The short version
A simple wildlife job in Fort Collins often costs a few hundred dollars. Sealing, repairs and attic cleanup add more.
- Babies can add work.
- Attic cleanup is often extra.
- Metal sealing keeps animals out.
- Compare what each quote includes.
Homeowners in Fort Collins with an animal in the attic, walls, chimney or yard.
What to look for
Around Fort Collins, the usual animals are raccoons, squirrels, skunks and bats. Each one gets in differently and needs a different fix. Babies are usually born from about April through June. Never handle a wild animal.
- 1Scratching or thumping in the attic.
- 2Torn vents, soffits or shingles.
- 3A musky or skunky smell.
- 4Dug holes under decks or sheds.
- 5Trash bins knocked over.
- 6Droppings on decks or in the attic.
Why it’s worth acting soon
- Chewed wires and damaged insulation.
- Droppings that can spread disease.
- Babies make removal harder.
- Rabies risk from bites.
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Estimate wildlife removal cost in Fort Collins
Adjust for your situation to see a ballpark range.
Estimated range
A rough guide only. Repairs and attic cleanup can cost more.
Treatment options and typical costs
Inspection and Species Identification
$100–$300
Expect the roof to be checked from a ladder. Roof returns, gable vents, chimney flues, and soffit gaps are where most Fort Collins attic entries happen, and none are visible from the driveway.
- Time
- 60–120 minutes
- Best for
- Every job; the species decides the method
Humane Live Trapping and Removal
$150–$500 per animal, plus trip fees
Trapping is used when a door won't work. Ask how many visits are included.
- Time
- Several days to two weeks
- Best for
- Animals already inside or denning under structures
Attic Cleanup, Sanitation, and Follow-Up
$500–$3,000+ depending on insulation removed
Cleanup in Fort Collins is priced by how much insulation has to come out and go back in. A few soiled bays cost far less than a whole attic in Fort Collins, so ask for the square footage in the quote.
- Time
- 1–2 days
- Best for
- Soiled insulation, droppings, odors, and re-checks
One-Way Doors and Eviction
$200–$600
For bird problems in Fort Collins, netting or one-way flaps let starlings and sparrows out of a vent or attic space before the opening is screened. The birds move to a nearby tree; the vent gets covered.
- Time
- 3–7 days
- Best for
- Squirrels, raccoons, and birds using a single main entry
Prices are typical published ranges. Ask what’s included before you compare quotes.
In the attic, look for flattened insulation, droppings and nests. Leave big cleanups to someone with the right gear.What wildlife removal costs in Fort Collins.
- Attic Cleanup, Sanitation, and Follow-Up: $500–$3,000+ depending on insulation removed - Humane Live Trapping and Removal: $150–$500 per animal, plus trip fees - Inspection and Species Identification: $100–$300 - A typical home in Fort Collins is worth around $540k, and attic damage costs far more than sealing a gap. Babies arrive from about April through June around Fort Collins, which can add work. - One-Way Doors and Eviction: $200–$600
Local wildlife conditions in Fort Collins.
An inspection in Fort Collins usually starts outside and works inward, checking the foundation, gaps around doors and windows, and any moisture or clutter near the structure first. Knowing Fort Collins's seasonal timing lets you schedule treatment before the busy stretch rather than after it, which usually means faster service and a more accurate quote. A provider who works Fort Collins and Colorado every day can point out the specific conditions that matter most here, and getting the scope, price, and follow-up terms in writing makes it easier to compare options. Fort Collins sits in a semi-arid climate, and that sets the pace for wildlife activity here: spring denning and fall (animals seek winter shelter). For Fort Collins homes, the area is mostly urban, so wildlife pressure can differ from one block to the next depending on how tight the entry points are and how much food, water, or shelter is close by.
Walk the foundation with a flashlight. Gaps at ground level let animals under the house.Animals around Fort Collins.
Around Fort Collins, the most common animals are raccoons, squirrels, skunks and bats. Homes from Fort Collins out to Loveland and Greeley see much the same mix.
What’s that noise?
- Rustling at dusk at the roof edge: bats. - Heavy thumps at night: raccoons. - Quick scurrying at dawn and dusk: squirrels. - A strong smell under the deck: skunks.
Baby season.
Never seal a hole while babies are still inside. Bat exclusion waits until pups can fly, usually by mid-August. Around Fort Collins, most babies are born from about April through June. Mothers look for warm, dry spots like attics and chimneys.
A year of wildlife in Fort Collins.
- Fall: animals hunt for winter dens. Seal gaps now. - Summer: highs near 87°F in Fort Collins. Animals roam at night. - Spring: babies are born from about April through June. Don't seal while young are inside. - Winter: lows near 17°F in Fort Collins. Animals den up in attics.
Raccoons.
They tear open vents and roof edges. Heavy thumps at night usually mean a raccoon. Never handle one.
Tree squirrels.
Squirrels are busy at dawn and dusk. They chew small gaps into bigger holes, and wires too.
Skunks.
Skunks den under decks, sheds and porches. A strong smell after dark is the giveaway.
Bats.
Bats slip through gaps as small as a thumb. Look for droppings under a gap at the roofline.
Getting them out the right way.
- Seal: heavy metal mesh on every gap. - Door: a one-way door lets the animal leave. - Check: look for babies first. - Identify: figure out which animal it is. - Recheck: make sure nothing is trying to get back in.
Where animals get in.
- Crawl-space doors and foundation vents. - Uncapped chimneys. - Gaps where the roof meets the wall. - Roof vents and soffit corners. - Under decks, porches and sheds.
If an animal gets inside the house.
Keep kids and pets away. Open an outside door or window in that room, then leave. Close interior doors so it stays in one room. Call your health department first. Is it a bat, and was someone asleep there?
Droppings and cleanup.
- Wet droppings down, then bag them. - Wear gloves, a mask and old clothes. - Don’t sweep or vacuum droppings dry. - Large attic messes are a job for pros.
Keeping your yard less inviting.
- Fruit: pick up what falls. - Birds: use a seed tray, and sweep up spills. - Pets: feed them indoors. - Trash: locking lids, or keep bins in the garage. - Cover: clear brush and wood piles near the house.
Wildlife myths.
- Mothballs drive them out: they don’t, and they’re a health hazard. - Moving them is kind: often illegal, and babies get left. - Out in daylight means rabid: not always; mothers forage by day. - Lights and radios work: only briefly.
Birds in vents and chimneys.
Most native birds are protected while nesting. Starlings and sparrows love dryer and bath vents. Then fit a vent cover that still lets air out. Wait until the young have flown.
If an animal seems sick.
Keep people and pets inside. Staggering, circling or acting unafraid can mean illness. Don't try to trap or touch it. animal control or your local health department.
Pets and wildlife.
Bring pets in at night. Keep pets' rabies shots up to date. your vet if your pet tangles with a wild animal.
What a wildlife visit looks like.
They set a one-way door or trap. They look for tracks, droppings and torn vents. The tech walks the roofline and the foundation. Cleanup comes last. Later, they come back and seal up.
If a skunk sprays.
- Clothes: wash with baking soda added to the load. - Eyes: keep the mix out; rinse with cool water. - Tomato juice: it doesn’t really work. - People and pets: wash with peroxide, baking soda and dish soap. - Under the house: air it out; the smell fades over days.
Babies found alone.
Leave them be and watch from a distance for a day. Baby animals alone are often just waiting for a parent. Call a wildlife rehabilitator. Hurt or clearly orphaned?
Fencing that works.
- Gardens: hardware cloth beats chicken wire. - Climbers: an electric wire near the top stops raccoons. - Diggers: bury wire mesh a foot down, bent outward. - Gates: keep gaps underneath to a couple of inches.
Questions to ask before you sign.
- What will you seal with? - What happens to the animal? - How will you handle babies? - Where is it getting in? - Which animal is it? - Is cleanup included?
Ways to keep the cost down.
- Cap the chimney and screen vents early. - Secure trash and pet food yourself. - Call before baby season.
What affects the price
- Trip fees for daily trap checks over multiple days.
- Whether young are present and need hand removal.
- Materials used: steel and hardware cloth over foam.
- Length of deck or shed perimeter needing buried mesh.
- Presence of a raccoon latrine requiring special cleanup.
- Warranty length on exclusion work and sealed points.
- Species involved; skunks and raccoons cost more to handle.
- Damage to ductwork, wiring, or vents needing repair.
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What matters most in a wildlife quote?
When to call for help
right away if one acts sick or aggressive. Babies and droppings need careful handling. Call if an animal is in the attic, walls or chimney.
What you can do yourself
Secure trash, bring in pet food and trim branches. Getting an animal out of the house is a pro's job. Never corner or handle one.
Wildlife in Fort Collins
An inspection in Fort Collins that starts outside and works inward usually finds the entry points, moisture, and shelter that matter most before anyone treats. Fort Collins has a semi-arid climate, and wildlife activity here tends to follow spring denning and fall (animals seek winter shelter). For Fort Collins homes, animals live comfortably in town, using alleys, storm drains and older buildings. In Colorado, skunks and bats carry most rabies. Winter lows near 17°F in Fort Collins send animals into attics and crawl spaces in fall.
Local research
Wildlife in Fort Collins, CO: what the public record shows
Before you compare quotes, it helps to know which wildlife actually live in Colorado, when they are busiest around Fort Collins, and what the state figures look like. Everything below links to the agency or university page it came from.
Raccoon relocation distance
Raccoons, tree squirrels and cottontail rabbits are the only species that may be relocated without a permit.
Colorado Parks and WildlifeAll other species
Any relocation outside the raccoon, tree squirrel and cottontail exception needs a permit first.
Colorado Parks and WildlifeNuisance Wildlife species recorded in Colorado
- Raccoon (Procyon lotor) — Top terrestrial rabies vector in the East; relocation banned in most states.
- Striped skunk (Mephitis mephitis) — Primary rabies reservoir in Texas and the central U.S.; Illinois requires euthanasia of trapped striped skunks.
When wildlife are busiest around Fort Collins
April-August denning; May-July bat blackout. Mid-Atlantic and Southeast NWCO rules require on-site release or euthanasia of vector species.
Based on Fort Collins’s semi-arid climate profile.
Landowners and their agents may take nuisance species causing damage on private property without a permit, but mountain lions and black bears may not be destroyed for property damage alone.
Rules that apply in Colorado
For context, nationally
- Around 4,000; more than 90% in wildlife — Animal rabies cases reported per year. CDC
- More than 20% each — Skunks and foxes that expose people or pets and are rabid. CDC
Sources: Colorado Parks and Wildlife; Rabies in the United States: Protecting Public Health; Class A (commercial) Nuisance Wildlife Control Permit study packet (17 Ill. Adm. Code 525). Figures are quoted as the source prints them. How we check our sources
Simple ways to keep wildlife away
- Use locking or strapped trash lids.
- Bring pet food in at night.
- Cap the chimney.
- Trim branches back from the roof.
- Bury wire mesh around decks and sheds.
- Pick up fallen fruit and spilled bird seed.
Ask which animal it is, how babies will be handled, and whether sealing and cleanup are included.Did you know?
Opossums play dead involuntarily; the response is a fainting reflex
Flying squirrels glide up to 150 feet using a skin membrane
Questions people ask
Can I save money by doing part of the job myself?
Yes.
How much does wildlife removal cost?
Simple jobs around Fort Collins often cost a few hundred dollars. Sealing and cleanup add more.
Is wildlife control more expensive than pest control?
Usually, because it involves several visits and repairs.
Does the price include a follow-up visit?
Often, but ask. Traps and one-way doors need checking.
Can I trap the animal myself?
Check Colorado's rules first. Trapping can catch the wrong animal or orphan babies.
What is included in attic cleanup?
Removing droppings and soiled insulation, then sanitizing. New insulation goes in if needed.
What season is worst for wildlife problems?
Spring babies and fall den-hunting are busiest around Fort Collins.
Do most homeowners do anything about nuisance wildlife?
For Fort Collins homes, nuisance wildlife is usually removed by trapping, then the entry points are sealed so the next animal cannot move into the same spot. For Fort Collins homes, because many animals are protected by state rules, removal has to be done legally, and a written plan should spell out removal, exclusion, and cleanup.
Which animals are most common around Fort Collins?
Mostly raccoons, squirrels, skunks and bats.
When are wild animal babies born in Fort Collins?
Usually from about April through June. Don't seal a hole while babies are inside.
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Sources (10)
The facts in this article come from the public sources listed above. Every home is different, so ask the company you talk to about pricing and what’s included. Published by Wildlife Exterminator · Updated September 11, 2026 · How we write these guides