Tennessee’s Nuisance Wildlife Species

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We are experts in catching and capturing Tennessee’s nuisance wildlife. Clay Oren, the business owner of Fur N Feathers Wildlife Damage Management has been solving Critter Problems in attics, varmint problems under porches and things that fly like bats, birds and other things that crawl or on the prowl.

The most common nuisance wildlife mammals in the State of Tennessee are armadillos, raccoon’s, skunks, opossums, woodchucks (groundhogs), flying squirrels, gray squirrels, bats, rats and mice, beavers and muskrats.

The most common nuisance birds in the State of Tennessee are vultures, canada geese, swallows, house sparrow, european starlings, house finch, pigeon, (rock pigeon) and other birds.

Armadillos

Armadillos are prolific diggers with sharp claws  to dig for food, such as grubs, and to dig dens.

The nine-banded armadillo prefers to build burrows in moist soil near the creeks, streams, and arroyos around which it lives and feeds. The diet of different armadillo species varies, but consists mainly of insects, grubs, and other invertebrates. Armadillos feed almost entirely on ants and termites.

Armadillos have very poor vision despite having very large eyes.

Armadillos (mainly Dasypus) make common roadkill due to their habit of jumping to about fender height when startled (such as by an oncoming car). Wildlife enthusiasts are using the northward march of the armadillo as an opportunity to educate others about the animals, which can be a burrowing nuisance to property owners and managers

Raccoons

Raccoon’s are the big bad masked bandits . Where ever you find raccoon’s you will eventually find damage as they explore, enter, and break open attic vents, find weakness’ in the soffit and fascia, and discover your chimney is now accessible because of a rusted out chimney cap that should of been replaced years ago.

Raccoon’s should never be taken from the wild and raised. If you ever find a young raccoon that you suspect has been injured please contact  the nearest wildlife rehabber.

Skunks

There are two reasons why skunks spray they are either scared as a means of self defense or its breeding season and you are smelling a amorous fragrance only another skunk would love. Most nuisance skunk problem thank fully are outside like under a porch or digging damage in the yard.

Sometimes  we do find  and remove skunks  in a lanai, patio, garage but if you left a door open or have a doggy door its possible to find a skunk most anywhere.

Visit our skunk page for  more info on skunks and our smoke odor removal formula.

Opossums

The Opossum is the only native marsupial that is found in North America. Opossums are big scavengers and will eat a very broad variety of foods since they are omnivorous with diets consisting of both both meat and vegetable origins.  As a rule the opossum rarely frequent attics but has been known to climb into walls from crawlspaces and die and requiring professional specialized dead animal carcass removal services.

Opossums have very large litters  which is quite obvious by the capture of a mother and her 14 young opossums. [pictured here]

Flying Squirrels

Flying squirrels are really not capable of powered flight like birds or bats; they do glide between trees. They are capable of obtaining lift within the course of these flights, with flights recorded to 90 meters (295 ft). The direction and speed of the animal in midair is varied by changing the positions of its two arms and legs, largely controlled by small cartilaginous wrist bones. This changes the tautness of the patagium, a furry parachute-like membrane that stretches from wrist to ankle.It has a fluffy tail that stabilizes in flight. The tail acts as an adjunct airfoil, working as an air brake before landing on a tree trunk.

Few mammals can glide through the trees, but they do not actually fly (like birds and bats). They have a membrane of skin on either side of their body.

Gray Squirrels

Squirrels love to gather nuts and acorns.  A good year with a large harvest of nuts and squiirels mean plenty of food for the squirrels and they will have larger dens of squirrel young.

Squirrels are very intelligent, and are great communicators if you listen you will hear they make many sounds each of them part of a squirrel chatter and warning system.

Squirrels in urban environments will live in a homes attic and not in the hollow of trees.

Moles

Tennesee is home to three species of moles the Star Nosed Mole, Hairy Tailed Mole, and the Eastern Mole.

Moles spend their entire lives  underground and inhabit the lawns of residential homes, apartment complex’s, condominiums, industrial parks,  golf courses, cemeteries, and municipal parks, as well as fallow fields, forest edges, or pastures where moist, sandy loam soils are common and digging is easy.

Woodchucks

Woodchucks by another name are called groundhogs, whistlepigs and even land beaver. These mammals are marmots which are very large members of the ground squirrel family.

These animals have large appetites and can destroy landscaping, flower and vegetable gardens. If you have a ground hog setting up a den under a porch or near your home it is advisable to get rid of it right away before it is harder to get them to leave.

Bats

Tennessee is home to 15 species of Native bats. Bats are the only members of the mammal family that can fly. Bats have fur and are warm blooded like all other mammals. Bats deliver their young by  giving live birth and produce milk for their babies.

Bats or Chiroptera (kie-rop-ter-a), literally means ‘hand-wing’ and are known to live from 10 to 32 years. Some bats species have adapted very well to urban neighborhoods and live in attics of homes and not always in nearby caves.

Rats and Mice

The most common mice found here in the Greater Nashville Tennessee area are deer mice, white footed mice and field mice. Mice live in unsanitary conditions, and are ideal carriers of many communicable  diseases like Lyme’s Disease , Tapeworm, dermatitis and even the Black Plaque. Mice also carry parasites that carry diseases harmful to humans. If your home has been infested with mice, call us for rodent exterminator services today and have them eliminated.

Rats are highly destructive; they will chew on and eat and destroy anything inside the home.  Larger than mice, rats have a keen sense of smell, touch and taste, but their vision is very poor. Rats are active throughout the year, but are mostly observed nocturnal. Common types of rats found here in Tennessee are both the Norway and Roof Rats.

Beaver and Muskrats

Beaver and the muskrat are our biggest nuisance mammals in and around water excluding the otter. Each year  thousands of dollars of damage done each year to road and bridge right of ways and the flooding of crop lands  by both beaver and muskrats.

Muskrats are a medium sized semi-aquatic mammal. The beaver is primarily a nocturnal large sized semi-aquatic rodent.