The short version
Around Phoenix, the most common animals are raccoons, squirrels and skunks. 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 Phoenix dealing with wild animals around the house.
What to look for
Around Phoenix, the usual animals are raccoons, squirrels, skunks, pack rats, rock squirrels, javelina and bats. Each one gets in differently and needs a different fix. Babies are usually born from about February through May.
- 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.
About 4,000, with more than 90 percent in wildlifeAnimal rabies cases reported nationally each yearCDC Treatment options and typical costs
Inspection and Species Identification
$100–$300
Before anything is trapped or sealed, a provider in Phoenix walks the roofline, attic, crawl space, and foundation looking for entry points and nesting sites. The report should name the species and mark every opening.
- Time
- 60–120 minutes
- Best for
- Every job; the species decides the method
Exclusion Repairs (Chimney Caps, Vent Screens, Foundation Mesh)
$300–$2,500+ depending on scope
Chimney caps are the single most common exclusion repair in Phoenix: an uncapped flue is an open invitation to raccoons, squirrels, and chimney swifts. A stainless spark-screen cap solves it in an hour.
- Time
- Half a day to two days
- Best for
- Sealing the home after animals are out
Attic Cleanup, Sanitation, and Follow-Up
$500–$3,000+ depending on insulation removed
Providers in Phoenix who do cleanup should wear respirators and bag waste on site. Homeowners in Phoenix 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
Humane Live Trapping and Removal
$150–$500 per animal, plus trip fees
For a skunk under a porch in Phoenix, providers use covered traps and slow, quiet handling to keep the animal calm. Skunks spray when startled, so technique beats speed.
- Time
- Several days to two weeks
- Best for
- Animals already inside or denning under structures
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.Animals around Phoenix.
Around Phoenix, the most common animals are raccoons, squirrels, skunks, pack rats, rock squirrels, javelina and bats. Homes from Phoenix out to Tempe and Glendale see much the same mix. In the desert around Phoenix, pack rats and rock squirrels are as common as raccoons.
Local wildlife conditions in Phoenix.
Phoenix sits in a hot desert climate, and that sets the pace for wildlife activity here: spring denning and fall (animals seek winter shelter). In Phoenix, 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 Phoenix usually starts outside and works inward, checking the foundation, gaps around doors and windows, and any moisture or clutter near the structure first. Knowing Phoenix'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 Phoenix and Arizona 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?
- Quick scurrying at dawn and dusk: squirrels. - Heavy thumps at night: raccoons. - Rustling at dusk at the roof edge: bats. - A strong smell under the deck: skunks.
Baby season.
Around Phoenix, most babies are born from about February through May. Mothers look for warm, dry spots like attics and chimneys. Never seal a hole while babies are still inside. Bat exclusion waits until pups can fly, usually by mid-August.
A year of wildlife in Phoenix.
- Spring: babies are born from about February through May. Don't seal while young are inside. - Summer: highs near 106°F in Phoenix. Animals roam at night. - Fall: animals hunt for winter dens. Seal gaps now. - Winter: mild in Phoenix, so animals stay active.
Raccoons.
Heavy thumps at night usually mean a raccoon. They tear open vents and roof edges. Never handle one.
Rock squirrels and ground squirrels.
Rock squirrels dig under patios and walls. Some climb into attics and block walls.
Skunks.
Skunks den under decks, sheds and porches. A strong smell after dark is the giveaway.
Pack rats.
Pack rats build big stick nests in yards and engine bays. Clear brush piles and check parked cars.
Javelina.
Javelina root through gardens and trash at dusk. Don't feed them, and keep dogs away from them.
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.
- Identify: figure out which animal it is. - Check: look for babies first. - 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.
Where animals get in.
- Roof vents and soffit corners. - Gaps where the roof meets the wall. - Uncapped chimneys. - Crawl-space doors and foundation vents. - Under decks, porches and sheds.
If an animal gets inside the house.
Close interior doors so it stays in one room. Open an outside door or window in that room, then leave. Keep kids and pets away. Is it a bat, and was someone asleep there? Call your health department first.
Droppings and cleanup.
- Don’t sweep or vacuum droppings dry. - Wear gloves, a mask and old clothes. - Wet droppings down, then bag them. - Large attic messes are a job for pros.
Keeping your yard less inviting.
- Trash: locking lids, or keep bins in the garage. - Pets: feed them indoors. - Birds: use a seed tray, and sweep up spills. - Fruit: pick up what falls. - Cover: clear brush and wood piles near the house.
Wildlife myths.
- Out in daylight means rabid: not always; mothers forage by day. - Moving them is kind: often illegal, and babies get left. - Mothballs drive them out: they don’t, and they’re a health hazard. - Lights and radios work: only briefly.
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.
The tech walks the roofline and the foundation. They look for tracks, droppings and torn vents. They set a one-way door or trap. Later, they come back and seal up. Cleanup comes last.
If a skunk sprays.
- People and pets: wash with peroxide, baking soda and dish soap. - Tomato juice: it doesn’t really work. - 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.
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.
- Diggers: bury wire mesh a foot down, bent outward. - Climbers: an electric wire near the top stops raccoons. - Gardens: hardware cloth beats chicken wire. - Gates: keep gaps underneath to a couple of inches.
Questions to ask before you sign.
- Which animal is it? - Where is it getting in? - How will you handle babies? - What happens to the animal? - What will you seal with? - Is cleanup included?
What affects the price
- Whether the roof is tile, which needs specific closures rather than generic mesh at the eaves.
- Caliche soil, which makes trenching for a buried barrier slow and hard on tools.
- Summer scheduling, since roof work at 106 degrees is limited to early morning hours.
- How many separate openings the inspection finds along the eave and ridge lines.
- Whether block wall voids are involved, since those are opened and closed rather than simply screened.
- The volume of guano or soiled insulation to be contained and hauled away.
- Property size, because irrigated lots with mature landscaping usually have several approach routes.
📊
What worries you most about wildlife?
When to call for help
Call if an animal is in the attic, walls or chimney. right away if one acts sick or aggressive. Babies and droppings need careful handling.
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 Phoenix
Mild winters in Phoenix, with lows near 45°F, keep animals active all year. With only about 8 inches of rain a year in Phoenix, animals go looking for water near homes. Summer highs near 106°F in Phoenix push most animal activity into the night. In Arizona, foxes, skunks and bats carry most rabies cases. In Phoenix, animals live comfortably in town, using alleys, storm drains and older buildings.
Local research
Wildlife in Phoenix, AZ: what the public record shows
Before you compare quotes, it helps to know which wildlife actually live in Arizona, when they are busiest around Phoenix, and what the state figures look like. Everything below links to the agency or university page it came from.
When wildlife are busiest around Phoenix
April skunk peak, October bat peak. Texas 2024 monthly peaks were driven by skunks in April and bats in October.
Based on Phoenix’s hot desert climate profile.
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: CDC. 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?
Raccoons wash food not to clean it but to feel it
Skunk spray can be smelled by humans a mile downwind
Questions people ask
Are bird nests protected?
Most native bird nests are protected by federal law. Starlings, house sparrows and pigeons aren't.
Will the animals come back?
Others will try. Sealing every gap with metal is what keeps them out.
What season is worst for wildlife problems?
Spring babies and fall den-hunting are busiest. Mild winters in Phoenix keep animals active year-round.
What animal is in my attic?
Quick scurrying at dawn: squirrels. Rustling at dusk: bats.
How long does wildlife removal take?
Usually a few days to two weeks, including sealing.
Can my neighbor feeding wildlife cause problems at my house?
In Phoenix, nuisance wildlife is usually removed by trapping, then the entry points are sealed so the next animal cannot move into the same spot. In Phoenix, 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 Phoenix?
Mostly raccoons, squirrels, skunks, pack rats, rock squirrels, javelina and bats.
When are wild animal babies born in Phoenix?
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