Wildlife Removal

Wildlife problems are structure problems. An animal found a gap in the roofline, a loose soffit, an uncapped chimney, or a rotted fascia board, and it will use it again and again until that gap is closed. Removal without exclusion is a short-term fix.

Wildlife We Handle

Raccoons

Attics, chimneys, and crawl spaces, especially in spring when females are looking for a den to raise young. Heavy thumping and walking sounds at night, torn soffits, and a latrine area in the attic are the signs. Raccoons can carry rabies and roundworm and will tear through shingles to get back to their young.

Squirrels

Gray squirrels and flying squirrels both nest in attics. Scratching and scurrying in the early morning and at dusk, chewed fascia and vents, and nests of leaves and insulation. Squirrels chew wiring and will gnaw new holes as fast as old ones are sealed if the exclusion is not done right.

Bats

Colonies roost in attics, behind shutters, and in soffits, entering through gaps as small as a half inch. Droppings (guano) accumulating below an entry point and a musty odor are the usual signs. Bats are protected in Indiana and exclusion timing is regulated around the summer maternity season, so bat work is scheduled and performed to comply with state rules.

Opossums and Skunks

Under decks, porches, and sheds. Skunks dig for grubs and den under structures; the smell announces them. Opossums are mostly a nuisance but will get into garages and crawl spaces.

Groundhogs, Moles, and Chipmunks

Groundhogs burrow under sheds, decks, and foundations and can undermine slabs. Moles tunnel through lawns leaving raised ridges and mounds. Chipmunks burrow along foundations, retaining walls, and under patios.

Signs of Wildlife in the Structure

• Noises in the attic or walls: heavy and slow at night is likely raccoon, light and fast at dawn and dusk is likely squirrel, fluttering or chirping at dusk is likely bats
• Torn or displaced soffit panels, roof vents, or shingles at the roofline
• Droppings on the attic insulation, in the garage, or below a roofline gap
• Oily rub marks around a hole where fur repeatedly passes through
• Tunnels or burrows along the foundation, under a deck, or in the lawn
• A strong odor in one part of the house, which can mean a skunk under the floor or an animal that has died in a void

How We Handle Wildlife

1. Inspection and identification. Roofline, soffits, vents, chimney, foundation, decks, and outbuildings. We find every entry point, not just the one you noticed, and identify the species from the evidence.
2. Humane removal. Live trapping and one-way exclusion doors that let animals leave and not return, done in compliance with Indiana Department of Natural Resources regulations. Timing is adjusted when young are present.
3. Exclusion. Sealing entry points with materials animals cannot chew or pry through: hardware cloth, metal flashing, chimney caps, and vent covers. This is what makes the fix permanent.
4. Cleanup guidance. Contaminated insulation, guano, and latrine areas carry health risks. We tell you what needs to be removed and when it is safe to do so.
5. Prevention. Trimming limbs off the roof, capping chimneys, screening vents, and closing gaps under decks removes the next animal's opportunity.

What You Can Do

• Note when you hear the noise. Time of day is the fastest way to narrow down what it is.
• Look at the roofline from the yard at dusk and see if anything is going in or out.
• Keep pet food, bird seed, and garbage secured. Raccoons and skunks are there for the food first.
• Do not try to trap it yourself. Cornered wildlife bites, several species carry rabies, and relocating animals is regulated in Indiana.

Wildlife Removal Questions