When small critters such as squirrels, raccoons and skunks have invaded your home or office you’re safest move is to contact a professional animal removal expert before trying to do anything on your own. Though small in stature many pesky critters can be quite dangerous and if you are not trained in how to handle bats, skunks and beavers you could be starting a fight that won’t have any winners. Many outdoor critters travel in groups and can present a number of dangers for someone trying to get them to leave a home or building.
Rabies – Since the mid-1970’s a new strain of raccoon rabies has spread across the eastern United States prompting some health experts to classify it as an emerging public health threat. In addition to raccoons, bats and squirrels are also known to carry rabies and if one should bite you the effects can include flu-like symptoms, partial paralysis, hallucinations and delirium. Approaching a raccoon or squirrel will definitely trigger a defensive response and it is only natural for the animal to bite and claw to fend off his perceived attacker. Rabies causes an estimated 55,000 human deaths annually worldwide and while most of the fatalities are in Africa and Asia no one should underestimate the consequences of a bite from a rabid animal.
Sprays – Skunks don’t have much in terms of defense and often avoid contact but if cornered it will do what it can and that is unleash it’s only weapon: anal scent glands. These glands produce a mixture of sulfur-containing chemicals such as thiols or mercaptans which have an extremely offensive smell that is often described as a rotten egg odor. Skunks can spray with a high degree of accuracy up to 10’ and in addition to the noxious smell can also cause temporary blindness. If you have a skunk burrowed in your home, watch for signs that it is about to spray including hissing and foot-stamping.
Bites – Even if the critter invading your home or office does not have rabies there is still a very good chance it will bite if threatened. Bites from even small animals can be extremely painful and animals can carry other viruses besides rabies that are potentially threatening to a human. Also, if there is more than one squirrel or beaver in your home it may be a group attack and this can mean multiple bites and scratch wounds.
