Is something in the attic?:The most common types of wildlife found in homes in NC and why.

Is my attic newly haunted by an old spirit? Has a poltergeist moved through the wall?

Odds are no...but that doesn't mean something didn't move in!

If you have been in North Carolina long you know there is natural beauty abound. The Appalachian mountains to our left, the Atlantic ocean to our right and rolling hills in between. With all that natural beauty comes wildlife which is as equally amazing.

However when that wildlife comes into your home it is less amazing and a lot more problematic. So to answer our question "What's that sound?" let's start by going outside. Do you have large brush piles? Is trash can covered? If the answers are yes and no you probably have a racoon(s). This is even more prevalent as it gets colder and animals are looking for a dry warm spot to winter. Look around for openings in your soffit vents and facial boards. The hole doesn't have to be very big for a limber raccoon to get in.

What if that's not my situation? The next questions are do you have bird feeders? Do you notice a brownish smear near your roof? A yes to these questions probably means squirrels. That brown smear is oil secreted through their skin. If you have bird feeders but no trees or just a lot of squirrels, they want to be as close to the feeders as they can.

According to the NC Wildlife Department of Wildlife these two creatures are responsible for the majority of depredation permits written and after a check with CDC,histoplasmosis(racoons),tularemia(squirrels), and rabies you do not want them in your home.