How Much Does Wildlife Removal Cost? [2026 Data]

On average, wildlife removal costs between $198 and $635. Immediately calling a wildlife removal pro is essential to avoid more costly damages to your home—and potential illness from disease-carrying wildlife. Once wild animals make it into your home, they can be a huge pain to remove. 

Your animal removal costs will vary depending on how long animals have lived in your home and how much damage the infestation they caused. Follow our guide to learn the average costs of wildlife removal.

Wildlife Removal Cost Factors

The cost to remove wildlife from your property depends on the species you are dealing with and the complexity of the exclusion process. We’ll help you break down the expenses for trapping, structural repairs, and professional cleanup so you can restore your home’s safety.

Wildlife Removal by Animal Type

Many varieties of animals would love to make your home or garden their permanent residence. Each of these critters comes with its own removal methods, and it’s always preferable to use humane options, such as live traps and exclusion. 

Raccoons 

Raccoon removal costs average between $300 and $450. You can expect to pay for services like live trapping, sealing the entrances to your home, and relocating the raccoons. Raccoons must be removed by a professional. In fact, many states protect raccoons by law, and they must be properly removed and relocated.

Squirrels

Squirrel removal costs run between $250 and $450. You can expect wildlife removal pros to live-trap and remove squirrels. Squirrels are very active once they get inside homes, and you’ll need to remove them quickly. They’ll destroy walls, insulation, and siding while building their nests, so you’ll also need to factor in the cost of repairing damages.

Skunks 

Skunk removal costs average between $300 and $600. Your costs will include live trapping, sealing home entrances, and relocation. Skunks often find their way into crawlspaces and basements while looking for mice, insects, or rats to eat. Since their spray can stick with you and the house, we recommend calling in a pro for this removal and using DIY tactics to get rid of the skunk smell.

Possum 

Possum removal costs between $150 and $350. You can expect to pay for live trapping and sealing off your home from future possum visitors. Opossums can cause a lot of damage quickly, so it’s vital to identify and remove them swiftly. 

Rats and Mice 

Rat, mice, and rodent removal costs average between $175 and $550. The most common removal method is live trapping. Wildlife removal pros will only use poison as a last resort, as it can harm humans and household animals. You want to remove rats and mice as quickly as possible—as they can breed and multiply quickly.

Moles

Yard mole removal costs average between $100 and $550. You can expect to pay for live trapping and relocation. Less popular and humane methods include poisonous bait and fumigation. Since moles are generally in your yard and not your house, trapping them tends to be less expensive.

Groundhogs 

Groundhog removal costs average between $150 and $200. You can expect to pay for live trapping and relocation. Like moles, they’re easier to catch than animals in your home or crawlspace. You’ll also want to budget for repairs to your foundation, lawn, and house.

Bats

Bat removal costs average between $230 and $700. You can expect to pay for live trapping, releasing the bat back into the wild, and sealing up entry points to your home. Bats are a protected species, and it is illegal to kill them in many parts of the United States. You’ll also want to budget for bat droppings cleanup—which can run between $600 and $8,500, depending on the size of the bat infestation.   

Birds

Bird removal costs range from $100 to $300, but removing an active nest can cost up to $2,000. You can expect to have a wildlife pro humanely remove an inactive bird’s nest, sanitize the area, and discard the nest. You can also opt to pay for preventative services—such as installing spikes, which cost between $20 and $35 per 10 feet. Also, if the bird’s nest is in a hard-to-reach area, you can expect your costs to rise. 

Wildlife Removal Cost Breakdown

Wildlife removal costs run the gamut—and there’s no set price for dealing with unwanted house guests. Before you begin, you’ll want to hire a professional inspector to check out your property to determine the best course of action. Let's review the factors that will impact your wildlife removal cost.

Infestation Damage

Animals that make themselves cozy in your home can cause severe damage to your walls and ceiling. These critters can also destroy insulation, chew through electrical wires, and damage your ductwork, and leave droppings behind. The typical costs to repair damage from a wildlife infestation include:

• Drywall repair costs: $300–$900

• Insulation replacement costs: $1,100–$2,700

• Electrical wiring repair costs: $2–$4 per square foot

• Duct repair costs: $12–$25 per linear foot

• Siding repair costs: $360–$1,500

• Crawl space repair and cleaning costs: $2,000–$6,000

Length of Time

The longer the animals have been living in your home, the greater the chance that the animal has died. Your dead animal removal cost will run between $150 and $250, depending on accessibility. You can expect to pay additional fees for animals located in hard-to-reach spots, such as removing critters from your attic.

Number of Animals

With a larger number of animals, you can expect more traps, higher labor costs, and several follow-up visits to ensure the proper removal of critters from your home. 

Location

Usually, a local animal removal service will charge a flat fee of $150 to $250 for basic trapping and removal. But it becomes more expensive when animals are in hard-to-reach places. These hard-to-reach spaces include:

• Attic removal costs: $200–$1,500

• Inside walls removal costs: $375 on average

• Chimney removal costs: $180–$560

Why You Should Hire a Wildlife Pro

Hiring a wildlife removal pro near you costs anywhere from $150 to $1,500, depending on the complexity. Even though you’ll spend a little extra hiring a pro, it can be hard to access wildlife. Not only that, but some species are prone to carrying diseases. If you have a large infestation, it can be time-consuming and challenging to contain wildlife and get your property under control.

Here’s why it’s ideal to hire a wildlife removal pro

While hiring a pro tends to cost more than doing it yourself, it’s much safer to stick with the professionals, and here’s why:

• Some wild animals are dangerous and can cause injury during the trapping or releasing process. For example, removing venomous snakes should only be handled by an expert. 

• Wild animals can carry diseases like rabies and Salmonella. Infected ticks, often found on certain animals, can even carry Lyme disease.

• You could injure the wild animal.

• Depending on the species, some wild animals must be released following specific protocols.

• You might need a permit to relocate some wild animals.

• Catching multiple wild animals can be a long and laborious process if you don’t have the skills and equipment to do so effectively.

If you want to DIY wildlife removal

We don’t recommend removing wildlife yourself. However, if the animal you want to remove isn’t protected by state or federal laws, there are several steps you can take to remove it without the expertise of a pro: 

• Make sure you know local regulations for removing wildlife near you. 

• You may need to acquire prior authorization from the state park and wildlife department before releasing wildlife in a new location. 

• Wear safety equipment when handling wildlife to avoid exposure to diseases or injuries, including bite-resistant gloves and protective eyewear. 

• Investigate the area for signs of nests and offspring, as this could change the strategy for catching the wildlife. 

• Take photographs of the wildlife to help identify the type of wildlife on your property.

• Purchase necessary supplies, like nets, capturing poles, cages, germicidal detergent, and graspers. 

• Make your property more accessible if you hire a pro. 

• Afterwards, take steps to prevent future wildlife, such as removing attractants like food sources, making it more challenging for animals to access habitats, and closing off access points. 

How to Reduce Wildlife Removal Costs

While you should always consult a wildlife professional, there are ways to save on animal removal costs, including:

• Interview at least three animal removal services to ensure you’re choosing the best service for your infestation.

• Act fast and call a wildlife removal specialist at the first sign of an infestation. Swift action will stop animals from reproducing in your home.

• Set and reset mouse traps quickly.

• Humanely remove an inactive bird’s nest.

• Check your home’s foundation for cracks and seal them up.

• Seal off your roof, vents, and pipes from curious animals.

How Angi Gets Its Cost Data

Home is the most important place on earth, which is why Angi has helped more than 150 million homeowners transform their houses into homes they adore. To help homeowners with their next project, Angi provides readers with the most accurate cost data and upholds strict editorial standards. We’ve surveyed over 10,000 real Angi customers about their project costs to develop the pricing data you see, so you can make the best decisions for you and your home. We pair this data with research from reputable sources, including the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, academic journals, market studies, and interviews with industry experts—all to ensure our prices reflect real-world projects. 

Want to help us improve our cost data? Send us a recent project quote to [email protected]. Quotes and personal information will not be shared publicly.