Glossary
Wildlife Glossary: Plain-English Terms
Words you will hear from a wildlife professional, explained simply.
Call us today615-357-7797- Exclusion
- Sealing a building so animals cannot get in. It is the permanent fix after removal.
- One-way door
- A device that lets an animal leave but not come back in, used for bats, squirrels and others.
- Soffit
- The underside of the roof overhang. Vents in the soffit are common entry points.
- Fascia
- The board along the roof edge, behind the gutter. Chewed fascia lets animals reach the attic.
- Gable vent
- A vent in the triangular end wall of a house, often a gap for birds and squirrels.
- Ridge vent
- A vent along the peak of the roof that lets attic air out.
- Hardware cloth
- Welded steel mesh used to block animals. It is much stronger than chicken wire.
- Chimney cap
- A metal cover with a screen on top of a chimney that keeps animals, rain and sparks out.
- Guano
- Bat droppings. Large amounts can carry a fungus and cause a strong smell.
- Latrine
- A spot where raccoons or other animals repeatedly leave droppings.
- Maternity colony
- A group of female bats that roost together to raise pups in spring and summer.
- Pup season
- The weeks when young bats cannot fly, roughly mid-May to July in Tennessee.
- Histoplasmosis
- A lung illness caused by a fungus that grows in bird and bat droppings.
- Hantavirus
- A virus carried by some rodents, mainly deer mice, spread through dust from droppings.
- Leptospirosis
- A bacterial disease spread by the urine of rats and other animals.
- Raccoon roundworm
- A parasite in raccoon droppings that can make people seriously ill.
- Rabies
- A viral disease of mammals spread by bites. Raccoons, skunks, bats and foxes are the main carriers in Tennessee.
- TWRA
- The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency, which manages game and protected wildlife.
- Nuisance wildlife
- Wild animals that cause damage or problems for people and property.
- Live trap
- A cage that captures an animal without harming it.
- Vapor barrier
- A plastic sheet on the crawl space soil that keeps moisture down.
- HEPA vacuum
- A vacuum with a filter that traps very fine dust, used for droppings cleanup.
- Sanitizing
- Treating a surface with a disinfectant after droppings and urine are removed.
- Denning
- When an animal makes a den to sleep or raise young, such as under a deck.
- Sounder
- A group of feral hogs.
- Migratory Bird Treaty Act
- A federal law that protects most native birds, their nests and eggs.
- Girdling
- Chewing around the base of a tree or shrub, which can kill it.
- Latch
- The closing hardware on a coop or trap. Raccoons can open simple latches, so use two-step ones.
What should I do if I hear noises in my attic?
Do not seal anything. Note the time of day and the type of sound and call us. A daytime scratch is often a squirrel, while night thumping can be a raccoon, a rodent or bats.
Will baby animals be left behind?
No. We check for young before any work and time removals so mothers and babies are removed or reunited together.
Do you handle bats?
Yes. Bats are protected and need careful timing, so we use one-way exits outside the pup season and seal the building afterward.
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Music City Wildlife removes and prevents wildlife problems in homes and businesses across Nashville and Middle Tennessee, from squirrels in the attic to bats in the walls, with humane methods, careful sealing and cleanup.
- 615-357-7797
- Open 24 hours for emergencies
- Nashville, Tennessee · Servicing Middle Tennessee
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