Have you ever been bitten?
Yes. I have handled several thousand wild animals in my career, including alligators, venomous snakes, etc. In my first
year of work, when I was inexperienced, I did receive several bites. But I am
inoculated against rabies and always
took proper first-aid precautions. Most of the bites came during times I did not expect - by holding a cage trap
the wrong way, a raccoon was able to lunge and bite my finger. A snake was able to strike through a holding bag. A
young squirrel was able to bite through thick welder's gloves. An opossum playing possum wasn't really dead! There
is so much to learn about wildlife. Now that I am experienced, I have not been bitten in over five years.
What's the strangest animal you've ever caught?
I work in Florida, so I've caught iguanas, alligators, huge pythons, a
seven foot Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnake, Tokay Geckos, and more. But
to be honest, I mostly deal with the same animals over and over again - squirrels in the attic, raccoons, rats, etc.
What do you do with the animals after you catch them?
Because I am state licensed and have special authorized permission from property owners with appropriate release habitat, I am
able to safely and humanely relocate the wildlife that I trap. When possible, I prefer to
exclude - merely keep the critters
out, so that I don't have to handle the animals at all. In many states, Rabies Vector Species, if trapped, must be euthanized.
Qualified trappers are most definitely able to do so in a humane manner, and properly dispose of the animal body. The matter of
properly and legally dealing with wildlife once trapped is
just one of many reasons to hire a licensed professional.
How much does professional wildlife removal cost?
In short, wildlife removal is a specialty service with unique risks, and it is not cheap. Every type of wildlife removal job is
different, so there is no one-price-fits-all scenario. To find an exact price, just click on my directory and call the pro in
your area, and you can describe your situation and get a cost estimate. If you don't like what you hear, no problem, you can
look for someone else. But beware, cheap trappers often deliver bad work.
Can my city/county animal control do it for free?
No. The government animal services does not handle wildlife issues, and if they tried, they'd do the worst possible job. No government
employee is going to crawl through your attic, perform home repairs, clean wildlife feces, etc.
Can my regular pest control company do wildlife removal?
No. Pest control and wildlife removal are completely different. Pest control companies spray poison to kill
insects. Wildlife removal involves building repairs and catching and removing wild animals.
Do you remove termites or other insects?
No. We deal with wild animals only - mammals, birds, and reptiles. Raccoons, opossums, skunks, rats, snakes, pigeons, bats, etc. The techniques for solving problems with wild
animals are completely different than the methods used for insects. We don't control insects.
Do you use poisons for wildlife control?
Never EVER. Poison is an incredibly horrible way to attempt to solve a wild animal problem. Some pest control companies attempt to do so - they are used to it working on bugs. But when it
comes to mammals such as rats or mice, the root of the problem must be solved - find and seal shut the entry holes into the building and the problem is solved! Poisoning rodents just
results in temporary relief and horrible rotting rat odors, and the problem is not solved - new ones just take the place. And anyone attempting to poison a raccoon or other large animal
is breaking the law, and a royal asshole as well.
How did you get into this line of work?
I knew an older gentleman in my home town who did wildlife control work. It looked like a great job, so I asked him to train me. I agreed to be his apprentice, and I worked with him for
free for almost two years. Then as was our agreement, I moved to a different state to start my own business, so that I would not compete with him. But in reality, I had to do most of my
learning on my own, over the course of several years. It took me a long time to become a truly competent wildlife control operator. Amateurs have no hope of doing a good job.
Are you hiring?
I'm sorry, no. I'm also not training anyone. If you want to enter this line of work, try to become an employee, buy a franchise, or you can do what I did as described above.
Do you help with dog or cat issues?
No. Dog and cat problems are dealt with by your local city or county animal services. Unfortunately, they will not help with a wild animal problem, and if they tried, they'd do a bad job - the government isn't
going to crawl in your attic and repair your home. A common frustration for wildlife operators such as myself is getting hounded by phone calls about dog or cat problems. I can't help you with your neighbor's barking dog any more than your plumber can.
What should I do if I find injured or baby wildlife?
Probably the best thing to do is to leave it alone. This is nature. But if you want to interfere, find a local wildlife rehabber who is willing to take care of the animal. An internet search should yield one or more rehabbers
in your area. If you do bring them an animal, please donate to help their work - taking care of wild critters (food, shelter, vaccines) is not cheap.
Can I email you with my own wildlife questions?
Sure. I do answer a good percentage of the emails that I get. But you're really better off calling the professional that I list in your area - honestly, I almost certain (98% chance) know someone who operates near where you live!
Yup. You can also find a complete directory of all pages on this site, which can answer many questions:
sitemap.