It's been over a month and a half since I had Critter Ridder come to my house and give me an estimate to take care of roof rats and do exclusion work. The representative was knowledgeable, friendly and courteous. His estimate was not. I called a second highly rated company and got an estimate from them that was less than half of the Critter Ridder estimate AND included a cleaning of the attic. Critter Ridder's attic cleaning cost was an add on service in addition to the pest control estimate. Secondly, Critter Ridder tried to upsell me an "attic restoration" package where they remove all insulation, do a "deep" cleaning and replace the insulation which would have brought the entire cost well over $10k -- yes, $10k. I mentioned the attic restoration to the second company and was told it was "unnecessary for my situation"... just as I thought. They explained where it would be necessary and I was not even close for consideration. Both companies warranty their work for a year. You can renew Critter Ridder's warranty each year for a cost of $500. (Well, on the form they gave me, the amount was a fill in the blank and he wrote $500, so maybe they charge other people less?). The other company allows me to renew for $150 each year. The representative from Critter Ridder showed up at my house in a nondescript pickup truck with a Critter Ridder shirt on. The other company showed up with two guys, driving matching trucks with the company's logo on it and in uniforms. They sent two guys because one was in training. I mention the presentation because I don't want anyone thinking that the second company was not a professional outfit. Their presentation inspired more confidence than Critter Ridder. I went with the second company. Well, I no longer have roof rats, I'm 100% satisfied with the exclusion work and I paid a fraction of what Critter Ridder wanted to charge me. I saved thousands of dollars. I understand that different companies will charge different amounts for the same service, but I feel Critter Ridder was trying to rip me off. I don't say that lightly. If they can justify why their estimate was so high compared to the other company, I will change my review. But I'd strongly encourage others who are considering Critter Ridder to shop around. Based on some of their reviews, they do good work, but they should for the amount of money they charge. read more

After a week, they finally called back. They're ready to do the other house now. No, I'm not ready for you to do another house until you get the first one right. We discussed the things that weren't right on the 1st. house, and they sent a guy out who actually fixed them, and tried a different type of trap. They'd sold me a case of traps, 1/3 of them were defective. They wouldn't stay set. They finally (after two weeks!) sealed up the place that I and the salesman agreed back when we first talked about the work was where the rats were getting into the attic. They also patched (rather ugly, but... ) a new hole by my garage door where a rat chewed his way out after they sealed the garage. THEY NEVER SET ANY TRAPS IN THE GARAGE. Not even now. The problem seems to be that this company doesn't have adequate supervision. They sent non-english speaking workers to do the work, and never checked up on them. Some of the work is good; some is really trashy. And my wife was LIVID at having to clean up trash they left thrown in the back yard. read more

Hired these guys to extract a Ringtail cat from my attic and repair access holes in the roof. They tout their 100% guarantee of fixing the roof and catching the critter. After thousands of dollars paid, assurances that the roof was fixed nd several months of occasional visits from their staff, we had to get actively involved. We installed a night vision video camera to prove the critter was still in the attic and coming and going through a hole in the roof. This was when they broke out "this might have to be an additional fee" conversation. After I reminded them of their guarantee, that argument seemed to subside. After watching videos of the critter going in an out of the live trap without setting it off, we convinced them to alter the trigger mechanism and to tie down the food to make the trap more likely to work. Finally, we caught the creature last week. This week Critter Ridders returned to do final cleanup as that continually warned us to steer clear of the animal droppings as it can carry diseases. Well, what did I see on that same camera I installed, but their employee kicking the droppings into my attic insulation. These guys are not expert in what they do, nor is the company one I would ever recommend to anyone based on our experiences with them. May 16 - I've updated this to a 3-star. Finally got a visit from Brad, the manager. He came out and oversaw clean-up, apologized for the service mishaps and offered a warranty extension. read more

We used Critter Ridder to get rid of an animal that was crawling around our ceiling and crawl spaces. They struggled a bit to isolate the problem initially, but eventually they successfully got the critter(s) out of the house and sealed it up. read more

I called Critter Ridder around noon (Jan 4, 2013) about a squirrel in our fireplace and within the hour Brad had him out and showed us what needed to be done to keep "critters" out. Brad stated that due to the rain he could only install a temporary barrier but would return early the next day to install the necessary screen over the chimney to prevent future access. Not only did Brad call the next morning to assure us that he was on the way, he also came early, inspected the whole premises for any further infestation and needed repairs. Hopefully, we will not require this type of service again but if we do I will most assuredly call Brad at Critter Ridder again. Note: This is the Critter Ridder in Manchaca, not to be confused with other similar names. read more

Bought a house 2 years ago - during the inspection a lot of rats were found living in the attic. We halted the buying process until an exterminator was able to come out and give us a thumbs up on the unwanted pests. At the time we pushed hard to have the attic restored, unfortunately that was a deal breaker for the home seller and we had to settle with what we had. Flash forward 2 years later, we refi'd and had some cash to play with - 1st issue to resolve, the attic restoration. During the previous 2 years I looked and looked and tried to figure out if I could do the work on my own...you name it. First off, save yourself the time of looking it up - you CAN'T and SHOULDN'T do the work on your own. It's severely dangerous to young and old. Especially if you had rats, like we did. You can't just clean it with bleach, etc.. So I searched and found Critter Ridder, everything screamed that these guys were the real deal. Brad stopped by the house and checked things out and was very straightforward. He didn't pull any punches. He basically told me something to the effect - "It isn't going to be cheap, but if you've truly done your research on this, you should already know this. And you already know that this is a nasty job." He was spot on and I appreciated his honesty. We made an agreement that day. They completed the work in 1 less day than expected and our attic looks like a brand new home! Granted we didn't have living animals in our house for this work, but it genuinely feels GOOD to not have that nonsense above us, taking away the peace of mind in making this OUR home. Thank you Critter Ridder! read more

Critter Ridder did an excellent job getting rid of rats. They did a great job of of sealing my house so future critters stay out. They baited and checked traps regularly. After two days of empty traps they removed them. The service reps were very nice and efficient. I would recommend them to anyone read more

I called Critter Ridder based on another Yelpers review. The owner came out the same day I called for my "critters" in and around my door. He was an extremely nice, easy to talk to, genuine guy. He was on time and explained what he was doing and why he was doing it. I would not hesitate to call them again and would recommend them to friends and family. read more

My elderly mother had major surgery. We noticed a horrid smell on one side of her house and contacted this company. Brad came out and went in the attic. He came back down and informed my mother as she is sitting in with her leg propped that she has "colonies of rats" between 6-8 colonies. Then he pulls out his phone and shows her pictures of dead rats obviously in an attic. Her attic is the real question! He then tells my mother that everything is her attic is saturated with rat urine and there is rat feces everywhere. Tells her that they can fix everything for $16k!!! I personally went is in the attic after he left and could not find a single dead rat. I contacted 2 well known companies in Austin and had them come out.... as suspected they too did not find a single dead rat. When I confronted Mike about our facts he was hostile and referred to his reviews. If they could attempt to scam an elderly lady after major surgery I can only imagine what their everyday business. $16,000 PEOPLE!!! *NO OTHER COMPANY FOUND RATS/ DEAD RATS OR "URINE SOAKED" BOXES. 5 OTHER PEOPLE INCLUDING MYSELF AND FOUND NOTHING!!! read more

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Pretty much a bunch of hustlers. Called because of rodents in the house. They came over and showed me the many entry points in which rats could be getting in. Then wrote a detailed estimate of the construction work they would do to seal the holes. The boss dropped off the workers who had no idea what needed to be done. They took over three days and accomplished half the work then disappeared. They have ignored over thirty phone calls I made to get them to come back to finish. They never provided me with a receipt either. I could go on but I'll just say avoid these blatant scam artists at all costs. read more

So helpful! I almost had them come out, but the owner did a little triage over the phone and saved me from the expense and the hassle by telling me that our problem actually doesn't sound critter related. I'm off to call the plumber now! THANK YOU, Critter Ridders! I'll call you when we need you! read more

To say I had a critter a situation would be an understatement. From my first meeting with Arowan through the entire process, I can't say enough about how great my experience with these guys has been. Everything was explained in a step by step way, and made me feel like getting the job done was their number one priority. The owner, Mike, even made sure to get a tree guy in to remove a fallen branch to ensure the job could be finished to their standards. I was very stressed about the whole situation and was put at ease from meeting one. Wouldn't hesitate to use them again! read more

Prompt, helpful, knowledgeable service. I had lifted the toilet lid and a large water snake was in the bowl!!! But by the time Critter Ridder arrived, it was gone: back down the pipe. So we flushed, to speed it on its way, and hopefully it's moved on. read more

Probably the best customer service I've experienced. I was informed of the schedule every step of the way. They did high quality work and ridded my attic of raccoons and rats and repaired the extensive damage. Their price was reasonable and it met State Farm's approval. They came back promptly when I saw a raccoon in the back yard. Brad and Cheryl were/are outstanding. I highly recommend this company for your critter needs. read more

Did you ever have such incredible customer service that you almost wished the problem would recur so you could, once again, be treated well? That's the experience I just had with Critter Ridder. They showed up (what?!) diagnosed, explained, fixed, and followed up repeatedly and now I have no more rats, or raccoons keeping me up at night.* I also have a practically brand new porch because they took it upon themselves to replace (and paint! what?!) boards that might have been allowing rats to get under the house. They did that part for free. Plus, it all of this comes with a two year warranty. PLUS, it was really, really reasonable. Please use them, you'll be so happy! *Sadly, the dogs have lost their favorite pastime. read more

Mike was GREAT. He removed a snake, searched for others, and walk around my property to discuss where critters could get in. He was fast, awesome, and very knowledgeable. read more

Fast, efficient and highly professional service. Mike quickly coordinated the snake removal. Brandon came out and took the time to educate us on the snake and how to best handle these situations. He also showed a high sense of care for the animal. I recommend them and have them on my home care contact list. Thank you Mike and Brandon. read more

Shortly after calling to make an appointment, Brad came out to assess our situation. He was very thorough and spent a good amount of time (walking the house, roof, attic, basement) taking lots of pictures. Afterward he showed us what was going on and explained exactly how the service worked. He was patient. Extremely professional. Once we signed the contract, there were a number of visits over the next few weeks to set traps, check them, and perform the sealing work (find and seal all areas that critters can get in). Everyone was prompt and professional. They definitely know their business. They offer a one year guarantee as well included, and will come back every year for a small fee to ensure nothing else needs sealing. I would highly recommend this company. read more

These people have been nothing but great. Our problem was infuriating and hard to live with. They came out to assess my problem within a half hour of making contact. I viewed there work and it looked solid. If you are having a problem, I highly recommend you get help and these guys are really good. read more

I hired this company to do rodent exclusion for my house. It was a very expensive 2-year contract. The guys who showed up (after the talkative well-dressed owner/salesman signed the deal with me) were amiable, and indeed did a lot of work around my house. They apparently are subcontractors to the head honcho, Mike. After several visits, it seemed my problem was solved. Then, more rodents. I was still within my 2-year contract. So I called my usual subcontractor and got no reply. So I called Mike back. He said my subcontractor was out having some serious surgery, but he (Mike) would be glad to come out personally and check it out. He looked around the house. He said the house had been successfully excluded by those subcontractors, and the only explanation for why there might be rodents in my house is that I have old plumbing that had been left open (???), and they're getting in throught that, and that "Critter Ridder doesn't cover old plumbing." Shock. Dismay. I was not bold enough at the time to fight him. I tried calling several times after that to reason with Mike, but he had some other person answering his phone, who gave me a line every time, and then they stopped answering my calls. I should have looked at Better Business Bureau before hiring. They have a not-so pretty record there too. I unfortunately hired them because my employer had used them. However, my employer has a way of demanding what he wants. Do not trust this company. Ever. I expected they were out of business by now, but then I saw a coupon for them in my "Money Mailer" and I just had to review. Don't get taken. read more

I've used Critter Ridder twice now and they have been nothing but prompt, professional, and reasonable, and provided excellent service. They gave me some advice that might be what the other reviewer is referring to...while out to help with mice in my garage, Brad took me outside and showed me the weaknesses in my hvac unit, where rodents tend to gain access into a home. They are not licensed hvac people, and I certainly did not expect him to do repairs to my plumbing. In fact, he didn't even have to show me. I considered it going "above and beyond," since my garage problem was unrelated to the openings in my plumbing. You'll probably get Brad if you call, and I would not hesitate to recommend him or the rest of their crew. They were very thorough and attentive in solving my squirrel problem, too. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend Critter Ridder to anyone. read more

I placed two calls to this provider who was so highly recommended on this site and left a message both times. No response. I would have appreciated a call just to acknowledge that my call was received, but nothing. I called another service that was able to come out the next day to do an assessment of the situation and they will be coming out next week to start the project. Long story short, I would not call them again. read more

Over priced Steer clear unless you want to overpay. Owner said he would give me a great deal because a previous company went out of business that we already used. Then he found out how large my house was and the price went up over 1500 just to come out. Scam artist. I knew where problem just wanted it fixed. read more

I have not been so unhappy with the service I've received from a company in years. I have had a terrible experience with this company, and also feel like they're extremely dishonest. I can't recommend enough staying far away from them. read more

I had rats in my attic for two months, with a rat showing up in one of my dozen traps every two days or so. They just kept coming. I sealed every possible entrance that i could find, to no avail. I checked around the house and found no obvious signs of entry, and decided to contact a professional for help. Mike from Critter Ridder came out and we did a full walk around the house. After the walk around he found the entry hole which the rats chewed through the fascia, which was rotten. He offered to patch the hole but said that the real problem was that the fascia board was rotten and should be replaced. The fascia was really bad in two different areas of the house, and this was definitely the right call. (don't patch rotten wood, replace it) Prior to the walk around, both Mike and i thought that he would need to put in flashing and screens around possible entrances. I had already done this, but figured that my work must be substandard. Instead of looking to make a buck on additional flashing and screens, Mike assured my that my work looked good an no further screens or flashing would be required. The only real problem was rotten fascia. I feel like I got a very honest assessment from him. They sent out two carpenters the next Saturday and replaced the fascia with new, pressure treated lumber, put metal flashing on the corners (overkill probably, but i was happy to have it) and painted it to match the house. Very professional work. One worker even took a few minutes to help me put in my new attic stairs in the garage while they were here. Very honest assessment and very professional work. (Of course, the rats are now gone.) read more

I used Critter Ridder (512-363-8070) in April, 2013 after reading Yelper reviews and checking out the website. Brad is the owner and he comes out to your house and evaluates the problem. Brad and his assistant Gregg are thorough and hardworking. He got rid of the rat and squirrel infestation we had in our attic and he did it humanely. The evaluation was super thorough - Brad went up in the attic and took pictures and identified the kinds of animals that were up there and showed me the results and explained the patterns that they leave behind in the insulation material. He's super knowledgeable and very nice. He also has great people working for him. Greg, his assistant sealed the holes up very well and did a great repair and restoration job on the roof and garage. He closely matched the wood & paint exactly to what was already there. You can't tell it was repaired - looks great! I referred Brad & Gregg to my neighbor's 85 year old mother who is also very happy. She hired another guy before Brad who charged her $400. for doing nothing. They are very conscientious and HONEST and go the extra mile. Critter Ridder is worth every penny and I highly recommend them! read more

Being new to Texas we were unaware of something called a ringtail cat. We are now very familiar with them having had them as guests in our home. One call to Brad and his crew was out within a day. Our home had traps arranged in the attic with special lights and hormones to scare them off. Once it was confirmed that they had vacated the premise, Brad and his crew had a barrier setup on the roof to prevent further entry, Problem solved in a matter of days thanks to the great teamwork at Critter Ridder. I highly recommend Brad and his team for any pest control issues. read more

I would recommend these guys to anyone. They are prompt, professional and do very good work. They explained every thing in detail that made sense. There was not a scare tactic that I have felt when talking with other companies. They have been very responsive to further questions that I have had and they show pride in their work and true concern that you are being taken care of. Thank you guys! I feel like my house is secure now! read more

Called Critter Ridder after 2 other companies had been called and had not been successful eliminating our mice issue. After calling and leaving a message, received a call back immediately. They called day before to confirm appointment. When they arrived there were 3 uniformed workers and were very professional. It took them all day and a part of another day to complete the job. We have not seen a mouse since then. Will use them again for the guest house. When I called, they returned the call the same day. I have not had any issues with them not calling back. Rodent exclusion service price for time spent I thought was with fair market price. They did so much more than just throw poison. Closed up our house! Would recommend them. read more

I had an animal that sounded like it was in my chimney. After calling 3 other animal removal services, I had received no call backs. I finally called Critter Ridder and the owner, Michael Dillon, came out to my house immediately and assessed the situation. He is knowledgeable and friendly, and provides customer service at its best. Love this company! read more

Mike came out and knew exactly what was needed. Problem was solved so I can get back to my life. No more Rats!!

Everyone involved in securing my attic from raccoons were wonderful. Courteous, professional, knowledgeable and resourceful. Best of all, they showed on time! How many other service firms do that? Good job ladies and gentlemen. read more

Way back (in about 2005) before I knew about Yelp reviews, Critter Ridder (Mike) came out to assess the rat problem in my back yard and suggest solutions. I paid him upfront for some work, but had second thoughts about the work and cancelled. I agreed to pay $100 for canceling--he claimed to have bought traps from Home Depot that I should pay him for--and he agreed to reimburse me a little over $200. Even though I called many times requesting the reimbursement, he was insulting during the phone calls and I never saw any of the money. I've dealt with many, many service people in my 69 years--some excellent, some fair, some awful--but Critter Ridder and Mike provided the worst service experience in my life. It's now 2016 and I need help with a raccoon in my attic, so I've been researching companies and discovered that somehow Critter Ridder was still in business. Needless to say, nothing would entice me to deal with this company, and I warn everyone to avoid Mike and Critter Ridder. read more

I would definitely recommend Critter Ridder! They made the process very easy, from their staff that answered and scheduled the appointment (Cheryl) to the friendly, knowledgeable young man that came out to do the work. They even called to reschedule because of bad weather before I realized it was raining. The tech guy not only closed up all potential areas where the rats were getting in but also educated me on what to look for (mainly because I asked). He took his time answering all my questions, but worked efficiently to get the job done. He also came back several times to check the traps as that was the part I was most grossed out to do. I even got a follow up call after the little boogers were gone to make sure all was good with the service. The price was spot on after I had talked with others that spend way more than I did and did not get the removal service as part of the deal. YUCK! The owner, Mike came out and checked after the first round with the tech. Customer service was right on, service was fantastic and follow up was superb! If I can figure out how to post pictures of some of the work they did I will. I had a rodent problem before in another house and did the work myself, it took me hours and just as much money as calling them out. I would definitely use them again but I don't think I will ever have to in this house! It is completely sealed up! Thank you Critter Ridder for a job well done! read more