Serving Central Ohio since 2024.
A plan for the raccoons, the space they occupy and the openings they use.
Skedaddle Columbus provides humane raccoon removal across Central Ohio, from Columbus and Upper Arlington to Westerville, Dublin and Powell. Through late fall and winter, we inspect the den and every access point, account for the mother and any young still with her, and remove the raccoons on site. We then seal the entry points and clean the affected space, with attic restoration where needed.
Reviewed by Bill Dowd, Founder, President & CEO. Last updated November 2026.
A raccoon in the attic raises more than one question: how it got in, whether it has young with it and what happens to the space it has been using. We answer all three before any work begins.
We check how the raccoons got in, where they are denning and which other parts of the roofline, chimney or foundation are vulnerable. That full picture lets us plan the removal, the repairs and the cleanup together, instead of patching the one opening you can see from the yard.
We check for young before choosing a method. When we find babies, we remove them by hand and place them in a heated reunion box so the mother can move her family to another den. Our approach keeps raccoons on the property, which is what Ohio's rules require.
Our exclusion work carries a lifetime guarantee on all workmanship and materials. Your written quote lists the openings we seal and keeps cleanup and attic restoration as separate items, so you know exactly what the guarantee covers.
You do not need to climb into the attic or onto the roof to tell us what is going on. Where you hear the activity and what you can see from the ground is a great starting point for our inspection.
Heavy thumping or footsteps overhead at night are often the first sign. The Ohio Division of Wildlife notes that raccoons take up residence in chimneys and attics and that uncapped chimneys make appealing den sites. Tipped trash cans can point to raccoons nearby, but we confirm whether one is actually living inside.
Raccoons are strong climbers that use damaged soffits, loose shingles, roof vents and wall vents to reach attic space. Overhanging tree limbs give them easy access to the roof. We find the active opening and the other weak points nearby, so one repair does not leave a second route into the same space.
Raccoons that settle in can leave droppings and trampled or soiled insulation and damaged wiring and ductwork. We look for latrines in particular, because raccoon roundworm eggs are passed in raccoon feces. What we find decides which materials need cleaning and whether attic restoration makes sense.
Tell us where you are hearing the activity and any damage you can see from the ground. Our inspection confirms the den, checks for young and ties the removal to the repairs and cleanup your home needs.
Raccoons are a familiar part of Central Ohio life. The Ohio Division of Wildlife reports that raccoons are found in all parts of the state and have moved into towns and cities, living almost anywhere there is food and a den for shelter. Seeing one in the yard is normal; the real question is whether it is using an opening to den inside your home.
In the wild, raccoons prefer wooded areas with big trees and water close by. Around Columbus, the river corridors, ravines and mature trees that run through so many neighborhoods put that habitat right beside homes. A tree limb over the roof or an uncapped chimney can turn a passing raccoon into a resident.
Ohio rules shape how raccoons are handled. Live-trapped raccoons may not be relocated to a new area, and Ohio's wildlife control rules require captured raccoons to stay on the property (Ohio Administrative Code 1501:31-15-03). Our approach works within that rule: we remove the raccoons on site, close the way back in and let the mother move her family to one of her other den sites.
For your home, that means we treat every occupied den as a possible family, confirm which animals are inside before closing any opening and pair the removal with the repairs and cleanup the space needs.
Our inspection covers the roofline, attic, chimney and any ground-level spaces where raccoons may den. We confirm the animal, find the den and every opening, and check for young. Then we walk you through our findings and each step we recommend and give you a written quote before any work starts.
Your written quote separates removal, exclusion repairs and any cleanup or attic restoration, so you can see the full scope before work starts.
We locate the den and check for young before choosing a method. When babies are present, we remove them by hand and place them in a heated reunion box near the entry point, which draws the mother out to collect them. One-way devices are used only where appropriate for the opening.
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Once the raccoons are out, we clear droppings, nesting material and soiled insulation from the den area and decontaminate the space. Heavily damaged attics may need full restoration with new insulation; smaller areas often need targeted cleaning only.
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We secure the entry point and every other vulnerable opening using heavy-gauge screening and durable materials built to resist a raccoon's strong paws. Your written quote lists each protected opening covered by our lifetime guarantee on all workmanship and materials.
Learn moreRaccoon family life shapes how we handle a den in every season. In Ohio, this year's young often stay with their mother through the fall and sometimes into winter, so a late-season den can hold more than one animal.
| Season | What may change | What it means for the homeowner |
|---|---|---|
| Winter(Dec–Feb) | Raccoons do not truly hibernate but can sleep for days or weeks during cold weather. Mating begins in February. | A quiet attic during a cold snap is not always an empty one. We confirm activity before closing any opening. |
| Spring(Mar–May) | Mating continues through March, and young are born March to May after a 63- to 65-day pregnancy, in litters of three to seven. | Any occupied den may hold a litter. We check for young before removal. |
| Summer(Jun–Aug) | Young are weaned by the sixth or seventh week and begin traveling with their mother. | Young that come and go may still return to the den, so our removal and sealing plan covers the whole family. |
| Fall(Sep–Nov) | Young stay with their mother through the fall, and some stay through the winter. | A fall den often holds a family group. We account for every animal before sealing, and fall is a practical time to close weak openings before winter. |
These patterns describe raccoon biology, not a fixed removal calendar. The findings at your home set the order of the work.
Humane removal means solving the problem without harming the family or creating new damage. A mother kept away from her young may tear apart shingles and siding to get back in, so the order of each step matters.
We decide how to remove raccoons only after we know where the den is, how many openings exist and whether young are inside. Hand removal, reunion boxes and species-specific exclusion equipment each have a role, and one-way devices are used only where appropriate for the opening.
We lift babies out by hand and place them in a heated reunion box lined with their own nesting material, giving the mother the chance to carry them to another den. Ohio does not allow raccoons to be relocated off the property, and our on-site approach works within that rule. Reunification is always our aim, though it cannot be promised in every case.
We remove droppings, latrines and soiled nesting material, decontaminate the affected area and replace insulation only where it is damaged or contaminated. The CDC advises careful removal of raccoon feces because roundworm eggs become infectious over time, so we keep that work matched to what the inspection found.
We close the entry point and other weak spots on vents, soffits, roof edges and chimneys with materials that stand up to a raccoon's paws and teeth. Our lifetime guarantee on all workmanship and materials covers the openings we seal, and if one needs attention later, we come back to inspect and repair it.
Every raccoon problem starts at a different opening. Book an inspection and we will map the den, any young, the openings that need protection and the cleanup your home needs, then explain the work before it begins.
Our Columbus team provides raccoon removal in Clintonville, Columbus, Delaware, Dublin, Franklinton, Gahanna, Grove City, Groveport, Hilliard, New Albany, Obetz, Pataskala, Pickerington, Powell, Reynoldsburg, Sunbury, Upper Arlington, Westerville, Whitehall and Worthington. If your home is nearby but outside these communities, call with your address and we will confirm availability.
Raccoon dens can sit high in a chimney or attic or low beneath a deck, porch or shed. When you book, tell us where you hear or see activity so we can prepare for a roofline, chimney or ground-level inspection.
Wondering how much of your home is affected? Bring your questions to the inspection, and we will connect each recommendation to what we found.
Cost depends on where the den is, how many openings need sealing, whether young are present and how much cleanup or insulation work the space needs. We inspect the property first and provide a written quote that separates removal, exclusion and cleanup, so you see the full price before any work starts.
Same-day service is sometimes available, but it cannot be guaranteed. The inspection and the completion of all work may happen on different days, especially when young are inside. Call 614-662-1800 and we will explain the next available appointment and what to expect.
We start with an inspection that locates the den and checks for young. Babies are removed by hand and placed in a heated reunion box so the mother can retrieve them, and the raccoons stay on the property, as Ohio's rules require. We then seal the openings with durable materials, using one-way devices only where appropriate.
Our Columbus team serves Clintonville, Columbus, Delaware, Dublin, Franklinton, Gahanna, Grove City, Groveport, Hilliard, New Albany, Obetz, Pataskala, Pickerington, Powell, Reynoldsburg, Sunbury, Upper Arlington, Westerville, Whitehall and Worthington. If you live near these communities, call with your address and we will confirm availability.
Our exclusion work comes with a lifetime guarantee on all workmanship and materials. It covers the repairs and sealed openings listed in your written quote, and if one of those repairs needs attention, we come back to inspect and fix it. A new concern on another part of the home gets its own assessment.
Cleanup is part of our recommended scope whenever raccoons have soiled a space, and the quote lists it separately. Not every attic needs full restoration. Small areas may need targeted cleaning, while heavily soiled or damaged insulation may need removal and replacement. The inspection findings decide which applies to your home.
We find the young before closing any opening, because a mother separated from her babies may damage the roof trying to return. Our technicians remove the young by hand, place them in a heated reunion box near the entry and give the mother the chance to move them to another den.
We remove droppings, latrines and soiled nesting material from the den area and decontaminate the surfaces. Raccoon roundworm eggs are passed in raccoon feces, so we handle indoor den cleanup with protective equipment and replace insulation where it is contaminated.
Thumping overhead, a raccoon in the chimney or a den under the deck all deserve answers before the problem grows. Our Columbus team locates the den, checks for young, removes the raccoons humanely on site, seals the entry points and cleans the affected area, with attic restoration where needed. Every exclusion repair is backed by our lifetime guarantee on all workmanship and materials.
Reviewed by Bill Dowd, Founder, President & CEO. Last updated November 2026.
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