When homeowners in the greater Kansas City metro area discover critters in their homes and crawlspaces, immediate and professional action is required to ensure the safety of the property and its inhabitants. Cridder Ridder stands as the region's premier provider in handling complex human-wildlife conflicts. As a locally owned and operated business, Cridder Ridder possesses an intimate understanding of the regional environment and the specific wildlife issues that affect Missouri and Kansas homeowners.
Whether you are dealing with the nocturnal scratching of raccoons or the sudden appearance of rodents in the kitchen, our team delivers results. Our fully trained technicians are not just exterminators; they are wildlife control experts committed to restoring the comfort of your home through nuisance wildlife removal, pest control, and thorough exclusion strategies.
The Cridder Ridder Advantage: Local Expertise Meets Professional Precision
Understanding the local area is essential for effective pest control. Big corporate franchises frequently use one-size-fits-all methods. However, the wildlife behaviors in Overland Park, Lenexa, and Olathe are driven by the specific climate, vegetation, and urban planning of the Midwest.
Navigating the KC Wildlife Ecosystem
The Kansas City metro area provides a distinct environment where urban development meets nature. This interface creates the ideal conditions for human-wildlife conflict. Animals such as raccoons, squirrels, and bats have adapted to prosper in suburban environments, often finding our homes to be superior to their natural habitats.
At Cridder Ridder, we inspect the property as a whole. We go beyond just setting traps by figuring out how and why pests got in. Being locals, we treat every customer with neighborly care. We service a vast area, including Shawnee, Leawood, Prairie Village, Lee's Summit, Blue Springs, and Independence, MO, guaranteeing that quality pest management is available across the entire metro.
The Importance of Skilled Technicians
Successful animal removal takes more than just basic equipment. It requires a profound knowledge of biology, construction, and safety protocols. Our staff undergoes thorough training to handle KC wildlife & pest issues. This ensures that when we perform bat control or rodent prevention, it is done in compliance with state regulations and with the highest regard for the safety of your family and pets.
Complete Raccoon Removal Solutions
One of the most destructive pests in the Midwest is the raccoon. These smart and agile animals can cause thousands of dollars in damage in a very short period. Raccoon removal is a cornerstone of our service offering.
Spotting a Raccoon Infestation
Raccoons are typically nocturnal, but their presence is hard to miss. Homeowners often report heavy thumping noises in the attic, torn soffits, or damaged roof vents. Raccoons are powerful enough to rip open shingles to gain entry. Once inside, they crush insulation, rendering it ineffective, and use the space as a latrine.
Health Dangers Caused by Raccoons
Beyond the physical damage, raccoons pose severe health risks. Their feces can contain raccoon roundworm, the eggs of which are resilient and hazardous to humans if inhaled or ingested. Additionally, raccoons are known vectors for rabies and distemper. Cridder Ridder employs specialized trapping techniques to remove these animals safely, avoiding direct contact and minimizing stress to the animal.
Cleanup and Prevention
Removing the animal is only half the battle. If the entry point is not sealed, another raccoon will simply take the previous one's place. We provide full exclusion services, using industrial-strength steel mesh and construction-grade materials to seal entry points, making sure your home remains raccoon-free.
Professional Bat Removal and Colony Exclusion
Bat control is a highly specialized field within the pest management industry. You cannot simply trap and move bats like mice; they require exclusion methods. Bats are protected by law in many instances, and their removal is subject to rigid seasonal restrictions ("blackout periods") to save flightless pups.
The Dangers of Guano and Histoplasmosis
Bats eat bugs and help the ecosystem, but they shouldn't live in your home. The buildup of bat droppings, known as guano, is a major biohazard. As guano decomposes, it releases spores that can cause histoplasmosis, a dangerous respiratory disease.
How We Remove Bats
Cridder Ridder utilizes a "one-way door" system for bat removal. We find the main entry points—often ridges, vents, or gaps in the fascia—and install devices that allow bats to exit the structure to feed at night but block them from returning. Once the colony has been fully evacuated, we permanently seal the structure. This safe approach ensures the colony survives while your home is secured.
Rodent Control: Managing Mice and Rats
The presence of mice or rats is perhaps the most common pest issue in Kansas City. Rodents are prolific breeders; a single pair can result in a massive infestation in a matter of months. Rodent prevention requires a strategy that goes beyond setting simple snap traps.
Structural Analysis and Seal-Up
Mice can fit through openings as small as a dime. Our technicians conduct a meticulous inspection of your foundation, siding, and roofline. We locate the "highway" rodents are using to enter your home. By sealing these gaps with rodent-proof materials, we prevent new rodents from getting in.
Cleanup and Trapping
Successful mouse control means removing what attracts them. We advise homeowners on sanitation practices that reduce food sources for rodents. Combined with strategic trapping and baiting stations, Cridder Ridder removes the current population and protects the home against future invasions.
Squirrel Removal: Protecting Your Structural Integrity
Squirrels may look harmless, but they are members of the rodent family, meaning their teeth never stop growing. To keep their teeth filed down, they gnaw on hard surfaces—including your roof trusses and power lines.
Risk of Fire
The greatest danger posed by squirrels is the risk of electrical fire. When squirrels chew through the protective coating of electrical wires in an attic, they create a significant fire hazard. Squirrel removal is a critical priority.
Trapping and Relocation
Squirrels are often diurnal (active during the day). We use repeating traps and one-way exclusion doors to remove squirrels from attics. We prioritize the removal of the entire family unit, especially during nesting seasons in spring and fall, to make sure no young are left behind in walls or eaves.
General Pest Control: Insects and Arachnids
While we specialize in vertebrates, Cridder Ridder is a full-service pest control company. We provide strong solutions for the creepy-crawlies that invade living spaces.
Spider and Ant Control
From the recluse spiders common in Missouri basements to the trails of ants in the kitchen, our general pest treatments create a barrier around your home. We use EPA-approved products that are potent against pests but safe for your family when used according to label directions.
Year-Round Pest Services
Pest pressures change with the seasons. Spring brings ants and stinging insects; fall brings spiders and rodents seeking warmth. Our ongoing service plans ensure that your home is protected all year long, handling the specific pests active in each season.
Dead Animal Removal and Odor Control
Few things are as unpleasant as the smell of a dead animal decomposing within a home. Whether a mouse has died in a wall void or a raccoon has perished in a crawlspace, dead animal removal is a service we perform with discretion and efficiency.
Finding the Smell
Locating a carcass inside a finished structure can be difficult. Our technicians are skilled to pinpoint the location of the animal, often minimizing the need for invasive cutting into drywall.
Cleaning and Sanitizing
Once the animal is removed, the area must be sanitized to remove bacteria and parasites (like fleas or maggots) that may have been feeding on the carcass. We also apply industrial-strength deodorizers to neutralize the biological odors, rather than simply masking them.
Service Areas: Covering the Kansas City Area
Cridder Ridder is deeply committed to the communities we serve. Our service radius covers the central city and the surrounding suburbs.
Serving Johnson County
We have a strong presence in Overland Park, Leawood, Lenexa, Shawnee, Olathe, and Prairie Village. The mature trees and established neighborhoods in these areas are beautiful, but they also host many animals that frequently conflict with homeowners.
Missouri Side Service
Our technicians are equally active in Kansas City, MO, Lee's Summit, Blue Springs, and Independence. We understand the variety of homes in these areas, from older houses with stone foundations to modern builds, and how each presents unique challenges for pest exclusion.
Reasons to Hire Cridder Ridder
Hiring a wildlife company requires trust. You are allowing technicians into your private sanctuary.
1. Locally Owned and Operated
We are not a franchise. When you call us, you are speaking to a community member who cares about your satisfaction and local standing.
2. Highly Skilled Experts
We put resources in the education of our staff. Wildlife laws change, and pest control technologies evolve. We stay at the forefront of the industry to deliver the best service possible.
3. Complete Fixes
We solve the root problem, not just the symptoms. By focusing on exclusion and prevention, we provide permanent results rather than band-aid solutions.
4. Ethical Wildlife Handling
We respect the wildlife we manage. Our goal is to remove them from human structures where they don't belong and return them to the wild if laws allow.
Common Questions About Wildlife Control
What are signs of animals in the attic?
Common signs include scratching or scurrying noises (especially at night for raccoons/mice, or early morning for squirrels), stains on ceilings, unpleasant odors, or visible entry points on the exterior of the home.
Is bat removal legal year-round?
Bats are often protected by law. During the breeding season (typically late spring to late summer), bats cannot be removed if flightless pups are present. Cridder Ridder adheres strictly to these regulations to avoid harming the bat population while planning for exclusion once the season allows.
Is animal damage covered by insurance?
It depends on your specific policy. Usually, removal isn't covered, but the repairs to insulation or drywall might be. We recommend checking with your insurance agent. We can provide documentation of the damage found.
How does wildlife removal differ from pest control?
Pest control usually means bugs and spiders. Wildlife removal deals with animals like mammals and birds. Cridder Ridder is equipped to handle both, providing a "one-stop" shop for your home.
Contact Cridder Ridder Today
Do not let pests dictate the comfort of your home. If you think you have an infestation of raccoons, bats, squirrels, or general pests, contact the professionals who know Kansas City best.
Cridder Ridder is ready to help you with fast and reliable service. Whether you are in Overland Park, Blue Springs, or anywhere in between, we are your local resource for wildlife management.
Contact Information:
Cridder Ridder 5001 E 110th St, Kansas City, MO 64137 (913) 851-2176 https://www.cridderridder.com/