They are shutting down restaurants, grocery stores and other facilities in the Toronto vicinity. It has become apparent that the situation is out of control, but there are HUMANE ways to get rid of these rodents.

Rats are not so cute, they carry serious diseases and if bitten by this rodent they can threaten human health. Exposure to rodent dander, fur, urine and feces are found in nearly all inner city dwellings and children with rodent allergies may develop asthma.

Contamination to food is as easy as their accessibility to the food source.

Rat burrowing can cause streets and structures to collapse. Extensive property damage and fires are caused by their gnawing on electrical wiring and gas lines as well as power outages, internet outages and computer crashes. Good sanitation practices and exclusion practices are necessary for the control of rats. ICE uses various methods for the elimination of rats and focuses on the entry points. Sealing and prevention is the key to keeping rats out of your home or building. Feel free to call for more information.

Visit the following link to see what they had to say on CityNews.

Bed Bugs are Back

At ICE we strive for excellence and achieve it. When treating bed bugs in an apartment building or hotel it is imperative that not only the infested unit is cleaned but all surrounding units must be done as well to prevent them from spreading (this is called a block).

We use the newest technology available on the market and our proven methods make it possible for us to get RESULTS! Our IPM program is effective and our services put us above other pest control companies who use out-dated and non-effective methods. We are the experts.

The GTA is not safe from bed bugs and neither are you!

Imagine this is your bed partner for the night!

Beg bugs have come back and are not going away easily. Across Canada, they have become a nightmare for homeowners, tenants, property managers and hotel management. It is a myth that if your home is clean you will not get them.

Beg bugs are travelling with people daily. They can be hiding on the bus or train where you sit and read the paper on your way to work, on chairs where you eat lunch at your favourite restaurant, in your suitcase coming back from a business trip or vacation and at the home of family or friends you just visited. Bed bugs are found in hostiles, low rental housing and cheap hotels.

You might think bed bugs are more likely to be found in hostiles and cheap motels. Guess what? Not true! The most prestigious hotel chains, rental properties and condo units have been affected by this outbreak.

The only way to conquer a bed bug infestation is by hiring a professional pest control company who uses an IPM (Integrated Pest Management) approach in order to resolve the situation.

ICE can HELP! We have over 25 years of experience in the wildlife and pest control industry and highly trained, licensed professionals on staff.

Is Your Pest Control Company Working for You?
In order to gauge whether or not the pest control company you’re considering hiring is treating bed bugs proficiently, remember to consider the following points:

• Do they use the newest technology and equipment that is available today?
• Do they help management prepare homeowners or tenants for treatment?
• Do they use four different methods when treating for bed bugs?
• Do they follow-up and monitor the problem after treatment?

Do they GET RESULTS?

Call ICE for prompt, professional wildlife, bed bug and pest control services you can count on.

What’s the Deal with Squirrels?

You see them everywhere, every day. But what do you really know about these furry/furious creatures?

Kim Hughes – The Grid
Squirrels. Each of us sees at least one every day in every corner of the GTA. For some, they are a scampering, bushy-tailed source of amusement. For others, they are an attic-invading, flower bulb–chomping nuisance. For still others they are prey. But what do any of us really know about Sciuridae, these comparatively small-breeding members of the rodent family seen in huge numbers in our corner of the world (and who are members of the same family as chipmunks and groundhogs)?

Can urban squirrels really live 20 years, as the City of Toronto website claims? Who do you call when you find one injured? Do trees propagate from squirrel-buried nuts? Why did a squirrel devour the entire waxy portion of an IKEA tea-light in my garden this summer? Are they smart? Rabid? Do they generate as many complaints as raccoons, the city’s other notorious four-legged menace?

We asked four experts to shed light on Toronto’s least known yet (seemingly) most ubiquitous citizens through insider factoids and anecdotes. Our panel:

• Doug Campbell, an adjunct faculty member at Ontario Veterinary College in Guelph and a veterinarian with the Canadian Cooperative Wildlife Health Centre.
• Nathalie Karvonen, biologist, founder, and executive director with the Toronto Wildlife Centre.
• Robert Meerburg, officer and educator with Toronto Animal Services (TAS).
• Kevin Smith, co-owner of Innovative Care of the Environment (or ICE) pest control company.

Continue the rest of the article

Baby Season Is Fast Approaching!

Attempting removal of any wildlife protecting their baby is risky and should not be attempted by any untrained or unprotected individual. HUMANE removal is the only way. ICE uses a one-way door system to get the animals out and places the babies in incubators so the mother can re-locate the family.

It is important for homeowners to call us right away once they realize babies are present, we can pick up the litter and place all the babies safely together in our specially designed incubators in order to re-unite them with their mother. ICE places the incubator outside the one-way door installed at the entry point, the mother will hear the babies outside and will proceed out the door, exiting your home; she will then re-locate them.

Getting all the members out before closing entry points is crucial, the mother can cause severe damage to your roof or any other area of the home if she feels one of her own is still inside. This is a really good reason to call the professionals!

Should any homeowner feel compelled to keep the babies safe in “their den” because of seasonal temperatures they should be aware that the infants will become more rambunctious, noisy and destructive as they get older. It usually takes about four weeks before babies become mobile; ICE will not attempt to remove the babies after this point and the animals will have to stay in the home until they can exit the one-way door on their own at around 8-10 weeks.

Once baby squirrels or raccoons have been born, your home now becomes their “den”. These animals will come back year after year attempting to break back in any weak areas of your home. The law prohibits inhumane removal of urban wildlife, and unfortunately the homeowner has to bear the expense. Wildlife proofing or prevention has become necessary in these times and ICE can help you.

For more information related to this topic please see:

• Wildlife
• Specialty Services
• Home Inspection
• FAQ