Located on the western Gulf Coast of the state of Florida, Sarasota is the state’s third fastest-growing major market area. Over 600,000 people currently call the Sarasota area home and enjoy its warm climate and beach access. Sarasota also offers the perfect habitat for a variety of wildlife, from large animals such as bears and bobcats to alligators to smaller mammals and reptiles such as raccoons, opossums, and snakes that Critter Control specialists in the area handle on a daily basis.
Raccoons are nocturnal mammals that can be found throughout the Sarasota area. When encountered, it’s very important to avoid trying to remove a raccoon from a property yourself because these animals are one of Florida’s major rabies carriers.
During the inspection, we determine the severity of the raccoon infestation. We look for physical evidence like footprints in or around the home, stains from raccoon feces and urine. On the exterior of the house, we look for damage like scratches on boards, broken vents and screens, ripped apart shingles, destroyed soffits, and every possible entry point.
Live trapping is one of the most efficient ways to get rid of a raccoon. Depending on the situation, a one-way door or excluder valve can be installed. An excluder valve works by allowing the raccoon to leave but blocks its reentry. The choice of device is largely dependent on the season and location of the raccoons on your property. Direct capture is not commonly used because raccoons are a rabies vector species. If we must trap, we place traps strategically to safely catch the raccoons and we check traps frequently, based on state laws.
We provide a wide range of repair and restoration services. We can repair raccoon damage like broken screens on vents and chimneys and broken boards on decks and porches. It is essential to apply cleaning agents and ectoparasite treatments on areas inhabited by raccoons.
Like raccoons, squirrels are cute scavengers that do incredible damage to your home and property. You can expect to see the Southern flying squirrel, Mexican red-bellied squirrel, Eastern gray squirrel and various fox squirrels. Our squirrels enjoy eating nuts, seeds, fruits and bird eggs. If you look around your property, you probably see many sources of food for local squirrels.
Squirrels are collectors. They need a place to store their goods, have baby squirrels and stay warm during the winter months. There’s no better place than your attic, which is easy to reach since squirrels can climb and scurry across thin wires and ledges.
Squirrels can quickly become a nuisance. We can help.
Wildlife specialists look for signs such as chewing on, in, or around your home, small openings leading to the attic or the crawl space, droppings, and debris like nuts or nesting material. Beams, wires, pipes, and insulation may all show signs of damage from squirrels.
Live trapping or one-way doors are the most effective and humane ways to get rid of squirrels. One-way doors should never be used during birthing seasons (Spring & Fall), so our specialists will decide which is the best tool for the job. If we have to trap, we place traps strategically to safely catch the squirrels and check those according to state laws.
We can restore your home or office by squirrel proofing all entry points after we have removed the offenders. We can also clean-up the nesting sites and remove any debris, food, feces and soiled insulation.
During a rodent inspection, we thoroughly inspect your attic and provide a complete exterior home inspection. The most common signs of rodent activity are gnaw marks, feces, rub marks, nesting material, runs in insulation material, and small entry points.
A Critter Control wildlife specialist will create a strategic trapping plan to remove the rodents found in your home. Critter Control specialists may use snap traps and live traps to capture and remove mice and rats. Rodent trapping can usually takes between five to fourteen days.
The best way to reduce the possibility of letting unwanted rodents into homes is to seal possible entrances. Exclusion methods include caulking cracks in foundations, capping chimneys, and installing mesh covers over vents and crawl space entrances. We also strongly recommend a maintenance service. Rodents have front teeth that continuously grow, which means they can gnaw a new way back into your home.
There are 13 native bat species in Florida. Sarasota homeowners often see bats flying around yards at night when they hunt for mosquitoes. But these animals are not always content to stay outside and will look for safe shelter in homes. A bat can crawl through openings less than a half-inch in diameter. Please be aware that you cannot remove a bat without a permit in Florida between April 15 to August 15.
We perform a full interior and exterior inspection and search for signs such as rub marks, guano, a strong scent of ammonia, and small openings. The most common sign is the accumulation of guano (feces).
The most effective and humane way to remove bats is by utilizing a bat valve in conjunction with a full home exclusion. A bat valve allows for bats to exit your home but not re-enter. We follow all local ordinances for humane bat removal. We will never abandon flightless pups in your attic.
After removing the bat valves, we seal the entrance hole(s) so bats can no longer enter your home. If there is substantial guano in your attic, you should consider taking advantage of our attic remediation services to remove the soiled insulation and replace it.
Critter Control is here for you every step of the way in the wildlife removal process. From inspection to removal—and even exclusion and repair—we have the services you need to get rid of raccoons, rodents, and other nuisances fast. First, we identify the animal on the property, then use humane methods to remove the animal and secure weak points where more could enter. If damage has been done, we can make those repairs for a complete restoration. Contact a Critter Control office near you today.
During the inspection we try to ascertain how many animals there are, where they are located, and how they got in. Based on what you have seen, heard and smelled, we start the inspection where you have noticed signs of animal activity. Evidence of animals inside your home include nests, dens, feces, and animal tracks. We investigate the exterior of your home looking for possible entry points, any evidence of animal damage, tracks, fur, animal waste, or rub marks.
We use several methods to humanely remove the animal from your home. Depending on the species, the number of animals, and the condition of your property, we develop a custom wildlife removal plan. Humane wildlife removal strategies include animal traps, one-way doors, and repellents. Once we guarantee all animals are gone, we implement exclusion techniques. Exclusion techniques provide a safe, long-term solution to nuisance wildlife in your home. We create barriers to prevent animals from getting to resources. We only apply exclusions once we are sure all animals are gone from your home.
Wildlife will damage your home. Exclusion techniques repair any damage the animal causes getting into your home. Inside your home, animals build nests and dens out of readily available material. They will create runs through the insulation. Rodents will gnaw on anything including electrical wires and pipes. Animals can also spread diseases. We apply sanitation agents to clean up feces and urine. Mammals can host pests like fleas, ticks, and mites. Ectoparasite treatments exterminate those pests so you don’t become their next host.
Critter Control of Sarasota deals with nuisance wildlife (not cats or dogs) for homes, condos, and businesses throughout Sarasota and nearby Gulf Coast communities. The most common calls in this area involve rats and mice in attics and walls, raccoons nesting above ceilings, squirrels in soffits and eaves, bats roosting in roof voids, and armadillos tearing up lawns and landscaping. Snakes, opossums, birds, and other wildlife also regularly find their way into garages, crawlspaces, and pool enclosures in Sarasota’s suburban and coastal neighborhoods.
Critter Control focuses on safely removing these animals and then performing long-term exclusion and repairs to keep them from getting back in, rather than offering one-time “trap and release” that lets the problem return.
For Sarasota properties, Critter Control follows a three-step process designed for Florida construction and coastal weather patterns:
1. Inspection – A trained wildlife technician performs a full inspection of the roofline, soffits, vents, crawlspace, and attic to locate entry points, droppings, gnawing, nesting areas, and damage.
2. Removal – We use humane, species-specific methods—including trapping, one-way doors, and other tools—to remove raccoons, rats, squirrels, bats, birds, armadillos, opossums, and more from your structure.
3. Exclusion & Repair – After animals are out, we seal active and potential entry points and can repair damaged areas so wildlife cannot simply move back in. For heavy contamination (chewed wiring, urine-soaked insulation, droppings), we can also recommend attic remediation and cleanup.
This process is built to handle the real-world conditions Sarasota residents face—heat, humidity, storms, and wildlife pushed into structures by changing seasons.
Yes but only at specific times of the year. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) says the state’s bat maternity season runs from April 16 through August 14 each year. During this time, it is illegal to block bats from returning to their roosts or to use exclusion devices that could trap flightless pups inside structures.
Critter Control of Sarasota performs legal, FWC-compliant bat exclusions outside maternity season—generally August 15 through April 15. We install one-way devices that allow bats to exit but not re-enter, then seal all gaps along rooflines, soffits, and vents to prevent them from coming back.
If bats are discovered during maternity season, we can help you stabilize the situation, minimize risk, and plan a safe, legal exclusion for the first available window once pups are able to fly.
Cold fronts and storms cause animals to move in to seek shelter.
Yes. Critter Control of Sarasota offers prompt service and 24/7 availability for wildlife emergencies, so you can get help fast when there is an animal in a living space, a snake in a pool area, or a raccoon actively threatening people or pets.
For urgent issues, you can call the Sarasota office directly at 941-355-9511. A wildlife technician will respond as quickly as possible, secure the area, and start the removal process. For non-emergency situations, you can still schedule a free inspection to address noises in the attic, damaged soffits, or droppings you’ve noticed around the home.
Critter Control of Sarasota serves Sarasota County, Manatee County, and surrounding Gulf Coast communities like: Siesta Key, Venice, and North Port, with wildlife removal service areas
If you’re just outside Sarasota or in a nearby town, the office can confirm coverage and scheduling options when you call.
Noises in your home, or feces found in your home or yard. Structural damage is also an obvious sign.
Yes. Critter Control of Sarasota emphasizes safe, humane wildlife control and operates as a licensed and insured wildlife and pest management provider.
In Florida, bats and other species are protected by law. Critter Control follows FWC and state regulations on bat maternity season, trapping rules, and handling of protected wildlife, using legal and species-appropriate methods that protect both your property and the animals involved.
Most conventional pest control companies primarily focus on insects and basic rodent trapping.
Critter Control of Sarasota is geared toward full-service wildlife control, which includes:
• Detailed wildlife inspections of rooflines, soffits, vents, crawlspaces, chimneys, and attics
• Humane trapping and removal of raccoons, squirrels, opossums, armadillos, birds, and other wildlife
• Damage repair and exclusion to close and reinforce entry points after animals are removed
• Recommendations for attic cleanup and remediation when contamination or insulation damage is found
There is no one-size-fits-all price for wildlife removal in Sarasota. Critter Control typically starts with a free inspection and written estimate, because the cost depends on several real-world factors:
• Species involved – bats, rats, raccoons, squirrels, birds, armadillos, etc.
• Number, size, and difficulty of entry points – roof returns, soffits, vents, crawlspace openings, and other gaps
• Extent of damage and contamination – droppings, urine-soaked insulation, gnawed wiring, chewed wood or fascia
• Level of exclusion and repair needed to secure the structure and prevent re-entry fully
Because every property and infestation is different, the Sarasota office inspects first, explains what’s going on in clear terms, and then provides a customized estimate so you know exactly what your wildlife removal and exclusion will entail.
Keep your yard clean of debris. Don’t feed birds or wildlife and maintain your home, to keep in in great structural condition.
At the first sign of any activity.
