner or tenant needs a Nuisance Animal Removal Permit to trap and remove most species of wildlife.

By Illinois law, property owners or tenants need a Nuisance Animal Removal Permit (PDF) to trap and remove most species of wildlife.

Is the animal you want to remove a protected species? We’ve listed the most common nuisance animals in Illinois below.

Questions? Call Attic Solutions at (847) 464-1861

Mice, Norway rats, moles, voles, gophers, and shrews

These small mammals may all be removed with no permit needed.

Exceptions to this rule include the eastern woodrat and rice rat, which are endangered species in Illinois. These two species may not be removed.

Ground squirrels and chipmunks

The eastern chipmunk and the thirteen-lined ground squirrels may be removed without a permit.

Franklins ground squirrels are listed as threatened in Illinois and may not be removed.

Raccoons, skunks, opossums, beavers, muskrats, red foxes, gray foxes, mink, river otters, badgers, weasels, woodchucks, coyotes, and bobcats

The Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) recommends hiring a professional wildlife removal service to capture and remove fur-bearing animals. If you want to remove a fur-bearing animal yourself, contact an IDNR District Wildlife Biologist to see if you qualify for a Nuisance Animal Removal Permit.

In rural areas, the IDNR encourages removal of most furbearers during open hunting and trapping seasons whenever possible. All Illinois hunting regulations must be followed. For more information on hunting and trapping regulations, visit the IDNR Licenses & Hunting site.

Related: Common animal entry points

Gray squirrels, fox squirrels, red squirrels, and southern flying squirrels

The Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) recommends hiring a professional wildlife removal service to capture and remove squirrels. If you want to remove a squirrel yourself, contact an IDNR District Wildlife Biologist to see if you qualify for a Nuisance Animal Removal Permit.

In rural areas, gray squirrels and fox squirrels may be taken during open hunting seasons.

Rabbits

The Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) recommends hiring a professional wildlife removal service to capture and remove rabbits. If you want to remove a rabbit yourself, contact an IDNR District Wildlife Biologist to see if you qualify for a Nuisance Animal Removal Permit.

In rural areas, rabbits may be taken during open hunting seasons.

Bats

The (IDNR) recommends hiring a professional bat removal service to capture and remove bats.

Bats inside rooms will usually exit on their own. Close off exits to the room and keep windows open overnight.

White-Tailed Deer

White-tailed deer are protected under the Illinois Wildlife Code as a game species. It is illegal to take live deer from the wild unless you have received a permit from the Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) or are a licensed wildlife rehabilitator.

IDNR Deer Removal Guidelines (PDF)

In rural areas, deer hunting is permitted in season. All state hunting regulations must be followed. Outside of hunting season, or in situations where hunting is not allowed, a deer removal permit may be issued by an IDNR District Wildlife Biologist.

A person who hits and kills a deer with a motorized vehicle can legally claim the deer to salvage the meat, hide, and antlers.

For more information on hunting and trapping in Illinois visit the Illinois Department of National Resources.

For professional animal removal services in Chicagoland call Attic Solutions (847) 464-1861

Disease in Bat Feces

Bats are great to have in the wild because they help control insect populations from getting out of control, but they are not so great to have in your home.

Bats in Illinois are well known to be carriers of rabies and are more likely than any other wild mammal to carry the disease. Less well known is that their feces (bat guano) can carry disease as well.

Bats living in your attic can cause problems and most concerning among them is disease carried in their guano.

Histoplasmosis in Bat Feces

Piles of bat excrement in attic

Histoplasmosis is an infectious disease which can be contracted by inhaling the spores of the histoplasmosis capsulation fungus.

The disease is not actually carried in the bat feces. Instead, it is a result of mold which grows on the bat guano.

Bats can create large piles of feces in your attic. Where a rodent such as a mouse will spread its feces throughout its range, bat feces will usually accumulate in a single area.

If you don’t notice the bats in your attic or home right away, piles of guano can accumulate. Over time it can begin to become the perfect environment for the histoplasmosis fungus.

How histoplasmosis is transmitted

Histoplasmosis infections are caused by breathing in the spores of a histoplasmosis capsulation fungus. This will happen if the spores become airborne, which is most likely to occur when you are trying to clean up the bat feces or another work project that disturbs the mess, causing the dried feces to break up and become airborne. This will result in an infection of the lungs.

Histoplasmosis is not contagious from person to person

Because it is a lung infection caused by inhaling the spores, an infected person cannot transmit the disease to another person.

Symptoms of histoplasmosis

Possible symptoms include fever, dry cough, chest pain, joint pain, red bumps on your lower legs. In severe cases, symptoms may include: excessive sweating, shortness of breath, coughing up blood.

Most people who are infected with histoplasmosis will not actually contract any symptoms. It will often disappear in less than two weeks without treatment.

If a severe infection is untreated, a person could incur scarring on the lungs from the infection, which can cause lasting damage to the lungs, blood vessels, and other internal organs.

However, it is usually only a danger to people with weakened immune systems, the elderly and children.

Increased or continuous exposure to the source of the spores can increase the severity of the infection. This is why proper cleanup is so important.

Bat feces cleanup

A cleaned and restored attic

Before doing any cleanup, you will need to make sure all the bats are removed from the attic and that any points of entry have been sealed so they can not return.

It is recommended that you use a professional bat removal and attic restoration service to clean up after bats.

Bats are a protected species in Illinois and must be handled by trained professionals like our team.

We are experienced and well equipped to perform bat excrement cleanup. We have protective clothing and respirator devices to protect ourselves so we can get into infected areas and perform a thorough cleanup.

We can make repairs to your property and take preventative measures so you don’t have to worry about those pesky bats returning.

Have a bat problem you need assistance with?
Contact us today

Bat removal estimate call: (847) 464-1861

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

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

Bats in the Attic During Winter Months

Brown bats in attic during winter

As the winter months approach, common bats will either migrate to warmer climates or more commonly, hibernate from November to April.

It’s quite possible bats may be hibernating in your attic!

It was once thought that bats usually hibernated in caves during the winter months but it is actually much more common for them to find a safe spot in homes and buildings. We just usually don’t realize it because bats don’t just find a spot at the top of your attic to hang like we might imagine. They often will hibernate beneath your insulation or find a space in between the walls.

What not to do with bats in your attic

Don’t seal their exit! The most common mistake people make is to seal all of the entries and exits during the day. The problem with this is that now you’ve trapped them inside. Those bats will now be desperate to get out and will very likely find their way into another room in your house, creating an unpleasant situation.

Dont Kill the bats You may not realize this, but in most states bats are a protected species. They are so valuable in helping control insect populations that they are protected at both the state and federal level.

Don’t use poisons, glue boards, or high-frequency noise emitters Although you might be able to buy these products online, there is actually a federal ban against ultrasonic pest control devices. It is illegal to poison bats in Illinois.

What to do about bats in the attic

Inspection Whether you do it yourself or hire a professional bat removal service, the first step is a thorough inspection to find bats, their locations, entry and exit points.

Exclusion You need first to locate the primary entry and exit points while observing the bats in the evening. During the winter months, bats may exit your home to search for water if the temperature move above 45 degrees. When all bats have left the home for evening hunting, this is when you should seal all entry points.

Professional Removal Bats in your attic during the winter months will spend a majority of the time being inactive. This is a good time to contact a professional removal service to have them safely removed. Remember, bats are a beneficial and protected species, so do not attempt to remove them yourself during hibernation.

Call a professional

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

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Image Source: Wikipedia Commons
Post Sources: The Bat Guy & MIBat Control

What Do Animals Do During Fall?

Where do animal pests go when the whether becomes chilly? Surprisingly, many of them stay active before the snowy, winter months hit. Read more to discover what do animals do during fall.

what do animals do during fall

What Do Animals Do During Fall: Migration

Many birds and insects migrate to warmer areas during the chillier months of fall. Because temperatures begin to drop during the fall season, these creatures begin to find more suitable conditions. For example, swallows migrate south once the weather begins to cool and their food sources dwindle. You may think that since some animal pests are leaving during this season you’ll see less activity, but it’s far from the truth. In fact, you may see more activity in your home at this time of year.

What Do Animals Do During Fall: Hibernation Preparation

Other animals prepare to hibernate during the fall. Squirrels, chipmunks, and groundhogs will gather food to store for the winter. Although chipmunks and squirrels do not go into a true hibernation state, they a relatively inactive during the winter. This leads them to frantically stockpile leftover food near your garbages or from your bird feeders. These small mammals can be quite pesky during the fall.

Bats will also hibernate during the cold months. You can expect their presence to taper off as the insect population dies down with the cool weather.

In addition, wasps and bees will still be active during the fall. They do not hibernate until winter. If there’s a nest near your home that needs to be removed, unfortunately the cold weather won’t be enough to detract them. Make sure to call pest control for assistance moving wasps or bee nests.

What Do Animals Do During Fall: Stay Active

Many other animals stay active during this time of year. Skunks, for example, stay in their dens but are awake during winter. You’ll see (and smell) plenty of skunks during the fall. Raccoons behave similarly, and will stay active year round. This means, you still have to be vigilant and remove outdoor food sources for these pests. In fact, you may notice more pest activity because homes have plentiful opportunities for food, while the cool weather limits natural sources.

Opossums are also active during the colder months. You may be surprised to know that they’ll even become active during the day, though they are nocturnal. Nonetheless, you should never take a chance with an opossum behaving strangely, as it may be infected with rabies or another disease.

Lastly, rodents remain highly active during the cold months. You may see more mice and rats in your home during the fall, as fields are plowed and they escape to your safe home. In addition, homes are full of food sources and provide shelter from the elements. Your rodent problem may be highest during the fall. Call Attic Solutions to remove your pests safely and efficiently, so you can enjoy the fall season without pests.

Rabid Bats In Illinois

rabid bats

According to the Chicago Tribune, the amount of bats that have tested positive for rabies in Illinois is doubled comparatively to last year. Last year at this point, there were eight positive rabies tests. Currently there are 16. Though these numbers are small and it is early in the season, it could be indicative of a trend this year.

Bats are found everywhere in the state, including the Chicagoland area. Rabid bats have been found in homes in Arlington Heights, Aurora, LaGrange, and Chicago’s south side. The family from Arlington Heights is pursuing rabies vaccinations. Most rabid bats found last year were in Cook and Will counties. Will county had a record setting 20 cases of bat rabies.

Several species of bat are found in Illinois. Big brown bats and small brown bats are quite common, even in urban areas. Officials say that bats are common transmitters of rabies because they are often in contact with humans. Bats can also transmit rabies to other mammals like dogs, foxes, skunks, and raccoons.

To avoid catching rabies, it’s advised to avoid contact with wild animals including stray cats and dogs. Especially avoid animals that are typically nocturnal but may be acting strangely during daylight hours. Do not leave food outside that may attract wild animals. Seal off any entry points to your home, or other buildings like sheds and garages, that wild animals may enter. Bats can enter through small entry pints near windows, attics, soffits, and spaces in your home’s siding. Keep your family pets’ vaccines up to date and do not let them roam without supervision.

If you believe a rabid animal has bitten you, seek medical attention immediately. If there are animal pests on your property or in your home, call pest control to have them safely removed.

Bat Bugs: The Pest You’ve Never Heard Of

What is a Bat Bug?

Bat bugs are blood-sucking parasites that feed on the blood of bats. They will also bite humans. These parasites are closely related to bed bugs and often mistaken for them. In fact, microscopic identification is one of the only ways to distinguish between them. Bat bugs are flightless and travel by crawling.

Where Do They Live?

Bat bugs are moderately common in the Midwest, including Illinois. They are found in buildings and homes in which bats are present. They usually reside close to the bat’s roosting area, but will venture throughout the building if the bats leave or are removed. They do not live on bats, but may travel on a bat while they fly.

Feeding

Bat bugs feed on the blood of bats but feed on other warm-blooded animals. They will feed on humans if given the opportunity. They can survive a year without a blood meal, but will search for human hosts if bats are not present.

Are They A Threat To Humans?

Bat bug bites are nearly identical to bed bug bites. There are a variety of different reactions that come from a bat bug bite. Some experience inflamed, swollen spots, others have intense itching, and others show no signs of bites. Bat bugs are not known to transmit any diseases currently. Though they are not dangerous, they are pests that can breed fairly quickly and become an infestation.

What To Do

If you discover bats in your home, garage, or nearby property call animal control immediately. Removing bats from your property will immediately decrease the risk of bat bugs. Be especially vigilant for bat presence in old or abandoned buildings like barns and sheds. In addition, minimize risk of bats and bat bugs entering your home by sealing small entrances between the roof, siding, foundation, windows, and doors.

If you believe you have bat bugs, call a pest control service to identify and eliminate them.