Wildlife Removal in Lakeland, FL

Attic Visitors: Raccoons and Squirrels

Raccoons are strong enough to pull up loose soffits, push through weak vents, and widen a small gap into a doorway. A mother raccoon in spring often means babies in the attic, which changes the whole job. Removing her without checking for young leaves a worse problem behind the drywall. Squirrels are smaller but relentless. They chew through wood and even soft metal flashing to reach an attic, and once inside they gnaw wiring and pipes, which is a fire and leak risk on top of the noise.

For squirrels, one-way doors often work well. The animal leaves to feed, the door lets it out, and it cannot get back in. Then we seal the opening with material they cannot chew through quickly. Raccoons usually need humane trapping plus repairs once the attic is clear. We also check insulation and droppings and tell you plainly if cleanup beyond removal is worth doing.

• Raccoons: enter through soffits, vents, and roof gaps, often with babies in spring
• Squirrels: chew entry holes, damage wiring, well suited to one-way doors
• Opossums: shelter under porches, decks, and sheds, usually removed by trapping
• Armadillos: dig up lawns and flower beds hunting insects at night
• Every job ends with sealing, not just removal

Bats and Florida Bat Maternity Season

Bats around a Lakeland home are good for mosquitoes and bad houseguests in a gable or soffit. Bat work in Florida has a hard rule. Maternity season runs from April 15 to August 15, and exclusions are not done during that window, because flightless pups inside would be trapped when the adults are kept out. If you call during maternity season, we will inspect, confirm what you have, and schedule the exclusion for right after the season ends.

Outside maternity season, bat removal uses one-way devices at the exit points. Bats leave at dusk, cannot re-enter, and the openings are then sealed for good. Bat droppings need careful handling, so we explain cleanup options and safety steps rather than telling you to sweep it up yourself. Never handle a bat with bare hands, even one that looks dead.

Armadillos, Opossums, and Snakes

Armadillos do real damage to Lakeland lawns in a single night, rooting through sod and beds for grubs and worms. Trapping them takes patience and the right placement along fences and walls where they travel. Reducing grub pressure in the lawn can help, but a busy armadillo usually needs to be caught and taken out. Opossums are less destructive and often move on alone, but one living under the house or dying there is a different story, and trapping is the clean fix.

Snakes get a careful answer. Most snakes found around Lakeland yards are harmless and eat the rodents other pests love, so they are usually left alone. If a snake is inside the home or you cannot tell what kind it is, keep distance, keep pets inside, and call us. We will advise on the spot or refer you if it needs a specialist handler. Do not try to move a snake you cannot identify.

Sealing Is the Part That Makes Removal Last

Trapping without sealing is just making room for the next animal. After removal, we seal gaps at the roofline, screen vents with sturdy material, cap chimneys where needed, and repair the chewed or pulled openings the animals were using. We walk the exterior with you so you can see each spot and understand what was done.

• Seal roofline, soffit, and vent openings with chew-resistant material
• Screen gable and foundation vents that animals push through
• Trim branches that give raccoons and squirrels a bridge to the roof
• Secure pet food and trash that draw animals to the house
• Recheck the attic after sealing to confirm it stays quiet