Wildlife removal in Tampa, FL
Critter Guys handles wildlife removal in Tampa, FL, from the old bungalows along the Hillsborough River to the stucco two-stories that back onto New Tampa’s preserves. We figure out how the animal got in, get it out humanely, and close the gap behind it.
- Call or text, whichever’s easier
- Humane trapping and exclusion
- Licensed and insured in Florida
Schedule a Tampa 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 wildlife removal across Tampa, FL, including South Tampa, Seminole Heights, Westshore and New Tampa. We inspect the home, find every entry point, and remove raccoons, squirrels, rats, bats, opossums or snakes with humane methods that follow FWC rules. Then we seal and repair the openings so animals stay out. Call or text (321) 203-6963 to set up a Tampa inspection.
Wildlife removal in a city of river, bay and preserve
Tampa is a hard city to generalize. The Hillsborough River winds down out of the Lower Hillsborough Wilderness Preserve, past Lettuce Lake Park and the USF area, through Sulphur Springs and Seminole Heights, and empties into Hillsborough Bay downtown. That riverbank is a travel lane for raccoons, opossums and rats, and the houses closest to it usually hear about it first.
Then there’s the water on the other side of town. Bayshore Boulevard, Davis Islands and the streets along Old Tampa Bay sit on seawalls and shoreline where Norway rats and raccoons forage after dark. Up north, Tampa Palms and the neighborhoods off Bruce B. Downs border Flatwoods Conservation Park and wetland buffers, so the woods start right where the back fence ends.
Mixed through all of it are palms, live oaks and overhead power lines, which is how roof rats and squirrels get from the yard to your roof without touching the ground. If you live east of the city, our page on wildlife removal in Brandon covers the suburbs out along SR 60.
What we see in Tampa
- Hillsborough County
- Hillsborough River runs through the city
- Borders Hillsborough Bay and Old Tampa Bay
- New Tampa backs onto Flatwoods Park
How animals get into old Tampa homes vs. newer ones
A 1920s bungalow and a 2005 stucco two-story let animals in at completely different spots, so the build year tells us where to start.
| Older frame homes (Seminole Heights, Hyde Park) | Block and stucco homes, mid-century to now |
|---|---|
| Open crawl space under a raised floor | Slab foundation, so entry is almost always up high |
| Gable vents with rusted or missing screens | Soffit returns where two rooflines meet |
| Gaps where a porch roof ties into the house | Roof-to-wall joints over garages and lanais |
| Wood fascia softened by decades of rain | AC and plumbing lines punched through stucco |
What Tampa homeowners usually notice first
Most calls start with a sound or a smell. Here’s how those first clues tend to sort out.
Scratching right after dark
Quick, light movement overhead at night usually means roof rats. Our Tampa rat removal page goes into the details.
Heavy thumps and chattering in spring
A raccoon mother setting up in an attic or soffit is loud, and her kits make a high chirring sound. Spring is when this peaks.
Noise at sunrise and late afternoon
Squirrels keep daylight hours. If the attic is busy at 7 a.m. and silent at 2 a.m., think squirrel.
Dark crumbly droppings under the eaves
Small pellets collecting below a gap in the soffit or tile often mean bats. Get it looked at before maternity season starts on April 15.
A sour or musky smell in one room
Odor can mean urine in the insulation, a raccoon latrine, or an animal that died in a wall. All of those need real cleanup, not air freshener.
Wildlife services we offer in Tampa
Raccoon Removal in Tampa
Mothers and kits removed from Tampa attics and soffits together, then the entry point sealed shut.
Squirrel Removal in Tampa
One-way doors get squirrels out of oak-shaded rooflines, then we repair the chewed vents and fascia.
Bat Removal in Tampa
Exclusion timed around maternity season for colonies in tile roofs, older storefronts and gable vents.
Rat Removal in Tampa
Roof rats riding palms and power lines into Tampa attics, handled with traps, sealing and outdoor bait stations.
Wildlife Exclusion in Tampa
Every gap from crawl space to ridge closed with chew-proof material, including storm damage nobody spotted.
Attic Cleanup & Remediation in Tampa
Droppings, soaked insulation and scent trails removed, then the space sanitized so Tampa humidity doesn’t hold the odor.
How a Tampa wildlife control visit works
The order matters more than the trap. Here is how we run it.
Roof-to-ground inspection
We walk the roofline, go into the attic and any crawl space, and mark every opening, including ones nothing is using yet.
Humane removal
Depending on the animal, that means humane trapping, a one-way door, or for bats a one-way exclusion device. Mothers and young stay together whenever we can manage it, and we follow FWC rules on trapping and relocation.
Seal and repair
This is where the job is actually won. We close entry points with material the animal can’t chew or pry, and fix the soffit, vent or fascia damage it left. Our wildlife exclusion work in Tampa explains the sealing in more depth.
Clean what they left behind
Droppings, nesting and scent trails get removed, sanitized and disinfected so the smell doesn’t lead the next animal to the same spot. See attic cleanup for Tampa homes for that part.
Tampa homeowners on working with us
4.9
141 reviews on Google
★★★★★
Dion is doing a great job responding to our needs and flexible to our schedule since there is not always access to the house. He explains what we need, points out trouble spots and fixes some of them when possible. Thanks Dion! …
MiLo TeamGoogle review
★★★★★
Kevin did a great job. He arrived promptly and kept me informed through the process.
Debbie ViscardiGoogle 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
Storm damage opens new doors
The 2024 hurricanes left plenty of Tampa roofs with lifted shingles, cracked tile and torn soffit screens that nobody noticed from the street. Animals notice. If your roof took a hit, an inspection now costs far less than a family of raccoons later.
On the job
Animal removal for Tampa rentals, restaurants and offices
Wildlife doesn’t care who owns the roof. We work with landlords, property managers, HOAs and business owners on everything from rats behind a restaurant to bats tucked into the roofline of an older storefront.
For a business, that means bait station boxes outside for rodents, sealed entry points, and work that stays out of your customers’ way. Critter Guys is based in Fern Park, north of Orlando, where we handle Orlando wildlife removal, and Tampa Bay is part of the Central Florida area we cover coast to coast.
Snakes get their own rule
Most snakes around Tampa yards are harmless, but Florida has six venomous species, including the eastern diamondback rattlesnake, and you shouldn’t try to tell them apart from a glance. If one turns up in the garage, the lanai or under the deck, keep kids and pets back and call us.
Wildlife help near Tampa
We also cover the communities just east and north of the city, from Brandon and Riverview up to Lutz.
Animal removal in Tampa: common questions
Don’t see your question? Call or text (321) 203-6963 and ask a real person.
How much does wildlife removal cost in Tampa?
The quote depends on what we find at your Tampa home. The animal, how many entry points the house has, how high and hard they are to reach, and whether the attic needs cleanup all change the number. We walk you through it before any work starts.
Do you handle animal control calls in New Tampa and South Tampa?
Yes, we work across the whole city, including New Tampa, South Tampa, Seminole Heights, Westshore and Ybor City. The mix shifts a little by area. Homes near the river and the preserves tend to see more raccoons and opossums, while streets crowded with palms tend to see more roof rats.
Is it legal to trap and relocate a raccoon myself in Tampa?
Wildlife trapping and relocation in Florida falls under FWC rules, and it’s easy to get wrong. Trapping a raccoon in spring can also leave orphaned kits in the attic. We handle removal within FWC rules and keep mothers and young together whenever possible.
Why would animals be in my Tampa attic in the middle of summer?
Florida wildlife doesn’t hibernate, so attic activity can happen in any month. Summer heat pushes animals out of attics less than most people expect, and roof rats and squirrels both raise young in the warm months. If you hear something, it’s worth checking now.
How do you keep animals from coming back after removal?
We seal the openings they used and the weak spots they would try next. That exclusion work is what keeps a removal from turning into a repeat call, which is why prevention first is always our recommendation.
Can raccoons and opossums get through a torn pool cage screen?
Yes, they push through loose or torn panels, and once inside the lanai they look for gaps where the cage frame meets the house. The lanai roof also gives them a ramp up to the main roofline. We check the cage and the soffits above it during the inspection.
Hearing something in a Tampa attic tonight?
Call or text (321) 203-6963 with what you’ve noticed and when. We’ll book the inspection and tell you plainly what’s up there.