Nuisance Animals

The following animals can be considered a nuisance to home and business owners in Southeast Texas and Southwest Louisiana.

House Mouse

House Mice Control - Bill Clark Pest Control

The house mouse is about five to eight inches long and has very large, distinct ears. Their color may range from light brown to almost black. They have a tail that is as long as the head and body combined. Mice have peak activity periods right after dusk and again before dawn. They are primarily nocturnal, but will have short periods of feeding throughout the day. The house mouse will eat all types of food. They will consume seeds, insects, snails, carrion and worms. Mice are capable of surviving long periods without water. Mice are nearsighted and rely on their sense of smell to provide … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Disease Carriers, Fabric & Paper Pests, Fall and Winter Pests, Nuisance Animals, Property Damaging Pests, Rodents

Norway Rat

The Norway rat is also called the brown rat, gray rat, sewer rat, water rat, wharf rat and barn rat. This rat will grow up to 16 inches from nose to tail. The tail is shorter in length than the body. These rats are typically a grayish-brown color, but can be a blackish or reddish-brown. Norway rats will nest in burrows in the ground. Burrows that have a smooth appearance at entrances are usually active burrows. These rats often feed on grains, seeds and vegetation, but will feed on anything provided in urban settings. These rats will also separate undigested food particles from animal … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Crop Damaging Pests, Disease Carriers, Fabric & Paper Pests, Fall and Winter Pests, Farm Pests, Nuisance Animals, Property Damaging Pests, Rodents

Opossum

Size: About the size of a large house cat Color: Grayish Their diet mainly consists of carrion (dead and putrefying flesh) and many individual opossums are killed on the highway when scavenging for roadkill. They are also known to eat insects, frogs, birds, snakes, small mammals, and earthworms. Some of their favorite foods are fruits, and they are known to eat avocados, apples, clementines, and persimmons. Their broad diet allows them to take advantage of many sources of food provided by human habitation such as unsecured food waste (garbage) and pet food. When threatened or harmed, they … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Disease Carriers, Nuisance Animals, Opossums, Property Damaging Pests

Raccoon

Size: Body length 16-28” Color: Grayish coat The raccoon is usually nocturnal and is omnivorous, with a diet consisting of about 40% invertebrates, 33% plant foods, and 27% vertebrates. Two of its most distinctive features are its extremely dexterous front paws and its facial mask. Raccoons are noted for their intelligence, with studies showing that they are able to remember the solution to tasks up to three years later. Though usually nocturnal, the raccoon is sometimes active in daylight to take advantage of available food sources. Although they have thrived in sparsely wooded areas in … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Disease Carriers, Farm Pests, Nuisance Animals, Property Damaging Pests, Raccoons

Roof Rat

AKA: Black Rat This rat also takes the names of ship rat and house rat. They are an arboreal, or tree-dwelling, species. Roof rats are medium sized and around 16 inches from nose to tail. Their tail is longer than its body. These rats are black or brown with a whitish or gray belly. Roof rats tend to nest in trees and vegetation, but will also nest in attics or wall voids. Roof rats also nest in the ground, if Norway rats are not in the same area. Roof rats will feed on snails, nuts or fruit. … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Disease Carriers, Fabric & Paper Pests, Fall and Winter Pests, Farm Pests, Nuisance Animals, Property Damaging Pests, Rodents

Skunk

Size: 15-37” Color: Black and white to brown and cream colored Shape: Elongated body relatively short, well-muscled legs, long front claws Skunks are members of the weasel family. Skunks are pests because they dig under foundations and take up residence under homes or in other buildings. They sometimes eat poultry and eggs, garden vegetables, and fruit. They can also damage beehives as they feed on adult and larval bees. Skunks commonly damage lawns when they dig in search of insect larvae, rolling back the sod. Of course skunks are disliked primarily because of their ability to … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Crop Damaging Pests, Farm Pests, Nuisance Animals, Skunks

Tree Squirrel

Size: 6-15” with tail length 4-14” Color: White, grayish, yellowish, reddish, or brownish above with belly pail or dark. Tree Squirrels common name reflects that these squirrels are found only in areas where there are trees, because trees are where they build their nests, avoid most predators, and often harvest food. They frequently enter attics and become pests, and outdoors they can cause considerable damage to electrical and telephone cables. Prevention: The key to controlling tree squirrels is pest identification, exclusion/squirrel-proofing the structure, and trapping out any … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Nuisance Animals, Property Damaging Pests, Squirrels

Water Moccasin

The water moccasin, agkistrodon piscivorus, is a venomous snake, species of pit viper, found in the southeastern United States. Adults are large and capable of delivering a painful and potentially fatal bite. When antagonized they will stand their ground by coiling their bodies and displaying their fangs. Although their aggression has been exaggerated, on rare occasions territorial males will approach intruders in an aggressive manner. This is the world's only semi-aquatic viper, usually found in or near water, particularly in slow-moving and shallow lakes, streams, and marshes. The snake is a … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Nuisance Animals, Poisonous, Snakes