Squirrel removal in St. Petersburg, FL
Squirrel removal in St. Petersburg, FL usually starts with one sound: quick scurrying over the ceiling right after sunrise. Critter Guys gets the squirrels out with one-way doors and patches the wood they chewed so they stay out.
- One-way doors, no poison
- Chewed wood repaired
- 25+ years of humane work
Hearing scratching at dawn?
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 handles squirrel removal in St. Petersburg, FL by finding every hole in the roof line, fitting a one-way door on the active entry so the squirrels leave on their own, and sealing the rest with chew-resistant material. If young are present we time the work so they aren’t left behind. You get a firm quote before any St. Pete roof work starts, and our crews are licensed and insured in Florida. Call or text (321) 203-6963.
What squirrel removal in St. Pete actually involves
Eastern gray squirrels are the attic squirrel in St. Petersburg. They’re active in daylight, so the noise tends to come in the early morning and late afternoon, when they leave to feed and come home again. If you hear scratching at 2 a.m. instead, it’s more likely rats, and our St. Pete rat removal page is the better read.
Getting a squirrel out is the easy part. The real work is the roof line. A squirrel that’s been in your attic for a few weeks has usually chewed one main hole and tested several others, and if you only close the one you can see, it simply reopens another.
Why squirrels chew so much
Their front teeth never stop growing, so gnawing is constant. In an attic that means soffit edges, fascia boards, roof vent screens, and sometimes electrical wiring, which is the part worth taking seriously.
Spring and late-summer litters
Florida gray squirrels typically have young in late winter to spring and again in late summer. Those are the months a female is most likely to push into an attic, and the months we’re most careful about timing.
Oak canopy and old wood soffits in St. Petersburg
Many of St. Pete’s older neighborhoods have big live oaks and laurel oaks shading the streets and backyards, from the Old Northeast and Crescent Lake to Historic Kenwood and Allendale. Those limbs hang over roofs, and a squirrel uses them like a bridge. The houses under them are often wood-framed bungalows and 1920s Mediterranean homes with wood soffits, decorative rafter tails and barrel tile, all of which give a squirrel plenty of soft edges to work on.
Newer block homes in the west and north parts of the city still get squirrels, mostly through gable vents, roof returns where the soffit meets the roof, and gaps around plumbing stacks. The house type changes the entry point, so it changes what we fix. Our St. Petersburg wildlife control page explains how we approach the city as a whole.
Local snapshot
- Heavy live oak canopy citywide
- Wood soffits on 1920s homes
- Barrel tile roof ends
- Pinellas County
On the job
Where St. Pete squirrels get in
Squirrels prefer high, hidden spots. Most entries we find in St. Petersburg are in places you can’t see from the driveway, which is why a ladder inspection matters.
- The corner where soffit meets roof (the roof return)
- Gable vent screens that have rusted or torn
- The open ends of barrel tile at the eave
- Gaps around roof vents and plumbing boots
- Soft or rotted fascia boards under the gutter
Squirrel removal reviews from St. Pete
4.9
141 reviews on Google
★★★★★
Omygoodness I never thought I would have to meet Craig but I did! And he was amazing! He immediately answered the phone, told me what he could do / when he would arrive and followed through with what he said. He was prompt, courteous and put me at ease! God willing I will never need him again but if I do I will not hesitate to call him!
Amina AhmedGoogle review
★★★★★
Kevin was amazing quick and accurate, really appreciate great local ppl who help out had a non active nest over my garage made a big hole in my soffit …
Maria CioccaGoogle review
★★★★★
Kevin was extremely knowledgeable and kind. I 100% recommend him and the company.
Kareem JohnnyGoogle review
Read every review on Google or see more Critter Guys reviews
How we handle squirrel removal step by step
Our method avoids poison and avoids trapping squirrels inside your walls.
Full roof line inspection
We check the whole roof and attic, mark the active hole and every weak spot, and look for nests or young.
Seal everything except the active hole
Secondary gaps get closed first with metal flashing, hardware cloth or matching repair material, so there’s only one way in or out.
Install a one-way door
A one-way door goes on the active entry. Each squirrel heads out to forage and finds the way back blocked. If needed we use live traps instead, always under FWC rules.
Close the last hole and repair
Once the attic is quiet, we remove the door, seal the final opening and repair chewed wood. Larger repairs, like new soffit or fascia sections, are part of our exclusion and repair service.
DIY squirrel fixes that tend to backfire
We see the results of these a lot. They’re understandable, but they usually make the job bigger.
- Stuffing steel wool or spray foam in the hole. Squirrels chew through foam in minutes.
- Sealing the hole while a mother is inside. She’ll chew a new exit, and babies left behind die in the attic.
- Using poison. The squirrel can die inside a wall, and the smell lasts for weeks.
- Trimming one branch. Squirrels jump far, and they’ll still climb the wall, the downspout or a power line.
- Running a radio in the attic. They get used to the noise fast.
Squirrel removal in nearby cities
Other St. Petersburg wildlife services
What St. Petersburg homeowners ask about squirrel removal
Have a question that isn’t here? Call or text (321) 203-6963 and we’ll help.
How do I know if it’s squirrels or rats in my St. Pete attic?
The clock is the best clue. Squirrels make noise in the morning and late afternoon; rats are busiest in the middle of the night. Squirrel droppings are also larger and the entry holes are bigger, about the size of a tennis ball.
How much does squirrel removal cost in St. Petersburg?
The quote comes after we inspect. The cost depends on how many holes need sealing, how much wood was chewed, the roof type (tile is slower to work on than shingle) and whether insulation needs cleaning.
Can squirrels chew through wires in my attic?
Yes, and it’s one of the main reasons not to ignore them. Chewed wiring can short or become a fire risk. During the inspection we look for chewed wires so you can have an electrician check anything that looks damaged.
Do you use one-way doors or traps for squirrels?
Usually one-way doors, because the squirrels leave on their own and nothing is handled. Traps are a backup when the entry can’t fit a door. Either way we follow FWC rules.
How long until the squirrels are out of my house?
Most squirrels leave within a few days of a one-way door going up. We wait until the attic is quiet before sealing the last hole, so the full job usually runs about a week.
Should I cut back the oak over my roof?
It helps, and we usually recommend keeping limbs several feet off the roof. It isn’t enough by itself, since squirrels climb walls and wires, so sealing the roof line is still the main fix.
Get your St. Pete attic quiet again
Call or text (321) 203-6963 or fill out the form to book a St. Petersburg squirrel inspection. You can also read about our squirrel removal approach or our work in Pinellas Park.