Bats Removed From Ellenton Home (Bay News9)

Posted on September 19, 2012 by Jeff Norris — No Comments ↓

ELLENTON

A Manatee County family is battling a bat problem.

Leo and Joan Masucci, who live in Ellenton’s Colony Cove, said hundreds of bats recently moved into their home, causing major problems for them.

“You can’t imagine how stressful this has been for us,” Joan Masucci said.

The couple said that at first, they didn’t even realize the bats were there. Then, after a few months, they started smelling a rotten odor.

“I thought there was a dead animal under the house,” Leo Masucci said.

The bats were not visible to the homeowners because they were up above the ceiling. They were able to get into the home through a small hole in the back of the house.

The bats chewed through the drywall, shredded the duct work and left feces all over, which created the terrible odor.

Despite learning about the problem, the couple couldn’t do anything about it because of what time of the year it was.

“From April 15 to Aug. 15, bats here in Florida are protected,” said Christy Norris, who works with Nuisance Wildlife Removal. “There’s a maternity season, and you can’t exclude them in any way shape or form during that time.”

So the couple waited until after the protection date to move forward. However, now they’re dealing with another problem.

To repair all of the damage done to their home, it’s going to cost an estimated $15,000.

The couple thought their homeowner’s insurance would pay for it, but they’ve been told the repairs are not covered.

Bay News 9 contacted the homeowner’s insurance company, American Traditions. A representative said the company is aware of the problem and is looking into it.

The homeowners fear for their health and said that because of that, along with the smell and damages, they’ve moved out.

The Masuccis said they have decided to pay for the repairs themselves so they can return home soon. However, they’re still trying to convince their insurance company to cover the costs.

Nuisance Wildlife Removal and another team are now working on the home.

The couple says this is something they never thought was possible and now they’re warning others.

“I’d like people to know to make sure their homes are checked and that holes are filled in,” Joan Masucci said. “There are a lot of bats looking to nest. I don’t want anyone else to have this same problem.”

Bats Attack – Are You The Next Target?

Your family will not have to go through this kind of trauma when you get a free home evaluation form the bat experts at nuisance Wildlife Trapper Inc. So call today to gain peace of mind from filthy flying rodents living in your home.

CALL 866-263-WILD (9453)

Raccoon Tore Open Orlando Roof

Posted on July 17, 2012 by Jeff Norris — No Comments ↓

Raccoons Mean Business

Raccoons can do a lot of damage to a home. An attic is a raccoon’s playground and just like a kid, they can be destructive at times. They frequently tear apart the HVAC system, tear through wiring, and destroy the integrity of a home’s insulation by throwing insulation everywhere.

Most often a raccoon gets into an attic at a roof joint where the soffit is weakest and easiest to remove. Their raiser sharp claws and ability to use their thumbs to grab things makes these weak points and other areas of concern very easy to get through without proper preventative work by a knowledgeable wildlife technician. And as one Orlando customer learned the hard way, if the animal is not dealt with properly and all precautions taken, a much bigger problem may arise.

Taking Action

I was called out to a home in Orlando that had been having an issue with raccoons getting into the attic over the last few months. It’s never a good sign when someone knowingly allows any animal problem, especially a raccoon due to their immense strength and size in general, to go on for that long. The longer a raccoon stays in your attic the greater the chance of damage occurring to the home. Also, the longer the raccoon is in the attic the harder it is to evict them without using traps.

The raccoon feels comfortable and is more inclined to stay since they’ve already been there so long, especially if they’ve had babies during this period. That was this customer’s issue. He had tried getting rid of the raccoon several times by scaring it away with lights and noise in the attic, vinegar and ammonia sprayed in the attic, and finally by sealing the raccoon out once he saw it leave at night. This was a big mistake. He did a very good job sealing the entry point but completely neglected, simply out of not knowing to check, to completely assess the situation.

The Wildlife Expert Gets Involved

This is where our technicians are so important at Nuisance Wildlife Removal. It turned out the raccoon he excluded from the attic was a mother raccoon with babies still trapped in the attic. At this point, there’s usually not much that can keep them out. Just like any mother with her babies in danger or cut off, this raccoon did everything to get them back. It tore straight through the roof to get back in.

Now, not only does the customer have to worry about getting rid of the raccoon again, but will have to have some substantial roof repair done. Another example of why a professional wildlife technician should always be called out to deal with nuisance animals. Give Nuisance Wildlife Removal a call at 1-866-263-9453.

CALL 866-263-WILD (9453)

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Bats Removed From Ellenton Home (Bay News9)