The trouble is that you usually hear the animal before you see it, so the first job is working out what is up there. Then there are three separate jobs, often done by different people: getting the animal out, closing the way in, and repairing what it damaged. Plenty of companies offer both pest control and wildlife removal, which is fine, but the rules for each are different, and it helps to know which one you are paying for.
Is it mice or squirrels in my attic?
Listen for the time of day first. Squirrels are active in daylight, so noise at first light and again in the late afternoon is usually a squirrel leaving and coming back. Mice are nocturnal, so light scratching and gnawing through the night is usually mice. Health Canada lists scratching in walls at night, gnawing marks and droppings as the signs of mice and rats.
| What you notice | Likely animal | Who to call |
|---|---|---|
| Light scratching or gnawing at night, small dark droppings like grains of rice | Mice | Licensed structural exterminator, or DIY traps and sealing |
| Heavier gnawing and scurrying at night, larger droppings, chewed food in the house | Rats | Licensed structural exterminator |
| Running, scurrying or rolling sounds at dawn and late afternoon, quiet at night, chewed hole at the roofline | Squirrels | Wildlife removal company |
| Heavy thumps and walking at night, torn shingles, soffit or roof vent pushed in | Raccoon | Wildlife removal company |
| Chewed wires, a breaker tripping, a smell of hot plastic | Any of them | Licensed electrician, after the animal is out |
Can an exterminator get rid of squirrels?
A pest company can, if it runs a wildlife removal service, but it does so under wildlife rules, not its pesticide licence. Ontario's Fish and Wildlife Conservation Act lets a homeowner, their immediate family or certain agents deal with a wild animal that is damaging their property. A person who runs a wildlife removal business may only capture and release the animal, not kill it. Any animal caught alive must be released within 1 kilometre of where it was caught, within 24 hours, and only on private land with the owner's permission.
That 1 km rule is why good wildlife companies do not just trap and drive away. Most use a one-way door over the entry hole, so the squirrel leaves and cannot get back in, then seal every other gap. Ontario's guidance is to remove animals in autumn, once the young have left the nest, so a mother is not separated from young that would then die in the attic. If you hear faint squeaking, tell the company before anything is sealed.
Who do I call for mice in the attic?
A licensed structural exterminator, or you can start yourself. Under Ontario's Pesticides Act, applying pesticides for pay needs an Exterminator Licence (Structural) from the Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks, and the business needs an Operator Licence. Snap traps and sealing gaps need no licence. Health Canada notes a mouse fits through a crack the size of a dime, so trapping only works long term if the gaps at the soffits, vents and pipes are closed with metal, not foam alone.
Who repairs the hole and the damage?
- Holes at the roofline, soffits, fascia and roof vents: the wildlife company often seals the entry points it found; larger repairs go to a roofer, an eavestrough and soffit company or a handyman.
- Chewed wiring: a licensed electrical contractor. In Ontario only a licensed electrical contractor can be hired for electrical work in a home.
- Soiled insulation: an insulation contractor, or the pest or wildlife company if it offers attic clean-up. Wear gloves and a mask, and dampen droppings with a bleach and water mix before wiping, as Health Canada advises.
- After squirrels, Ontario's guidance is to test the smoke alarms and check for damaged wires.
What should I ask before I hire someone?
- Which animal they think it is, and why (sounds, droppings, entry hole)
- For mice or rats: their Exterminator Licence (Structural) number
- For squirrels or raccoons: how they remove them (one-way door or trap) and where a trapped animal is released
- How they check for young before sealing
- Whether sealing the entry points and a return visit are in the price, in writing
- Whether any warranty covers the same entry point
How does Doyo handle it?
Doyo's pest control covers mice, rats, insects and bed bugs. Rodent Control on Doyo is $531, all-in with Doyo's fee included, and pest control pros on Doyo hold an Ontario Structural Exterminator licence, checked by Doyo before they are offered the work. Squirrels and raccoons are wildlife removal, which is a different service: if the signs point to a squirrel, ask the company for the points above.
Questions people ask
Sources
- Ontario: Harass, capture or kill a wild animal damaging private property · ontario.ca
- Ontario: Preventing and managing conflicts with small animals · ontario.ca
- Ontario: Pesticide licences and permits · ontario.ca
- Health Canada: Rats and mice · canada.ca
- ESA: Hiring a licensed electrical contractor · esasafe.com