Root Pest Library
Wildlife Removal for Texas Homes
Updated June 14, 2026
When something bigger than a bug moves into your attic, chimney, or the space under your deck, that's a different kind of problem — and it's important to know it's not handled like insect pest control. Wildlife removal deals with raccoons, squirrels, opossums, skunks, armadillos, and bats, and the right approach is humane exclusion: getting the animal out, sealing the entry so it can't return, and cleaning up after it — not poison, which creates worse problems (an animal that dies inside a wall, and dangerous secondary risks). Some of these animals also carry disease or are legally protected, so this is a job where doing it wrong can be hazardous and run afoul of the rules.
Who moves in, and where
Raccoons are strong and dexterous and favor attics and chimneys, often denning to raise young. Squirrels get into attics and soffits, gnaw constantly (a wiring/fire risk), and are quick to chew new entries. Opossums den under decks, sheds, and porches. Skunks shelter under structures and, beyond the obvious spray, can carry rabies. Armadillos don't go inside but tear up lawns and beds rooting for grubs and dig burrows that undermine foundations and slabs. Bats roost in attics and eaves and leave behind guano — and they're a special case (below).
How they get in
Wildlife exploits the roofline: gaps where the roof meets the fascia, soffit and gable vents, loose flashing, uncapped chimneys, ridge vents, and any rotted or weak spot a determined animal can enlarge. Overhanging trees give squirrels and raccoons direct roof access. Ground animals use gaps under decks, sheds, and porches and along the foundation.
The real risks
Beyond the noise and the mess, wildlife brings genuine hazards: raccoons, skunks, and bats are rabies-vector species in Texas; raccoon droppings can carry a roundworm dangerous to people; squirrels and other gnawing animals chew wiring (fire risk); and a cornered animal — especially a mother defending young — will bite or scratch. Their droppings and nesting also contaminate insulation and require careful cleanup.
Why it's "exclusion," not extermination
The goal isn't to kill the animal inside your home — that just leaves a carcass in a wall and doesn't stop the next one. The right method is to remove or evict the animal humanely, then seal every entry point so wildlife physically can't get back in, and clean and decontaminate what they left. Poison is the wrong tool for wildlife and creates new hazards.
The bat exception (and why timing/legality matters)
Bats are protected, and you generally cannot remove them during their summer maternity season when flightless pups are present — doing so is both inhumane and against the rules, and it can trap dying pups in your attic. Bat work is done by humane exclusion at the right time of year, by people who know the regulations. This is the clearest example of why DIY wildlife work can go badly wrong legally as well as physically.
How Root handles wildlife
Wildlife removal is a specialized service distinct from bug control: humane removal/eviction, sealing the roofline and ground entry points so the animal can't return, and cleanup of the mess and contamination left behind — done with attention to the disease risks and the rules that protect certain species. Because our techs work these neighborhoods, they know the local roofline and tree-cover patterns that let wildlife in. If you're hearing something larger than an insect in the attic or chimney, it's worth getting eyes on it before it does more damage or has young.
Frequently Asked Questions
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