If you live in Edmonton, a raccoon problem usually announces itself with a thump. Heavy footsteps roll across the ceiling after dark, the garbage bins are tipped and picked clean again, and there’s a torn-open soffit or a suspiciously wide gap under the deck. Raccoons are the smartest, strongest, and most dexterous of our backyard wildlife, and that combination makes them the one you least want setting up house in your attic.
Here’s how humane raccoon removal in Edmonton actually works, why getting them out is only half the job, and how we make sure they can’t move back in. Raccoons are a bit different from the rest, so let’s start there.
Why raccoons are the toughest backyard wildlife
Squirrels get into attics and skunks den under decks. Raccoons do both, and more. Those hand-like front paws can open latches, pry soffits, roll back roof vents, and lift shingles, and a determined female looking for a place to have her kits will make her own entrance if she has to. They’re strong, persistent, and clever, which is exactly why a raccoon job needs proper removal and heavy-duty proofing, not a store-bought trap and hope.
Meet Matthew and the team
Wildlife removal at All About Pests is led by Matthew, who handles raccoons, skunks, and squirrels across the city. Travis, our Bird Barrier certified specialist, stays focused on bird control. On every wildlife call the approach is the same: get the animal out safely and humanely, seal the property so the next one can’t get in, and clean up anything left behind.
Signs you have a raccoon
Most Edmonton homeowners notice one or two of these before they call. Usually there are more:
- Heavy thumping, walking, or dragging sounds in the attic or ceiling at night
- Chittering, growling, or crying kit sounds coming from the attic or chimney
- Torn soffits, lifted shingles, damaged roof vents, or a pried-open fascia
- Repeatedly tipped garbage bins and raided compost, even with lids
- A large hole or worn entrance under the deck, shed, or into the roofline
- Droppings collected in one spot (a latrine) in the attic, on the roof, or on the deck
- Five-fingered, hand-like tracks in mud, snow, or on the deck
Where raccoons get in
Raccoons are opportunists, and an Edmonton home offers a lot of options. The most common entry points we see are the roofline (soffit and fascia gaps, roof vents, and the spot where the roof meets the wall), open or uncapped chimneys, which make a ready-made den, and the sheltered space under decks, sheds, and porches. Once inside an attic, a raccoon will flatten insulation, chew, and set up a latrine, which is where the real mess and health concerns begin.
Raccoon timing: kits in spring, dens through winter
Two windows drive most of our Edmonton raccoon calls:
Spring (roughly April to May): females move into attics and chimneys to have their litters, usually three to five kits. This is the most important time not to trap or seal a raccoon out yourself. Block the entrance while mom is out and you leave a litter behind in your attic, which is inhumane and turns into a much bigger problem fast.
Fall and winter: raccoons look for a warm, protected den to wait out the cold. They don’t truly hibernate, so they stay active in mild spells and a warm attic is prime real estate. Sealing the house before winter is the best long-term fix.
The health side: why cleanup matters
Raccoons come with health considerations that squirrels don’t, and they’re worth knowing without panicking about them. Raccoons are one of the wildlife species that can carry rabies in Alberta, so a raccoon that’s active in broad daylight, disoriented, or aggressive should be given space while you call a professional.
Their droppings are the other concern. Raccoon latrines can contain raccoon roundworm, a parasite whose eggs are hazardous to people and pets, which is why you should never sweep out or disturb a raccoon latrine yourself. Cleaning and decontaminating that area safely is part of doing a raccoon job properly, not an afterthought.
Why DIY raccoon removal usually fails
Renting a live trap and going it alone tends to go wrong in specific ways:
- They’re strong and defensive. A cornered raccoon, especially a mother with kits, can be aggressive, and handling one without training is a real injury and bite risk.
- You seal babies in. Closing an entry point in spring traps kits in the attic or chimney, which is inhumane and creates a worse mess.
- The health risk gets missed. Latrines and contaminated insulation need proper cleanup, not a shop vac and a dust mask.
- It comes right back. Relocating one raccoon while the entry point stays open just opens the door for the next. If the hole is still there, so is the problem.
The fix that lasts is always the same: remove the animals safely, wildlife-proof the property, and clean up what they left behind.
How our humane raccoon removal works
Matthew’s process is built to be safe for your family, your pets, and the animal:
- Inspection. We locate the den and every entry point, using thermal imaging and inspection cameras to check attics, chimneys, and voids, and we check for kits before doing anything else.
- Humane removal. Depending on the season, we use live traps or one-way doors that let raccoons leave on their own but not get back in. Where there are kits, we remove them by hand so the family leaves together and nothing is sealed inside.
- Safe handling and release. Animals are handled calmly and released responsibly, in line with humane wildlife practice.
- Proofing and cleanup. Once everyone’s out, we seal the entry points and clean up the mess, the part that actually keeps raccoons out for good.
The real fix: exclusion and attic restoration
This is where a raccoon job becomes a permanent solution. Because raccoons are strong, proofing has to be too. We cap and screen chimneys, reinforce and screen soffits, roof vents, and weak points along the roofline, and close off the space under decks and sheds with a heavy-gauge steel mesh screen anchored down into the soil in an “L” shape so nothing can dig under. Where there’s a latrine or soiled insulation, we clean and decontaminate the area so your attic is safe again. Remove, seal, restore.
We handle the whole wildlife problem
Raccoons rarely travel alone in the wildlife world. If there’s a raccoon in the attic, there’s often a skunk denning under the deck or a squirrel in the soffit too. We handle all of it the same humane way, and we can proof the whole property at once so you’re not booking three separate visits.
What raccoon removal costs in Edmonton
Raccoon jobs vary a lot depending on where the animal is, whether there are kits, and how much proofing and cleanup the property needs, so we quote after an inspection. That look tells us exactly what the job takes, and you’ll get one clear quote before any work starts, backed by our “We’ve Got You” Guarantee.
Exclusion and cleanup are quoted separately, because they depend entirely on your home. Capping one chimney is a quick job, while reinforcing a whole roofline and decontaminating an attic latrine is a bigger one. Once we’ve seen it, you’ll get a single quote covering removal and the proofing and cleanup needed to keep them out.
What you can do this week
A few things make your property far less inviting while you wait for us:
- Never seal a suspected den in spring until it’s confirmed empty of kits
- Secure garbage and compost bins with tight, latching or locking lids
- Bring in pet food and don’t leave dishes out overnight
- Cap open chimneys and check the roofline for soft or lifted spots
- Keep tree branches trimmed back from the roof, since they’re a raccoon ladder
- Note any holes under the deck, shed, or along the roofline so we can seal them
- Don’t disturb raccoon droppings yourself; leave latrine cleanup to us
Get a free quote today
If a raccoon is living in your attic or under your deck, the sooner it’s handled the less damage, mess, and health risk you’re left with, especially before kits arrive in spring. As Edmonton’s highest-rated pest control Edmonton team, with 5.0 stars across 128 Google reviews, we’ll get the raccoon out humanely, seal the place up, and clean up so it stays out.
Call (780) 306-7704 or request a free quote online. Matthew and the team cover Edmonton and surrounding communities, and same-day service is often available.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you get a raccoon out of an attic?
We find the entry point, check for kits, and use one-way doors or live traps so the raccoon leaves without being cornered. If there’s a litter, we remove the kits by hand so the family leaves together. Then we seal the entry points and clean up the attic so nothing comes back.
Is there a baby raccoon problem in spring?
Very often, yes. Edmonton raccoons usually have their kits around April and May, so a raccoon in an attic or chimney in spring almost always has babies with her. That’s exactly why you should never seal the entry point yourself in spring; we make sure the whole family is out first.
Are raccoons dangerous?
They’re usually shy, but they deserve caution. Raccoons can be aggressive when cornered or defending kits, they’re one of the animals that can carry rabies in Alberta, and their droppings can carry a parasite that’s hazardous to people. Give a raccoon space, keep pets back, and don’t clean up droppings yourself.
Can I just trap the raccoon myself?
We don’t recommend it. Raccoons are strong and can bite, sealing one out in spring traps kits inside, and the entry point and any mess still need to be dealt with. Relocating one animal while the hole stays open just invites the next. Removal plus proofing and cleanup is what actually solves it.
How do you stop raccoons from coming back?
After removal, we cap chimneys, reinforce and screen the roofline, soffits, and vents, and close off the space under decks and sheds with heavy-gauge steel mesh anchored into the ground. Because raccoons are strong, the proofing is built to match. That’s what turns a one-time removal into a permanent fix.
Do you clean up after the raccoon?
Yes. Raccoon latrines and soiled insulation can carry health risks, so cleaning and decontaminating the area is part of doing the job right. We handle it safely rather than leaving it for you.
All About Pests – No Pest Left Behind
