Wildlife Removal in Sacramento: Raccoons, Skunks & the American River Parkway

The American River Parkway is 23 miles of riparian habitat running through the heart of the Sacramento metro — from Folsom Lake to the confluence with the Sacramento River. It's one of the finest urban greenways in the country, and it's also a wildlife reservoir that delivers raccoons, skunks, opossums, and foxes directly into the residential neighborhoods on both sides of the river. The Sacramento River corridor adds another wildlife highway running north-south through the city. In Sacramento, wildlife corridors don't run around the city — they run through it.

California's mild climate means raccoons breed year-round in Sacramento — unlike northern states where breeding is seasonal. There's no predictable safe window for exclusion without first assessing whether young are present. Every removal starts with an assessment of the situation.

Homes near the American River Parkway — in Carmichael, Fair Oaks, Rancho Cordova, and the eastern Sacramento neighborhoods — face the highest raccoon pressure in the metro. But raccoons range widely from the river corridor, and encounters occur throughout Sacramento County.

Skunks are a major nuisance throughout Sacramento, and the city's housing stock explains why. Sacramento has a significant proportion of older homes with raised foundations and accessible crawl spaces — particularly in neighborhoods like Land Park, Curtis Park, and East Sacramento. These homes provide exactly the denning conditions skunks prefer.

They dig for grubs in irrigated lawns (leaving characteristic cone-shaped holes), den under structures, and spray when threatened or cornered. Skunk removal requires careful trapping technique to minimize spray risk, and the den site must be excluded after removal. Scent markers left by a denning skunk will attract other skunks for years if the entry point isn't properly sealed.

California Fish and Game Code prohibits bat exclusion from April 1 through August 31 — the longest maternity season restriction of any state. Several bat species are common in Sacramento, including the Mexican free-tailed bat and the big brown bat. Older homes in neighborhoods like Land Park, Curtis Park, and East Sacramento frequently have bat colonies in attics and wall voids.

If you discover bats in your home in spring or summer, we can seal gaps leading to living spaces and schedule full exclusion for September. Don't wait until fall to schedule an inspection — the September exclusion window fills quickly.

Sacramento's climate supports abundant fruit production — citrus, figs, persimmons, and stone fruits are common in residential yards. Fallen and overripe fruit is a major attractant for raccoons, opossums, and roof rats. Harvesting promptly and cleaning up fallen fruit is one of the most effective wildlife prevention measures a Sacramento homeowner can take.

Call (800) 319-1556 for a free inspection. We serve Sacramento County and surrounding areas.

View our Sacramento service page for more information.