Rats, Snakes, and Iguanas, oh my! Tips for keeping Florida critters out of your home and yard
Finding a rat's nest in your pool heater, snake in your pool or a hissing iguana in your toilet are all sure-fire ways to spoil a perfectly good summer afternoon.
Unfortunately, it's not uncommon for unwelcome guests to wriggle their way into Florida homes. But there are a few things you can do to mitigate a critter invasion, according to Ryan Goodman, District Manager of Critter Control of Southeast Florida.
Only one month into the summer, Goodman and his team have seen an increase in requests to remove snakes from around residential swimming pools in South Florida.
What's the difference between critter control and animal control?
Animal control services are government agencies. They're who you call if there's a stray dog or cat in your yard, animal control services typically focus on domestic animals. Animal control officers have jurisdiction over situations involving animal cruelty or neglect, rabies control, dog bites and stray animals.
Critter control and pest control are commercial wildlife removal services responsible for eliminating, preventing and monitoring pests like bugs, raccoons, bats, snakes, rats, mice and if you live in South Florida, iguanas. Trutech Wildlife Service is a national chain of critter control offices, servicing just over 20 cities in the state of Florida, including Fort Lauderdale, Miami, Orlando, Tampa and Jacksonville.
Gators on the road: Video shows wranglers tussle with 10-foot-long alligator on Florida highway
Why does warmer weather bring out Florida wildlife?
Reptiles, of which the Sunshine State is not lacking, love the heat of Florida's summer. High temperatures bring Florida's reptile mating season, more lizards and more problems for homeowners. It isn't uncommon for iguanas to start turning up in toilets or on pool decks.
Although a rat infestation is more likely during the winter, when rodents are looking for warmth, summer immediately follows their breeding season. With more rats out in the world, looking for food and more barbecues, picnics and outdoor dining going on during the summertime, they can be attracted to your home. Rats are excellent at invading attics and making nests in pool filters. And rat nests attract a variety of other critters, namely snakes.
Here is a list of common critters that come out during the summer in Florida:
Stinging insects, like wasps, hornets and yellow jackets
Raccoons
Opossums
Rats
Mice
Bats
Snakes
Iguanas
Alligators
Warm weather means long mosquito seasons List of US cities with the biggest increase
Gator sighting in the city: 8-foot reptile removed after blocking West Palm roadway
What to do if there's a gator in your yard or pool
An iguana in your toilet may sound frightening, but there is a bigger reptile to look out for, as well. During the summer, much like the weather, gators become particularly aggressive. During alligator mating season, which lasts from April through June, male gators become more aggressive and can have a home range that spans over 1,000 acres of land. Dominant males typically displace the weaker male alligators during mating season, which is one of the reasons Floridians see more gators in their yards, retention ponds and even pools during the summer months.
Removing a gator from your yard isn't as easy as calling critter control, though. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission has a Statewide Nuisance Alligator Program with a gator hotline. If there is a gator in your yard or pool, call the Nuisance Alligator Hotline at 866-FWC-GATOR (866-392-4286).
How you can critter-proof your house during the summer
Don't wait until an iguana is hissing at you from your toilet bowl or a snake is enjoying a swim in your pool. There are ways to prepare and prevent a home invasion during critter season.
Trutech Wildlife Service offers free preventative home inspections to check your house for potential critter entry points. Of course, it costs to have any preventative measures taken. So, if you'd like them to seal off a hole in the bottom of your screen door, you'll have to pull out your wallet. But checking to see if your home has entry points is free. The pricing for protecting your home with Trutech isn't the same for every house, which is why consultations are free.
Goodman said that getting a professional company to your home to take a look is the best place to start.
"A lot of times we see (critter) droppings outside, where people may not look," Goodman said. "If we're up in the attic, we can see grease marks from rodents running on the ductwork or cable lines up there. … A lot of the (problem) areas are up on the roof. You just have to know where you're looking. There are certain areas where animals can get into anybody's home."
"It's always better to be proactive instead of finding out the hard way," Goodman said.
If you don't want to call a critter control service for an inspection, there are ways to prevent pests yourself.
You can attempt to identify entry points in your yard's fence to keep larger critters out and repair as needed.
There are also a variety of pet-safe yard repellants for everything from bugs to snakes.
Keeping your yard clean of debris and remembering to bring inside all of the food from your patio dinner party can also help keep pests away.
Getting rid of any standing water in your yard is also a low-lift way of making your yard the last option for a critter seeking refuge.
Don't forget to clean your pool filter and check for any unwanted inhabitants or nests.
lnorman@pbpost.com. You can follow her reporting on social media @LiannaNorman on Twitter.
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Alligator or other Florida animal in your yard? Tips to keep them out
