The most common signs are sounds — scratching, thumping, or movement that follows a predictable pattern tied to the animal’s activity schedule. Raccoons are active at night, squirrels during the day. You might also notice odors, see exterior damage near roofline vents or soffits, find droppings in the attic space, or spot an animal entering or leaving at dusk or dawn.

Stay calm and keep distance from the animal. Don’t try to corner or handle it. If the animal is in a room, close doors to contain it to that space. Open a window or door to give it an exit route if possible. If it’s a bat, do not attempt to catch it yourself. Call for professional help — experienced wildlife control is both safer for you and better for the animal.

The most common entry points are gaps where different roofing materials meet, damaged or missing soffits, deteriorated fascia boards, uncapped chimneys, dryer vents without proper covers, attic vents made of thin plastic that animals can chew through, and openings where utility lines enter the building. Animals don’t create these openings from scratch — they exploit existing vulnerabilities.

Wildlife exclusion is the process of sealing all entry points that animals use to access a building, after the animals have been removed. It uses durable materials — galvanized steel mesh, metal flashing, caulk, and purpose-built vent covers — that animals cannot chew or push through. Without exclusion, the same entry points will typically attract new animals within the same season.

Rarely. Animals that have found a secure, dry, warm space inside a building have little incentive to leave. A pregnant raccoon that has entered an attic before spring will raise a litter there. Bats return to the same roost site year after year. Squirrels cache food in attic insulation and treat it as part of their territory. The sooner a wildlife intrusion is addressed, the less damage occurs.

Some situations — like a snake in the garden or a single opossum that wandered in through an open door — may be manageable without professional help. But animals that are nesting inside a structure, especially with young present, or situations involving bats (which require specific exclusion techniques), should be handled professionally. Improper removal attempts often result in injury to the person, distress to the animal, and an incomplete resolution of the problem.

Cost depends on the species, the size of the infestation, the number of entry points, and whether cleanup or restoration work is needed. A single animal removal with basic exclusion is significantly less expensive than a full attic remediation after a large raccoon family. We provide written estimates before any work begins — call (779) 323-0324 for a free inspection.

Yes. We respond to emergency calls throughout Rockford and Winnebago County. If an animal is actively inside your living space, trapped in a wall, or poses an immediate health or safety concern, call (779) 323-0324 any time. We’ll advise you on immediate steps and get a technician to your location as quickly as possible.