Top Wildlife Removal in Moreno Valley, California Ranked

Dealing with unwelcome wildlife on your property can be stressful and hazardous. Professional wildlife removal is the safe and effective process of humanely evicting animals like raccoons, squirrels, and bats from your home or business, followed by securing the property to prevent their return. This service is critical in Moreno Valley to protect your family's health, prevent costly structural damage, and ensure compliance with California's complex wildlife regulations. This guide will help you understand your options, when to call for help, and how to find qualified local specialists for humane animal control.

Go-Pher The Kill Pest Control Riverside

9880 Indiana Ave STE 23, Riverside, CA 92503

Go-Pher The Kill Pest Control Riverside offers pest and wildlife removal services in Riverside, CA. The company specializes in gopher control but also handles ants, roaches, spiders, rodents, and other pests for residential, commercial, and agricultural properties. They provide thorough pest inspections and ongoing protection to keep properties pest-free. Known for their expertise in gopher trapping and removal, Go-Pher The Kill has been serving the Riverside area for over seven years. Their licensed and insured team is committed to customer satisfaction with a guarantee to re-treat or refund if problems persist.

5.0

678 Reviews

Gopher Stop

1660 Country Club Dr, Riverside, CA 92506

Gopher Stop is a wildlife removal and pest control company based in Riverside, CA, specializing in gopher removal. They focus on identifying and managing gopher infestations that damage lawns, plants, irrigation systems, and concrete structures. Their primary method involves trapping gophers within their tunnels, offering a poison-free approach that is both effective and environmentally conscious. Gopher Stop serves Riverside and nearby areas, providing professional gopher control with a reputation supported by customer reviews.

5.0

137 Reviews

Compass Pest Management

5925 Rickenbacker Ave, Riverside, CA 92504

Compass Pest Management is a family-owned pest control company serving Los Angeles, CA, and surrounding areas since 1997. They provide a wide range of pest management services including bed bug treatment, termite inspections and fumigation, rodent exclusion, mosquito reduction, and bee and wasp removal. Their team also handles wildlife removal and commercial pest control, using proven methods and premium pesticides. With over 25 years of experience, Compass Pest Management offers ongoing pest prevention and exclusion services, focusing on practical solutions for homes and businesses. They operate Monday through Saturday and hold multiple licenses and certifications in pest control.

4.9

824 Reviews

Terminix Commercial

1387 Center St, Riverside, CA 92507

Terminix Commercial offers comprehensive pest control services in Los Angeles, CA, specializing in commercial pest management. Their services include treatment and prevention for bed bugs, cockroaches, ants, rodents, termites, bees, wasps, and wildlife removal. The company provides tailored pest control plans such as the PESTFREE365 and termite protection systems to address common and costly pest issues. With a local team familiar with the area's pest challenges and backed by a nationwide network, Terminix Commercial ensures effective pest management solutions for businesses. They also offer termite inspections and continuous protection systems to prevent structural damage. The company serves a wide range of communities around Los Angeles and Riverside, including Ontario and San Bernardino.

4.9

764 Reviews

Corky's Pest Control

21803 Cactus Ave Suite E - F, Riverside, CA 92518

Corky's Pest Control is a pest control company serving Los Angeles, CA, offering a wide range of services including bed bug treatment, ant and cockroach control, rodent management, termite inspection and fumigation, mosquito treatment, bee and wasp removal, and wildlife relocation. Established in 1967, the company applies detailed inspections and modern methods to address pest issues effectively. They provide specialized capabilities such as termite fumigation and hive relocation for bees, ensuring safety and environmental care. Corky's Pest Control focuses on long-lasting pest management solutions tailored to residential properties.

4.9

548 Reviews

See more providers in Moreno Valley, CA

Common Nuisance Wildlife in Moreno Valley

The diverse habitats around Moreno Valley support a variety of wildlife that can become problematic when they seek food, water, or shelter in our homes and buildings. Knowing which animals are most likely to cause issues is the first step in addressing an infestation.

Mammals:

• Raccoons: Intelligent and dexterous, they are notorious for tearing into attics, soffits, and crawl spaces to create dens. They can carry rabies and roundworm.
• Squirrels: Both ground and tree squirrels can cause significant damage. They chew on electrical wiring, wood, and insulation, creating fire hazards and noise in walls and attics.
• Opossums: Often found under decks, sheds, or in crawl spaces. While less destructive, they can create messes and carry diseases like leptospirosis.
• Skunks: Known for their potent defense mechanism, they burrow under structures and can spray pets or people who startle them.
• Rats & Mice: Common year-round, these rodents contaminate food, chew constantly, and reproduce rapidly, requiring swift action.
• Bats: Small colonies can roost in attics or wall voids. Their guano (droppings) can pose serious respiratory health risks, and they are protected by specific regulations.
• Coyotes & Foxes: More common in open spaces and on property edges, they can threaten small pets and livestock ^{1 2 3}.

Birds:

• Pigeons & Starlings: These birds often nest on roof ledges, in vents, or in commercial structures. Their droppings are acidic and can damage buildings and pose health risks.
• Woodpeckers: They drill into wood siding or eaves searching for insects or to create nesting cavities, leading to significant exterior damage ^{1 2}.

Understanding Local Regulations and DIY Limits

California has strict laws governing wildlife to ensure humane treatment and ecological balance. The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) sets these regulations, which directly impact what homeowners can and cannot do ^{4 5}.

What Residents Are Permitted to Do: For certain non-game mammals that are injuring crops or property-such as ground squirrels, jackrabbits, muskrats, and red foxes-you may trap and remove them if you own the land or have written permission from the landowner. However, the methods used must be humane; for example, drowning a trapped animal is illegal and considered inhumane under California law ^{2 4 6}. Traps also cannot be set within 150 yards of a residence without the landowner's permission, a rule designed to protect pets ⁵.

When DIY Becomes Risky or Illegal: For most wildlife situations, especially within the home, DIY removal is strongly discouraged. Handling wild animals is unpredictable and dangerous due to risks of bites, scratches, and disease exposure (like rabies or histoplasmosis from bat droppings). Special permits are often required for trapping and relocating many species. Furthermore, improper removal often fails to address the root cause-how the animal got in-leading to recurring problems or new animals moving into the same accessible space ^{3 4 7}. For protected species like bats, or for animals like raccoons and skunks, engaging a licensed professional is not just recommended; it's often the only legal and effective path forward.

The Professional Wildlife Removal Process

Licensed wildlife control operators follow a systematic, humane approach that goes far beyond simple trapping. Understanding this process can help you know what to expect when you hire a pro.

1. Inspection and Assessment: A technician will perform a thorough inspection of your property, inside and out, to identify the animal species, locate all entry points, and assess the extent of the damage and contamination.
2. Humane Eviction/Removal: Using species-specific techniques, the animals are removed. This may involve one-way exclusion doors that let animals leave but not return, live trapping, or, in the case of young or nesting animals, a carefully timed process to ensure the whole family is removed ethically.
3. Clean-up and Sanitation: This critical step involves removing contaminated insulation, droppings, urine, and nesting materials. Professionals use industrial-grade cleaners and enzymes to sanitize the area, eliminating odors and health hazards.
4. Exclusion and Repair: The most important step for a permanent solution. All identified entry points are sealed with durable, animal-proof materials like steel mesh, hardware cloth, or specialized flashing. This prevents new animals from entering.
5. Restoration: Some companies offer repair services for damaged wood, siding, insulation, and vents, restoring your property to its pre-infestation condition.

When to Call Animal Services vs. a Wildlife Professional

Knowing which agency or company to contact will save you time and get the right help faster.

Contact Moreno Valley Animal Services (951-413-4980) for:

• Aggressive animals posing an immediate public safety threat.
• Stray domestic pets (dogs and cats) at large.
• Incidents involving a bite from any animal, due to potential rabies protocols.
• Injured domestic animals or obvious cases of animal cruelty ^{8 9}.

Contact a Licensed Wildlife Removal Company for:

• Any wild animal inside your home, attic, walls, or chimney (e.g., raccoons, squirrels, bats).
• Chronic bird infestations in vents or on structures.
• Signs of digging or burrowing under decks, sheds, or foundations.
• Extensive property damage caused by wildlife.
• When you need full exclusion work and preventative repairs ^{1 3 7 9}.

Animal Services is a vital public resource, but they typically refer complex wildlife intrusions inside private structures to licensed private removal companies who are equipped for the detailed work of exclusion and decontamination ^{1 8}.

Understanding Wildlife Removal Costs in Moreno Valley

The cost for professional animal removal services varies widely based on the species, the scope of the infestation, and the necessary repairs. Most reputable companies offer free inspections and estimates ^{1 10 11}.

• Inspection/Consultation: Often provided for free or for a small diagnostic fee.
• Squirrel or Rodent Removal: Typically ranges from $200 to $600+. This usually covers trapping, removal, and basic exclusion for common entry points.
• Raccoon or Skunk Removal: Generally costs between $300 and $800+. Pricing factors include the number of animals, the difficulty of access, and whether relocation is involved.
• Bat or Bird Exclusion: This is often the most involved service, ranging from $500 to over $2,000. The cost reflects the labor-intensive process of installing exclusion netting or one-way devices at all potential entry points and waiting for the entire colony to leave before permanently sealing the structure. Guarantees are common with this service ^{1 2 3 11}.

The final price is influenced by the animal species, the size and location of the infestation, the amount of clean-up and decontamination required, and the extent of repairs needed to secure the property. Always request a detailed, written estimate that breaks down removal, clean-up, exclusion, and any repair work.

Choosing a Responsible Wildlife Removal Service

Selecting the right provider ensures a humane, legal, and lasting solution. Look for these key attributes:

• Proper Licensing and Insurance: Verify the company holds a valid CDFW license for wildlife trapping and carries both liability and worker's compensation insurance.
• Humane Practices: Ask about their removal methods. They should emphasize non-lethal, humane eviction and exclusion whenever possible, in line with state laws ⁶.
• Experience with Your Specific Problem: Choose a company with proven experience dealing with your particular nuisance animal, whether it's bats, raccoons, or birds.
• Comprehensive Service: The best providers offer a full suite of services: inspection, humane removal, sanitization, exclusion, and repairs. Avoid "trap-and-remove-only" services that leave your home vulnerable.
• Guarantees: A reputable company will stand behind their exclusion work with a written guarantee for a period of time, often one year or more.
• Local References and Reviews: Check online reviews and ask for references from past customers in the Moreno Valley area.

Frequently asked questions

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