How Much Does Wildlife Removal Cost?
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Evicting a few pesky squirrels from the attic or opossums from under the deck may seem easy, but it can get complicated quickly. Wildlife removal costs a national average of $377, with a typical cost range of $189 to $573.
Highlights
- The typical price range for removing wildlife from a home is $191 to $576, with homeowners across the country paying $378 on average.
- The main factors that can affect the cost of wildlife removal include the type and number of animals in the home, the location of the animals, and the type of service required.
- A homeowner may need wildlife removal if they notice scratching noises, animal droppings, an unpleasant odor, mounds of dirt in the yard, or disturbances in or around their trash cans.
- While a homeowner may be able to deal with a minor rodent problem on their own, it’s recommended that they hire a professional wildlife removal specialist to handle wild animals that have made their way into their home or yard.
Eek!
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There’s not a lot of mystery about what’s going on when scratching and scrabbling sounds come from the attic, chimney, or, even worse, the walls. As residential communities spread out through what was formerly the habitat of wild animals, it stands to reason that those animals will look for new and inviting places to shelter and nest. While many of them are cute from afar or in a video posted online, hosting them in a home intended for humans is less than ideal: Wildlife can carry disease or insects, gnaw on wiring, damage building materials, and create other havoc as they nest and play. They need to be removed, pronto.
When a home’s residents become aware of an animal in attic space or elsewhere in the home, the question of how to remove the animal without harming it usually leads to swift internet searches for “attic animal removal” or “animals in the walls.” Ideally, the home’s residents will do a quick exploratory check to see if they can identify what kind of animal has moved in before they call a wildlife removal professional. Wildlife removal is different from pest control, where the goal is often to kill mice, vermin, or insects and prevent their return: The removal process is geared toward safely removing a misguided creature and relocating it to its natural habitat. This requires knowledge of the challenges each animal presents and of locations where they can be released with a minimal likelihood of re-invasion and a high chance of their survival. Therefore, it’s important to understand the basis of wildlife removal cost. A search for “raccoon removal cost,” “squirrel removal cost,” or even “squirrels in attic removal cost” will garner some ballpark estimates, but the real cost of removing these animals and preventing their return can vary based on a number of elements. According to Angi and HomeAdvisor, the typical cost range is between $191 and $576, with an average of $378, but each situation is a little different based on the factors discussed in this guide.
Factors in Calculating Wildlife Removal Cost
Paying for one of the best wildlife removal services isn’t something most people have as a line item in their budget, but it’s important to understand the components of the cost once an animal (or family of animals) has entered a home. This will help homeowners determine whether DIY or professional wildlife removal is better in their particular situation and whether a cost estimate provided by a pro is reasonable.
Animal Species
Some animals are easier to remove than others, and the degree of challenge will affect the cost. While some animals are easy to capture and relocate, others, such as skunks and bats, require specialty handling for both the capture and removal and will therefore be more expensive to evict.
Number of Animals
One squirrel in the attic can be a quick capture and release. On the other hand, a colony of squirrel families will take much more strategy and time, and the cleanup of the damage will also affect the removal cost. The total number of animals will be a key determining factor in the overall cost.
Infestation Location
Some locations around the home, such as under a deck or an addition, allow easy access to the infestation. Once the animals are truly inside, however, costs begin to rise as access for the removal becomes more difficult. Hiring a professional to remove rodents from attic spaces can cost as little as $200 but can rise to $1,500 as access is reduced. Removal from inside walls averages about $350, and chimney removal ranges from $180 for a nest near the top to $560 for a complicated removal near the damper.
Service Type
In most cases, the best option when there are wild animals in the home is to remove and relocate them. Certain circumstances may call for extermination, which means a professional will use poisons or traps to kill the animals while they are in the home, then remove them and dispose of them—costing less than live removal, but requiring more cleanup. In either case, a professional may also strongly suggest exclusion treatment, which involves sealing the access points the animals used to enter the home in the first place. This can mean sealing the roof and spaces around vents and pipes; filling cracks in the foundation; installing fences, nets, or other devices that block entry; and removing yard materials that can act as temporary nesting areas for animals that then relocate inside the home.
Additional Costs and Considerations
Species, number of animals, location, and service type will create the basis of wildlife removal cost, but there are other circumstances that can have a significant effect on the overall price. While these considerations don’t apply to every situation, when they do, it’s important to factor them into the total removal cost.
Removal vs. Extermination
Removal cost is often lower than extermination cost. Removal requires time, traps, routine checking of the traps, and then transport away from the home to a safe location: Most animals can’t just be dropped off one block away, or they’ll return. Extermination requires simple traps or poisons and can take a long time to complete depending on the type of animal, but it’s less desirable both for the safety of the animal and the safety of the home. In addition, many species of wildlife are protected, and exterminating them may be against the law. Except when a particular problem makes the cost of extermination a better option, the cost of removal is worth it for everyone involved.
Pest Inspection
Prior to providing an estimate or beginning a removal, most wildlife removal companies will require a thorough inspection of the area affected to make sure the type of animal as well as the size and location of the infestation are something they can manage. Some companies offer this inspection for free if the customer ultimately hires the company to provide services, while other companies charge an average of $75 to $300 for the inspection.
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Dead Animal Removal
Realizing that there is a dead animal in the home can be even worse than discovering a live one. Dead animals, particularly in attics, basements, and walls, will start to decompose immediately, which means they are often detected because of a pervasive smell. If the dead animal is readily visible, disposing of it is something that a home’s resident can take on, but if the animal’s location is unknown or is inside a wall, a professional will come locate, remove, and dispose of the animal for a fee ranging from $150 to $250 on average, with increased cost if walls need to be broken open to retrieve the animal. Aside from creating a horrible smell, dead animals can attract insects and other pests, so residents will want to waste no time in hiring someone for this task. Following the removal of the dead animal, homeowners will want to pay attic cleaning costs to have the space professionally sanitized.
Damage Repair
Wildlife can wreak havoc in a home. Wiring may be chewed and damaged; insulation may be matted, pulled apart, or soiled after being used as bedding material; and ductwork may be contaminated with feces and fur. If the animals were larger and brought in insects, those may now be living in wood. Siding and cladding may be pushed out as an access point. Depending on how many animals were in the home and how long they were there, the repairs can be minimal or quite extensive.
| Repair Type | Cost Range |
| Drywall repair | $300 to $900 |
| Wiring repair | $2 to $4 per foot |
| Ductwork repair | $12 to $25 per foot |
| Siding repair | $350 to $1,400 |
| Insulation repair and replacement | $1,000 to $2,150 |
| Crawl space repair | $500 to $15,000 |
A removal expert can provide a general estimate, but in the case of a major infestation with significant damage, it’s best to consult with a construction contractor for a complete quote.
House Cleaning
Wildlife living in the home can cause damage that needs repair, but after a significant incursion, the home itself will need to be cleaned to prevent illness and disease in the residents and to keep other animals or insects from seeking out the scent of the previous visitors. Even if the animals were largely contained to the attic, residents will want to consider budgeting for a whole-house cleaning, especially if the animals were located anywhere near air ducts or, especially in the case of birds, in air-conditioning or heat equipment or in windows. A deep cleaning averages between $200 and $470, but if the infestation resulted in a large amount of feces and urine soaking into the wood or walls, a biohazard cleaning service is necessary and will cost between $190 and $450 to treat the affected area.
Wildlife Control Contracts
For those who live in the woods or near grassy areas where lots of wildlife is competing to get in, or in areas where rats, mice, and bats are frequent invaders, it’s financially sound to consider a longer-term wildlife removal contract. Instead of onetime wildlife removal jobs that treat each problem as a separate event, contracts with one of the best pest control companies such as Orkin or Terminix create a recurring service that continues on a monthly, quarterly, or annual basis until the problem is resolved and chances of a recurrence have been eliminated. The costs will vary based on the length and frequency of the contract, but for homes with recurrent problems, this can be a very economical solution.
Wildlife Removal Cost by Type of Animal
Each kind of animal that takes up residence in a human home presents different challenges for a wildlife remover. Whether it’s due to number, size, defense mechanism, or stealth, each animal will require different techniques for the trapping and removal process, some taking much longer or presenting more risk than others. The type of animal, therefore, affects the cost of the job.
| Type of Animal | Removal Cost |
| Bats | $230 to $700 |
| Birds | $100 to $2,000 |
| Groundhogs | $150 to $200 |
| Moles | $100 to $550 |
| Opossums | $250 to $500 |
| Raccoons | $400 to $600 |
| Rats and mice | $175 to $500 |
| Skunks | $300 to $600 |
| Squirrels | $200 to $600 |
Bats
Bats require a tricky removal process. Because they are protected animals, they generally cannot be forcibly removed—but they are also known to carry rabies, insects, and bacteria, so it’s important that they be removed promptly. In most cases, bat removal requires the installation of a one-way access window after any additional access points have been sealed so that when the bats voluntarily leave to hunt, they cannot get back in. Bat removal costs an average of $230 to $700 depending on the number of bats and the length of time it takes to force them out. Testing for rabies—necessary only if a resident has been bitten—incurs an extra charge.
Birds
Removing birds—whether songbirds nesting in the chimney or pigeons that have taken up residence in the garage—can be dicey, as different states and towns have regulations in place for protected species. For this reason, checking with the local animal control agency is important prior to beginning any DIY or professional removal. The professionals will know how to tackle bird nest removal based on the species and can advise a homeowner on how to get rid of pigeons and other birds. The cost will usually range between $100 and $300, but if the birds insist on returning to their preferred spot, it may be necessary to install deterrents such as nets or spikes to prevent them from resettling. This service will cost between $500 and $2,000.
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Groundhogs
Groundhogs may look quirky and cute as they trundle through the yard, but they can be ruinous to fences, foundations, gardens, and lawns, and they’re devastating should they get inside a home. Because they can tunnel, they push up soil, pavers, and stones as they hunt around for snacks. Live trapping and relocation are the ideal removal plan and will require a couple of trips from a wildlife remover—one to deploy traps and another to remove the trapped animal and relocate it. The cost averages between $150 and $200, plus any repairs that are necessary to the home and yard.
Moles
It isn’t common to see moles—they prefer to remain underground—but their tunnels will make the yard terribly uneven and create trip hazards all over the place. They can disrupt root systems, kill grass, and nudge patio pavers around. Live trapping and relocation are expensive, because the moles aren’t contained inside a home or space and they can easily leave and return to the yard. The trapping and removal cost will average between $100 and $550.
Opossums
Opossums provide a lot of benefits to a neighborhood—they eat mice, deter rats, eat some snakes, and devour Lyme disease–carrying ticks—and they almost never develop rabies. However, if they’ve taken up residence in the yard, they can make a huge mess by pulling apart trash bins as well as trampling and eating garden plants, so they become a nuisance quickly. They can also carry some diseases. If they’ve made it into the house, they obviously require immediate removal, and if they’re causing a problem in the yard, they need to go as well. Trapping and removing them, along with sealing access points to a home, will cost between $250 and $500, and if there’s an ongoing problem in the yard, installing a 4-foot fence will go a long way toward getting rid of opossums for good.
Raccoons
Raccoons aren’t a DIY job. First, they are protected in many areas, so there are guidelines that define how they can be trapped and relocated. Also, raccoons prefer not to engage with people or other animals, so they’re a little better at hiding than other animals. As cute as these “trash pandas” appear, they carry diseases that are dangerous to pets and people and can squeeze through a hole as small as 4 inches in diameter, so if there’s a raccoon in the attic or somewhere else in the house, or terrorizing the yard, homeowners are advised to call in a pro. Removal will cost between $400 and $600.
Rats and Mice
Rats and mice breed so quickly and carry so much disease that there is no time to wait patiently for slow methods of removal, and poison is best used only as a last resort, because it can result in dead animals in the walls or sick pets. Live trapping is the most common option for removal, though in a significant infestation, a wildlife removal specialist may support kill traps to reduce the number more quickly. Live trapping will cost an average of $175 to $500 depending on the size of the colony and the difficulty of accessing them in the home where they have nested. As a follow-up to the removal, it’s critical for a homeowner to have a complete inspection to seal and block all entry points—if several mice have made it into the house, more will follow, and the homeowner will need to consider mice exterminator costs to prevent the spread of disease.