Animal removal in Clearwater, FL
Critter Guys does humane animal removal in Clearwater, FL, from canal homes on Island Estates to the oak-lined streets of Countryside. We find how the animal got in, get it out without needless harm, and close the gap.
- Entry points sealed after removal
- Humane methods under FWC rules
- Licensed and insured in Florida
Schedule your Clearwater inspection
Tell us what you are hearing or seeing. We will get back to you, set up a visit and give you a straight answer on what it takes.
- Firm quote before any work starts
- Call, text or email, your pick
- Licensed and insured in Florida
Quick answer. Critter Guys provides animal removal in Clearwater, FL for raccoons, squirrels, roof rats, bats, opossums, armadillos and snakes. We start with an inspection of your roof line, attic and yard, remove the animal humanely under FWC rules, then seal the gaps it used so it can’t come back. We’re licensed and insured in Florida with 25+ years of experience. Call or text (321) 203-6963 to set up a visit.
Clearwater, between the harbor and the bay
Clearwater is the Pinellas County seat, and it’s squeezed between two shorelines. Clearwater Harbor and the Gulf barrier islands sit on the west side. Old Tampa Bay runs along the east, out past Cooper’s Bayou and Bayshore Boulevard. In between, Stevenson Creek and Alligator Creek cut through neighborhoods, Moccasin Lake Nature Park keeps a pocket of wetland and woods off US 19, and wooded trails wrap around Lake Chautauqua up in the northeast corner.
All that water and green space gives raccoons, opossums and rats travel lanes right behind the back fence. A house that borders a creek, a retention pond or a park tends to get more traffic than one mid-block. Add the big live oaks in older parts of town, and squirrels have a straight path to your roof, which is why squirrel removal in Clearwater keeps us busy most of the year.
Clearwater field notes
- Pinellas County seat
- Clearwater Harbor to Old Tampa Bay
- Moccasin Lake Nature Park
- Stevenson and Alligator creeks
When Clearwater homeowners usually call for animal removal
Most people hear or smell something long before they see the animal. These are the clues that tend to show up first.
Scurrying at sunrise
Quick, light running across the ceiling early and again before dark usually means squirrels.
Heavy thumps after midnight
Sounds like someone walking around up there? Often a raccoon, and in spring maybe a mother with kits.
Droppings in the garage
Small dark pellets along a wall, on shelving or behind the water heater are a classic roof rat sign.
A sour smell from one wall
An odor that gets worse in the afternoon heat can mean an animal died in a wall void or the attic.
Fresh holes in the lawn
Shallow cone-shaped holes and torn-up mulch beds are usually an armadillo digging for grubs.
A torn pool cage panel
Raccoons and opossums push through loose screen to reach trash, pet food or a warm corner of the lanai.
Clearwater wildlife services we handle
Raccoon Removal in Clearwater
Raccoon mothers like Clearwater soffits in spring. We remove the family together and close the opening for good.
Squirrel Removal in Clearwater
Gray squirrels ride oak limbs onto Countryside roofs. One-way doors get them out, then we seal what they chewed.
Bat Removal in Clearwater
Colonies behind trim and tile near the harbor, excluded with one-way devices outside the April to August maternity season.
Rat Removal in Clearwater
Roof rats travel palms and power lines into attics. We trap inside, set bait boxes outside and seal the gaps.
Wildlife Exclusion in Clearwater
Sealing roof returns, gable vents, AC chases and pool cage gaps so Clearwater wildlife stays outdoors.
Attic Cleanup & Remediation in Clearwater
Droppings, nesting and odor cleared from attics and crawl spaces, then sanitized so old scent trails stop drawing animals back.
Three kinds of Clearwater homes, three different problems
The house you live in shapes which animal shows up and how it gets in. We’re based in Fern Park and have handled wildlife removal around Orlando for 25+ years, and the same building patterns repeat here on the Pinellas side, with salt air added.
Waterfront, canal and island homes
On Island Estates, along the harbor and near the bayous, roof rats and raccoons work the seawalls, docks and thick landscaping. Tile roofs and stucco look sealed from the street, but roof returns, garage door corners and the joint where the pool cage meets the house often aren’t. Rat removal on these homes almost always means sealing those spots too.
Countryside and the northeast subdivisions
These neighborhoods are a few decades old now, and the trees have caught up with the roofs. Squirrels drop off a limb onto the shingles and chew the corner of a soffit or the screen on a gable vent. Homes that back up to a pond or the woods near Lake Chautauqua see regular raccoon and opossum visits, and the same oak canopy runs north into Dunedin.
Older homes near downtown
Some older houses around Harbor Oaks and off Fort Harrison Avenue are frame built and sit up off the ground. That space under the floor suits opossums, Norway rats and the odd raccoon, and loose vent screens are usually the way in.
How our Clearwater wildlife control visits work
Every job follows the same order. Skipping a step is how animals end up back in the attic a month later.
Roof-to-yard inspection
We walk the roof line, go into the attic and check the yard, lanai and foundation, then show you what we found.
A plan and a quote
You get the animal, the removal method, what needs sealing and the cost. Nothing starts until you say go.
Humane removal
Depending on the animal, that’s one-way doors, live traps, or removing young by hand so they stay with their mother. Every step follows FWC rules.
Sealing and repair
With the animal out, we handle the wildlife exclusion work: closing every opening it used and the weak spots it could use next, then repairing what it damaged.
Cleanup if it’s needed
If there’s a mess left behind, we remove it and sanitize the area so the scent doesn’t pull the next animal in.
Reviews from Clearwater area customers
4.9
141 reviews on Google
★★★★★
CritterGuys are the best! From my first positive interaction with Annie to my continued excellent service through Mike, CritterGuys have been superb! So far, they have quickly and professionally removed two raccoons and have set more traps in case more may follow. CritterGuys have been prompt, courteous, and professional. I will recommend them and call again if needed! Thank you, CritterGuys!
Michelle FabrizioGoogle review
★★★★★
I recently had a problem with a raccoon who decided to chase a rat around my attic space. Nelson Ramos from Critter Guys arrived. He went up in the attic to inspect. No critters, but obvious tracks in the installation. Two small openings …
Peggy BeyerGoogle review
★★★★★
Kevin did a great job. He arrived promptly and kept me informed through the process.
Debbie ViscardiGoogle review
Read every review on Google or see more Critter Guys reviews
Home remedies that don’t hold up
A lot of our calls come right after a home remedy stopped working. Here’s what usually goes wrong.
| What people try | What happens next |
|---|---|
| Mothballs or ammonia rags | The animal gets used to it. You’re left with the fumes. |
| Steel wool or spray foam | Squirrels and rats chew through it or open a new hole nearby. |
| Sealing with the animal inside | It tears out somewhere else, or dies in the wall. |
| A store-bought trap by the shed | You catch the neighbor’s cat, or a raccoon you can’t legally handle. |
| A radio left on in the attic | Quiet for a night or two, then they’re back. |
A few recent calls
After a storm, get the roof line looked at
The 2024 hurricanes left plenty of Clearwater roofs with lifted shingles, bent vents and torn soffit screens. Each one is a new way in for a squirrel or rat, and an inspection now beats a bigger repair later.
Other Pinellas cities we cover
We also work up and down the peninsula, from Dunedin and Palm Harbor down to Largo and Pinellas Park.
Wildlife questions from Clearwater homeowners
Have a question that isn’t here? Call or text (321) 203-6963 and we’ll help.
How much does animal removal cost in Clearwater?
It depends on the animal, how many there are, how they got in and how much sealing the house needs. We inspect your Clearwater home first and walk you through what we found and what we recommend before any work starts.
Do you handle condos and commercial buildings on Clearwater Beach and Sand Key?
Yes. We work on condo buildings, HOAs, townhome communities, managed properties and businesses. Bats and roof rats are the usual problems on bigger buildings near the water, and the fix is the same: find every gap and close it.
Can I trap a raccoon myself and let it go at a Clearwater park?
We’d talk you out of it. FWC sets the rules on trapping and relocating wildlife in Florida, and they’re stricter than most people expect. A trapped raccoon can also bite, and in spring you may be leaving babies behind in the attic.
What should I do if there’s a snake in my garage or on the lanai?
Keep kids and pets back and don’t try to grab it or guess the species. Most snakes around Clearwater homes are harmless, but Florida has six venomous ones. Call or text us a photo taken from a safe distance.
Why does the attic noise start up after a big storm?
Because storms open new doors. Wind lifts shingles, peels soffit screens and bends roof vents, and squirrels and rats find those spots fast.
How long does it take to get animals out of a Clearwater house?
It depends on the animal and the house. Much of the time goes into letting animals leave through a one-way door and confirming they’re gone before the last opening is sealed. You’ll get a realistic timeline after the inspection.
Hearing something overhead in Clearwater?
Call or text (321) 203-6963 and tell us what you’re hearing. We’ll come out, find the opening and walk you through it.