WILDLIFE
TRAPPING
SERVICE
Humane trapping and removal of armadillos, raccoons, opossums, and flying squirrels from Sarasota and Manatee County properties. Licensed, FWC-compliant, and handled by David directly.
Species Covered
Four Common Florida Nuisance Wildlife
Florida's warm climate and expanding suburban footprint puts homes in direct contact with wildlife that can cause serious property damage and carry health risks. Each species requires a different trapping approach, placement strategy, and bait - and all must be handled in compliance with Florida FWC regulations.
Armadillo
Structural Damage RiskThe nine-banded armadillo is one of the most destructive yard pests in Sarasota and Manatee County. Entirely nocturnal, they do most of their damage overnight - leaving homeowners to wake up to lawns cratered with dozens of shallow feeding holes. A single armadillo can excavate 30 or more feeding holes in a single night in search of grubs, beetles, and worms in the soil.
More serious than the lawn damage is the structural risk. Armadillo burrows extend several feet underground and frequently run beneath slabs, patios, driveways, pool decks, and foundation edges. Soil displacement caused by burrows can lead to settling cracks in concrete and compromised structural support over time. And abandoned burrows don't sit empty - raccoons, opossums, snakes, and other wildlife move in.
- Up to 30+ feeding holes dug per night
- Burrows run beneath slabs, driveways & foundations
- Abandoned burrows attract secondary wildlife
- Can carry leprosy - direct contact should be avoided
- No effective repellents registered in Florida - trapping is the primary control method
Raccoon
High Health RiskRaccoons are one of the most adaptable and destructive nuisance wildlife species in Florida. The University of Florida IFAS identifies raccoons as a major rabies carrier in the state. They are highly intelligent, physically strong, and capable of causing significant structural damage when they access attics, soffits, or crawl spaces. Their dexterous paws allow them to open garbage cans, peel back shingles, tear through fascia, and manipulate latches and screens.
Raccoons that establish nesting sites in attics leave behind droppings that can carry raccoon roundworm - a serious parasitic infection that can be transmitted to humans and pets through accidental ingestion or inhalation of contaminated dust. Raccoon feces also carry Salmonella, Giardia, and leptospirosis bacteria. A colony in an attic is both a structural and a public health problem.
- Major rabies carrier in Florida per UF/IFAS
- Raccoon roundworm in feces - serious health risk
- Capable of tearing through fascia, soffits & shingles
- Frequently den in attics, crawl spaces & chimneys
- Highly intelligent - standard deterrents rarely work long-term
Opossum
Parasite & Odor RiskThe Virginia opossum - North America's only native marsupial - is a regular presence around Sarasota and Manatee County homes. Opossums are opportunistic omnivores that readily exploit pet food left outside, garbage cans, gardens, and fruit trees. They typically den under decks, porches, sheds, and in crawl spaces, though they are also found in attics.
While opossums are relatively resistant to rabies due to their low body temperature, they are significant flea and tick carriers. Fleas from opossums denning under a structure can quickly migrate inside the home and establish an indoor infestation. Opossums also produce a significant amount of waste and a strong musky odor in confined spaces, and females carry young in their pouch - a single trapped female may have multiple juveniles that require separate handling.
- Heavy flea and tick load - secondary infestation risk
- Den under decks, porches, and in crawl spaces
- Significant waste and odor in enclosed areas
- Can carry tuberculosis, toxoplasmosis, and spotted fever
- Females with young require careful, humane handling
Flying Squirrel
Fire & Structural RiskThe Southern flying squirrel is one of Florida's most commonly overlooked attic wildlife problems. Much smaller than the gray squirrel, flying squirrels are nocturnal and quiet enough that homeowners often don't realize they have a colony in the attic until the population is well-established. Flying squirrels are highly social - where one is found, there are typically many more, and colonies can grow to dozens of individuals.
Inside an attic, flying squirrels cause serious damage. They gnaw on electrical wiring - one of the most common causes of house fires in Florida attic spaces - and shred insulation for nesting material. They access structures through small gaps in soffits, ridge caps, and roof returns, and are agile enough to exploit openings that larger wildlife cannot. Their small size and nocturnal habits make them easy to miss and difficult to DIY-trap effectively.
- Gnaw on electrical wiring - direct fire risk
- Highly social - colonies of dozens common
- Destroy insulation for nesting material
- Nocturnal - easy to miss until colony is large
- Can carry typhus and other diseases via flea vectors
- Exclusion required after trapping to prevent re-entry
How It's Priced
Simple Pricing. Weekly Service Periods.
Wildlife trapping takes time - animals don't walk into traps on the first day. The service is priced in weekly increments to give the program enough time to work, with David checking and resetting traps throughout each service period.
How many weeks does it take? It varies by species and activity level. Armadillos can be persistent and may require multiple weeks of trapping. Raccoons are often trapped within a few days but may require extended service if multiple animals are present. Flying squirrel colonies typically require extended trapping due to colony size. David will assess progress at the end of each week and advise on whether to continue. Final pricing depends on the number of weeks of service and animals removed.
What's Included
What Happens During a Wildlife Trapping Program
Effective wildlife trapping is not just placing a cage and waiting. Trap placement, bait selection, scent control, check frequency, and animal handling all affect success. Every step is handled by David.
Initial Property Assessment
Every trapping program begins with a walk of the property to identify the species, assess the extent of activity, locate burrows, entry points, travel routes, and denning areas. This determines trap type, quantity, placement, and bait selection before a single trap goes in the ground.
- Species confirmed before trapping begins
- Activity signs assessed - tracks, burrows, droppings, damage
- Travel routes and denning areas mapped
- Trap type and quantity determined
- Bait selected based on species and conditions
Trap Placement & Baiting
Traps are positioned along confirmed travel routes and near active burrows, dens, or entry points. Bait selection is species-specific - what works for a raccoon is different from what attracts an armadillo or opossum. Gloves are worn throughout to minimize human scent transfer to the trap.
- Live cage traps placed along active routes
- Species-appropriate bait selected and applied
- Gloves worn - scent minimized on all equipment
- Traps camouflaged and secured where appropriate
- Placement adjusted if initial sites are not productive
Daily Trap Checks & Removal
Traps are checked daily or every other day throughout the service period. Any captured animal is handled and removed by David promptly - you don't need to be present or interact with any trapped animal. Traps are reset after each catch and progress is communicated directly.
- Traps checked daily or every other day
- All captured animals handled and removed by David
- Non-target animals handled appropriately and traps reset
- Progress reported and traps reset after each catch
How It Works
From First Call to Wildlife-Free Property
The trapping program follows a straightforward process - and you deal with David directly at every step, not a dispatcher or rotating crew.
Property Assessment
David visits to assess the species, activity level, damage extent, and optimal trap placement locations. He confirms the scope and provides a quote before any traps are set.
Trap Setup
Live cage traps are positioned along travel routes, near burrows, and at active points. Bait is selected for the target species, and traps are secured and camouflaged. The clock on your service week starts when traps go in.
Daily Checks & Removal
David checks every trap daily or every other day. Captured animals are handled and removed by David. Traps are reset after each catch. Progress is communicated directly.
Exclusion Recommendation
Trapping removes the animals that are present - it doesn't seal the structure against new ones. After trapping, David will recommend any exclusion work needed to prevent the same problem from returning.
⚠ Trapping is half the solution. Wildlife trapping removes the animals currently on your property. It does not prevent new animals from moving in. If raccoons or flying squirrels are accessing your attic, the entry points they are using will be found and used again by other individuals. For a permanent solution, trapping should be followed by exclusion work - sealing the entry points so the structure is inaccessible to future wildlife. David will identify all entry points during the assessment and provide a separate exclusion quote if needed.
Florida FWC Regulations
Why Wildlife Trapping Requires a Professional
Florida's nuisance wildlife laws are more specific than most homeowners realize. Getting this wrong creates legal exposure and often makes the problem worse.
Florida's nuisance wildlife laws govern how trapping must be conducted and require that it be done correctly. Traps must be checked on a consistent schedule. Captured animals must be handled promptly. Non-target wildlife that enter a trap must be handled appropriately. These requirements exist to protect both the homeowner and the animals, and they are not optional.
Florida also prohibits certain control methods entirely. Poisons and toxic gases cannot be used against most nuisance wildlife species. What appears to be a simple DIY solution - a cage trap from the hardware store - quickly becomes a problem when the animal is caught and the homeowner doesn't know what to do next, or leaves a trap unattended for days. A licensed professional handles every step correctly from the start.
Beyond legality, DIY trapping frequently fails or makes problems worse. Traps placed incorrectly go untouched. Bait that doesn't match the species draws non-target animals. A trapped female with young that isn't handled correctly creates a secondary problem. And trapping without exclusion simply creates a vacancy that the next animal in the area fills within days.
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✓
Consistent trap checks are required. Traps cannot be set and left unattended. Animals caught in traps must be handled promptly - a trap left unattended over a weekend is a legal violation and causes unnecessary suffering. David checks every trap daily or every other day throughout the entire service period.
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Non-target animals must be handled correctly. If a non-target animal enters a trap, it must be handled appropriately and immediately. A professional recognizes non-target catches and knows exactly how to respond - a homeowner with a hardware store trap often doesn't.
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Species identification matters. Different species have different legal considerations, behavioral traits, and handling requirements. Identifying what you've caught - and knowing how to respond - requires experience. Misidentification or incorrect handling creates problems that a professional avoids.
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No poisons or toxicants. Florida prohibits the use of poisons, pesticides, and toxic gases against most nuisance wildlife. Live trapping is the legal approach - and it requires the equipment, knowledge, and consistent attention that professional service provides.
Why Ratical
Someone Who Knows the Animals - and the Law
Effective wildlife trapping requires knowing how each species behaves, where it travels, what it eats, and how to handle it legally. David works Sarasota and Manatee County exclusively - he knows the local wildlife and the local regulations.
Licensed & FWC-Compliant
David holds a Florida pest control license and operates in compliance with Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission nuisance wildlife regulations. Every step of the trapping program follows Florida law.
Species-Specific Approach
Armadillo trapping requires different trap types, placement, and bait than raccoon or flying squirrel control. David identifies the species first and builds the trapping program around how that animal actually behaves - not a generic cage-and-wait approach.
Trapping Plus Exclusion
David is the same person who performs rodent exclusion, bat exclusion, and structural sealing work. After trapping, he can identify and seal the entry points wildlife is using to access your structure - closing the loop on the problem, not just removing the current occupants.
You Always Reach David
You call David directly - not a dispatcher. He checks your traps, he removes the animals, and he's the one you call with questions during the service period. You deal with one person who knows your property throughout the entire program.
Common Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
Wildlife Trapping Service
Wildlife on Your Property
Doesn't Leave on Its Own.
Starting at $250 for one week of trapping - armadillo, raccoon, opossum, and flying squirrel. Get a free property assessment and find out what's on your property and how to remove it.
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