Wildlife Management Services FAQs

What do you do with the animals you trap?

Whenever possible, we try to relocate the critters we trap. Unfortunately, that is not always possible, so the animals are humanely euthanized. Once they are euthanized, they are donated to the Wildlife Science Center and used as a food source for the animals at their facilities. Sometimes we don’t even need to trap the animal and a simple exclusion device (one-way door) can be installed to allow the animal to exit your home and be locked out.

How much does it cost to remove an animal?

There are a number of factors that determine pricing; location of the animal (i.e. - chimney, attic, crawl space, wall void, living area), condition of the animal (i.e. - sick, aggressive, dead), location and condition of the property and time of year (i.e. - weather condition, offspring present?). Generally speaking, pricing will vary by location and species for just the animal removal and that pricing usually does not include the entry repair.

Do you provide free estimates/inspections?

We can give you a free phone estimate. If a technician services your property, there will be a fee incurred. Call our office to receive our most updated pricing.

How much should I expect to spend in total?

At a very minimum a few hundred dollars. Each home, property and situation is vastly different, so there is no “range” we can give. Inspections can be less than one hundred dollars, and more than a few thousand dollars depending on your situation, how long the activity has been present, the damage done, and many other factors.

Any repairs authorized are in addition to the initial service fee. The service fee is not applied to the repairs.

I hear scratching noises. What could those be?

It’s nearly impossible to properly identify what animal you have invading your space over the phone, which is why we require a complete home inspection to properly identify what animal you’re dealing with and how it entered. Here are some of the tell tale signs we can offer you, that may indicate you have following animals:

  • Light scratching/chewing on your wall/ceiling any time of the day/night that sounds identical to you scratching the wall with your fingernail and if you tap on the wall/ceiling and the activity ceases for a short period of time and begins again, this is typically mouse activity.
  • Scratching/scampering or rolling noises in your attic in the morning, or early evening, and nothing at night, this is typically squirrel activity.
  • Footsteps and heavy rolling in the attic, possible “chirping bird” sounds in April-June, this is typically raccoons.

I think I have birds in my chimney, can you get them out?

The answer to that question is most likely “Yes”, but are you sure what you’re hearing is birds? Raccoons easily invade chimneys and they have their litters on the smoke shelf of fireplaces. The sounds baby raccoons make are often mistaken for birds in chimneys and removal can be difficult. The only birds that nest in chimneys are chimney swifts and they’re federally protected, so removal can’t be performed, but exclusion can be - once they depart. If you have a pre-fabricated chimney and birds fall between the cooling tubes, removal is nearly impossible.

Contact us today to have your chimney/fireplace inspected. Our experienced technicians can install a professionally-built chimney cap to prevent animals from entering the single largest hole in your home.

How soon can you get here?

Depending on which part of the Twin Cities you are in will depend on how soon we can have someone on site; availability varies from day to day. Each technician has their own schedule and their own territory. We typically schedule for next-day appointments, if not the same day. If there is an emergency where there is a live animal in your living space, we will do everything possible to have a technician on site that same day.

Do you service my area?

We service the Twin Cities metro area. Please call us directly if you are unsure if we service your city or not.

Do you guarantee your work?

We take great pride in providing quality workmanship resulting in client satisfaction. We've been solving nuisance wildlife issues for residential and commercial customers for over 30 years and we stand behind our work. Any repair our company completes comes with a one-year warranty unless noted otherwise. Please contact our office directly regarding our trapping guarantee.

I’m not going to be home, can you still do the work?

We prefer that somebody is at your location when we arrive, so we may discuss options after our inspection, but we understand that isn’t always possible. If there is someone home, please review our COVID-19 procedures for our specific requirements on social distancing, face masks, etc. In those rare circumstances that no one is home, we take pictures of what we find and email them to you. You’ll then have the opportunity to discuss the next steps to solving your problem. Please contact us directly to schedule your appointment today.

Do you accept credit cards?

Yes. We accept all major credit cards, PayPal, Amazon Pay, Apple Pay, Android Pay, checks (sent through the mail), and cash.

Can I make an appointment for a specific time?

The answer to that question is only “Yes” if you’re the first appointment in the day. Let us explain. Wildlife control involves dealing with living, thinking creatures, that often don’t want to cooperate, so we never know how long each job will take. We tend to book 60-90 minutes for each stop, but any number of things can make that time too short. The best we can do is give you a two hour window of time when we should arrive, and we’ll do our best to make that, but we generally can’t guarantee late-day scheduled appointment times and we ask for your patience if your technician is late.

Do you sell traps so I can do this myself? Do you also sell pesticides?

We do not sell traps. Retail sales of pesticides are illegal to the public.

Why is there a symbol for no cats and dogs?

We do not take in abandoned domestic animals. Please contact your local Animal Control for any lost dogs/cats or domestic animals you want to abandon.

We are more than happy to service your home if you do have a domestic animal, and our technicians always appreciate a “hello” from your furry friends! 

What are some of the most common wildlife issues that homeowners face in your area?

Squirrels, mice, raccoons, bats and birds are the most common. We also handle mice, rats, groundhogs/woodchucks, skunks, chipmunks, woodpeckers, etc. Please see our wildlife page for all of the critters we service.

How do the seasons affect wildlife activity in your area?

In the summer months, April through October, we are extremely busy. Winter months, November through March, the activity slows to a slightly more moderate pace.

What are some common signs of nuisance wildlife activity?

Noise (scratching, scurrying, chirping), droppings, strong odors, damage to roofs, broken shingles and/or insulation in the gutter or on the ground around the home, holes in roofs and roof lines. Noises overhead when you're inside the home. Fecal matter found on porches, decks and around foundations of homes.

Any prevention tips for residents in your area?

Keep tree branches 8 feet from the roof, remove bird feeders and compost piles, keep trash cans sealed and away from the home, chimney caps are always recommended. Make sure gutters and downspouts are working properly. Make sure soffits, fascia and trim are in good repair.

When should homeowners call Wildlife Management Services?

Customers should call Wildlife Management Services at the first sign of animal activity/damage inside the home. Additionally, if you are looking for preventive measures, our technicians conduct an inspection and provide preventive recommendations.  When purchasing a new home, home inspectors generally refuse to go on the roof or inspect the gutter line.  Pest Control inspections are primarily looking for insects (termites, etc) and they often fail to identify wildlife issues.  Wildlife Management Services provides new home inspections to identify wildlife issues, or things that could potentially cause a problem in the future.

Wildlife Problems in the Twin Cities Metro

Neither the busy urban areas nor the quiet suburbs of Minneapolis and St. Paul are immune to wildlife problems. Nuisance animals like raccoons, squirrels, bats, and woodchucks have learned to flourish near humans. Unfortunately, these pests can create safety concerns and harm homes or lawns.

Raccoons and Disease

Raccoons don't hibernate, so Minnesota residents see the pests during the warmer and colder months. These animals come to see a yard with unsecured trash as a food source and return often. As mentioned before, they can also enter chimneys in the spring.  A raccoon may carry diseases like rabies and canine distemper, so contact with this pest poses a health risk to people and pets.

Squirrel Damage

Homes with gardens offer easy meals for hungry squirrels. Access to human-grown food makes the pests more likely to hang around lawns and infest buildings. Squirrels will gnaw at small cracks in houses to widen them into entryways. If homeowners cover these holes, a squirrel can become especially destructive while trying to find a way out.

Shelter and Bats

In the metro area, humid summers and cold winters alike make attics a common site for bat colonies. Homeowners may discover a bat or two in a living space or stumble upon an entire colony in an attic or loft. Since there are federal restrictions that protect these animals, the safest way to relocate or exclude them is to contact professionals.

Burrowing Woodchucks

Woodchucks excel at digging and that skill can lead to many conflicts with people. When they dig under structures and sidewalks, they may cause costly landscaping damage and create tripping hazards. Fencing may be installed below ground to keep them from under porches, patios, decks, sheds, and other structures.