Wildlife removal - and the babies nobody mentions

What is wildlife removal?

Wildlife removal means getting a live animal - most often a raccoon, squirrel, opossum, skunk or bat - out of a structure it has moved into. Unlike insect or rodent work it is governed by state wildlife law rather than pesticide law, so which species may be trapped, how, and what may be done with the animal afterwards varies by where you live. Two things decide the job: whether there are dependent young, and whether anyone is going to seal the entry afterwards.

Signs you need wildlife removal

• Heavy, deliberate movement overhead - walking or dragging rather than the light scurrying of a rodent
• Noise at a consistent time: raccoons and opossums are typically active at night, squirrels around dawn and dusk
• Chittering, chirping or crying sounds from a ceiling or wall, which frequently means a litter
• A hole chewed or torn through soffit, fascia, a gable vent, a roof edge or a ridge cap
• Trampled or tunnelled attic insulation, and a strong smell of urine or droppings from above
• Torn or displaced roof vent covers, and gnawed wiring or ductwork
• Scratching or fluttering from a chimney, particularly in spring
• A hole dug under a deck, shed, porch or concrete step, with a worn path leading to it

Seeing something not on this list? Browse pest control problems by symptom →

How wildlife removal actually works

1. 1

   Identify the species and inspect the whole structure

   Species determines the legal position, the trap type, the timing and the entry-point size. The inspection covers the roofline, soffits, vents, ridge, chimney, decks and the crawl space, because animals often use more than one route.

   Watch forA quote given from a description of noises. The difference between a squirrel and a raccoon is the difference between a small job and an expensive one.

2. 2

   Establish whether there are dependent young

   This changes everything. Attics, chimneys and decks are chosen as den sites precisely because they are safe places to raise a litter, so a female with young is the common case in spring and early summer, not the exception.

   Watch forSealing or evicting without checking. Young left inside die in the cavity - a welfare failure and, entirely practically, a smell and insect problem that ends with someone opening your ceiling.

3. 3

   Removal - trapping or eviction, depending

   Some jobs use live traps set at the entry or inside. Others use a one-way door that lets the adult out and prevents return, which is often preferable because it avoids handling the animal. Where a litter is present, the young are usually removed by hand and used to encourage the mother to relocate them.

   Watch forA one-way door fitted while young are still inside. It is the single most common way this job goes wrong.

4. 4

   Working within the law

   What may be trapped, how traps must be checked, whether an animal may be relocated and where, and what applies to protected species are all set by state wildlife regulation and sometimes local rules. A competent operator will explain the constraints they are working under.

   Watch forAnyone promising to relocate an animal to a nice spot in the country without qualification. Relocation is restricted in many places, and the specifics are exactly what you should ask about.

5. 5

   Bats are a special case

   Bat work is generally an exclusion rather than a trapping job, and many jurisdictions restrict the season during which it may be done because of dependent pups. Bats also raise health considerations that a general pest technician may not be equipped for.

   Watch forAnyone offering to trap or exterminate bats, or to do the work at any time of year without mentioning timing. That is a signal to get a specialist.

6. 6

   Clean-up and decontamination

   Droppings, urine-saturated insulation and nesting material are removed, the space is treated, and insulation is replaced where it is beyond saving. Wildlife droppings carry real health risks and should not be disturbed dry.

   Watch forThis is usually quoted separately and can exceed the removal charge. Get it priced up front rather than discovered after the animal is out.

7. 7

   Exclusion - the part that makes it permanent

   Once the structure is empty, entry points are repaired and reinforced, vulnerable areas are screened, and the roofline is made defensible. Without it, the vacancy is simply advertised to the next animal.

   Watch forA removal-only quote. It is cheaper and it is not a solution - the den site is still there and still known.

What does wildlife removal cost?

Wildlife jobs price in three parts: removal of the animal, exclusion repairs to the structure, and attic clean-up and insulation replacement. The repairs and clean-up are usually the larger two. Species, roof access and whether young are present all move it. See the Cost Guide.

See the full wildlife removal cost guide - by material, size and region →

If the number is the problem, here are the ways people pay for it →