Lifetime Warranty
On workmanship and materials.
Minnetonka, MN · Serving since 2023
Humane Wildlife Removal in Minnetonka, MN
Skedaddle Minneapolis — serving the greater Minnetonka area since 2023.
No traps. No poison. Permanent exclusion.
Minnetonka wraps the eastern tip of Lake Minnetonka, where the Minnehaha Creek headwaters leave Grays Bay, and a 2019 canopy study measured the city at 58% tree cover, among the highest of any Twin Cities suburb. Mature oak over Groveland and Glen Lake, the Purgatory Creek corridor, and the 155 wooded acres of Purgatory Community Preserve keep mice, bats, squirrels, and raccoons pressed against local rooflines. Skedaddle Minneapolis removes them with an inspection-led method matched to the species, seals every opening permanently, decontaminates the areas wildlife used, and restores the attic where animals denned. No traps, no poison, no lethal removal.
Serving Minnetonka since 2023
Skedaddle founded 1989
Humane, hands-on removal
At a Glance
- Service area: Minnetonka and every residential area, including the Deephaven-adjacent shoreline, Groveland, Boulevard Gardens, Glen Lake, Hilloway, the Excelsior Boulevard corridor, and the Ridgedale area
- Species handled: Mouse, bat, squirrel, and raccoon removal
- Inspection: Full-property inspection first — roof line, soffits, vents, ridge line, attic and foundation — before any work is quoted
- Method: Inspection-led humane exclusion matched to the species and the season, followed by decontamination and attic restoration where animals denned. No traps. No poison. No lethal removal.
- Guarantee: Lifetime guarantee on all workmanship and materials
- Experience: Skedaddle Minneapolis serving Minnetonka since 2023 · Skedaddle founded 1989 · 10+ humane wildlife removals completed in Minnetonka in the past 12 months
Reviewed by Bill Dowd, Founder, President & CEO, Skedaddle Humane Wildlife Control. Last updated September 2026.
Why homeowners choose Skedaddle
The fastest fix on a Minnetonka wildlife call is rarely the one that lasts. Every Skedaddle Minneapolis visit runs the same sequence: identify the species and the opening it is using, get the animal out without traps or poison, close that opening for good, clear what was left behind, and stand behind the repair afterward.
How long has Skedaddle been removing wildlife in Minnetonka?
Skedaddle Minneapolis has worked on Minnetonka homes since 2023, with 10+ humane wildlife removals completed in Minnetonka in the past 12 months. The city's geography sets the workload: lakeshore at the eastern tip of Lake Minnetonka, the Minnehaha Creek outlet at Grays Bay, the Purgatory Creek corridor, and 58% tree cover over neighborhoods that range from postwar streets near Glen Lake to newer construction inland toward Ridgedale. Technicians who see both kinds of house read the pattern quickly.
Technician training and method
Skedaddle technicians train in wildlife biology, home repair, decontamination, and attic restoration, and work to humane standards approved by SPCAs and Humane Societies. On a Minnetonka call that means identifying the animal first, choosing an approach that suits the species and the season, and closing the opening only once the animal is confirmed out. Cleanup of the areas wildlife used is part of every job, and attic restoration is added where animals denned. Bat colony work is planned around Minnesota DNR guidance.
The lifetime guarantee behind the seal
Every opening Skedaddle closes in Minnetonka is treated as a permanent repair rather than a seasonal patch, because a soffit return that lets go in a February thaw was never exclusion. The work carries Skedaddle's lifetime guarantee on all workmanship and materials: if anything gets back in through an opening the team sealed, the crew returns and re-seals it at no charge. Homeowners in Groveland, Hilloway, and Boulevard Gardens see exclusion, cleanup, and guarantee scope itemized on one written quote first.
Meet the Team Behind Minnetonka's Wildlife Removal
Matt Sanders
Co-Owner
Matt Sanders launched Skedaddle Minneapolis with long time friend and colleague Brett Robertson. Born and raised in Minneapolis, Matt now lives in a house across the street from his childhood home, with his wife and children. He has a passion for the community he calls home and is proud to provide home and business owners with humane solutions to their wildlife conflicts. Matt graduated from Bethel University with a double major in Philosophy and Biblical and Theological Studies in 2004. He then returned to Minneapolis to begin a decades-long career in supply chain management in the food production industry. Launching a Skedaddle franchise has allowed Matt to fulfill his dream of operating a business that could have a more direct impact in his community. As a local business owner, Matt relies on his decades worth of management experience to provide Skedaddle clients with a high level of customer service.
Brett Robertson
Co-Owner
Brett Robertson launched Skedaddle Minneapolis with the desire to bring humane wildlife control services to the community he calls home. As a resident of Plymouth, Minnesota, with his wife and two kids, Brett has first hand knowledge of the area and the wildlife that thrive in the city. Brett graduated from Missouri University of Science and Technology in 2006, and before joining Skedaddle spent several years working in corporate America across the Midwest. Becoming a Skedaddle Franchise partner has allowed Brett to put his decades worth of management experience and business knowledge to use helping property owners in Minneapolis with their wildlife challenges. Brett loves the outdoors and is thrilled to deliver unique solutions and high level customer service to clients.
Jesse Graham
Lead Wildlife Technician
Jesse is a Lead Wildlife Technician with Skedaddle’s Twin Cities branch. Raised in Union City, California, he graduated early from James Logan High School before jumping straight into blue-collar work. He started his career in tree care with Davey Tree’s Tree Surgery Division, trimming trees near power lines for PG&E, and later worked with Acorn Tree Company on residential projects. Along the way, he developed a love for working outdoors and even rescued baby squirrels and hummingbirds, bringing them to rehab centers. After moving to Minnesota, Jesse discovered Skedaddle—a unique opportunity that fit his skills and passion for hands-on work.
Logan McCallister
Wildlife Control Inspector
Logan is a Wildlife Inspector with Skedaddle. She grew up in rural Southeastern Ohio and earned her bachelor’s degree in Biology from West Virginia University. Since 2015, Logan has gained extensive experience working with wildlife, including live removals and rehabilitation. She is a licensed Wildlife Educator in Tennessee and a former permitted Wildlife Rehabilitator. Before joining Skedaddle, Logan worked for the Tennessee Wildlife Resource Agency and later with a wildlife control company, where she also helped launch a sister company focused on attic and crawlspace restoration. Now based in the Twin Cities, Logan handles everything from detailed home inspections and emergency animal removals to building relationships in the community.
Mia Bagley
Lead Wildlife Control Technician
Mia Bagley is a Lead Wildlife Control Technician with Skedaddle Humane Wildlife Control. She grew up on a small farm along the Utah–Idaho border, where a lifelong love of animals first took root. Mia earned her degree in Environmental Sociology with a minor in Equine Studies from Utah State University. After graduation, she moved to Minnesota to manage a horse farm—a role that further strengthened her passion for hands-on animal work. Skedaddle appealed to her as a place where she could combine her interest in wildlife with her problem-solving skills, all while helping people and animals safely coexist. Since joining Skedaddle, Mia has taken on the role of lead technician, working closely with homeowners to assess wildlife concerns and provide effective, humane removal and exclusion solutions.
Caleb Hardekopf
Wildlife Control Inspector
Caleb is a Wildlife Inspector with Skedaddle who brings a unique background to the team. A native of Parkers Prairie, MN, he briefly attended Saint Cloud State University to study economics before exploring a variety of career paths. His experience includes roles in food service and tech, along with certifications in forklift operation and aerial lifts. What drew Caleb to Skedaddle was the opportunity to join a growing branch led by people he respected and a collaborative environment where everyone motivates each other to succeed. At Skedaddle, Caleb focuses on putting homeowners at ease during stressful wildlife situations by creating effective, humane solutions that restore peace of mind. Outside of work, he enjoys golf, gardening, fishing, thrift shopping, playing volleyball, and gaming with friends across the country. Caleb and his wife share their home with three beloved cats and are excited about the next chapter of building a home and family together.
Meet Brett Robertson, Co-Owner of Skedaddle Minneapolis
We are thrilled to announce the launch of Skedaddle Humane Wildlife Control's newest franchise in the vibrant city of Minneapolis, Minnesota and surrounding communities! Meet dedicated co-owner, Brett Robertson as he leads the charge in providing humane and effective wildlife solutions.
Wildlife we handle in Minnetonka
Four species account for nearly all of Skedaddle Minneapolis's Minnetonka work, in this order: mice, bats, squirrels, and raccoons. The city's geography explains the spread: brush habitat along Purgatory Creek, roosting habitat around Grays Bay and the Minnehaha Creek outlet, and a canopy old enough to lay branches on the roof. Each animal uses a different route into the house, and each has its own season for using it.
Mouse removal
Peak Sep–Nov
Why are mice the first call in Minnetonka? Homes backing Purgatory Creek and the wooded edge of Purgatory Community Preserve sit beside open brush habitat, and a dime-width gap at a rim joist, dryer vent, or slab transition is an open door. Pressure builds from late September as nights cool. Technicians seal every penetration with rodent-proof material, then monitor indoors until the activity stops.
Bat removal
Peak Aug–May
Can bats come out of a Minnetonka attic in midsummer? Not between May 15 and August 1: the Minnesota DNR recommends avoiding exclusion while flightless pups are in the roost, so Skedaddle holds bat work until August 1 (Bat Exclusion, Minnesota DNR). Grays Bay and the Minnehaha Creek outlet feed roosting pressure into high gable vents and ridge caps around Hilloway.
Squirrel removal
Peak year-round
What lets squirrels into Minnetonka attics? Mature oak over Groveland and Glen Lake lays branches on the roof, and grey squirrels raise young twice a year, in late winter and again in midsummer. Worn soffit-to-fascia joins give way first. Technicians fit a one-way door where appropriate, confirm by hand that the young are out, then close the roof line with heavy-gauge mesh.
Raccoon removal
Peak Mar–Nov
Where do raccoons den in Minnetonka? The Minnehaha Creek corridor and the Lake Minnetonka shoreline give them a travel route to older Boulevard Gardens and Deephaven-adjacent rooflines, where lifted soffit returns and uncapped chimneys open up. Spring denning is the heaviest stretch. Technicians retrieve kits by hand, let the adult leave through a one-way door where appropriate, then seal the roof line.
Other wildlife we remove in Minnetonka
Fall brings the rest of the region's wildlife up against the house. Skunks can den under decks and garden sheds in Glen Lake yards, and the odor usually arrives before the sighting does. Rats are uncommon in Minnetonka and are handled the same way, by finding and closing the opening rather than baiting. Birds pack nesting debris into dryer and roof vents along the Excelsior Boulevard corridor through the warm months, blocking the duct. Call (952) 460-2680 or learn more about wildlife removal in Minneapolis.
Not sure which animal you’re hearing?
Our Minnetonka technicians can identify the species and confirm the entry points during a single on-site visit.
Neighborhoods in Minnetonka we serve
What areas of Minnetonka does Skedaddle service? Skedaddle Minneapolis services every residential area of Minnetonka, from the Deephaven-adjacent shoreline at the eastern tip of Lake Minnetonka and the older streets in Groveland and Boulevard Gardens, out through Glen Lake and Hilloway to the Excelsior Boulevard corridor and the Ridgedale area, including the wooded lots that back onto Purgatory Creek and the Minnehaha Creek outlet at Grays Bay. That mix of lakeshore, creek corridor, and heavy canopy over older housing stock shapes the wildlife activity the team sees here year-round. If your home is inside Minnetonka city limits, Skedaddle services it.
What a Skedaddle inspection in Minnetonka looks like
What happens during a Skedaddle wildlife inspection? A technician walks the whole property — interior, exterior, roof line, soffits, vents, and attic — to find every active and likely entry point, confirms which animal is using it, documents the damage in the attic and wall voids, and leaves a written quote itemizing exclusion, cleanup, and guarantee scope before any work begins.
- Book the inspection — call (952) 460-2680 or request a visit online with your Minnetonka address and a short description of what you are hearing.
- Onsite inspection and removal plan — the technician traces the entry points, checks the attic and wall voids for droppings and matted insulation, and explains the plan and the price before touching the house.
- Humane removal and permanent sealing — the method is matched to the species: where appropriate, adults leave on their own through a one-way door, dependent young are retrieved by hand, and every vulnerable opening is closed with heavy-gauge mesh and weather-rated materials chosen for Minnesota freeze-thaw.
- Decontamination and attic restoration — droppings, urine-soaked insulation, and nesting material come out, the space is treated to cut the odor and scent trail, and insulation is restored where it was contaminated.
- Guarantee and follow-up — the job closes with the lifetime guarantee on all workmanship and materials, plus a return visit if anything needs a second look.
There is no pressure to book on the spot. Restoration scope is priced on the same written quote as the exclusion work, so a Glen Lake or Ridgedale-area homeowner can weigh the whole job in one place rather than in stages. Call (952) 460-2680 or see the full inspection process.
Skedaddle's Three-Step Wildlife Removal Process
Step 1
Assess and Remove
We begin with a detailed inspection of your home to identify the wildlife, locate active entry points, and assess the extent of the problem. Our technicians then use proven, species-appropriate methods to remove animals safely and humanely.
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Step 2
Clear and Clean
After the animals are removed, we clean and decontaminate affected areas, removing nesting materials, droppings, and other traces left behind. When needed, we also address damaged insulation and help restore the space to a clean, healthy condition.
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Step 3
Prevent and Protect
Finally, we identify vulnerable areas and seal confirmed or potential entry points to help prevent wildlife from returning. Our durable exclusion work provides lasting protection and includes a lifetime warranty on the entry points we seal.
Learn moreMinnetonka wildlife by season
When is Minnetonka wildlife most active? Pressure runs highest from March through November, with two clear peaks: spring nesting from March to June, when raccoons and squirrels look for attic space to raise young, and fall entry from September to November, when mice move toward warm shelter. Winter denning continues quietly through the coldest weeks.
| Season | Active species | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Winter (Dec–Feb) |
Mice (indoor activity), squirrels (attic denning), raccoons (attic denning) | Scratching in walls and ceilings, insulation displacement as animals settle in postwar houses around Groveland and Glen Lake |
| Spring (Mar–May) |
Raccoons (nesting), squirrels (nesting), bats (returning) | Attic scratching and chimney activity; bat colonies return to ridge vents and soffit gaps before the May 15 avoidance window opens |
| Summer (Jun–Aug) |
Bats (MN DNR recommends avoiding exclusion May 15 to August 1; colony work resumes after August 1), juvenile squirrels | Bats in living spaces and fluttering at dusk over lakeshore lots near Grays Bay; juvenile squirrels at roof vents under the Groveland canopy |
| Fall (Sep–Nov) |
Mice (peak entry), squirrels (food storing), raccoons (pre-winter denning) | Highest mouse pressure at sill plates, dryer vents, and utility penetrations on postwar houses in Groveland and Boulevard Gardens |
Quarterly focus: Fall is mouse season in Minnetonka. Mice press in from late September at sill plates, dryer vents and utility penetrations, and postwar houses in Groveland and Boulevard Gardens offer more of those gaps than newer builds inland toward Ridgedale. Juvenile-squirrel work at soffits and roof vents continues, and bat colony exclusion is running again now that the pup-season stretch the Minnesota DNR recommends avoiding has closed for the year (Bat Exclusion, Minnesota DNR). Sealing before the first hard freeze is what stops the season starting indoors. Call (952) 460-2680 to get on the schedule.
Fall Mouse Season: What Homeowners Ask Most
When does mouse season start?
Late September is when Minnetonka households begin finding mice indoors. University of Minnesota Extension treats an increase in mouse activity as a sign fall is approaching, with mice moving toward a safe, warm space in a shed, garage or house. Their nests turn up in sheltered locations and are built from shredded paper and other fibrous material, so the first discovery is normally in a pantry, a kitchen cabinet or a storage room rather than the attic.
How small a gap can a mouse use?
A quarter of an inch is enough. The City of Minneapolis reports that mice squeeze through holes a quarter of an inch or bigger and climb well, so height is no defense. On postwar Groveland and Glen Lake houses, the openings that matter are sill-plate gaps behind the siding, dryer and bath-fan vents, service-line penetrations, garage-door corners and worn thresholds.
What are the earliest signs of mice in a house?
City of Minneapolis guidance identifies droppings, gnawed doorways and packaging, a musty pungent odor, and rub marks on walls in heavily traveled areas. In practice, homeowners also hear scratching inside a wall after dark; check the kitchen toe-kicks, the utility room and the garage sill before assuming the noise is overhead.
How do you mouse-proof a house?
The work begins with a full exterior inspection, because the opening being used is rarely the only one, and it finishes with materials that hold. Missouri Extension is direct that plastic sheeting, screen, wood and rubber are unsuitable for plugging mouse holes and that steel wool is a temporary plug at best. The interior inspection covers kitchen, basement, garage, wall voids and attic for nests and contaminated insulation, and you get a written, itemized quote before any work is authorized. Call (952) 460-2680 to schedule an inspection.
Inside the Skedaddle exclusion process
How does Skedaddle remove wildlife humanely in Minnetonka? An inspection comes before any equipment goes on the house, because the right approach depends on the species, the time of year, and the structure itself. Nothing is trapped or killed. The animal leaves on its own, the opening is sealed permanently, and the attic is decontaminated and restored afterward.
01
A humane approach to wildlife removal
A postwar house under mature oak in Groveland offers different routes in than a newer build inland toward Ridgedale, so technicians choose equipment to suit the situation. Where suitable, a one-way door lets an adult squirrel or raccoon leave on its own before the opening is closed. Dependent young are retrieved by hand. Bats are handled with species-appropriate exclusion equipment scheduled after August 1, and mice are excluded by sealing the seams and penetrations they use along foundations and slab transitions.
02
Reuniting mothers with young whenever possible
Minnetonka attics along the Minnehaha Creek corridor and the Purgatory Creek greenway hold spring litters every year, and young too small to follow their mother out are never left behind the seal. Technicians retrieve them by hand and place them in an insulated reunion box at the entry point so she can carry them to an alternate den herself. It takes longer than removing her would, and it is the reason this work is called humane.
03
Decontamination and attic restoration
An emptied attic is not a finished attic. Droppings, urine-soaked insulation, and nesting material come out, the space is treated to cut the odor and the scent trail that signals the next animal in, and contaminated insulation is replaced so the attic insulates properly again through a Minnesota winter. Minnetonka homeowners see the cleanup and restoration scope itemized on the same written quote as the exclusion, not billed later as an add-on.
04
Why every seal carries a lifetime guarantee
A repair that fails in two winters is not exclusion. Skedaddle Minneapolis closes Minnetonka entry points with heavy-gauge mesh and weather-rated materials chosen to hold against animals that will test them through freeze-thaw cycles, and the work carries Skedaddle's lifetime guarantee on all workmanship and materials. If anything gets back in through an opening the team sealed, the crew returns and re-seals it at no cost to the homeowner.
Ready to see the same method used on your home?
Get a Minnetonka-specific inspection and a written scope that spells out exclusion points, decontamination, and our lifetime guarantee before any work begins.
Service area and contact information
Business name
Skedaddle Humane Wildlife Control — Minneapolis
Phone
Service area
Minnetonka and the surrounding Hennepin County territory, including Wayzata, Hopkins, Plymouth, and Eden Prairie
Hours
Mon–Fri 6:30am–8:00pm
Sat 7:00am–4:00pm
Sun 9:00am–3:00pm
Sat 7:00am–4:00pm
Sun 9:00am–3:00pm
Established
Serving Minnetonka since 2023 · Skedaddle founded 1989
Google Business Profile
Regulatory guidance
Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (MN DNR); bat exclusion follows the state's recommended May 15 to August 1 pup-season avoidance window
Wider service area
Wayzata, Hopkins, Plymouth, Eden Prairie, Orono, Deephaven, Excelsior, Minneapolis
Frequently asked questions about Minnetonka wildlife removal
How much does wildlife removal cost in Minnetonka?
Wildlife removal cost in Minnetonka depends on the species involved, the number of entry points, and whether decontamination or insulation replacement is needed afterward. Skedaddle Minneapolis inspects the property first and leaves a written, itemized quote covering exclusion, cleanup, and guarantee scope before any work starts, so a Minnetonka homeowner sees the whole job in one place. Call (952) 460-2680 to book that inspection.
Can Skedaddle remove wildlife from my Minnetonka home the same day I call?
Same-day service is sometimes available, but it cannot be guaranteed. Priority goes to genuine urgency — a bat in a Minnetonka bedroom, a raccoon inside a living space, or an animal trapped where it cannot free itself. Every other call is booked into the earliest available inspection. Call (952) 460-2680 during business hours to check what the schedule allows today.
When can I schedule a bat exclusion in Minnetonka?
Any time outside May 15 to August 1. The Minnesota DNR recommends avoiding bat exclusion during that stretch, while flightless pups are still in the roost, and Skedaddle holds bat work until August 1. Calls placed while the window is closed get an inspection, a dusk exit count at the roost, and a booked date, with the physical exclusion scheduled for the first opening afterward.
What areas of Minnetonka does Skedaddle service?
Skedaddle Minneapolis services every residential area of Minnetonka, including the Deephaven-adjacent shoreline, Groveland, Boulevard Gardens, Glen Lake, Hilloway, the Excelsior Boulevard corridor, and the Ridgedale area. That covers the older streets under mature canopy, the wooded lots along Purgatory Creek, and the newer builds inland. If your home is inside Minnetonka city limits, Skedaddle services it.
Does Skedaddle follow humane wildlife regulations?
Yes. Skedaddle works to Minnesota wildlife rules and follows Minnesota DNR guidance, which recommends avoiding bat exclusion from May 15 to August 1 until the pups can fly. Technicians train in wildlife biology, home repair, decontamination, and attic restoration, and use humane methods approved by SPCAs and Humane Societies. No traps and no poison are used on a Minnetonka job.
What wildlife is Skedaddle most likely to remove from Minnetonka homes this season?
Fall belongs to mice in Minnetonka. The first evidence is usually droppings in a kitchen cabinet or pantry, followed by scratching in a wall or ceiling as more follow the same route in. Squirrels are still working soffit-to-fascia joins under the mature oak in Groveland and Glen Lake, raccoon activity continues along the Minnehaha Creek corridor, and bat colony exclusion is back in season now that the pups can fly. The inspection identifies the species before anything is quoted.
Does Skedaddle offer a warranty in Minnetonka?
Yes. Every full exclusion job in Minnetonka carries Skedaddle's lifetime guarantee on all workmanship and materials. If anything gets back in through an opening the team sealed, Skedaddle Minneapolis returns and re-seals it at no charge. The guarantee is written into the same itemized quote that prices the exclusion, the cleanup, and any attic restoration.
What happens to the attic after the animals are removed?
Once the animal is out and every opening is sealed, the attic is cleared of droppings, urine-soaked insulation, and nesting material, then treated to cut the odor and the scent trail that draws the next animal in. Insulation is restored where it was contaminated so the space performs through a Minnesota winter. That scope is itemized on the same written quote.
Book your inspection today
Wildlife problems in Minnetonka do not settle themselves: a raccoon working a lifted soffit return on a Boulevard Gardens roof comes back to the same spot, a squirrel through a failed vent cap under the Groveland canopy reopens the same hole, and mice at a slab transition near Purgatory Creek keep bringing more indoors as the nights cool. Skedaddle Minneapolis handles it end to end — identify the animal, match the method to the species, seal the opening permanently, decontaminate what was left behind, restore the attic where animals denned, and guarantee the work for life. Technicians work to humane standards approved by SPCAs and Humane Societies. Call (952) 460-2680 or request an inspection online.
