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Swift Wildlife Removal
Humane Raccoon Removal Specialists

Raccoon Removal in Port St. Lucie That Stops Repeat Intrusions

Noises in the attic, torn soffits, a raccoon on the roof after dark. An animal that smart, once it gets in, will keep coming back. We’re a licensed and insured local company. We handle raccoon removal with humane trapping, keep mothers with their young, and seal every point of entry so it doesn’t happen twice.

Humane methods Local Treasure Coast experts Home-protection focus Long-term exclusion
A raccoon on a Treasure Coast rooftop at dusk — humane raccoon removal and attic protection by Swift Wildlife

Humane, family-safe removal.

Mothers & young kept together

5.0
Understanding the Animal

Why Raccoons Frequently Target Residential Properties

Raccoons target Port St. Lucie homes for one reason: an attic reproduces the elevated, dry, dark den a female needs, and the animal is intelligent and adaptable enough to get into one. They solve problems, remember locations and work latches and lids open with their paws. That is why a quick DIY patch so seldom holds. Other wildlife wanders off. A raccoon works the problem.

That intelligence comes with a strong drive for shelter. In the wild a mother raccoon looks for a hollow tree that is elevated, dry, dark and safe, and to that instinct an attic is nearly perfect. As natural den sites get scarce, the sheltered space under your roof becomes the obvious next choice, especially through the warmer nesting months.

Getting there plays to their strengths. Raccoons are powerful climbers that reach the roof by tree limbs and downspouts, then work the roofline’s weak points: soffits, vents, fascia gaps and worn flashing. A property that once offered food and shelter is remembered and revisited. The same home gets targeted again and again until the access is genuinely closed.

The risk is not only structural. Raccoons are a rabies vector species in Florida, and they also carry canine distemper and leptospirosis. Their droppings can carry Baylisascaris procyonis, the raccoon roundworm, whose eggs turn infectious roughly two to four weeks after they are shed and survive for years in attic insulation. That is why an active latrine is cleared with protective equipment rather than swept out.

Raccoons open latches, lids and screw tops

Procyon lotor works multi-step fastenings loose with five-fingered front paws and remembers an opening that worked for years. That is why a quick DIY patch rarely holds.

An attic copies the hollow-tree den

A wild den is a tree cavity that is elevated, dry, dark and out of reach. An attic matches all four conditions and adds insulation to nest in.

A four-inch gap is a doorway

An adult raccoon of 10 to 30 pounds fits through an opening roughly four inches across, and it works the roofline first: soffits, vents, fascia gaps and loose flashing.

Raccoons return to a den that worked

A raccoon remembers a Port St. Lucie property that fed or sheltered it, and it keeps coming back until the access is sealed for good.

The prime den
Raccoons on a Treasure Coast home's roofline and soffit — the roof-level weak points they use to reach the attic
How It Unfolds

How a Small Opening Becomes a Major Wildlife Problem

Five roofline weak points account for almost every raccoon intrusion we open up: damaged roofing, loosened soffits and fascia, unscreened vents, uncapped chimneys, and the attic itself. An intrusion almost never begins as a break-in. Here’s how one leads to the next.

STEP 1

A lifted shingle or cracked flashing

It starts small. One lifted shingle, worn flashing or an aging ridge line is all a raccoon scouting the roof at night needs to find.

STEP 2

A loosened soffit or fascia board

Where the roof meets the wall, soffits and fascia loosen as fasteners age and Florida humidity swells the wood. A few inches of give is enough for a raccoon to pry the gap out to the four inches it needs.

STEP 3

An unscreened gable or roof vent

Gable and roof vents are ready-made doorways. Raccoons tear through thin aluminum screening and plastic louvers in a single night to reach the sheltered space beyond.

STEP 4

An uncapped chimney flue

An uncapped flue is dark, vertical and warm, which puts it alongside the attic as the most common maternity den a female raccoon picks on the Treasure Coast.

STEP 5

The attic becomes a maternity den

Once inside, the animal flattens the insulation into a nest and marks the space with urine and droppings. A female in season raises a litter of three to five kits up there. A four-inch gap has turned into a contamination problem.

Nesting Season Care

Special Care During Nesting Season

Most attic raccoon calls between February and May are a female with a litter of three to five kits, not a lone animal passing through. She has chosen a place to raise her young, and that changes how the removal has to be handled.

Get it wrong and the mother is trapped and taken while helpless pups stay hidden in the attic. We keep the family together and relocate them as one, the way FWC guidelines intend. That’s the humane standard, and it actually resolves the problem instead of creating a worse one.

This is exactly the situation our neighbors call us for. Like the day we safely reunited a mother raccoon and her babies and got them out together.

Florida raccoons breed from January through March

Gestation runs about 63 days, so most Treasure Coast litters arrive between February and May. Through those months a female searches for an elevated, dry, undisturbed den, and an attic checks every box.

A litter of three to five kits stays hidden for weeks

Newborn kits are born blind and completely dependent, and they do not follow their mother out of the den until roughly eight to ten weeks old. They are almost always present when spring attic noise starts, even if you never see one.

Removing the mother alone strands the kits

Trapping the female while her litter stays behind leaves helpless young in the attic. That’s cruel, and within days it becomes an odor and contamination problem inside your home.

Mother and kits come out together, by hand

Kits are lifted out by hand and kept with their mother so the family is relocated as one unit, the way FWC rules intend. It’s the humane standard, and it’s why our removals hold.

Our Method

Removal Is Only Part of the Solution

A raccoon job runs in five stages: inspection, activity assessment, humane removal, entry-point mapping and exclusion sealing. Getting the animal out is the part everyone waits for. The last two stages are what makes it last.

A fix built to hold up long after we leave.

Five steps take you from the first inspection to a home that’s properly closed to raccoons. It starts with a free inspection.

Start With a Free Inspection
1

Free attic and roofline inspection

A full interior-and-exterior inspection of the attic, roofline and property confirms raccoon activity and locates every opening. Nothing is quoted until the inspection is done.

2

Activity assessment: droppings, tracks and season

Droppings, tracks, insulation damage and the time of year tell us how established the animal is and whether a maternity den with kits is present. A raccoon latrine is treated as a Baylisascaris roundworm risk, not swept up.

3

Humane removal by live trap, one-way door or hand

Raccoons are removed with live traps, one-way doors or direct hand removal, whichever the situation calls for, always within FWC rules. In nesting season the kits come out by hand and the family stays together. No animal is harmed and no poison is used.

4

Entry-point mapping across the full roofline

We map every opening the animal used or could use next, across soffits, vents, fascia, flashing and chimney. A lasting fix depends on finding all of them.

5

Exclusion sealing in heavy-gauge galvanized steel

Openings are sealed with galvanized steel mesh and other raccoon-resistant materials, because a raccoon tears straight through foam, plastic and aluminum screening. Sealed properly, the roofline stays closed and a repeat intrusion can’t take hold.

Complete Care

A Complete Raccoon Solution, Start to Finish

We remove the animal, seal the home and restore the attic insulation. Together, those three services keep the problem from repeating.

01

Raccoon Removal

Common concern

An active raccoon living in the attic, roof space or chimney. Often it’s a mother with young.

Recommended solution

Humane, family-safe removal handled correctly for the season and situation.

Long-term value

The intrusion resolved properly the first time, without leaving young behind.

Get a Free Inspection
02

Wildlife Exclusion

Common concern

The roofline gaps, soffits, vents and chimney openings a raccoon used to get in, and would use again.

Recommended solution

Durable, raccoon-resistant sealing of every entry point after removal.

Long-term value

The lasting protection that turns a one-time removal into a permanent fix.

Wildlife Exclusion
03

Attic & Crawlspace Remediation

Common concern

The soiled insulation, droppings and odor a raccoon leaves behind in the attic.

Recommended solution

Cleanup, decontamination and restoration of the affected attic and crawlspace areas.

Long-term value

A clean, healthy attic restored — protecting air quality and property value.

Attic & Crawlspace Remediation
The Raccoon Specialists Locals Call

Real Reviews From Treasure Coast Homeowners

“Absolutely outstanding service! They safely removed raccoons from my property and made sure everything was secure afterward. I’m beyond impressed with their work!”
Y
Yuriana Escalera Verified Google review
“I was terrified of the raccoons sneaking around my place at night, getting into our garbage. Issac explained everything clearly and handled the problem fast with no stress.”
D
Diamond Fowler Verified Google review
Mother & babies rescued
“10 Stars. Excellent service! Swift safely rescued Ursula the Raccoon and her babies. Choose Swift… you won’t be disappointed!”
S
Selina Wiggins
Verified Google review
Homeowner Prevention Resource Center

Reducing Future Raccoon Activity Around Your Home

Six habits keep raccoons off a Treasure Coast roofline: roof upkeep, latched bins, cleared food sources, seasonal inspections, activity monitoring and limb trimming. Each one removes either the route in or the reason to come.

01

Keep the roof, flashing and ridge sound

Raccoons exploit the small weaknesses that come with an aging roof. Lifted shingles, worn flashing and loose ridge caps all count. Keeping the roof sound closes those doorways before a climbing raccoon finds them.

02

Latch the trash and recycling bins

A latched, weighted bin removes one of the strongest reasons a raccoon lingers near your home at night. Raccoons work an ordinary lift lid open with their paws, so the latch is the part that matters.

03

Clear outdoor food sources after dark

Pet food left on the lanai, fallen fruit and open compost all feed raccoons. Bring the easy calories in after dark and your yard loses most of its appeal.

04

Inspect the roofline after every storm

Look over the roofline, soffits, vents and chimney two or three times a year and after any named storm. A new gap caught early is a quick repair instead of an established den.

05

Watch for droppings, tracks and night noise

Fresh damage, hand-like tracks, droppings or heavy thumping near the roofline is the earliest warning of activity, months before a raccoon settles in to raise a litter.

06

Trim limbs back from the roofline

Raccoons reach the roof by overhanging limbs, trellises and downspouts. Cutting branches back removes the ladder, and it is the single most effective change most Port St. Lucie properties can make.

Licensed & Insured FWC-Compliant Humane Trapping & Relocation 5.0★ · 94 Google Reviews Serving Port St. Lucie & the Treasure Coast
Good to Know

Raccoon Removal Frequently Asked Questions

Straight answers on attic raccoons, baby raccoon situations, humane removal, entry points and long-term prevention.

How do I know if raccoons are living in my attic?

The most common giveaways are heavy nighttime noises overhead: thumping, scratching and chittering. You may also find droppings, torn or matted insulation, and staining or damage around roofline vents and soffits. Raccoons are big animals, so an attic intrusion is rarely subtle. During nesting season you may also hear the softer, bird-like sounds of young. A free inspection confirms whether a raccoon is present and where it’s getting in.

There are baby raccoons in my attic — what should I do?

First, don’t attempt to remove them yourself. Baby raccoons are helpless, and the mother is fiercely protective and nearby. Removing the pups without the mother, or the mother without the pups, leaves young to die in your attic. That’s inhumane, and it becomes a serious odor and contamination problem too. We handle mother and litter together and relocate them as a family. It’s the humane standard, and it’s the reliable way to actually end the situation.

Do you remove raccoons humanely?

Always. We use humane, family-safe methods that follow FWC rules, and we never resort to harm. In nesting season we take particular care to keep mothers and their young together rather than trapping the adult and abandoning the litter. Humane removal is the right thing to do. It also prevents the recurring problems that come from doing it poorly.

What kind of damage do raccoons cause?

Quite a lot for a single animal. Inside an attic they tear and compact insulation, chew wiring, damage ducting and soil the space with droppings and urine. Outside, they pry at soffits, fascia and vents to enlarge openings. The longer a raccoon stays, especially a female raising young, the more the damage and cleanup add up. Acting early protects both your home and your budget.

How do raccoons get onto the roof and into the attic?

Raccoons are powerful, dexterous climbers. They reach the roof by way of overhanging tree limbs, downspouts, trellises and rough exterior walls, then work the roofline for weaknesses: loose flashing, gaps at the soffit and fascia, unscreened gable and roof vents, and uncapped chimneys. They are strong. A modest gap can be forced into a full entry point in a night or two.

How do you keep raccoons from coming back?

Sealing is the key. After the animal is removed we find every opening it used or could use next and close them with galvanized steel and other raccoon-resistant materials. Raccoons remember a property that once sheltered them, and they will test it again. Removal without thorough exclusion is the single biggest reason raccoon problems recur, so sealing and prevention are central to what we do.

What is wildlife exclusion, exactly?

Exclusion is the permanent side of the job. After removal, we reinforce and seal the roofline, soffits, vents and chimney so the home is physically closed to entry. Pair that with trimming back easy access routes and a one-time removal becomes a lasting result. You can read more on our Wildlife Exclusion page.

How quickly can you come out?

We prioritize active raccoon situations, especially when an animal is inside a living space or young may be involved, and we schedule promptly across Martin, St. Lucie and Indian River County. When you call, we’ll talk through what you’re hearing and get an inspection on the calendar fast. The problem shouldn’t have time to grow.

What happens during a raccoon inspection?

We check the inside and the outside. In the attic we look for activity, droppings, damage and signs of a den. On the exterior we examine the roofline, soffits, vents and chimney for the entry points behind it. We also read the season and the evidence to judge whether young are likely present. That complete picture lets us build a humane removal and exclusion plan sized to your home.

Do you offer follow-up after the raccoons are gone?

Yes. Beyond removal and exclusion we give you prevention guidance and can re-inspect to confirm the home stays raccoon-free. That matters on Treasure Coast properties near water and tree cover, where pressure runs higher. If the intrusion left contamination behind, we can also clean, decontaminate and restore the affected attic areas. The goal is a lasting result, not just an empty attic today.

Are you a raccoon trapper, or a pest control company?

We’re licensed and insured wildlife trappers, and raccoons are the animal we’re called for most. A pest control company treats insects. Trapping a raccoon, getting a mother and her litter out together, and sealing the soffits and vents she used is different work — it’s what we do every week.

Are raccoons dangerous to people or pets?

A healthy raccoon avoids people, but the health risks are real enough that handling one yourself is a bad idea. Raccoons are a rabies vector species in Florida, and they also carry canine distemper, which is dangerous to unvaccinated dogs, and leptospirosis, which spreads through urine and contaminated water. A raccoon out in daylight, moving unsteadily or showing no fear of people is worth a call rather than a closer look. Keep pets and children away from the area and let a licensed trapper handle it.

Is raccoon poop in my attic dangerous?

Yes, and it is the main reason attic cleanup is not a DIY job. Raccoons use a communal latrine, so droppings build up in one spot, and those droppings can carry Baylisascaris procyonis — the raccoon roundworm. The eggs turn infectious about two to four weeks after they are shed, survive for years in insulation and soil, and shrug off ordinary disinfectants. Sweeping or vacuuming a latrine puts those eggs into the air you breathe. We remove contaminated insulation with protective equipment as part of attic and crawlspace remediation.

Something is in my attic but I don’t know what it is — can you identify it?

Yes, and that’s the right first call. The noise tells us a lot: heavy thumping after dark usually means a raccoon, quick scurrying in daylight is more often a squirrel, and light scratching inside a wall points to rats. Droppings and the entry points confirm it. Whatever critter is up there, the free inspection identifies it before anyone quotes a price.

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Stop Raccoon Activity Before It Gets Worse

A raccoon in the attic does more damage with every night that passes. Call now for humane removal and long-term exclusion — a real person answers, day or night. There’s no form to fill out.

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