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Memphis, Tennessee

🦝 Raccoon Removal in Memphis

Local licensed expert serving Memphis and all of Shelby County. Raccoons cause serious attic and crawlspace damage and carry diseases including rabies and roundworm.

Raccoons in Memphis, Tennessee

Northern raccoons (Procyon lotor) generate more residential calls in Memphis than any other wildlife species — a function of mature urban canopy across Midtown (Cooper-Young, Central Gardens, Evergreen, Vollintine-Evergreen) and the Overton Park edge, the deep pre-1920s housing stock of the Pinch District and South Bluffs, the original 1920s-1940s East Memphis bungalow belt of Audubon Park and Chickasaw Gardens, the post-war Frayser, Whitehaven, Raleigh, and Hickory Hill ranch belt, and the Wolf River Greenway pushing wildlife through Cordova and Germantown. Female raccoons whelp in Memphis attics from February through April — slightly earlier than middle Tennessee because of West Tennessee's milder climate — making spring the city's emergency season.

Raccoon Removal — Memphis, Tennessee

Licensed local expert. Same-day and emergency service in Memphis.

(844) 544-3498

Serving Memphis and all of Shelby County, Tennessee

Licensed & Insured Same-Day Available Humane Methods

Raccoon Removal in Memphis — What to Expect

Raccoons breed in attics and their feces carry dangerous roundworm spores. Fast removal is essential.

Signs in Memphis 🦝

Signs You Have Raccoons

Raccoons are active year-round but most commonly enter homes in late winter and spring when females seek nesting sites.

  • Noises in attic at night
  • Knocked over trash cans
  • Torn soffit or fascia boards
  • Droppings near entry points
  • Footprints in mud or soft soil
(844) 544-3498
🛠️

Our Process in Memphis

Our local Shelby County contractor serves all of Memphis using the same proven, humane process for every job.

  • Live trapping and relocation
  • Attic cleanup and decontamination
  • Entry point sealing
  • Damage repair
  • Preventative exclusion
(844) 544-3498

How Raccoons Get Into Memphis Homes

The average Memphis raccoon infestation involves two to five viable entry points per house. The dominant entries by neighborhood era:

  • Pre-1920s Midtown (Cooper-Young, Central Gardens, Evergreen, Vollintine-Evergreen) and Pinch District / South Bluffs Victorian — original brick chimneys without modern caps, deteriorated mortar joints, slate and tin roof transitions, decorative cupolas, cornices, and gabled vents. Five to eight viable entries per home is the norm. Cooper-Young, Central Gardens, Evergreen, Vollintine-Evergreen, and the South Bluffs historic-zoning overlays constrain the materials used to seal these entries — chimney caps, mesh, and flashing must comply with Memphis Landmarks Commission guidelines.
  • 1920s-1940s East Memphis bungalow belt (Audubon Park, Chickasaw Gardens, Galloway Gardens, Hein Park) — wood fascia, decorative gable returns, original soffit louvers, and the dormer-junction details typical of the era. Two to five entries per home, often including the original 1920s brick chimney.
  • 1950s-1970s post-war ranch belt (Frayser, Whitehaven, Raleigh, Hickory Hill, the original East Memphis ranches) — fascia returns, soffit corner failures, original brick chimneys, gabled vent louvers, and attic-fan housings.
  • 1990s-2020s subdivisions (Cordova, Bartlett, Collierville, Germantown, Arlington, Lakeland) — gable-vent screens, attic fan pull-throughs, HVAC penetrations, and the unscreened weep holes typical of West Tennessee brick veneer construction. Two to four entries per home.

What to Do Tonight If You Hear Scratching in Your Memphis Attic

If you hear heavy thumping, dragging, or chittering from the ceiling at dusk or just before dawn, the animal is almost certainly a raccoon — squirrels are lighter, faster, and active during daylight rather than at the dusk/dawn boundary. Don't try to handle the animal yourself. Tennessee is a rabies-endemic state and raccoons are a recognized rabies vector; any bite or scratch should be reported to Memphis Animal Services and the Shelby County Health Department immediately. Don't seal entry points yet — if a mother is inside with kits and you seal the entry, the kits become a dead-animal call within five to seven days, and dead-rodent recovery from inside the lath-and-plaster walls of Cooper-Young, Central Gardens, the Pinch District, or the South Bluffs is dramatically more difficult and expensive than the original removal would have been. Don't use poison — there's no effective rodenticide for raccoons and the same dead-animal-in-the-wall problem applies. The right move is a phone call for inspection. A licensed Memphis contractor will come to the property, identify every entry, determine whether kits are present (March-April is peak kit season in Memphis), and scope a kit-aware removal plan — typically one-way exclusion doors that allow the family to leave together but not re-enter, deployed only after kits are old enough to travel. Inspection and planning happen any time of year; only the exclusion step itself has to be timed correctly. See our broader Shelby County raccoon coverage for the regional pattern.

📅 Active Juvenile Season

Young raccoons are becoming mobile and exploring. Attic activity increases as juveniles learn to forage. This is a good time to seal entry points before another breeding cycle begins.

Raccoon Removal Cost in Memphis

$200–$600+

Trapping and relocation. Attic cleanup and exclusion additional ($800–$2,500+). Call for an estimate — pricing varies by contractor and job complexity.

Frequently Asked Questions — Raccoon Removal in Memphis

How much does raccoon removal cost in Memphis, TN? +
Most Memphis raccoon jobs run between $400 and $1,200+ from start to finish. Single-animal trap-and-release jobs at the low end run $250-$400+; major attic remediations with multiple entry points, contaminated insulation replacement, and HVAC duct repair frequently exceed $2,000+ — particularly in the larger pre-1920s Midtown and East Memphis 1920s-1940s bungalow homes. Historic-district properties across Cooper-Young, Central Gardens, Evergreen, Vollintine-Evergreen, and the South Bluffs can carry a small materials premium when chimney caps, mesh, and flashing must comply with Memphis Landmarks Commission guidelines. Estimates are property-specific and free.
How do I tell raccoons from squirrels in my Memphis attic? +
Sound is the fastest tell. Raccoons are heavy — 15-25 lb adults in Memphis — and homeowners describe them as 'someone walking up there,' with thumping, dragging, and chittering most active around dusk and just before dawn. Squirrels are lighter, faster, and most active right after sunrise and again in late afternoon, with a scampering or running sound rather than thumping. If you hear chittering or whimpering with no scampering, you likely have raccoon kits — call immediately. Roof rats also produce attic noise, but the sound is much lighter and faster and typically peaks in the first two hours after sunset rather than at the dusk/dawn boundary.
Why are raccoons whelping in my Cooper-Young or Central Gardens chimney? +
Memphis's historic Midtown core has the highest count of original brick chimneys without modern caps and with deteriorated dampers in West Tennessee, and a chimney box gives a female raccoon a dry, predator-protected denning cavity that closely matches a hollow tree. Females locate scout chimneys in January and February and whelp inside February through April. The fix is professional eviction, then installation of a stainless-steel chimney cap that prevents re-entry — but on Cooper-Young, Central Gardens, Evergreen, Vollintine-Evergreen, and South Bluffs historic-overlay properties the cap selection has to clear Memphis Landmarks Commission guidelines on color, profile, and visibility.
Can I trap raccoons myself in Memphis? +
Tennessee homeowners may handle nuisance raccoons on their own property under specific TWRA conditions, but relocating a live-trapped raccoon across property lines is restricted under TWRA disease-management rules. Commercial work in Tennessee requires TWRA Nuisance Wildlife Control Operator certification (Region I in Jackson covers Shelby County). The City of Memphis maintains additional municipal-code provisions on trapping and firearm discharge inside city limits, and the historic-overlay districts impose additional constraints on exterior modifications. Practically, DIY trapping in Memphis is legally and procedurally narrower than most homeowners realize.
Do I need attic decontamination after Memphis raccoon removal? +
In almost every case, yes. Raccoon feces in Memphis attics carry Baylisascaris procyonis (raccoon roundworm), which remains infectious in insulation for months after the animal is gone, and raccoon urine carries leptospirosis. Memphis homes with cellulose or aging fiberglass insulation typically need contaminated batting removed and replaced — both for health reasons and because raccoons typically destroy 20-40% of the insulation in the affected zone. Long-tenured infestations in pre-1920s Cooper-Young, Central Gardens, the Pinch District, and South Bluffs housing sometimes also require ceiling-cavity remediation where urine has saturated insulation and migrated through the wall assembly. The licensed contractor handles sanitation, insulation removal and replacement, and HVAC duct repair as a single workflow.
How much does raccoon removal cost in Memphis, Tennessee? +
Raccoon removal in Tennessee typically costs $200–$600+ for trapping and relocation. If raccoons have been living in your attic, full remediation including cleanup, decontamination, and entry point sealing generally runs $800–$2,500+ depending on colony size and insulation damage. Call for an estimate specific to your Memphis property.
Does homeowners insurance cover raccoon damage in Tennessee? +
Some Tennessee homeowners insurance policies cover sudden, accidental raccoon damage — such as a torn soffit or damaged roof decking. Most policies do not cover gradual damage or the cost of removal itself. Review your policy or call your agent before assuming coverage. Your Memphis contractor can provide documentation of damage for insurance claims.
Are raccoons dangerous to my family in Memphis? +
Yes. Raccoons in Tennessee are one of the primary wildlife carriers of rabies and shed Baylisascaris roundworm in their feces — a parasite that can be fatal to humans and pets. Attic-dwelling raccoons contaminate insulation with droppings that remain infectious long after the animals are gone. Professional cleanup after removal is not optional — it is a health necessity.
What time of year are raccoons worst in Tennessee? +
Raccoons are worst in Tennessee from December through March, when pregnant females actively seek attic entry points to give birth. A second wave of activity occurs in late summer as juveniles disperse and establish new territories. Memphis residents should inspect rooflines and soffits in fall — before denning season — to seal entry points before a raccoon moves in.
Can I remove raccoons myself in Tennessee? +
Raccoon removal requires a state permit in Tennessee, which is issued through the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency. Handling raccoons without proper equipment and licensing carries serious legal and health risks. Licensed contractors in Memphis hold the required permits and carry the equipment needed to remove raccoons safely, relocate them legally, and clean contaminated areas properly.

Raccoon Removal & Other Wildlife — Across Shelby County

Same licensed contractor, broader coverage.

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