East Lyme, with its beautiful shoreline along Niantic Bay and the heavily wooded areas surrounding Pattagansett Lake, is a prime habitat for local wildlife. Unfortunately, that often leads to bats in attics, skunks under decks, raccoons in chimneys, and squirrels in soffits.
Coastal homes in Niantic and Flanders often have easy entry points for critters, while the inland wooded neighborhoods see high activity from raccoons and flying squirrels. These animals do more than just make noise—they cause structural damage and pose health risks like rabies.
I’m Rich from RF Wildlife. Veteran-owned and based in Old Saybrook, right off Rt 9 and I-95 Exit 2. Because I’m just a few minutes down the road, I can get to East Lyme fast—often providing same-day or next-day service. I provide humane, DEEP-compliant wildlife removal for bats, skunks, raccoons, and squirrels. I specialize in professional exclusion methods — using durable stainless steel and vinyl-coated materials to permanently seal entry points — no poisons and no illegal relocation.
With 16+ years serving the CT shoreline, I know how to get them out and keep them out for good. Call or text 860-510-6313 for a free inspection today.
Why Choose RF Wildlife in East Lyme:
- Local & Fast — I live in Old Saybrook, literally a quarter mile from Rt 9 & I-95 Exit 2. That means I can be in East Lyme, Niantic, or Flanders fast — often the same day or next day.
- Humane Methods Only — No poisons and no illegal relocation. I use safe, DEEP-compliant trapping and permanent exclusion techniques.
- Veteran-Owned & Fully Licensed — I’m a veteran who owns and operates the business. Licensed N1102, insured, and I stand behind every job.
- 16+ Years Experience — I’ve been solving wildlife problems across Middlesex and New Haven counties for over 16 years, including many homes right here in East Lyme.
Certifications & Qualifications
- NWCOA EPIC Certified (Exclusion Product Installation Certification) — trained and certified in ventilation systems, wildlife damage prevention, and installation of prefab exclusion products (one-way doors, vent screens, chimney caps, etc.).
- Hy-Guard Exclusion Products Installer — certified on Hy-Guard’s professional-grade exclusion systems for safe, long-term wildlife prevention.
Certifications and training details are on my About page: View Certifications → Licensed, insured, and DEEP-compliant since 2009.
What Neighbors Are Saying About Our Flying Squirrel Removal Services
Bat Removal & Professional Exclusion in East Lyme, CT
Bats favor East Lyme’s coastal eaves and attics near Niantic Bay or Pattagansett Lake, entering gaps as small as a dime. Once inside, they pose serious risks through guano accumulation (which can lead to Histoplasmosis) and potential rabies exposure.
The Local Shift: In my 16+ years, I’ve seen a major shift in our local bat population. Ever since White-Nose Syndrome devastated Connecticut’s Little Brown bats — our primary mosquito-eaters — the Big Brown bat has become the dominant species I deal with in East Lyme homes.
My Professional Bat Exclusion Process:
- Thorough Inspection — I identify every active entry point and secondary gap in your roofline, ridge vents, and soffits.
- DEEP-Compliant Bat Exclusion — I install professional one-way doors that allow bats to exit but never re-enter. Note: Per CT DEEP regulations, exclusions cannot be performed from June 1st to August 15th to protect flightless pups.
- Sanitize & Seal — After the bats are out, I perform HEPA-filtered spot vacuuming of guano and use stainless steel mesh and high-grade sealants to permanently exclude bats from your home.
- Structural Prevention — I specialize in repairing ridge vents, installing chimney caps, and securing gable vents to ensure they stay out for good.
Starting at $225. I provide humane, DEEP-approved solutions with a focus on permanent exclusion. Call or text 860-510-6313 for a same-day inspection in East Lyme or Niantic.
Skunk Removal in East Lyme, CT
Skunks burrow under decks, sheds, porches, and crawlspaces in East Lyme’s suburban yards near the Niantic River or coastal marshes. They spray when threatened, dig up lawns for grubs, and can cause serious damage when they get into garden beds or under structures.
Mid-February through early March is peak skunk breeding season in Connecticut. During this time, males roam more aggressively looking for females, and females begin denning. This often leads to more trapped pairs under decks and sheds, resulting in heavy spraying and strong odors.
Breeding Season Strategy: When I remove a female during breeding season, I deliberately wait about 2 weeks before installing full exclusion. Over my 16+ years of experience, I’ve learned that if you seal everything right away, the males will hang around the property for a long time trying to get back in. By waiting, the males come check that she’s gone and usually move on much quicker.
My Professional Skunk Control Process:
- Strategic Assessment — I locate the primary den entrance, assess odor level, structural damage, and check for breeding pairs or kits.
- Odor-Controlled Live Trapping — I use specialized, enclosed live traps to minimize the risk of the skunk spraying during removal. Note: Per CT DEEP regulations, rabies-vector species like skunks cannot be relocated and must be released on-site or humanely euthanized.
- “Dig Defense” Exclusion — To prevent new skunks from moving in, I install heavy-duty hardware cloth barriers and trench-screened “dig defense” around the perimeter of your deck or shed. (During breeding season, I typically wait about 2 weeks after removing a female before full exclusion so males can confirm she’s gone and move on faster.)
- One-Way Eviction — When appropriate, I install one-way doors that allow skunks to leave their den but prevent them from digging back under.
- Skunk Trapping -is mostly during mating season.
Starting at $225. I provide legal, effective, and humane skunk removal. Call or text 860-510-6313 for same-day or next-day help in East Lyme, Niantic, or Flanders.
Squirrel Removal & Professional Exclusion in East Lyme, CT
Squirrels are relentless chewers that invade attics, eaves, and soffits in East Lyme’s wooded neighborhoods. Beyond the noise, they create significant fire hazards by gnawing on electrical wiring and destroying attic insulation with urine and feces.
Know Your Nuisance:
- Gray Squirrels (Niantic & Coastal): These are the active daytime raiders commonly seen near bird feeders. They typically enter through rotted fascia boards or chewed-out soffit corners. Gray’s usually always need to be trapped and removed they chew through mild steel. We remove squirrels.
- Flying Squirrels (Pattagansett Lake & Flanders): In the mature forests around Pattagansett Lake, flying squirrels are the primary culprit. They are about chipmunk size with soft gray fur and large dark eyes that look almost too big for their small heads. They glide between trees and sneak into the tiniest gaps in roofs or vents. Flying squirrels are especially a wintertime pest in East Lyme — they become much more active and noticeable once the cold sets in.
My Professional Squirrel Control Process:
- Dynamic Inspection: I identify active rub marks, gnaw sites, and the tiny entry points (some as small as a quarter) that flying squirrels use to glide into your home.
- Humane Removal: I typically do a full trap-out, no matter how long it takes, to make sure the entire colony is removed. I use professional one-way eviction doors or live traps depending on the situation. I never catch and release flying squirrels out of their territory — that is cruel. They are highly territorial and store food caches for winter. If moved, they usually starve or die of exposure. I remove the whole colony humanely and permanently.
- Construction-Grade Repairs: I don’t just “patch” holes. I use Pest Blok, stainless steel hardware cloth, and heavy-duty flashing (including RidgeGuard) to seal soffits, ridge vents, and gable vents. If they can’t chew through it, they can’t get back in.
- Spring Exclusion: After the trap-out is complete, I wait until spring to do the final exclusion. This timing is critical — sealing too early during winter can cause the squirrels to desperately chew new holes trying to get back in.
Starting at $225 with Guaranteed Results. I provide permanent exclusion to keep your attic quiet and safe. Call or text 860-510-6313 for a free inspection in East Lyme, Niantic, or Flanders.
Raccoon Removal in East Lyme, CT
Raccoons scavenge near Niantic Bay and Pattagansett Lake, nesting in chimneys, attics, and boat yards — causing destruction, noise, and rabies concerns.
I’ve taken care of raccoons up and down the shoreline — marinas are some of my biggest clients. Marinas and coastal properties in Niantic deal with heavy raccoon and skunk pressure. You can’t really “exclude” a dock or a boat, but you can manage the population before they cause expensive damage to wiring and upholstery. I provide fast, discreet trapping services for Niantic Bay marinas to keep your property — and your clients’ boats — safe.
Check out the picture below of one memorable job was for a prominent businessman who had an important guest coming to his deep sea fishing boat the next day. A raccoon had gotten into the engine compartment and was tangled in the wiring harness. I had to chase him first, poke him to get him out of the wiring (he would have decommissioned the boat), then chase him from compartment to compartment for over an hour in freezing rain to finally catch him. One of the happiest clients I’ve ever had — I’m still the go-to raccoon guy for that large marina year after year.
Our Raccoon Removal Process in East Lyme:
- Free Evaluation — Check attic, chimney, boat, or yard for nests, damage, entry points, and signs of kits or aggression.
- Secure Live Traps — No relocation (DEEP required) — humane trapping only.
- Eviction & Sealing — Install one-way doors, repairs, and seal all gaps using stainless steel or vinyl-coated materials for coastal durability.
- Prevention — Secure trash, trim overhanging branches, remove attractants like pet food or bird feeders.
Efficient and compliant. Starting at $225. Call or text 860-510-6313 for same-day or next-day help in East Lyme, Niantic, or Flanders.
Local Emergency & Health Contacts in East Lyme If you have an animal bite or possible rabies exposure, contact your local health department or 911 immediately.
- East Lyme Health Department (Ledge Light Health District) – (860) 448-4882 – bites, rabies concerns, public health questions
- Rabies Exposure Reporting Form (Connecticut DPH) – Fill out & submit if a bat was in a room with someone sleeping, a child, or someone unable to confirm a bite: Request for Rabies Examination Form (PDF)
- Rabies Consultation – For urgent human exposure questions, contact CT DPH Epidemiology Program: (860) 509-7994 (or after-hours: (860) 509-8000) – they can guide on video or phone if needed.
- East Lyme Animal Control Officer (shared with Waterford) – (860) 739-3419 ext. 2 – domestic animals, biting incidents, stray dogs/cats
- East Lyme Police Non-Emergency – (860) 739-6911 – for possible rabid animal roaming the neighborhood or immediate threats
- Emergency Video Conferencing –Bat in the house nobody can get to you, walk through on what to do etc. also do virtual animal intrusion home inspections. Click Here for Emergency Video Consult-Wildlife Help Right Now.
Tip: For bat exposures (especially if a bat was in a bedroom or near someone sleeping), CT requires reporting and possible post-exposure prophylaxis. DO NOT LET THE BAT GO! This will end with preventative rabies shots. it is best to capture the bat and get it tested for rabies.
Ready to Help in East Lyme?
If you’re hearing scratching in the attic, smelling skunk spray under the deck, or dealing with raccoons in the chimney — don’t wait. The longer you wait, the worse the damage and smell gets.
I’m right off Rt 9 & I-95 Exit 2 in Old Saybrook — I can be in East Lyme, Niantic, or Flanders fast, often same day or next day. Humane trapping, exclusion, cleanup, and prevention — no mess, no stress.
Call RF Wildlife now at 860-510-6313 for a free inspection and same-day help.
Serving East Lyme and the shoreline for 16+ years — veteran-owned and ready when you need me.
Serving the Shoreline & Beyond
- Old Lyme Wildlife Removal – Expert bat and flying squirrel exclusion for historic shoreline homes.
- Old Saybrook Wildlife Control – My home base, located right off Exit 2 for the fastest response times.
- East Haddam Animal Removal – Specializing in flying squirrels and raccoons in the wooded river valley.
- CT Shoreline & Coastal Towns Hub – See my full service area across New London and Middlesex Counties.
