Masked Bandits of Cambridge

One of the largest nuisance animals, raccoons live throughout the United States and Canada. They are also commonly known as coons or masked bandits. The masked bandit is for the black “mask” covering their face and their habit of stealing from pet food bowls, garbage cans, and bird feeders and wherever else the opportunity to steal food exists.

A distinguishing feature of raccoons is the black “mask” on their faces and their bushy, ringed tail. Raccoon fur is normally gray, but it can also have a brown tint to it. The typical weight of raccoons varies according to their locations, normally ranging from 10 to 25 pounds, with larger raccoons in the North and smaller ones in the South. Natural predators of raccoons include wolves, coyotes, and owls. Humans also prey on raccoons, primarily for their fur.

Because raccoons are excellent climbers, they are often able to get into the attics of our homes, where they can cause extensive damage. Pet food left out is often what draws raccoons to a home to begin with. Raccoons have very nimble hands and they can often be found grasping pet food with both hands and dipping it into the water bowl before eating it.

Raccoon control is not something for the do-it-yourselfer. By knowing the biology, habits and patterns of raccoons, Wildlife Professionals are better prepared and trained to remove the animal for you. We offer a quality raccoon removal service.

Your raccoon expert to Adamsville, Adams Mills, Antrim, Baltic, Barlow, Barnesville, Batesville, Bealsville, Bellaire, Belle Valley, Belmont, Belpre, Bethesda, Birds Run, Birmingham, Blue Rock, Bolivar, Bowerstown, Bristol, Brookside, Brush Creek, Buckeyeville, Byesville, Cadiz, Caldwell, Center, Center Bend, Chandlersville, Chesterhill, Clarington, Claysville, Coschocton, Cumberland, Colerain, Conesville, Corning, Coshocton, Crooksville, Decaturville, Dennison, Derwent, Devola, Dexter City, Dillon Falls, Dover, Dresden, Dunham, Duncan Falls, East Richland, Elk, Fleming, Flushing, Frazeysburg, Freeport, Fultonham, Gaysport, Germano, Glenford, Goshen, Gnadenhutten, Grandview, Gratiot, Graysville, Hanover, Harrisville, Holloway, Hopedale, Jackson Special, Jerusalem, Jewett, Junction City, Keene, Kimbolton, Linton Mills, Londonberry, Lore City, Lower Salem, Ludlow, Macksburg, Malaga, Malta, Martins Ferry, McConnelsville, Mineral City, Moorefield, Mt. Ephrlam, Mt. Sterling, Nashport, Neffs, Nellie, New Athens, Newcomerstown, New Concord, New Lexington, New Matamoras, New Philadelphia, Newport, New Reading, New Rumley, New Straitsville, North Zanesville, Norwich, Old Washington, Parral, Pennsville, Philo, Piedmont, Plainfield, Pleasant City, Pleasant Grove, Philo, Port Washington, Powhatan Point, Rich Hill, Roseville, Roswell, Rush, Quaker City, Salesville, Sarahsville, Sego, Scio, Senecaville, Shadyside, Sharon, Shawnee, Somerset, South Olive, South Zanesville, St. Clairsville, Stafford, Stillhouse Run, Stockport, Stone Creek, Straitsville, Strasburg, Sugarcreek, Summerfield, Thornport, Thornville, Tiverton Center, Trinway, Uhrichsville, Upper Lowell, Warsaw, Watertown, West Bedford, West Lafayette, Wheeling Valley, Woodsfield, Ohio is A All Animal Control.

A raccoon expert is just a phone call away and can often assist with your Southeast, OH wildlife control needs the very same day. Call us at (740) 732-1080 to put an end to that annoying raccoon problem and control the damage wildlife causes.

Snakes of Southeast, OH

It’s now the middle of June, and summer is coming upon us fast. For snakes, as well as humans, early summer is one of the most active times of the year, especially when it comes to the time spent outdoors at night. Snakes will often wait until nighttime to come out due to the intense heat of the day, which also happens to be the same time humans are out enjoying other summertime activities such as catching lightning bugs and telling stories by the campfire.

Snakes don’t often cross most people's minds until they are surprised by the sight of one. The good news is that most snakes are non-venomous, and only a handful of people die from venomous snake bites every year in the U.S. Rattlesnakes have the most potent venom and cause the majority of the deaths.

If you do happen to spot a snake in your house or on your property, remember that the capture of snakes is not something for the average person. Wildlife Professionals have been trained in the quick identification of snakes. Unless you are a Wildlife Professional, treat all snake species as being venomous. Keep your distance and call a wildlife professional to handle the snake in your basement or garden.

A All Animal Control of Southeast, OH services the following cities Marietta, Adams Mills, Antrim, Baltic, Barlow, Barnesville, Batesville, Bealsville, Bellaire, Belle Valley, Belmont, Belpre, Bethesda, Birds Run, Birmingham, Blue Rock, Bolivar, Bowerstown, Bristol, Brookside, Brush Creek, Buckeyeville, Byesville, Cadiz, Caldwell, Center, Center Bend, Chandlersville, Chesterhill, Clarington, Claysville, Coschocton, Cumberland, Colerain, Conesville, Corning, Coshocton, Crooksville, Decaturville, Dennison, Derwent, Devola, Dexter City, Dillon Falls, Dover, Dresden, Dunham, Duncan Falls, East Richland, Elk, Fleming, Flushing, Frazeysburg, Freeport, Fultonham, Gaysport, Germano, Glenford, Goshen, Gnadenhutten, Grandview, Gratiot, Graysville, Hanover, Harrisville, Holloway, Hopedale, Jackson Special, Jerusalem, Jewett, Junction City, Keene, Kimbolton, Linton Mills, Londonberry, Lore City, Lower Salem, Ludlow, Macksburg, Malaga, Malta, Martins Ferry, McConnelsville, Mineral City, Moorefield, Mt. Ephrlam, Mt. Sterling, Nashport, Neffs, Nellie, New Athens, Newcomerstown, New Concord, New Lexington, New Matamoras, New Philadelphia, Newport, New Reading, New Rumley, New Straitsville, North Zanesville, Norwich, Old Washington, Parral, Pennsville, Philo, Piedmont, Plainfield, Pleasant City, Pleasant Grove, Philo, Port Washington, Powhatan Point, Rich Hill, Roseville, Roswell, Rush, Quaker City, Salesville, Sarahsville, Sego, Scio, Senecaville, Shadyside, Sharon, Shawnee, Somerset, South Olive, South Zanesville, St. Clairsville, Stafford, Stillhouse Run, Stockport, Stone Creek, Straitsville, Strasburg, Sugarcreek, Summerfield, Thornport, Thornville, Tiverton Center, Trinway, Uhrichsville, Upper Lowell, Warsaw, Watertown, West Bedford, West Lafayette, Wheeling Valley, Woodsfield, Ohio.

Don’t panic! Call your Snake Control and Removal Expert at (740) 732-1080.

Ohio Groundhog Removal

The largest ground squirrel commonly known as a woodchuck is a common nuisance in backyards everywhere. Also called groundhogs for their habits and appearance, especially in late summer when they've been packing on the pounds in preparation for a long cold winter. When startled or alarmed they can emit a shrill warning whistle, inspiring the nickname whistle pig. It has short legs, strong claws, and a stubby tail.

Groundhogs are covered with two coats of fur. The outside fur keeps water out and the inside fur keeps in body heat. Groundhogs weigh between 4 and 14 pounds, and live most of their lives underground. The fox, wildcats, coyotes and hawks are their main natural enemies.

Because of their ease of adaptation to human environments, our home becomes their home. Backyard landscapes provide attractive goods, such as vibrant flower garden, lush grass with delicious clover, vegetable gardens, and fruits from trees that groundhogs favor. Once a groundhog has found ample food source, it will look for a den site that is close by. Your home is the den site due to increased land development in groundhog inhabited areas, and the overpopulation of groundhogs does not help. Loose vents, storage sheds, low decks and porches are the most common den locations.

Groundhog control is not something for the do-it-yourselfer. By knowing the biology, habits and patterns of a skunk, Wildlife Professionals are better prepared and trained to remove the animal for you.

This is not just a job for the Wildlife Professional; it is a passion to help the person who has the wildlife conflict and the wildlife too.

Your experts in the Marietta, Cambridge, Zanesville and all of Southeast Ohio is A All Animal Control .

Call the Marietta, Cambridge, Zanesville and all of Southeast Ohio experts today at (740) 732-1080.

Cambridge and Zanesville OH Skunk Control and Removal

It's that time of year, again. Babies, babies, babies.

Baby skunks can spray the day they are born. But now is that time that have found the full power of the spray; 2 months old. Baby skunks will spray for no reason at all, but to test their glands and get used to the muscle action from the glands.

Baby skunk control and removal is one of our specialties at A All Animal Control. You have been living with this skunk long enough and need a professional to quickly and effectively remove it!

Skunk control is not something for the do-it-yourselfer. By knowing the biology, habits and patterns of a skunk, Wildlife Professionals are better prepared and trained to remove the animal for you.

If you have skunk problems or getting rid of skunk creatures is a problem then you've come to the right place. Removing skunks can be difficult so leave it up to the experts. We offer a quality skunk removal service.

This is not just a job for the Wildlife Professional; it is a passion to help the person who has the wildlife conflict and the wildlife too.

Your experts in the Marietta, Cambridge, Zanesville and all of Southeast Ohio is A All Animal Control .

Let us help you restore your home, business or property to its original former peaceful existence as well as your sanity!

Call the Marietta, Cambridge, Zanesville and all of Southeast Ohio experts today at (740) 732-1080.

Could a Child or Pet Tell the Difference

One of these will kill a mole while the other is a harmless candy.
In fact, if your child or pet ingests the wrong one, they would be ingesting Bromethalin which is a highly potent rodenticide that provides a lethal dose to rodents in a single feeding. Simply handling this “bait” will require you to wash your hands immediately with plenty of soap and water. Sublethal symptoms if present in humans or pets could include swelling of the brain (Cerebral Edema). The person or pet ingesting this rodenticide is recommended to undergo a stomach pump (gastric lavage) or vomiting (emesis). The label also states that this product is toxic to fish, birds and other wildlife!

Trapping moles is a better solution for you and your family. The professionals at A All Animal Control of SE Ohio LLC will rid the moles from your property and use the safest methods available in their control programs. We do not use any poison to control moles. When we capture the mole, it is removed from the property and not left for pets or children to dig up and consume.

If you want to protect your family and pets, have the professionals at A All Animal Control of SE Ohio LLC begin a trapping program at your property today! Call us now at 740-260-3274.

Moles Are Frustrating!!

Moles Are Frustrating!

Moles can drive you crazy! If you're like most homeowners, you're probably confused by all of the so called "advice" on mole control. You’ve tried every rumor, home remedy, or control method, that well-meaning people have advised. In fact, chemicals, and home remedies, (including castor oil derivatives, and grub controls) are not only ineffective when dealing with moles, they allow the animals the time needed to establish themselves, and become real problems. The longer they have been in residence, the higher the population will be, and the more embedded they will be.

Mole Facts

Moles evolved as woodland animals in nature. They can however, quickly colonize and spread through adjacent residential properties, due to the abundant food source. Since moles need a well-established tunnel network to survive, the longer they're allowed to tunnel, the more habituated they become, and thus, more difficult to control. Trapping is the only effective method of control. It is literally a war of attrition.

Moles are insectivores (they only eat insects). They are not rodents. They also are not herbivores, (meaning they do not eat any roots, plants, or vegetative matter). The mole’s diet is restricted to ground invertebrates such as grubs, millipedes, ants, etc.. However, nearly 100% of the mole's diet, is the earthworm. Thus trying to control white grubs and lawn insects is no protection from mole activity.
Moles are territorial and normally avoid each other. The exception to this is during their breeding season. A mole can dig up to 18 ft. of new tunnels per hour. This can result in a lot of lawn damage. Also, during early spring, moles are searching for an ever dwindling food source as earthworms, and most other insects are not pro-creating during winter months. Mole tunneling at this time can be excessive as they search for this diminishing food supply. Because of these facts, the homeowner often is led to overestimate the number of moles invading their lawn, due to the massive damage.

There is no accurate way to determine the number of moles infesting a lawn until they have all been trapped and the damage ceases. Generally, the longer the problem has persisted, the higher the number of moles there will be.

Why Did The Remedies I Tried Seem To Work For Awhile?
The activity in certain lawns can simply come and go throughout the year. On large properties the activity may gypsy from one part of the lawn to another. This movement, or migrating, is controlled by climate conditions, ground moisture, and food supply. During long periods of no rain, the moles will either migrate to an area with more moisture, or merely burrow deeper. The moles are merely following the earthworms, which are themselves following the moisture. Moles do not hibernate, so when activity stops during spells of frozen ground, the moles have again followed the earthworms who have burrowed deeper into the ground to get below the frost depth.
Also, moles often may leave an area if disturbed. This can be due to the introduction of sonic devices or other noise producing devices. After a short period of time, the moles become accustomed to the noise and ignore it. Even without disturbance mole activity may last only a week or two in a particular area as they pursue their food source. There are also many poisons on the market that must be consumed by the mole to work. Many are pellets or granules. These poisons have zero chance of working as they in no way resemble or taste like any insect, which is all a mole has evolved to consume. Even the poisons resembling their food source have little chance of being successful. Poisons also have the danger of being found by children or pets.
This here-now gone-tomorrow behavior is probably the root of most of the subjective misconceptions that make home remedies, including mole poisons, appear to work. Subjective misconceptions are also the root of such remedies as lye, Drano, pickle juice, broken glass, red pepper, razor blades, bleach, moth balls, rose branches, human hair balls, vibrators, ultrasonic contraptions, bubble gum, castor bean derivatives, gasoline and explosives.

Moles Are Problems On Residential Properties Because:

1 - Restrictions on, or loss of, natural habitat: This can be due to new construction (excavation) nearby, drainage changes, or depletion of their food source. Moles are normally woodland animals. Suburban construction eradicates, or modifies hillsides, woodlands, and pasturelands, pushing moles into surrounding lawns.
2 - Artificial environments: This is created and maintained, through most current landscaping practices. Most landscaping depends on artificial means of maintaining lawns and flower beds. These soils are kept rich with chemical nutrients, as well as heavy applications of organic materials, such as mulch and top soils. Watering or irrigation is common. This type of landscaping provides a perfect environment for the moles food source (earthworms and insects).
3 - Unreliable methods of control: The mole has a low birth rate that is uncommon for a small mammal. Litter sizes are only three to four pups once a year. Natural survival rate is usually less than half in the wild, and yet we still have a problem with moles? Why?
Simply put, since there are no viable chemical solutions (including home remedies) to a mole problem, and trapping is a difficult skill to master for the homeowner, moles are able to flourish.

Not All Roof Vents Are Raccoon Proof!

By Steven Shaffer, President of A All Animal Control of South East Ohio

Here’s a picture showing part of the roof and roof vent from a client’s home. This client had a raccoon raising pups in the attic and called A All Animal Control of South East Ohio to remove the animal. It’s very common for raccoon to access attics through these vents. The client in this case had dealt with this problem several years ago by installing heavy screen to the metal shaft that housed the fan in these two vents. The screen the client had installed extended all the way to the vent cover. It was undisturbed on both vents and provided no access.

After the female raccoon and her young were removed, it was time to find the animal's access point. During inspection, I tried to locate the access point. I spent about 35 minutes and frustratingly, could not locate her access point. All of the attic roof vent screening the homeowner had installed, the soffits, connecting rooflines, the chimney cap, attic vent screens, etc..., were all solid and raccoon-proof.
Finally, I began looking for hair as I could find no tracks or other signs of raccoon. Again, I had no success. As a last resort, I looked again at the roof vents. It’s difficult to get your head under these to see well, as the gap is very small. I finally did notice the screen installed by the client on the vent located in the left side of the roof had a few raccoon hairs on it.
I attempted to squeeze my head in far enough to allow me a better look and here’s what I found! The raccoon had learned to push up the plastic cover, in which a connecting rivet for the plastic cover, had failed. This failed rivet allowed her to push up the cover and enter the attic. Kind of like a trap door!! When she entered it shut behind her. When she left it shut behind her. No obvious outside sign! The client had told me that he had searched everywhere as well and could not find how she was getting in. I nearly missed it myself. I quickly permanently raccoon-proofed both vents. Raccoon amaze me!! For all of your wildlife problems call A All Animal Control of South East Ohio at (740) 732-1080 or (740) 260-3274. Email us at seohio@aallanimalcontrol.com

Tricky Ohio Raccoons

By Steven Shaffer, President of A All Animal Control of South East Ohio

The most unique raccoon situation I’ve dealt with was for a homeowner who owned several cats. The home had a large enclosed porch that was set up as a playroom for the cats. There were two cat doors installed to allow the cats to come and go. One allowed access to the enclosed porch/playroom area. The other allowed access to the interior of the home. The homeowner only fed the cats in her kitchen area and never in the cat playroom. Though the homeowner had many cats, she had been noticing that they had been consuming a very large amount of cat food. This had continued for over 1 year.
Finally, the homeowner went on vacation, asking a friend to feed her cats and watch her home. The friend filled the food bowls daily. One day the friend found a huge mess in the kitchen. Drawers and cupboard doors had been torn open, and food items scattered across the floor. She cleaned up the mess and filled the bowls. This continued daily until the homeowner returned. The homeowner then contacted A All Animal Control of South East Ohio to find the culprit.
From the sign, I determined that raccoon had learned to access the home through the exterior cat door, cross the playroom, enter the second cat door and stroll down the hall to the kitchen's smorgasbord of food.
I set a trap in the playroom to catch the raccoon entering through the cat door . In three consecutive nights I caught three adult male raccoon.
To prevent this from reoccurring, the homeowner installed an electronic cat door. This new cat door required a device that had to be attached to the cat’s collar. As the cat approached the door, this device would unlock the door. The door’s manufacturer guaranteed that no animal could ever enter if it was not wearing this device.
Several years went by before I received another call from this client, experiencing the same issues with a raccoon repeatedly entering her home through the new animal proof electronic cat door. She had come downstairs one morning and caught the raccoon feeding at the cat bowls. The raccoon calmly walked down the hall and exited through the cat door into the playroom. It then exited to the outside through the electronic door. These electronic doors are only to prevent animal entry and not access, so it was easy for the raccoon to exit.
I once again setup, and immediately caught another large male raccoon.
With the supposedly animal-proof cat door, what exactly was happening?
This raccoon had figured out how to unhook the two electronically controlled latches, one located in each bottom corner of the cat door. It did this by inserting a single claw, one from each front foot, into the crack of the door, and depressing both latches simultaneously to enter. I am still amazed this raccoon figured this out. For all of your Animal Control needs contact A All Animal Control of South East Ohio at (740) 732-1080 or by sending an email to seohio@aallanimalcontrol.com

A All Animal Control of South Eastern Ohio Offers Complete Wildlife Control

No matter what the wildlife control problem, A All Animal Control of South Eastern Ohio has the knowledge of over twenty years of experience and tools to get the job done. “I will control virtually any mammal, bird or reptile, in all situations. Bats and ground moles are my specialties.”, states Steve Shaffer, President of A All Animal Control of South Eastern Ohio.
“I began trapping when I was 9 years old. Then in the late 1990’s, I began to get calls from individuals that were having difficulties with animals causing damage to homes and properties. These calls were often for animals that were out of season, in cities and towns where normal trapping is not allowed, or were for animals that were not furbearers, squirrels, bats, snakes, etcetera,” he said.
It was then that the opportunity arose to turn a talent into a full time business. “Because of these calls, I obtained an Ohio Nuisance Wild Animal Trapping Permit and started a business under the name of Steve’s Wildlife Removal. In January of 2008 I joined a National Team of Wildlife Experts to further my knowledge and training. At that time I also changed the business name to A All Animal Control of SE Ohio LLC,” Shaffer added.
Shaffer uses only humane methods of removal and exclusion. “Virtually all my methods involve the use of live traps, scare tactics and exclusions. Exclusion is the process of animal proofing the structure and either installing mechanisms to allow the animals to leave and not return or to prevent their entry in the first place,” Shaffer said. He continued, “I have a vast amount of experience in removing nuisance animals and permanently solving human/wildlife conflicts. I will solve the problem in the most humane way possible or there is no charge. I guarantee all my exclusion work and that no job is too large or small means to offer most complete wildlife service.
No matter how docile or harmless an animal might seem, there are many reasons to have an animal removed as there is no limit to damage wildlife can cause. “The reasons are many. First is the risk of contracting diseases. An animal can be infected with rabies and not show symptoms. There is also the risk of being bitten. Often homeowners will catch a non-target animal and are at a loss as to what to do with it. Each year I get calls from people catching skunks when after raccoon. In the case of squirrels for instance, ladders and other required equipment, make the job expensive and dangerous. Finally, Ohio law states you cannot just release animals into the country,” stated Shaffer.
Want to learn more? For more information visit Shaffer’s website www.aallanimalcontrol.com/animal_control_southeast_ohio.cfm or email seohio@aallanimalcontrol.com or phone 740-732-1080 or 740-260-3274. Look for featured articles in Cambridge, Ohio's The Daily Jeffersonian and Zanesville, Ohio's Time's Recorder.

Freeport Ohio Guernsy County Bat Control

Freeport Ohio is a beautiful rural community with old farm houses and gently rolling hills. This is the perfect environment for bats to take up residence in these older homes.


Bats will live in colonies of many hundreds and occasionally number in the thousands. With this many bats in your attic, the waste they leave behind with their bat guano and the urine crystals eating the wooden structure in the attic can severely damage the home.


If you are hearing screeching in the attic or have an odd smell in the upstairs of your home, you may have bats in the attic. Droppings can also be found outside on the side of the home or on the ground below their entry ways. If you suspect bats in your Freeport Ohio Guernsy County home, call the professionals at A All Animal Control of Southeast Ohio.

Mole Control and Removal Cambridge, Marietta and Zanesville Ohio

The Eastern Mole and the Hairy Tailed Mole are very common to South East Ohio. These moles can be found in the bottom farmland as well as the hills surrounding them.

Controlling the moles in Cambridge, Zanesville and Marietta Ohio is accomplished through an aggressive mole trapping campaign. Mole traps have been tried and proven to be the most effective tool to remove moles from your yard.

A mole can wreak havoc on your finely manicured lawn when it seeks it's prey of grubs and nightcrawlers. Moles do not eat roots of grasses or shrubs. If you are finding dead shrubs and bushes, more than likely you have a vole or gopher at work in your lawn or landscaping.

A All Animal Control of Southeast Ohio is your local mole removal expert. We have thousands of moles removed from lawns to our credit and can solve your mole problem.

Duncan Falls Ohio Snake Control and Removal

Black Rat Snake control and removal increases in the fall due to the snakes seeking a place to overwinter. Black snakes will seek out crawlspaces and basements for their warmth and are a great place to hibernate through the harshness of winter.

The Black snake is a superb climber and is capable of scaling trees and using the limbs as a route to get on the roof of a home! When on the roof the snakes will seek out entries to the attic and often hibernate in this area under the insulation.
Black Rat snakes can be found in any area of the home. We have found them in the basement, crawlspace, kitchen, bed and bathrooms and in attics and garages. Snake Control
should only be performed by a Snake Removal Professional.

If you find a Black Rat snake or any other snake in your home, do not panic! The first thing you want to do is to try and keep it in one area of the home. You can shut doors and windows and place towels or boards at the bottom of the door to keep the snake inside. Our snake removal expert can then remove the snake or set traps to capture it.
This Black Rat snake came from the Duncan Falls Ohio area and are common in most of Southern Ohio and Parkersburg, West Virginia.

If you have a snake problem and need a snake specialist to help, visit A AllAnimalControl for assistance.

White Nose Syndrome

Bats Threatened by “White Nose Syndrome”

Bats in Southeast Ohio and throughout the United States perform a valuable service to local residents. They consume large amounts of insects and keep many insect populations like mosquitoes in check. Bats can consume up to ½ their body weight in insects every night. Scientists consider bats an extremely vital part of the environment.

However, according to Steve Shaffer President of A All Animal Control of SE Ohio (formerly Steve’s Wildlife Removal), bats have come under attack from a new disease that threatens the populations of all species of bats. Steve’s company which specializes in the exclusion and removal of bat colonies from buildings says little is currently known about this new disease.

Scientists have named the disease “White Nose Syndrome”. This name comes from the fact that the bats suffering from this phenomenon have a peculiar white fungus around their muzzles. At this time scientists don’t know if this white fungus is the cause of the problem, or if it is a secondary infection in the bats caused by some other infection.

This disease is currently being studied in the caves that the bats use to spend the winter, which are called hibernaculas. In these hibernacula’s, bats of all species spend the winter together. So far the disease has only been reported in New York, Vermont, and Massachusetts. However the concern is that it could spread to other states. In some of these hibernacula’s the number of bats currently surviving has dropped from 90% and 97% between the winters of 2007 and 2008. The caves the disease has been documented in so far normally harbor approximately 400,000 bats. Also of sad note is the fact that there are approximately 44,500 of the federally endangered Indiana Bat species living in these caves.

The condition of the surviving bats in these caves is considered poor. They currently don’t have enough fat reserves left to survive the time remaining in winter. These bats also have been observed flying at night in extreme cold and roosting near the cave entrances where the temperature is much colder. Both these actions further deplete the bat’s fat reserves. The outlook for the survival of these bats is grim at best.
So far scientists do not know exactly how this disease is spread. Because many of these caves are popular with cavers (spelunkers), many states and private owners of bat hibernacula caves are restricting the access to these caves. This restriction is due to the fear that the disease could possibly be spread from cave to cave by being carried on the clothing and equipment of these cavers. In the caves still accessible it is recommended that a strict protocol be followed for disinfecting clothing and equipment after leaving a bat hibernacula.
What does this mean to the bats that inhabit the state of Ohio? At this time it is not known. The concern is that it could keep spreading and affect our local bat population. Since all species of bats inhabit these caves together, all species are affected.

When spring comes these surviving bats may spread the disease hundreds of miles as they return to their summertime roosts. Steve also has dealt with many instances where bats are now using the attics and walls of homes as hibernaculas during the winter. This could pose a serious health risk to humans if this disease is present in these bats.

What is also certain, says Steve, is that even in the summer bats will congregate in large numbers in their summertime roosts. This is especially true in the case of “Maternity” roosts, which are made up entirely of female bats and their young. These “Maternity” colonies can number in the thousands.

While bats themselves are beneficial, the vast majority of bats in Ohio have taken up residence in homes and other occupied buildings. This is due to habitat loss and other factors. Most often the areas bats inhabit in homes and buildings are the attics and the walls. When bats do take up residence in a home or other occupied building, they unfortunately can present a variety of health risks. Among these are Rabies, Histoplasmosis (contracted from the bats droppings called Guano), and Bat Bugs. And now this new possible health risk “White Nose Syndrome”. At this time it is not known if this disease is contractible by humans.

Because of all the different health risks from bats, Steve warns that no person should ever enter the roosting area of bats. Breathing the air in these areas can pose a significant health risk. Steve, who is a certified Bat Excluder of the organization of Bat Conservation International, says you should contact a professional who has the equipment and experience necessary to deal with the situation if you suspect bats are using your home or building. This applies to both summertime bat roosts and with bats using the building as a winter hibernacula.

If you suspect bats in your attic, have the Pros at A All Animal Control inspect the attic and provide a resolution for this problem.

Mole Control Zanesville Ohio

For my business, mole removal is an enjoyable part of my business. I’m mostly self-taught when it comes to trapping moles. However, 35 plus years of trapping made me believe I could succeed.

I believe all animals can be caught if you exploit their habits and let them tell you what to do.

For my mole trapping I prefer the MolePro mole trap. I prefer these traps because the handles when set, protrude above the ground. To me this provides a couple of advantages.

First, they provide high visibility and require no type of flagging to relocate as underground traps do. Second and most importantly, it’s easy to see when they are fired. Oftentimes homeowners enjoy seeing a fired trap. Many pull the trap up far enough to see the mole and immediately call me to inform me that “we” have caught a mole. Funny how I do all the work, but “we” catch the mole. He He! I find this behavior in people no matter what animal I’m after. I truly find this amusing.

As anyone who traps moles knows, the key to success is setting up on their travel runways. Setting up on their feeding tunnels is an exercise in futility and wasted effort. At most times of the year there is only one mole in each area of mole damage. Although often, there are several moles working the homeowners property in totally different areas.

This is a fact that is hard to explain to the homeowner. They assume that it takes large numbers of moles to do the amount of damage they are seeing. Moles feed several times in a 24 hour period and so new activity can show up quickly. I often see moles working while I’m on site.

I often arrive to find an excited homeowner telling me they just saw a mole pushing up dirt, and they wish I could’ve arrived minutes sooner. They believe I can set a trap right next to the moles activity and catch the mole right then and there. I explain to them that any disturbance would send the mole fleeing through his tunnel before I could barely begin. However, one particular homeowner was standing in the driveway as I arrived, frantically waving me to a spot along her driveway. She was emphatic that a mole was right, there and that I should immediately set a trap there so that “we” could catch the mole, pronto!

I went through my explanation as usual in these situations, but she was having none of that. I studied the area as I always do and in an effort to appease her, I devised a plan for my “Superfast Mole Removal”.
Now, I’ll take luck anytime it comes my way. But, I also believe you make your own luck. What I came up with for this lady worked beyond what I had hoped for, and I figured it was just my lucky day. However I’ve repeated this so many times since, that this is now my first plan of action.
The activity the lady observed was located towards one end of the mole’s travel tunnel. I usually set the travel tunnels up heavily, with as many as 30 traps or more depending on the size of the area. Almost invariably you’ll find feeding tunnels branching off of the travel tunnels. I try to set traps on each side of these feeding tunnels, so I can catch the mole regardless of which way it turns when it’s leaving whichever one of these feeding areas it may be in.

This may seem like overkill, because if you set a few traps in the travel tunnel you will catch the mole. However, homeowners want quick results and the faster it is, the better it is for them. Normally I start on one end and set traps till I reach the other end of the tunnel. In this case, I began setting traps on the end farthest away from the mole’s activity. When I reached a point about 8 feet from where the mole had been working, I stopped. I then began setting traps from the other end of the tunnel. I figured that just maybe, I would “herd” the mole towards the traps I’d already set.

As I neared the last trap I’d set before starting on the other end of the tunnel, I heard a “SNAP”. I looked to the left and saw that the last trap I’d set earlier was fired. I quickly pulled the trap from the ground and sure enough, there was the mole dangling from the trap!

The homeowner had been observing me through the whole process and began celebrating the demise of her tormentor immediately. I of course left the traps in for 3 days as I usually do, even though I was sure this was the only mole.

There was no more activity, as this was the only mole. I’ve since repeated this many, many times. It’s the greatest feeling to hear the trap fire and know the problem is solved before you leave the job. The homeowners are invariably ecstatic. From time to time there are more moles in the same area. I’ve caught as high as 8 in one area. For this reason, I always leave the traps for 3 days. More often than not, I still don’t catch the mole while on site. But what a feeling of satisfaction it is when I do!

Having mole problems in your yard? We can help. Visit my webpage for more details at A All Animal Control.

Beaver Control Southeast Ohio

Beaver Double-Take

I own a nuisance wildlife removal business in Ohio, and one of my commercial customers is a small village. The village reservoir is next to a fairly large creek that travels through bottomland before reaching the village.

This bottomland contains a rather high population of beaver. The beaver are fond of traveling up this creek, crawling over the bank, and setting up shop in the village reservoir. The beaver then promptly begin plugging the water plants intake pipes. This is usually when I get the call, and the village rightly expects me to solve the problem immediately.

Usually I get the call during spring, summer, or early fall. However, one particular call came in early December, during our deer gun season, and technically I was on a much needed vacation. This call also just happened to coincide with the day I was fortunate enough to take my biggest buck to date with a handgun.

Between the excitement of taking the deer and showing him off to my friends, I forgot my obligation to remove the beaver from the village reservoir. When it dawned on me that I hadn’t set up on the village’s beaver problem yet, it was a little after 4:15 pm. Now in this neck of the woods it becomes dark about 5:45 pm. The village is approximately 20 minutes from my home, so I had very little time to get sets in before dark. Needless to say I threw my beaver equipment together and took off.

Most of my beaver work takes place when there is open water. I use snares exclusively for open water work. As anyone who has trapped beaver knows, some of the best places to set up on beaver can be hard to reach.

Over the years I’ve developed a set that I use almost exclusively, and it allows me to set up in places that are easier to reach. When the majority of my nuisance calls involves working with clients, it pays to be clean, neat, and professional looking. This can be especially difficult after donning hip boots and struggling around in the mud, without wasting time running back home to shower and change clothes. By setting up in easier to reach areas, I avoid this. I often can set up by only wearing knee boots.

To make this set, I first choose an area that has good visibility from the beaver’s perspective. On a low bank no more than 20 inches high, I use a small shovel to cut a trench up the bank. I make this trench about as wide as what a beaver pullout would be, as this is what I’m trying to imitate. I hang a snare in this trench at the point where the water meets the trench.

Next I cut several 1 to 2 inch diameter sections of wood about a foot long from whatever the beaver are feeding on. I use my hatchet to shave bark from these pieces of wood, allowing the shavings to fall into the trench. I place these wood pieces at the top of the trench with the shaved areas facing the water to visually attract the swimming beaver’s attention. I then liberally rub these wood sections and the trench sides down to about 6 inches above the snare with beaver castor. These castors I collect from beaver I’ve caught at other locations.

I chop these castors into small pieces and place them in pill bottles and freeze. If the water at the set is not flowing I swish the piece of castor around in the water in front of the set. You can watch this oil slick of beaver castor spread out over the water. When finished, this set appears to a swimming beaver as a place where a strange beaver has repeatedly pulled out to feed.

It appeals to their sight (shavings and peeled sticks), and their sense of smell (castor). I’ve heard that beaver in some areas don’t respond well to castor at certain times of the year. It works for me, and I’ve taken the entire population of eleven beaver, with four snare set locations in three nights, in one instance, while using only this set.

By the time I arrived at the reservoir I only had about 45 minutes of light left. I decided to try to get four sets in before dark. As I hurriedly made the last set it was completely dark. Figuring that there were only 2 beaver, I drove home confident I would have them in the morning.

The next morning I arrived at the break of day, so I could remove the beaver before they could be spied by the nearby residents. In this day, it’s often better to do your work discreetly. As I approached the first set, which just happened to be the last set I’d made the evening before, I noticed beaver tracks in the trench. I also noticed the snare was gone. For a second I thought the beaver had dove into the water on my approach, but there was no torn up area indicating a snared beaver. I often attach my snares with cable stakes and a 4 foot section of wire.

This seems to give the beaver room to move about and they seem to fight less. By placing the cable stake far from the water, I keep the beaver out of the water. Because of this, I immediately knew the beaver wasn’t in the water.

I looked across the water at two of my other sets. I could see a beaver sitting in one of them. After taking care of that beaver, I went to check my last set. As I approached the last set I heard a splash, and was rather surprised as I had thought there would only be two beaver. Obviously this was the second beaver, and I still had one around here with a snare and 4 foot of wire attached. As I pulled the beaver out of the water I noticed there was a second snare with 4 foot of wire attached. Yep, you guessed it, this was my missing beaver, snare and all. I’d caught this beaver twice in one night!
Should you need help with a beaver problem in Southeast Ohio, Zanesville or Cambridge or in these counties:Belmont, Coshocton, Guernsey, Harrison, Monroe, Morgan, Muskingum, Noble, Perry & Tuscarawas, OH, visit my webpage at A All Animal Control.

Bat Control Southeast Ohio

Bats in Southeast OH in cities such as Cambridge and Zanesville are numerous.

Signs of bats to look for in your home are rub marks such as in this picture with the brown marking on the louver vent.

Other signs are mouse like droppings outside the home or on the windows or siding. You may also smell a musty odor in the home if bat guano has built up in the attic. Bats can produce a tremendous amount of waste over the years and the odor builds as the waste grows.

Bat guano can be a source of disease if disturbed. Bats are known rabies carriers and should not be handled. Often you will find a bat on the ground and it could have rabies. Do not pick it up! Children are bit when picking up a bat and often contract the rabies virus this way.

If your home or business has been overtaken by bats, call a professional to evaluate the problem and offer a resolution. Your Wildlife Management Professional in Southeast Ohio is A All Animal Control. We cover all of the following counties in Southeast Ohio: Belmont, Coshocton, Guernsey, Harrison, Monroe, Morgan, Muskingum, Noble, Perry & Tuscarawas, OH.

Attic Basement Crawlspace Cleaning and Restoration

When your Cambridge/Zanesville, OH home has been invaded by nuisance wildlife there is often animal waste left behind. This animal waste can be a source of disease and infection and must be removed to protect your family. Animal waste can also attract insects, parasites and other wildlife as well as create a bad odor that permeates the home.

Our attic restoration and cleanout professionals will decontaminate the biohazards and hand remove or vacuum out the areas. Bat guano or droppings will often cover an attic space and create a health hazard by the histoplasmosis that bat guano can carry.

This animal waste must be sterilized, removed and the area deodorized through fogging and the use of a hand sprayer. This process is necessary to eliminate the parasites and germs that animal waste carries. It will also remove that terrible smell that animal waste creates.

New insulation can also be added to your attic when the old contaminated insulation has been removed. We do not simply cover your contaminated insulation with new insulation. We remove the old insulation and blow or roll in new insulation to meet current code requirements.

Once this process is complete, your attic, basement or crawlspace will be clean, sanitized and have a fresh odor.
Our wildlife inspectors will photograph any animal damage or waste and present you with a comprehensive plan to restore your attic, basement or crawlspace to its original waste-free condition. All of their work is fully guaranteed for your protection.

Your Attic, Basement & Crawlspace Cleaning and Restoration Expert is A All Animal Control

Squirrel Control and removal Cambridge and Zanesville,OH

Squirrel control and removal is one of our specialties at A All Animal Control. You have been living with this squirrel long enough and need a professional to quickly and effectively remove it!

Squirrel control is not something for the do-it-yourselfer. By knowing the biology, habits and patterns of a squirrel, Wildlife Professionals are better prepared and trained to remove the animal for you. Times of year are important and knowing if there are babies is extremely important. Why? Because you don’t want to leave any babies that might not be able leave the den.

By knowing this information, our control processes take less time and actually save you money. Professionals are prepared to control any wildlife conflict through good training, equipment and a high motivation to work with wildlife.

This is not just a job for the Wildlife Professional; it is a passion to help the person who has the wildlife conflict and the wildlife too.

Contact your local professionals at A All Animal Control today and let us help you restore your home, business or property to its original former peaceful existence as well as your sanity!

Skunk Control and Removal Cambridge and Zanesville, OH

Skunk control and removal is one of our specialties at A All Animal Control. You have been living with this skunk long enough and need a professional to quickly and effectively remove it!

Skunk control is not something for the do-it-yourselfer. By knowing the biology, habits and patterns of a skunk, Wildlife Professionals are better prepared and trained to remove the animal for you. Times of year are important and knowing if there are babies is extremely important. Why? Because you don’t want to leave any babies that might not be able leave the den.

By knowing this information, our control processes take less time and actually save you money. Professionals are prepared to control any wildlife conflict through good training, equipment and a high motivation to work with wildlife.

This is not just a job for the Wildlife Professional; it is a passion to help the person who has the wildlife conflict and the wildlife too.

Contact your local professionals at A All Animal Control today and let us help you restore your home, business or property to its original former peaceful existence as well as your sanity!

Raccoon Control and Removal Cambridge and Zanesville, OH

Raccoon control and removal is one of our specialties at A All Animal Control. You have been living with this raccoon long enough and need a professional to quickly and effectively remove it!

Raccoon control is not something for the do-it-yourselfer. By knowing the biology, habits and patterns of a raccoon, Wildlife Professionals are better prepared and trained to remove the animal for you. Times of year are important and knowing if there are babies is extremely important. Why? Because you don’t want to leave any babies that might not be able leave the den.

By knowing this information, our control processes take less time and actually save you money. Professionals are prepared to control any wildlife conflict through good training, equipment and a high motivation to work with wildlife.

This is not just a job for the Wildlife Professional; it is a passion to help the person who has the wildlife conflict and the wildlife too.

Contact your local professionals at A All Animal Control today and let us help you restore your home, business or property to its original former peaceful existence as well as your sanity!