The short version
Around Los Angeles, the most common animals are raccoons, squirrels and opossums. Identify yours first. Then get it out and seal the gap.
- Never handle a wild animal.
- Figure out which animal it is first.
- Check for babies before sealing.
- Use metal mesh, not foam.
- Secure trash and pet food.
Anyone in Los Angeles dealing with wild animals around the house.
What to look for
Each one gets in differently and needs a different fix. Babies are usually born from about February through May. Around Los Angeles, the usual animals are raccoons, squirrels, opossums, skunks and bats.
- 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.
Prohibited without written permission of the DepartmentRaccoon relocation in CaliforniaUC IPM Treatment options and typical costs
Inspection and Species Identification
$100–$300
The inspection starts with the animal: tracks, droppings, hair and the size of the hole. Ask for photos of each entry point.
- Time
- 60–120 minutes
- Best for
- Every job; the species decides the method
Attic Cleanup, Sanitation, and Follow-Up
$500–$3,000+ depending on insulation removed
Providers in Los Angeles who do cleanup should wear respirators and bag waste on site. Homeowners in Los Angeles handling raccoon droppings without protection risk exposure to Baylisascaris roundworm eggs, which survive for years in soil.
- Time
- 1–2 days
- Best for
- Soiled insulation, droppings, odors, and re-checks
Exclusion Repairs (Chimney Caps, Vent Screens, Foundation Mesh)
$300–$2,500+ depending on scope
Exclusion is the part of a Los Angeles wildlife job that actually solves the problem long term. Chimney caps, steel vent covers, hardware cloth on soffit gaps, and buried mesh skirting around decks keep Los Angeles animals out for years.
- Time
- Half a day to two days
- Best for
- Sealing the home after animals are out
One-Way Doors and Eviction
$200–$600
Timing matters in Los Angeles: eviction doors are not used during birthing season if young are present, because the mother leaves and the babies cannot. A provider should confirm no litter is inside before installing one.
- 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.
Crawl spaces are a favorite den. Check the vent screens and the access door.Animals around Los Angeles.
Around Los Angeles, the most common animals are raccoons, squirrels, opossums, skunks and bats. Homes from Los Angeles out to Glendale and Long Beach see much the same mix.
Local wildlife conditions in Los Angeles.
Los Angeles sits in a mediterranean climate, and that sets the pace for wildlife activity here: spring denning and fall (animals seek winter shelter). For Los Angeles 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. An inspection in Los Angeles usually starts outside and works inward, checking the foundation, gaps around doors and windows, and any moisture or clutter near the structure first. Knowing Los Angeles'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 Los Angeles and California 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.
Walk the foundation with a flashlight. Gaps at ground level let animals under the house.What’s that noise?
- Rustling at dusk at the roof edge: bats. - A strong smell under the deck: skunks. - Quick scurrying at dawn and dusk: squirrels. - Heavy thumps at night: raccoons.
Baby season.
Never seal a hole while babies are still inside. Bat exclusion waits until pups can fly, usually by mid-August. Around Los Angeles, most babies are born from about February through May. Mothers look for warm, dry spots like attics and chimneys.
A year of wildlife in Los Angeles.
- Fall: animals hunt for winter dens. Seal gaps now. - Winter: mild in Los Angeles, so animals stay active. - Spring: babies are born from about February through May. Don't seal while young are inside. - Summer: highs near 84°F in Los Angeles. Animals roam at night.
Raccoons.
Heavy thumps at night usually mean a raccoon. They tear open vents and roof edges. Never handle one.
Tree squirrels.
Squirrels are busy at dawn and dusk. They chew small gaps into bigger holes, and wires too.
Opossums.
Opossums are quiet, slow and mostly harmless. They move into crawl spaces and under decks.
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.
- Door: a one-way door lets the animal leave. - Seal: heavy metal mesh on every gap. - Recheck: make sure nothing is trying to get back in. - Identify: figure out which animal it is. - Check: look for babies first.
Where animals get in.
- Uncapped chimneys. - Crawl-space doors and foundation vents. - Under decks, porches and sheds. - Roof vents and soffit corners. - Gaps where the roof meets the wall.
If an animal gets inside the house.
Keep kids and pets away. Is it a bat, and was someone asleep there? Call your health department first. Close interior doors so it stays in one room. Open an outside door or window in that room, then leave.
Droppings and cleanup.
- Wet droppings down, then bag them. - Large attic messes are a job for pros. - Don’t sweep or vacuum droppings dry. - Wear gloves, a mask and old clothes.
Keeping your yard less inviting.
- Birds: use a seed tray, and sweep up spills. - Fruit: pick up what falls. - Cover: clear brush and wood piles near the house. - Trash: locking lids, or keep bins in the garage. - Pets: feed them indoors.
Wildlife myths.
- Mothballs drive them out: they don’t, and they’re a health hazard. - Lights and radios work: only briefly. - Out in daylight means rabid: not always; mothers forage by day. - Moving them is kind: often illegal, and babies get left.
Birds in vents and chimneys.
Starlings and sparrows love dryer and bath vents. Most native birds are protected while nesting. Wait until the young have flown. Then fit a vent cover that still lets air out.
If an animal seems sick.
Staggering, circling or acting unafraid can mean illness. Keep people and pets inside. animal control or your local health department. Don't try to trap or touch it.
Pets and wildlife.
Keep pets' rabies shots up to date. Bring pets in at night. your vet if your pet tangles with a wild animal.
What a wildlife visit looks like.
They set a one-way door or trap. Later, they come back and seal up. Cleanup comes last. The tech walks the roofline and the foundation. They look for tracks, droppings and torn vents.
If a skunk sprays.
- Eyes: keep the mix out; rinse with cool water. - Clothes: wash with baking soda added to the load. - Under the house: air it out; the smell fades over days. - People and pets: wash with peroxide, baking soda and dish soap. - Tomato juice: it doesn’t really work.
Babies found alone.
Baby animals alone are often just waiting for a parent. Leave them be and watch from a distance for a day. Hurt or clearly orphaned? Call a wildlife rehabilitator.
Fencing that works.
- Gardens: hardware cloth beats chicken wire. - Gates: keep gaps underneath to a couple of inches. - Diggers: bury wire mesh a foot down, bent outward. - Climbers: an electric wire near the top stops raccoons.
Questions to ask before you sign.
- How will you handle babies? - What happens to the animal? - What will you seal with? - Is cleanup included? - Which animal is it? - Where is it getting in?
What affects the price
- Crawlspace height and access, which is tight and awkward under many older raised foundation homes.
- How much of the foundation perimeter has settled or eroded away from the stem wall.
- Whether hardscape has to be worked around, since burrows run under patios and walkways.
- Hillside access, where a canyon lot means carrying material a long way by hand.
- The number of separate openings found rather than the size of any one of them.
- Season, because spring litters slow every job down and extend the schedule.
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What worries you most about wildlife?
When to call for help
Babies and droppings need careful handling. Call if an animal is in the attic, walls or chimney. right away if one acts sick or aggressive.
What you can do yourself
Never corner or handle one. Secure trash, bring in pet food and trim branches. Getting an animal out of the house is a pro's job.
Wildlife in Los Angeles
For Los Angeles homes, animals live comfortably in town, using alleys, storm drains and older buildings. Los Angeles has a mediterranean climate, and wildlife activity here tends to follow spring denning and fall (animals seek winter shelter). An inspection in Los Angeles that starts outside and works inward usually finds the entry points, moisture, and shelter that matter most before anyone treats. Mild winters in Los Angeles, with lows near 48°F, keep animals active all year. In California, skunks and bats carry most rabies.
Local research
Wildlife in Los Angeles, CA: what the public record shows
Before you compare quotes, it helps to know which wildlife actually live in California, when they are busiest around Los Angeles, and what the state figures look like. Everything below links to the agency or university page it came from.
Raccoon relocation
Furbearer seasons set by CDFW.
UC IPMTrapping for hire
Applies to commercial wildlife trapping generally.
UC IPMNuisance Wildlife species recorded in California
- 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 Los Angeles
Spring litters; fall den-seeking. Pacific Northwest: bats are the only rabies carrier; raccoon and squirrel conflicts are structural.
Based on Los Angeles’s mediterranean climate profile.
Rules that apply in California
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: UC IPM; 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?
A gray squirrel can rotate its ankles to descend headfirst
Skunk spray can be smelled by humans a mile downwind
Questions people ask
What if there are babies in the attic?
Around Los Angeles, babies are usually born from about February through May. A pro finds them and reunites them with the mother.
Are bird nests protected?
Most native bird nests are protected by federal law. Starlings, house sparrows and pigeons aren't.
Is wildlife removal humane?
It can be. One-way doors let animals leave on their own.
Does homeowners insurance cover wildlife damage?
Gradual chewing often isn't covered. Ask your insurer. Sometimes, for sudden damage.
How do I choose a wildlife company?
Look for someone licensed for wildlife work in California. Ask how they handle babies and what they seal with.
How common are nuisance wildlife problems around suburban homes?
For Los Angeles 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 Los Angeles 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 Los Angeles?
Mostly raccoons, squirrels, opossums, skunks and bats.
When are wild animal babies born in Los Angeles?
Usually from about February through May. Don't seal a hole while babies are inside.
Nearby cities
Related guides
Sources (16)
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