If you have a problem with wildlife in your Oak Ridge home, your best option is to hire a company that specializes in Tennessee wildlife removal only. This is a specialty business, and regular pest control companies do not use the proper techniques to solve animal problems. I have spent many years reviewing Tennessee and Oak Ridge, and I recommend the following:

Critter Control
Cell Phone: 865-312-7211

NOTE: If you have a dog or cat problem, call Oakridge Knox County Animal Services: 865-215-6599

Critter Control specializes primarily in removing animals from attics of homes and buildings - this includes squirrels in attics, raccoons, and rats or mice in homes. Tennessee also has a documented problem with bats in buildings, and Critter Control is specially trained in bat removal. They also perform general wildlife trapping services, such as the capture and removal of skunks or opossums on the property. Call 865-312-7211 to discuss your critter problem and schedule a same-day or next-day appointment. Click here to learn more about what prices we charge in 2020.

When hiring a company to solve your wild animal problem, you want these features:

• Specializes in wildlife removal, not pest control
• Fully Tennessee and Oakridge Knox County licensed and insured
• Works 7 days per week (critters don't take weekends off)
• Performs full building inspections: enters and inspects attic
• Performs exclusion repairs, with guarantee against animal re-entry
• Offers cleanup of biohazardous wildlife waste



Critter Control is a full-service Oak Ridge wildlife removal company. This is very different from a regular Oak Ridge pest control company. The pest control companies spray poison to kill insects. This is not at all similar to wildlife removal. Critter Control performs a full inspection of the home or property, and determines why the animal(s) are there, and if inside a building, how the animals got inside. All animals (including rodents) are trapped and removed, or if possible, removed from the building using special exclusion devices. Once the animals are gone, preventative repairs are essential, and cleanup is sometimes recommended.

Oak Ridge wildlife trapping - it's not as simple as it may seem. It's illegal in Tennessee to trap without a license. Trap type is very important and there are many different types, bait is somewhat relevant, trap placement is vital, and there are dozens of small things that are very important to know. Safety is a concern. Then once the animal is trapped, it must be removed and dealt with in the proper manner according to Tennessee law. We offer Oak Ridge raccoon removal. Read more about how to get rid of raccoons.

Animals in attics - this is our specialty at Critter Control. Many types of animals like to live in attics. This includes squirrels, raccoons, rats, mice, bats, birds, and even possums. Critters like to go into attics for a safe place to live and raise their young. Removing animals from attics is very complex work, partly because of the presence of baby animals. If you need Oak Ridge squirrel removal, we can remove all the squirrels from your attic, and seal out any future ones. Read more about how to get rid of squirrels.

Rodent control must be done in a very specific way. First off, the most important thing is that all the openings that rats and mice can use to enter a house be sealed. Then all the rodents must be physically trapped and removed. Never, ever use poison! Most Oak Ridge exterminators will just use this lazy poison technique to kill rodents, and it causes more harm than good - dead stinky rats, and it doesn't solve the problem. Call us for correct Oak Ridge rat removal. Read more about how to get rid of rats.

Bat removal is a highly specialized task. Tennessee is known to have colonizing bats who often live in buildings. Bats love attics. If not removed, the colony can grow to a very large size over the years. The bat droppings are often corrosive and cause health risks. The same goes for bird droppings on or in buildings. We perform Oak Ridge pigeon removal and bird control. But our specialty is Oak Ridge bat removal. We remove 100% of the bat colony and seal the building so that it's totally bat-proof. Read more about how to get rid of bats.

If you have animals inside a house, no job is complete without proper exclusion repairs. If you simply hire a Oak Ridge trapper who only removes the critters, then the problem will return. You need to hire a Oak Ridge wildlife control company that identifies 100% of the animal entry points into your building, and seals them shut with professional repairs. In addition, in many cases animals have left waste or contamination behind, and you'll want a company that can provide professional cleaning services. Critter Control does both.

The above are just some of the services offered by Critter Control. We also trap and remove animals that destroy lawns, such as moles, or digging animals. Sometimes animals like opossums will live under buildings, steal pet food, raid garbage cans, etc. Read about how to get rid of opossums. Skunks commonly live under sheds or decks, and set up a den. We can trap and remove them without them spraying. Read about how to get rid of skunks. Critter Control also provides dead animal removal in Oak Ridge. If you need help with any other wildlife conflict, from a fox, beaver, groundhog, or any other critter, we can solve it. We also do Oak Ridge snake removal - most of the snakes in Tennessee are not venomous, but call us if you want safe removal, or read about how to get rid of snakes in Oak Ridge. And remember, we are a private business, not Oakridge Knox County Animal Control Services, so if you have a dog or cat problem, call the County at 865-215-6599. Oakridge Knox County animal services does not handle any wildlife issues.


Critter Control: 865-312-7211

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Oak Ridge Pricing Info For Year 2020

Every wildlife removal situation is different, from the species of animals involved, the location of the animal inside a house or outside, the extent of repairs or cleanup, etc. It's impossible to give one-size-fits-all prices. Examples MIGHT include:

Small Job: For example, a one-stop job to remove an animal in the yard: $100 on up
Medium Job: For example, getting critters out of your house with minor repairs: $300 on up
Large Job: For example, a project involving many service trips and complex work: $500 on up

Give us a phone call now and tell us about your wildlife issue and we will be able to give you a price estimate over the phone. If you're cool with it, we can schedule a same-day or next-day appointment if you like. Our prices are fair, and a good value because we do the job right, the first time.

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Oak Ridge Wildlife Tip #1:
What happens to trapped squirrels? - You may have already discovered that the only way to get rid of a pesky squirrel is by trapping the animal and then releasing it elsewhere so that it no longer bothers you, but as you can probably imagine, this comes with its fair share of problems! There are so many questions surrounding this topic that it almost makes absolutely no sense to try and do the job alone. In reality, you should leave it for the professionals to sort out - that's what they trained for after all! If you decide to go it alone, there are a few things that you are going to need to research: Traps - how big do you need them? Where do you need to put them? How long do you need to leave them there for? Are they going to be safe around your kids or pets? Bait - is there good bait or bad bait? How often should you change the bait? What happens if the bait doesn't work? Catching - what do you do with the squirrel once you have caught it? Where can you release it? Are there rules and regulations that you must adhere to? How far away are you going to need to place the squirrel so that it doesn't find its way right back to your home? In conclusion, there are far too many things for you to think about to risk doing it alone. Although it is possible to catch and release this creature, there are so many things that you are going to need to take into account that it would probably be a much safer and easier option if you just called the local wildlife guys!

Oak Ridge Wildlife Tip #2:
How many teeth does an opossum have? It makes sense to know what you are dealing with when it comes to wild animals in your yard or in your home, and this is very much so the case with animals such as the opossum - wild, unpredictable, and hungry! These critters look strange and act even stranger, especially with their "play dead" nature. Of course, when handling these creatures, you need to have a certain amount of knowledge, not only to protect yourself, but also to protect the animal as well. The opossum actually has more teeth than any other mammals out there - 50 of the pointy things to be more precise. It is when the opossum is threatened that you will see these glaring at you in full force, but for the most part, they don't normally bite, and would rather run away or play dead than sink their fangs into your skin. Essentially, the teeth baring behavior is more of a display of "I can hurt you!" and it is often noted that when the animal is in this position, you can pretty much shove anything in its mouth and not have to worry because it normally will not clamp down. If you take a few moments to have a browse on the internet, you will soon see what is to be feared with this creature - any open mouth shot of the opossum shows you a pretty epic set of pearly whites, (or not) and their killer-looking fangs almost look like something out of a horror story. Of course, as we have already mentioned, the opossum is somewhat unpredictable, so the teeth-baring isn't something that should be tested, and we certainly would not suggest you put your hands in this little guy's mouth, should you ever come across one.

Tennessee Wildlife Information:

Tennessee State bird: Northern mockingbird, bobwhite quail
State mammal: Raccoon
State reptile: Eastern box turtle
State amphibian: Tennessee cave salamander
State fish: Largemouth bass, channel catfish
State insect: 7-spotted ladybug, European honeybee

Tennessee sometimes gets a reputation for being a land of nothing but flat fields and farms. This is untrue, and comes from the fact it transitions to the center of the country where states like Kansas really are primarily flat farmland. Tennessee is, in fact, full of mountains and lush valleys, having a number of mountain ranges including the Appalachians and the Smokey Mountains. The summers are typically hot and humid, but higher elevations can be quite cold in the winter with significant snowfall. A number of animals make their homes in this state, enjoying the warm weather and comparably milder winters.

This state is actually known for its salamander population in the Smokey Mountain National Park. With over 30 species of salamanders in five different families, the park is considered the salamander capital of the world.

Not surprisingly, since it is the state mammal, raccoons are one of the top nuisance creatures in Tennessee. The masked garbage-raiders are right at home in the state's forests, eventually moving in to invade human homes when it's time to have a family. Homeowners in Tennessee also have to worry about skunks, bats, beavers, muskrats, woodchucks, squirrels, and opossums.

Armadillos also make short work of people's yards. The armadillo, while a quiet and docile animal, is very destructive when it decides to search a yard for grubs, bugs, or worms. Thankfully, these critters are easy to trap, and some areas of Tennessee consider them a delicacy. People must be careful consuming armadillo meat as it can carry leprosy. Despite the concern, there are a number of ways to cook the creature, and most recipes favor the BBQ.

Campers can attest to evidence of the larger animals in Tennessee. Black bear are very common in the mountains, and these large predators can grow to be over 500 pounds. Second to the black bear only in size are the cougars. These large cats are incredibly smart, and very dangerous if they decide to stalk human prey. A problematic cougar can watch a person for days while formulating a plan of attack. Wolves and coyotes are also top carnivores, though wolves are small in number, having just been reintroduced into the state back in the early 1990's.

You can always call Critter Control, any time of day, at 865-312-7211, for a price quote for Oak Ridge wildlife control services. I am confident that this is the best choice amongst wildlife removal companies in Oak Ridge, TN.