Silver Bullet Pest ControlStraight answers from Silver Bullet Pest Control, a licensed exterminator based in Garfield, NJ, serving Bergen, Passaic, Essex and Hudson counties. Call or text 973-510-2585. Hablamos español.
Featured on Telemundo 47 • EPA Pesticide Safety Certified • 4.9 Stars on Google • NJ License 90568B
Text a photo of what you're seeing and we'll tell you what it is and what to do.
The time of day is the biggest clue. Scratching and running in the early morning and late afternoon is usually squirrels. Light scurrying at night is mice; heavier gnawing and dragging at night is rats. Heavy thumping and walking at night is a raccoon. Faint squeaking or rustling at dusk is often bats. Silver Bullet Pest Control can confirm with an inspection: 973-510-2585.
| What you hear | When | Likely animal |
|---|---|---|
| Running, scratching, rolling (like nuts) | Early morning, late afternoon | Squirrels |
| Light scurrying, tiny scratching | Night | Mice |
| Gnawing, dragging, heavier scurrying | Night | Rats |
| Heavy walking, thumps, growling | Night | Raccoon |
| Squeaking, rustling, fluttering | Dusk and dawn | Bats |
| High-pitched chirping from one spot | Day (squirrel) or night (raccoon) | Babies |
Outside: walk around the house and look up. Chewed soffit corners point to squirrels; torn vents or pulled-down soffit to raccoons; dark stains around small gaps near the roof to bats; gnawed holes low on the house or burrows to rats.
Droppings: mice leave tiny rice-like pellets; rats larger capsules; squirrels pellets a bit larger than rats, often in piles; raccoons large, dog-like droppings in a latrine spot; bats small pellets that crumble into dust.
Watch at dusk: stand outside at sunset. Bats leaving from the roofline answer the question quickly.
The three situations behind most of these calls in North Jersey:
We get squirrels out with one-way doors and seal the roofline so they can't chew back in. Exclusion, not relocation.
Raccoons tear their way in and do real damage. We remove them from the house and close the opening with heavy-duty materials.
Ground animals cause foundation and yard problems. We find where they live and block access so they move on.
Each animal needs a different approach. Squirrels get one-way doors and roofline sealing. Raccoons need stronger exclusion and care around kits. Bats are protected and have seasonal timing rules. Mice and rats need trapping and sealing of small gaps, often low on the house as well as at the roof. Getting it wrong wastes time, and sealing the wrong hole can trap an animal inside.
See squirrel proofing, raccoon proofing, bat exclusion and mice and rat service.
Keep tree limbs about 6 to 8 feet from the roof so squirrels can't jump on.
Use cans with tight lids and bungee cords. Raccoons learn trash night fast.
A sturdy chimney cap keeps out raccoons, squirrels and birds.
Look for chewed soffit corners, loose vents and gaps at roof returns each spring and fall.
Tell us what you're seeing and where. A photo often lets us identify the pest right away. We answer 24/7 for emergencies.
A licensed tech finds the source: where the pest lives, how it gets in and what draws it.
We use the right method for the pest, placed where it works and kept away from kids and pets.
We close entry points and tell you what to change so the problem doesn't come back.
Call or text 973-510-2585 for the fastest answer, or tell us what's going on and we'll get back to you quickly.
🔒 Your info stays private · Hablamos español.
Most likely squirrels, which are active in the early morning and late afternoon.
Mice, rats or a raccoon. Light scurrying is mice; heavy thumping is a raccoon.
Yes, faint squeaking and rustling, mostly at dusk and dawn.
Squirrel droppings are slightly larger and rounder and often in piles; rat droppings are capsule-shaped.
Better not to disturb animals; a scared raccoon can be dangerous. Look from outside and call.
Not until you know what it is. The wrong trap or bait can make things worse.
Yes. We inspect the attic and the outside of the house to identify the animal and every entry point.
Yes. We show you the openings, and photos when possible, so you know exactly what was sealed.
Not when it's done right. We use one-way doors and check for babies first so nothing is sealed in.
They chew wiring, tear insulation and leave droppings and urine. Raccoons can carry rabies and roundworm, so their droppings need careful cleanup.
Yes. Squirrels gnaw constantly, and chewed wiring in an attic is a real fire risk, which is one reason to act quickly.
It depends on how many entry points there are, the roof height and whether repairs are needed. Estimates are free: call or text 973-510-2585.
Yes. Call 973-510-2585 any time; we answer 24/7.
Based in Garfield, we serve these towns and the rest of Bergen, Passaic, Essex and Hudson counties.
Updated November 2026 by the Silver Bullet Pest Control team, Garfield, NJ • NJ License 90568B
