Raccoon in your attic right now? (914) 315-7033 · 24/7 emergency response
Family-Owned Since 1998
Licensed & Insured
Written Guarantee on Exclusion
Baby Raccoon Hand-Extraction
Insurance Claim Assistance
Raccoons are among the most destructive animals that invade homes in the tri-state area. They tear open soffits, rip through roof decking, and destroy insulation. A mother raccoon with babies in your attic will cause thousands of dollars in damage if left unchecked. TriState Wildlife has been removing raccoons from attics, chimneys, crawl spaces, and porches since 1998. We handle every phase: trapping, baby extraction by hand, structural repair, exclusion, and feces decontamination. All exclusion work is backed by an industry-leading written guarantee.
How We Work
Our Raccoon Removal Process
We start with a full home inspection. We check the attic, roofline, soffits, fascia, chimneys, and crawl spaces to determine where raccoons are getting in, how many are present, and whether babies are involved. During maternity season (March through June), we almost always find litters.
If babies are present, we extract them by hand before setting traps for the mother. This is critical. If you trap the mother first, the babies die in the attic and you have a much bigger problem. Our technicians are trained in safe, humane hand-removal of raccoon litters.
Adults are captured using professional cage traps placed at entry points or along travel routes. Once all raccoons are removed, we seal every entry point with heavy-gauge materials raccoons cannot tear through. We then assess the damage and recommend any necessary repair or decontamination.
Every exclusion seal is backed by a written guarantee. If raccoons re-enter through any point we sealed, we come back and fix it at no cost.
Our Raccoon Work
Photos from Recent Jobs
Raccoon entry point through damaged soffit
Baby raccoons extracted by hand from attic
Raccoon feces contamination in attic insulation
Sealed soffit after raccoon exclusion
Case Study: Westchester County
A Scarsdale homeowner heard heavy thumping in the attic at 3am. We arrived the next morning and found a mother raccoon with four babies nesting in the blown-in insulation. The mother had torn through the aluminum soffit to get in. We hand-extracted the babies, set a trap for the mother, sealed all entry points with 16-gauge galvanized steel, and removed 200 square feet of contaminated insulation. The homeowner's insurance covered the full decontamination.
Know Your Raccoons
Biology & Behavior
The Common Raccoon (Procyon lotor) is a highly intelligent, dexterous animal with remarkable grip strength. They can open latches, turn doorknobs, and pry apart building materials that would stop most other wildlife. An adult weighs 15 to 40 pounds.
Raccoons are nocturnal. Homeowners typically hear them moving around in attics between dusk and dawn. Heavy thumping, scratching, and vocal chittering are the telltale signs. They use the same entry point repeatedly, so staining and grease marks around holes in the roofline are a dead giveaway.
Maternity season runs March through June. Females seek warm, enclosed spaces to give birth. Attics are ideal. A typical litter is three to five kits. The babies are immobile for the first eight weeks, which is why hand-extraction is the only option during this period.
Health Risks
Rabies, Roundworm & Structural Damage
Raccoons are a primary rabies vector in New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut. Rabies is always fatal if untreated. Never approach or attempt to handle a raccoon yourself. Any raccoon active during daylight, appearing disoriented, or showing no fear of humans should be treated as potentially rabid.
Raccoon roundworm (Baylisascaris procyonis) is present in raccoon feces and poses a serious health risk to humans, especially children. The eggs become airborne when dry droppings are disturbed. Infection can cause severe neurological damage. This is why professional decontamination of raccoon latrines is not optional. Do not attempt to clean raccoon feces yourself.
Structurally, raccoons cause more damage per incident than almost any other nuisance animal. They tear insulation off ductwork, chew through wiring, crush soffit panels, and create water entry points that lead to mold and rot. The damage from a single raccoon family in an attic for one season routinely exceeds $5,000.
Seasonal Patterns
Maternity Season: March Through June
The busiest period for raccoon calls is March through June. Females break into attics to give birth in a warm, protected space. By the time most homeowners notice the noise, the babies are already born. Trapping the mother without first removing the babies is a serious mistake that most pest control companies make.
We check every job for babies before setting a single trap. If kits are present, we extract them by hand and use them to lure the mother into a trap. The entire family is relocated together. This is the humane, effective approach, and it is what separates a wildlife professional from an exterminator.
After the Raccoons Are Gone
Feces Cleanup & Attic Decontamination
Raccoons designate communal latrines. In an attic, this means a concentrated pile of feces that grows over weeks or months. Raccoon roundworm eggs in these droppings remain viable in soil for years and become infectious within 2 to 4 weeks.
Professional decontamination involves sealing off the space, removing all contaminated insulation in sealed bags, HEPA-vacuuming the entire area, applying antimicrobial treatment, and re-insulating. Our technicians wear full hazmat-grade protective equipment.
Raccoon damage and decontamination may be covered by your homeowners insurance depending on your policy. We document the damage, provide detailed reports, and work with your adjuster. Learn more about our attic decontamination service.
"Raccoons tore a hole through our soffit and had babies in the attic. Kris came out, pulled the babies by hand, trapped the mother the same night. Sealed everything up with steel. Haven't had a problem since."
Mark D.
Scarsdale, NY · Westchester County
"Two other companies told us to just set traps. TriState was the only one who asked if babies were involved. They were. Four of them. Professional, humane, and thorough."
Sarah T.
Mahwah, NJ · Bergen County
"Raccoon got into our chimney. Kris had it out within hours. Installed a chimney cap and sealed the flashing the same day. No mess, no drama. Highly recommend."
David R.
Greenwich, CT · Fairfield County
Common Questions
Raccoon Removal FAQ
We provide a free on-site inspection before quoting any work. Pricing depends on the number of raccoons, whether babies are involved, the extent of damage, and the scope of exclusion needed. We give upfront written estimates with no hidden fees.
We extract babies by hand before trapping the mother. This ensures the entire family is removed together. Never hire a company that sets traps without checking for babies first. Orphaned kits will die in the attic, creating a far worse problem.
We strongly advise against it. Raccoons are a primary rabies vector, and their feces contain raccoon roundworm. They are also powerful animals that will defend themselves and their young. In New York, you need a Nuisance Wildlife Control license to trap and relocate raccoons.
Raccoon damage and decontamination may be covered depending on your policy. We document everything, provide detailed reports with photos, and work directly with your insurance adjuster to maximize your coverage.
After removal, we seal every entry point with heavy-gauge galvanized steel or professional-grade materials that raccoons cannot tear through. We also address vulnerable areas like open soffits, ridge vents, and chimney caps. All exclusion work is backed by a written guarantee.
Yes. Raccoon droppings commonly contain Baylisascaris procyonis (raccoon roundworm), which can cause severe neurological damage in humans. The eggs become infectious within weeks and remain viable for years. Never disturb raccoon feces without professional-grade protective equipment.
Yes. Chimneys without caps are one of the most common raccoon entry points. We remove the raccoon, clean the flue if needed, and install a heavy-duty stainless steel chimney cap to prevent re-entry.