Silver Bullet Pest ControlRunning across the ceiling at sunrise, or something heavy in the chimney at night? We get squirrels and raccoons out of Saddle Brook attics, chimneys and walls, make sure no babies are left behind, and close the opening so the next animal can't use it.
Licensed by NJ Division of Fish & Wildlife • NJ License 90568B • 4.9 stars on Google • 15+ years • Garfield-based • Hablamos español
Heard it but haven't seen it? Tell us what time of day the noise happens. That alone usually tells us which animal it is.
Silver Bullet Pest Control removes squirrels and raccoons from Saddle Brook homes and then proofs the entry so they can't return. We're licensed by the NJ Division of Fish and Wildlife, hold NJ License 90568B, and work from nearby Garfield, so same-day visits are often available. Free quotes: call or text 973-510-2585.
You usually hear wildlife long before you see it. Use this table to narrow it down:
| Clue | Gray squirrel | Raccoon | Flying squirrel |
|---|---|---|---|
| When you hear it | Early morning and late afternoon | Late night, often just after dark and before dawn | After dark, through the night |
| What it sounds like | Quick scurrying, rolling or gnawing | Heavy walking, thumps, chattering or growling | Light scampering, often several animals |
| Typical way in | Chewed hole at a roof corner, soffit or gable vent | Torn soffit, pulled roof vent, open chimney | Very small gaps at roof edges and vents |
| Signs outside | Chewed fascia and trim, squirrels on the roof | Bent gutters, ripped shingles, muddy prints on siding | Few outside signs |
| Main risk | Chewed wiring and wood | Large holes, damaged insulation, droppings | Droppings and noise |
Mixed clues are common. Mice and rats can sound like small squirrels, and bats make soft scratching at dusk. If what you hear sounds small and constant, also read our Saddle Brook mice and rat page.
Most calls in town are squirrels and raccoons. Here's what each job usually involves:
Raccoons are strong enough to rip open a roof edge to reach a dry, warm attic, especially a mother looking for a place to have her young. Removal has to account for the kits, and the opening has to be repaired with materials a raccoon can't pull apart.
Gray squirrels chew. They'll widen a small gap at a roof joint or vent until they fit through, and once inside they gnaw on wood and wiring. We use one-way exits so they leave on their own, then seal the hole with metal they can't chew.
Under-deck animals are a separate kind of job: the space has to be cleared of the animal and then closed off at ground level so nothing can dig back under. Tell us what you've seen and we'll explain the options for your yard.
The most important question on a wildlife job is: are there young inside? Sealing a hole while babies are still in the attic is cruel, and it creates a worse problem: a mother raccoon or squirrel will tear through the roof to get back to them, and young left behind can die in the walls.
When young are present, we plan the removal around them, so the family leaves together or is removed together before we close anything up. This is one of the reasons wildlife work in New Jersey should be done by someone licensed and experienced, not with a rental trap.
Please don't trap and relocate animals yourself. New Jersey regulates who can trap and handle wildlife, a trapped raccoon can bite, and moving one parent often leaves babies behind. If an animal is inside your living space, close the door to that room and call us.
We check the roof edges, soffits, vents, chimney, dormers and any spot where two rooflines meet, find every opening, and look for signs of young.
For squirrels, usually a one-way exit at the main hole. For raccoons, removal planned around any kits. The method depends on the animal, the season and what we find.
Once they're out, we close the entry with heavy-gauge metal screening and hardware built for wildlife: vent guards, chimney caps and sealed roof joints.
We come back to confirm nothing is getting in or out and that the repairs are holding.
Proofing is what keeps the job from repeating. A common mistake is removing the animal without properly closing the opening; the scent stays, and a new animal moves in the next season.
Every house is different, so we quote after we see it or after you send photos. These are the factors that matter:
| Factor | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Which animal | Raccoons need stronger repairs than squirrels; a family with young takes more planning than one adult. |
| Number of openings | One chewed hole is a smaller job than several gaps around the roofline. |
| Roof height and pitch | A ranch roof is easier to reach than a steep, two-story roof or a high chimney. |
| Chimney work | An open flue needs a cap, which adds to the job. |
| Proofing the whole house | Sealing only the active hole costs less up front; proofing all weak spots stops the next animal. |
| Damage inside | Chewed wiring or soiled insulation may need attention from another trade, and we'll tell you if we see it. |
We'll explain each part of the quote and what's optional, so you can choose. The quote is free.
A lot of Saddle Brook streets are lined with big, mature shade trees, and branches often reach over the roof. That's a highway for squirrels. The Saddle River and the green space along it give raccoons and other animals cover close to houses, and backyards with decks, sheds and gardens give them food and shelter.
Many of the houses in town were built decades ago. Older wood soffits, gable vents without guards, and open chimneys are exactly what squirrels and raccoons look for. Additions and dormers create extra roof joints, and those joints are a favorite place to chew in.
None of that means your house will get animals. It means it's worth looking at your roofline before something else does. For everything else we handle in town, see our main Saddle Brook pest control page.
Keep limbs at least several feet back from the roof so squirrels can't jump onto it.
Gable, roof and dryer vents need sturdy metal screening, not thin plastic or window screen.
A properly fitted chimney cap keeps raccoons, squirrels and birds out of the flue.
Raccoons learn which cans open. Use tight lids, and don't leave pet food or bird seed out overnight.
Also check the soffits and fascia every spring and fall; soft or rotted wood is easy to chew. Read more about squirrel proofing and raccoon proofing.
Describe what you hear, when, and where in the house. Photos of the roofline help. We'll call back with a free quote.
🔒 Your info stays private · Hablamos español.
Yes. We hold a license from the NJ Division of Fish and Wildlife for wildlife work, along with NJ pesticide license 90568B.
Timing is the best clue: squirrels are active in the morning and late afternoon, raccoons at night. Raccoons also sound much heavier.
Not until you're sure every animal is out, including babies. Sealing them in leads to new damage as they chew out or the smell of a dead animal inside a wall.
With a one-way exit, squirrels often leave within a few days. We then seal the opening and check back.
It's urgent but usually not dangerous if the fireplace damper is closed. Keep it closed, don't light a fire, and call us.
They can carry roundworm and other germs, so don't clean them up bare-handed or sweep them dry. Let us know where the latrine is when we inspect.
Not through the openings we've proofed. New animals look for new weak spots, which is why we check the whole roofline, not only the active hole.
Yes, we handle other nuisance wildlife around Saddle Brook homes as well, including animals living under decks, porches and sheds.
Same-day appointments are often available from our Garfield base. Call or text 973-510-2585.
Sí. Sacamos ardillas y mapaches y sellamos por donde entran. Hablamos español: 973-510-2585.
From our Garfield shop we also cover:
Real photos from our recent jobs. We show only the street and town, never the customer's exact address.
Squirrel & raccoon exclusion for a home on Wood-ridge, NJ by Silver Bullet Pest Control.
Squirrel & raccoon exclusion for a home on Hasbrouck Heights, NJ by Silver Bullet Pest Control.
Bee & wasp removal for a home on Clifton Ave in Clifton, NJ by Silver Bullet Pest Control.
Squirrel & raccoon exclusion for a home on Ottawa Avenue in Hasbrouck Heights, NJ by Silver Bullet Pest Control.
Squirrel & raccoon exclusion for a home on Viviney Street in Elmwood Park, NJ by Silver Bullet Pest Control.
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Updated November 2026 by the Silver Bullet Pest Control team, Garfield, NJ • NJ License 90568B
