When homeowners in the greater Kansas City metro area discover pests in their homes and crawlspaces, prompt expert intervention is required to guarantee the safety of the property and its inhabitants. Cridder Ridder stands as the region's top expert in handling complex human-wildlife conflicts. As a locally owned and operated company, Cridder Ridder possesses an intimate understanding of the regional environment and the specific wildlife issues that affect Missouri and Kansas homeowners.
From hearing raccoon noises at night to spotting mice in your pantry, our crew gets the job done. 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 Knowledge Combined with Expert Service
In the pest control industry, local knowledge is key. Big corporate franchises frequently use one-size-fits-all methods. However, the wildlife behaviors in Overland Park, Lenexa, and Olathe are dictated by the specific climate, vegetation, and layout of the Midwest.
Understanding the KC Environment
The Kansas City metro area provides a unique environment where urban development meets nature. This mix often leads to conflicts between people and animals. Animals such as raccoons, squirrels, and bats have adapted to prosper in suburban environments, often finding our homes to be better than their natural habitats.
At Cridder Ridder, we analyze 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, ensuring that top-tier pest management is accessible across the entire metro.
Why We Hire Certified Specialists
Successful animal removal takes more than just basic equipment. It requires a profound knowledge of biology, construction, and safety protocols. Our staff undergoes strict training to handle KC wildlife & pest issues. This guarantees that when we perform bat control or rodent prevention, it is done in compliance with state regulations and with the utmost 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 key part of our service offering.
Spotting a Raccoon Infestation
Raccoons are usually nocturnal, but their presence is hard to miss. Residents frequently hear loud thumping overhead or see damage to vents and eaves. Raccoons are strong enough to rip open shingles to gain entry. Once inside, they trample insulation, ruining it, and use the space as a toilet.
The Health Risks of Raccoon Intrusions
In addition to property damage, raccoons carry health threats. Their feces can contain raccoon roundworm, the eggs of which are tough and dangerous to humans if inhaled or ingested. Furthermore, raccoons are known vectors for rabies and distemper. Cridder Ridder employs professional trapping techniques to remove these animals humanely, avoiding direct contact and minimizing stress to the animal.
Restoration and Exclusion
Trapping the raccoon is just the first step. If the entry point is not closed off, another raccoon will simply take the previous one's place. We provide complete exclusion services, using heavy-duty steel mesh and construction-grade materials to seal entry points, ensuring your home remains raccoon-free.
Expert Bat Control and Exclusion Services
Bat control is a niche field within the pest management industry. Unlike rodents, bats cannot be trapped and relocated easily; they must be excluded. Bats are federally protected in many instances, and their removal is subject to strict seasonal restrictions ("blackout periods") to protect flightless pups.
Risks Associated with Bat Droppings
While bats are beneficial to the environment due to their consumption of insects, they do not belong in your attic. The accumulation of bat droppings, known as guano, is a serious biohazard. As guano decomposes, it releases spores that can cause histoplasmosis, a severe respiratory disease.
The Exclusion Process
Cridder Ridder utilizes a "one-way door" system for bat removal. We identify 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 prevent them from re-entering. After all bats are out, we seal the building up for good. This humane approach ensures the colony survives while your home is reclaimed.
Rodent Prevention: Mice and Rat Management
The presence of mice or rats is perhaps the most common pest issue in Kansas City. Because they breed so fast, two rodents can turn into a huge infestation quickly. Rodent prevention requires a plan that goes beyond just putting down traps.
Inspecting and Sealing Your Home
A mouse can squeeze through a dime-sized hole. Our technicians conduct a inch-by-inch inspection of your foundation, siding, and roofline. We identify 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 counsel 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 electrical wiring.
Risk of Fire
The biggest risk with squirrels is that they can cause electrical fires. When squirrels chew through the protective coating of electrical wires in an attic, they create a significant fire hazard. Squirrel removal is therefore a matter of urgency.
Trapping and Relocation
Squirrels are often diurnal (daytime active). We utilize 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 ensure no young are left behind in walls or eaves.
General Pest Treatments: Bugs and Spiders
Although wildlife is our specialty, we are also a complete pest control provider. We provide robust solutions for the creepy-crawlies that invade living spaces.
Controlling Spiders and Ants
Whether it's brown recluse spiders in the basement or ants in the pantry, our treatments protect your home. We use EPA-approved products that are effective against pests but harmless for your family when used according to label directions.
Seasonal Pest Maintenance
Different pests appear at different times of the year. Spring means ants and wasps, while fall brings spiders and mice looking for shelter. Our recurring service plans guarantee that your home is protected all year long, addressing the specific pests active in each season.
Carcass Removal and Deodorization
The smell of a decomposing animal inside a house is terrible. If a critter has died in your walls or crawlspace, we remove it quickly and discreetly.
Locating the Source
Finding a dead animal inside walls is tough. Our technicians are skilled to identify the location of the animal, often minimizing the need for invasive cutting into drywall.
Cleaning and Sanitizing
After removal, we sanitize the spot to kill bacteria and parasites like fleas. 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 dedicated to the communities we serve. Our service radius covers the heart of the metro and the surrounding suburbs.
Serving Johnson County
We have a solid reputation in Overland Park, Leawood, Lenexa, Shawnee, Olathe, and Prairie Village. The mature trees and established neighborhoods in these areas are beautiful, but they also support high populations of wildlife that frequently clash with homeowners.
Serving the Missouri Side
Our technicians are also busy in Kansas City, MO, Lee's Summit, Blue Springs, and Independence. We understand the variety of homes in these areas, from historic homes 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 home.
1. Locally Owned and Operated
We are not a franchise. When you call us, you are speaking to a local expert who cares about your satisfaction and reputation in the community.
2. Fully Trained Technicians
We put resources in the education of our staff. Laws and technologies in our industry are always changing. We stay at the cutting edge 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 care about the wildlife we manage. Our goal is to evict them from human structures where they don't belong and release 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.
Does homeowners insurance cover wildlife damage?
This varies by policy. While the removal of the animal is rarely covered, the repair of the damage caused (insulation, drywall, roof repair) is sometimes covered. 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" solution for your home.
Get in Touch with Cridder Ridder
Don't let animals take over your house. If you suspect an infestation of raccoons, bats, squirrels, or general pests, contact the experts who know Kansas City best.
Cridder Ridder is ready to help you with prompt, professional, and effective 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/