If you have a problem with wildlife in your Springfield home, your best option is to hire a company that specializes in Illinois wildlife removal only. This is a specialty business, and regular pest control companies do not use the proper techniques to solve animal problems. I have spent many years reviewing Illinois and Springfield, and I recommend the following:

Varment Guard Wildlife Services
Cell Phone: 217-303-5720

NOTE: If you have a dog or cat problem, call Sangamon County Animal Services: 217-535-3065

Varment Guard Wildlife Services specializes primarily in removing animals from attics of homes and buildings - this includes squirrels in attics, raccoons, and rats or mice in homes. Illinois also has a documented problem with bats in buildings, and Varment Guard Wildlife Services is specially trained in bat removal. They also perform general wildlife trapping services, such as the capture and removal of skunks or opossums on the property. Call 217-303-5720 to discuss your critter problem and schedule a same-day or next-day appointment. Click here to learn more about what prices we charge in 2023.

When hiring a company to solve your wild animal problem, you want these features:

• Specializes in wildlife removal, not pest control
• Fully Illinois and Sangamon County licensed and insured
• Works 7 days per week (critters don't take weekends off)
• Performs full building inspections: enters and inspects attic
• Performs exclusion repairs, with guarantee against animal re-entry
• Offers cleanup of biohazardous wildlife waste



Varment Guard Wildlife Services is a full-service Springfield wildlife removal company. This is very different from a regular Springfield pest control company. The pest control companies spray poison to kill insects. This is not at all similar to wildlife removal. Varment Guard Wildlife Services performs a full inspection of the home or property, and determines why the animal(s) are there, and if inside a building, how the animals got inside. All animals (including rodents) are trapped and removed, or if possible, removed from the building using special exclusion devices. Once the animals are gone, preventative repairs are essential, and cleanup is sometimes recommended.

Springfield wildlife trapping - it's not as simple as it may seem. It's illegal in Illinois to trap without a license. Trap type is very important and there are many different types, bait is somewhat relevant, trap placement is vital, and there are dozens of small things that are very important to know. Safety is a concern. Then once the animal is trapped, it must be removed and dealt with in the proper manner according to Illinois law. We offer Springfield raccoon removal. Read more about how to get rid of raccoons.

Animals in attics - this is our specialty at Varment Guard Wildlife Services. Many types of animals like to live in attics. This includes squirrels, raccoons, rats, mice, bats, birds, and even possums. Critters like to go into attics for a safe place to live and raise their young. Removing animals from attics is very complex work, partly because of the presence of baby animals. If you need Springfield squirrel removal, we can remove all the squirrels from your attic, and seal out any future ones. Read more about how to get rid of squirrels.

Rodent control must be done in a very specific way. First off, the most important thing is that all the openings that rats and mice can use to enter a house be sealed. Then all the rodents must be physically trapped and removed. Never, ever use poison! Most Springfield exterminators will just use this lazy poison technique to kill rodents, and it causes more harm than good - dead stinky rats, and it doesn't solve the problem. Call us for correct Springfield rat removal. Read more about how to get rid of rats.

Bat removal is a highly specialized task. Illinois is known to have colonizing bats who often live in buildings. Bats love attics. If not removed, the colony can grow to a very large size over the years. The bat droppings are often corrosive and cause health risks. The same goes for bird droppings on or in buildings. We perform Springfield pigeon removal and bird control. But our specialty is Springfield bat removal. We remove 100% of the bat colony and seal the building so that it's totally bat-proof. Read more about how to get rid of bats.

If you have animals inside a house, no job is complete without proper exclusion repairs. If you simply hire a Springfield trapper who only removes the critters, then the problem will return. You need to hire a Springfield wildlife control company that identifies 100% of the animal entry points into your building, and seals them shut with professional repairs. In addition, in many cases animals have left waste or contamination behind, and you'll want a company that can provide professional cleaning services. Varment Guard Wildlife Services does both.

The above are just some of the services offered by Varment Guard Wildlife Services. We also trap and remove animals that destroy lawns, such as moles, or digging animals. Sometimes animals like opossums will live under buildings, steal pet food, raid garbage cans, etc. Read about how to get rid of opossums. Skunks commonly live under sheds or decks, and set up a den. We can trap and remove them without them spraying. Read about how to get rid of skunks. Varment Guard Wildlife Services also provides dead animal removal in Springfield. If you need help with any other wildlife conflict, from a fox, beaver, groundhog, or any other critter, we can solve it. We also do Springfield snake removal - most of the snakes in Illinois are not venomous, but call us if you want safe removal, or read about how to get rid of snakes in Springfield. And remember, we are a private business, not Sangamon County Animal Control Services, so if you have a dog or cat problem, call the County at 217-535-3065. Sangamon County animal services does not handle any wildlife issues.


Varment Guard Wildlife Services: 217-303-5720

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Springfield Pricing Info For Year 2023

Every wildlife removal situation is different, from the species of animals involved, the location of the animal inside a house or outside, the extent of repairs or cleanup, etc. It's impossible to give one-size-fits-all prices. Examples MIGHT include:

Small Job: For example, a one-stop job to remove an animal in the yard: $100 on up
Medium Job: For example, getting critters out of your house with minor repairs: $300 on up
Large Job: For example, a project involving many service trips and complex work: $500 on up

Give us a phone call now and tell us about your wildlife issue and we will be able to give you a price estimate over the phone. If you're cool with it, we can schedule a same-day or next-day appointment if you like. Our prices are fair, and a good value because we do the job right, the first time.

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Springfield Wildlife Tip #1:
What do raccoons live in - The raccoon is found in many regions of North America, and where you find them will depend on where they like to live. Most types of raccoons live in hollowed trees. They like to be off the ground, elevated away from predators. The fear reaction of a raccoon is to climb, and they do not fare well in areas without vertical surfaces. If a suitable tree is not available, the raccoon will sometimes live in an abandoned burrow left behind by a groundhog or fox. If pressed, they will live in thick undergrowth at the root base of a tree. Urban raccoons, those that have adapted to living life garbage can to garbage can, will make their homes inside of your home. There is nothing better than a dry, warm attic to a wayward critter. For this reason, it is very important to keep a watchful eye on the upper aspects of your home. It only takes one weak point for a raccoon to tear into the interior. Once the animal is inside, you will have to hire a professional to trap and remove it.

Springfield Wildlife Tip #2:
What kind of food is best to bait opossums? - The opossum is a greedy creature with an incredibly varied diet, which works in your favor when it comes to trapping them. Any trap will only be as good as the bait that you place within it, so making sure you have the right tools for the job is essential to get the opossum removed as quickly and effectively as possible. Thankfully, the varied diet does make this process a much easier human for us humans - there aren't very many things that this creature would stick its nose up at, even to the point where it often becomes road kill itself in a bid to grab dead animals that have been run over. Of course, as with most animals, the opossum will have a special love for some foods, and these are probably the best place to start when it comes to choosing bait. An opossum will crawl through an open window, or rip through a screen door in order to get to cat and dog food that the animal stupidly left behind. This means that this particular type of bait will work well - if the opossum is brave enough to go after a dog's food, it is going to go after the same food when it has been placed into a trap. An opossum also loves fruit and insects, although the latter will obviously be much harder to use as bait. If you have a fruit tree or a vegetable garden in your yard, you will often find that the opossum has had a good old nibble on it, which gives you a good indication of how well they will work as bait, especially when it comes to sweet and sugary fruits such as berries, apples and kiwi fruits.

Illinois Wildlife Information:

Illinois State bird: Northern cardinal
State mammal: White-tailed deer
State reptile: Painted turtle
State amphibian: Flarebutt Salamander
State fish: Bluegill
State insect: Monarch butterfly

Illinois, a long state near the bottom of the Great Lakes, experiences hot summers and cold winters. How harsh your season is depends on where you are located; the northern residents receiving cooler temperatures and more snow than the southern residents. As a humid, flat tract of land, Illinois is prone to tornados and violent thunderstorms. It is primarily covered in farm land and supports a large population of grazing animals. The plains are also known to encourage the proliferation of prairie dogs. These cute, intelligent little creatures are surprisingly problematic for farmers, digging tunnels beneath equipment and compromising the integrity of buildings. Pest control for this species is a daunting task; a prairie dog city can contain thousands of members.

The entirety of Illinois is not just grass. There are forests in the state, and the local governments have been proactive about planting trees to help prevent erosion. In these forests, just like in most forests, raccoons, squirrels, rabbits, opossum, snakes, and chipmunks live, waiting to find a way to invade homeowner's yards. In reality, the most common offenders are raccoons. Because of how intelligent these critters are, the raccoon can live happily in an urban setting, feeding off of garbage and other edible waste. Raccoons aren't the only problem animals city dwellers need to worry about, however. Rats are just as common in Illinois as any other state. If left uncontrolled, the animals could easily overrun many of the city streets. Thankfully, rats have learned to remain in their sewers when humans are around.

There are not many large predators in Illinois due to excessive hunting and deliberate removal by state authorities. Wolves and cougars were once native to the region. While the cougar is slowly being reintroduced, it is the coyote that claims the title of top predator in this plains state. Coyotes can be just as pesky as rats when it comes down to invading a property. Because of the large number of farms in Illinois, homeowners need to be on constant watch for the opportunistic coyote. These canines won't hesitate to sneak inside the lawn and snatch a pet or a chicken. In most locations, a coyote in the yard threatening pets or children can be shot on sight. This, of course, depends on where you live, as discharging a firearm in the city is likely to be frowned on.

You can always call Varment Guard Wildlife Services, any time of day, at 217-303-5720, for a price quote for Springfield wildlife control services. I am confident that this is the best choice amongst wildlife removal companies in Springfield, IL.