Silver Bullet Pest ControlRaccoon Removal Services
Heavy thumping over the ceiling at night, a torn roof vent, chirping in the chimney or a raccoon living under the deck? Silver Bullet Pest Control removes raccoons from North Jersey homes and businesses humanely, seals the way in, and cleans up what they leave behind.
4.9 stars on Google • Licensed by NJ Fish & Wildlife • NJ License 90568B • 15+ years • Hablamos español
Text a photo of the damage or the opening to 973-510-2585 — we'll tell you what we're looking at.
- ✓ Same-day appointments often available
- ✓ Licensed & insured in NJ
- ✓ Homes & businesses
- ✓ English & Español
How do professional raccoon removal services work?
Professional raccoon removal services find how the raccoon got in, get it out humanely, usually with a one-way exclusion door so it leaves on its own, then seal the opening so no raccoon can return. If a mother has babies inside, the young are removed with her so none are left behind. Silver Bullet Pest Control is licensed by the NJ Division of Fish and Wildlife, does latrine cleanup with HEPA equipment, and serves Bergen, Passaic, Essex and Hudson counties. Call or text 973-510-2585.
Where raccoons den in North Jersey homes
Raccoons want a dry, quiet, protected spot close to food. These three are the ones we're called to most:
Raccoons in the attic
- Heavy walking or thumping at night
- A torn roof vent, lifted shingles or a broken soffit
- Flattened insulation and a strong smell
Raccoons are strong enough to tear open roof vents, soffits and the corners where roofs meet walls. Mothers choose attics in spring to raise their young. See raccoons in the attic.
Raccoons in the chimney
- Chirping, purring or chattering from the fireplace
- Scratching inside the flue
- No chimney cap, or a damaged one
An uncapped chimney looks like a hollow tree to a raccoon. Mothers often have babies on the smoke shelf above the damper. Never light a fire to smoke them out.
Under decks, porches and sheds
- A dug-out hole along the edge of a deck or stoop
- Trash cans knocked over at night
- Droppings piled in one spot nearby
Raccoons den under low decks, porches and sheds, and sometimes in garages. The fix is getting the animal out, then closing the gap with buried steel mesh so it can't dig back in.
Is it a raccoon, a squirrel or rats?
| Clue | Raccoon | Squirrel | Rats or mice |
|---|---|---|---|
| When you hear it | Night, often late | Dawn and dusk | Night |
| Sound | Heavy walking, thumping, chirping babies | Running, rolling, light scratching | Light scratching and scurrying |
| Entry hole | Large; torn vents, shingles or soffit | About tennis-ball size, chewed edges | Small gaps, often low on the house |
| Droppings | Large, piled in one latrine spot | Small and scattered | Small, rice- or raisin-sized, scattered |
Still not sure? Read attic noises: squirrels, rats or raccoons, or text us a photo of the opening.
Raccoon problem tonight? What to do right now
Keep away from it
Don't try to grab, corner or chase a raccoon. Keep kids and pets inside and away from where it is.
Close interior doors
If it's in the living space, shut it in one room with a window or outside door open, and leave it alone.
Don't seal the hole
Blocking the opening can trap a raccoon, or its babies, inside, and it will tear a new way out.
Call or text us
Same-day visits are often available for raccoons in the living space. If anyone was bitten or scratched, call your doctor and local health department.
Raccoons can carry rabies in New Jersey. A raccoon that seems sick, stumbles or is active and unafraid in daylight should be left alone; call us or your local animal control. Urgent? See emergency raccoon removal.
How our raccoon removal service works
Inspect the whole house
Roof, vents, soffits, chimney, attic, deck and foundation. We find the main opening and any other weak spots a raccoon could tear into.
Get the raccoon out
Usually with a heavy-duty one-way exclusion door on the main opening, so the raccoon leaves on its own at night and can't get back in.
Handle the babies
In baby season we find the young first. They come out with the mother so none are left behind to die in the attic or wall.
Seal and clean
We close the opening with steel and metal raccoons can't tear through, cap the chimney if needed, and clean up the latrine and soiled insulation.
Being licensed by the NJ Division of Fish and Wildlife matters here: raccoons are wildlife, and how they're handled is regulated.
Baby raccoon season in New Jersey
Most of the raccoon calls we get in spring are mothers with young. Timing changes the plan:
| Time of year | What's happening | How it changes removal |
|---|---|---|
| Late winter | Raccoons pair up; females look for a den | Seal weak spots now before a mother moves in |
| Spring (roughly Mar–May) | Most litters are born, often in attics and chimneys | Babies must be found and removed with the mother |
| Early summer | Young start following the mother outside | Exclusion is easier once the young move with her |
| Late summer & fall | Young raccoons look for their own dens | New entries; check the roofline before winter |
| Winter | Raccoons sleep a lot in cold spells but don't truly hibernate | A warm attic is still a target |
More on timing: baby squirrel and raccoon season in NJ.
Raccoon latrine cleanup and attic sanitation
Raccoons pick one or two spots to use as a toilet, called a latrine. In an attic that means a pile of droppings and soaked insulation, often right above a bedroom ceiling. The smell lingers long after the raccoon is gone, and it tells the next raccoon this is a good den.
Raccoon droppings can carry roundworm eggs that are harmful to people and pets, so a latrine shouldn't be swept up or vacuumed with a household vacuum. We handle it ourselves:
- Removal of droppings and soiled nesting material with protective gear.
- HEPA cleanup to capture fine particles instead of spreading them.
- Wildlife odor control to treat what's left behind.
- Attic insulation removal and replacement when it's soiled or crushed.
More: raccoon latrine cleanup, attic wildlife cleanup and attic insulation removal and replacement.
A note on raccoon damage
Roof and vents
Torn roof vents, lifted shingles and broken soffits are common. We close the opening with steel and metal so it can't be reopened.
Chimneys
A proper chimney cap stops raccoons from coming back down the flue.
Insulation
Crushed or soiled insulation is removed and replaced as part of our attic cleanup.
Wires and ducts
Raccoons can tear ductwork and damage wiring. We point out what we see; electrical repairs belong to an electrician.
For bigger roof or wood repairs, tell us what you've found and we'll explain the options when we quote. See wildlife damage repair.
Why DIY raccoon removal goes wrong
- Trapping without sealing. Catching one raccoon leaves the hole open, and another raccoon moves in.
- Orphaned babies. Trapping or chasing out a mother in spring leaves young inside, which leads to more noise, a desperate mother tearing back in, or dead animals in the attic.
- Repellents. Lights, radios and ammonia rarely move a mother with young.
- Rules on wildlife. Trapping and moving wildlife is regulated in New Jersey. Check with the NJ Division of Fish and Wildlife before you try.
- Health risk. Raccoons can carry rabies, and their droppings can carry roundworm.
Outdoor tips that do help: lock trash cans, bring pet food in at night and trim branches over the roof. See raccoon deterrents and home remedies for squirrels and raccoons.
Get a Free Raccoon Removal Quote
Tell us what you're hearing or seeing and where, and send a photo of any opening or damage. We'll explain the plan and give you a free quote.
Why North Jersey calls us for raccoons
- Thumping in the attic at night
- Chirping babies in the chimney
- A raccoon under the deck or porch
- A torn roof vent or soffit
- A smell in the attic after animals left
Request Service
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Raccoon Removal Questions
How much do raccoon removal services cost?
Raccoon removal is quoted after an inspection, because the price depends on where the raccoon is, how many openings need sealing, whether babies are involved and how much cleanup the attic needs. A raccoon under a deck is a smaller job than a mother and young in a two-story attic with a latrine. We give a free quote; our raccoon removal cost page lists the factors.
How long does it take to get a raccoon out?
Often a few days. Once the one-way exclusion door is in place, most raccoons leave within a few nights when they go out to feed. With babies it takes longer, because the young have to come out with the mother. After the attic is empty we seal the opening and finish any cleanup.
Do you trap and kill raccoons?
Our approach is humane exclusion: a one-way door lets the raccoon leave on its own, and then we seal the opening so it can't come back. That fixes the house instead of just removing one animal. If a raccoon is sick or injured, or another method is needed, we'll explain the options.
What if there are baby raccoons in my attic?
Then the babies must come out with the mother. Sealing a mother out leaves the young to die inside, and a mother will tear a new hole to get back to them. In spring we search the attic or chimney for young before closing anything, so the whole family is out before we seal.
Is raccoon poop in the attic dangerous?
Yes, it can be. Raccoon droppings can carry roundworm eggs that are harmful to people and pets, and they shouldn't be swept or vacuumed with a household vacuum. We do latrine cleanup with protective gear, HEPA cleanup and odor control, and remove and replace soiled insulation when needed.
Can I light a fire to get a raccoon out of the chimney?
No. Smoke and heat can kill babies on the smoke shelf, and a panicked raccoon may come into the house. Keep the damper closed and the fireplace screen shut, and call us. We get the raccoon and any young out, then cap the chimney so it can't happen again.
Do raccoons carry rabies in New Jersey?
Raccoons are one of the animals that can carry rabies in New Jersey, which is why you shouldn't touch or corner one. A raccoon acting strangely, stumbling or unafraid in daylight should be left alone. If anyone is bitten or scratched, contact your doctor and local health department right away.
Will the raccoon come back after it's removed?
Not through the same opening once it's sealed with steel and metal. Raccoons are strong and persistent, so we check the rest of the roofline, the chimney and the vents for weak spots too. Problems come back when only one hole is patched with wood or screen.
Do you offer same-day raccoon removal?
Same-day visits are often available, especially when a raccoon is in the living space or a garage. Call or text in the morning for the best chance. We're based in Garfield and serve Bergen, Passaic, Essex and Hudson counties; towns in Morris and Union counties are usually scheduled ahead.
Are you licensed to remove raccoons in NJ?
Yes. Silver Bullet Pest Control is licensed by the NJ Division of Fish and Wildlife for wildlife work and holds NJ pesticide License 90568B, with over 15 years of experience. We have 4.9 stars on Google.
¿Hablan español?
Sí. Hablamos español. Si tiene un mapache en el ático, la chimenea o debajo del deck, llame o mande un texto con una foto al 973-510-2585. La cotización es gratis.
Raccoon removal across North Jersey
Based in Garfield, serving Bergen, Passaic, Essex and Hudson counties.
Updated November 2026 by the Silver Bullet Pest Control team, Garfield, NJ • NJ License 90568B