As you sit down to enjoy a nice glass of wine at the end of a long day, you begin to hear faint thumping coming from your attic. Depending on the time of year, you might suspect a ghost or ghoul, but more likely, you have a raccoon problem. You will need to contact wildlife control in Montreal for assistance.

While raccoons often take residence in a house’s attic space, they are not the only critters seeking shelter in manmade structures. It can be challenging to figure out what animal is making a racket in your attic, but it is possible, especially with a bit of insight.

Clues To Identify Wildlife

First, you must acknowledge that you are not an expert. You might spot some of the following clues to help you identify the species in your attic, but more often than not, you will not correctly identify the animal. Wildlife control technicians have the expertise and experience to identify and track various animal species accurately. That being said, the following clues help experts determine the specific animal and its location in your house or on the property.

1. Foot Prints

All animals have unique footprints. Still, it is unlikely for a homeowner to identify a species from its footprints or even locate an imprint in their home. However, if you look in dust-covered areas in the attic, you might find some tracks. Larger hand-like tracks can indicate a raccoon, while medium-sized or smaller tracks can indicate a squirrel. Rats and mice have small tracks, but mice tend to leave grease streaks around the perimeter of the space.

2. Entry Holes

It can be challenging to spot the entry holes of some species. For instance, mice can fit through a hole only one-fourth of an inch in diameter. Similarly, rats can fit through openings a little smaller than an inch. Squirrels might make more apparent holes, as they require a minimum of two inches; you will typically see chewing around the hole’s edge. Raccoons are often the most obvious because the animal requires a large opening that is torn open. 

3. Sounds

When it comes to sounds, raccoons typically make a lot of noise, but only at night. You will commonly hear what sounds like walking or thumping. If the animal has babies, you might also hear chirping.

If you hear scurrying or scratching during the day, your problem is likely squirrels. Squirrels are primarily active early morning and just before dusk.

Fast scurrying or little pitter-patters going through your ceilings and walls usually indicates rats or mice. You will not typically hear any vocal sounds from mice or rats.

If you hear chirping and not running, you might have a bat problem. If the noises occur at dusk, a bat might be your culprit.

4. Damages

Raccoons will cause the most significant damage because they are larger animals. You might find torn ducts and damaged insulation. Additionally, like all wildlife nesting in a home, you will discover fecal and urine waste. Finally, many critters, like squirrels, rats, and mice, chew incessantly and can damage electrical wires, presenting a significant fire hazard.

5. Season and Time of Day

Raccoons will typically seek shelter in attics and other manmade structures in the winter months before the arrival of  spring. Squirrels tend to seek shelter in late summer and early fall and again in late winter early spring. Mice and rats will find their way indoors as the winter hits and they look for warmth. Finally, bats tend to seek shelter indoors from mid-July to late August. 

Additionally, most species seeking shelter in your attic are nocturnal, like raccoons, bats, mice, and rats. Squirrels are not, so you will hear them in the mornings and at dusk when they return to their nests.

Do you believe you have animals in your attic? Contact Skedaddle Humane Wildlife Control to schedule a property assessment.