Thumping in the ceiling at night, scratching in the chimney, trash scattered by morning? November is prime time for Malden raccoons to move indoors — cold weather sends them looking for a warm den, and the attics, chimneys, and crawl spaces of Malden's older housing are exactly what they're after.

Harvey's Animal Evictions LLC is a licensed Massachusetts wildlife removal company based in Wilmington, with our shop just next door in Medford. We humanely remove raccoons from Malden homes and businesses, and seal the entry points so the next one can't follow the same route in.

Signs raccoons have moved in

• Loud thumping or slow, heavy walking sounds in the attic or ceiling, mostly at night

• Scratching or chattering in the walls or chimney

• Droppings in the attic, on the roof, or at the base of the chimney

• Torn shingles, bent attic vents, or damage around soffits and roof returns

• Trash barrels tipped and raided, pet food cleaned out, bird feeders emptied overnight

• A strong, musky smell coming from the attic, chimney, or a wall void

Raccoons are strong, smart, and surprisingly good with their hands. A loose soffit panel, a chimney without a cap, or a small rotted gap at a roof return is all the invitation they need — and once a raccoon dens in an attic, it can shred insulation, chew wiring, and contaminate a wide area with droppings and urine.

Where Malden raccoons get in

Malden packs a lot of older houses close together — triple-deckers, two-families, Victorians, and capes across Edgeworth, Maplewood, Linden, Forestdale, and the West End — and it sits right against the Middlesex Fells and the Malden River, so raccoon pressure on homes is constant:

• Chimneys without caps —  a classic den, quiet and protected from weather and predators

• Soffits and roof returns — aged or rotted wood at the corners gives them an easy chew point

• Attic and gable vents — thin screens bend or tear under a determined raccoon

• Under porches, decks, and sheds — ground-level dens close to food and water

• Gaps where additions, dormers, and porches meet the house — every roofline change leaves small openings

With the Fells on one side and the river corridor running through the city, raccoons travel Malden's tree-lined streets and back fences nightly. In November, every one of them is checking your house for a winter opening.

How we get them out — and keep them out

Every job starts with an inspection, which you can book online through our website. We don't give estimates over the phone or online, because the price depends on what we find: how they're getting in, how much damage there is, and what it takes to seal the house back up.

1. Inspection — We find the entry points, check whether it's a single raccoon or a denning female, and assess the damage, then give you a clear plan and price before any work starts.

2. Humane removal — Raccoons are trapped and removed safely and humanely, in line with Massachusetts regulations.

3. Exclusion and repairs  — We seal entry points with durable, animal-proof materials: chimney caps, vent covers, soffit and roof-line repairs. This is the step that keeps the problem from coming back.

4. Cleanup — We can remove soiled insulation and nesting material and sanitize the space.

See our full raccoon removal process and our wildlife exclusion and damage repair services.

Why Malden homeowners call Harvey's

• Licensed Massachusetts Problem Animal Control agents

• Wildlife only — no bugs, mice, or rats; raccoons and other nuisance wildlife are all we do

• Removal + exclusion together — the raccoon is gone and the hole is sealed, so you're not doing this again in the spring

• 24/7 emergency service — a raccoon in the living space at 2 a.m. is a call we take

• Right next door — based in Wilmington with our shop in Medford, we're in Malden for jobs every week and know the housing stock street by street

Malden raccoon questions

How much does raccoon removal cost in Malden?

It depends on the entry points, the damage, and the exclusion work needed, so we never quote a price without looking. Every job starts with an inspection — book online through our website, and the inspection fee is confirmed at booking. After the inspection, you get a clear price before any work starts.

It's a triple-decker. Does the whole building need to be checked?

Usually, yes — raccoons move through shared attic and wall spaces, and an entry point over one unit becomes everyone's problem. We work with Malden landlords, condo associations, and property managers regularly; the inspection covers the whole roofline so the fix actually holds.

Will raccoons come back after they're removed?

They try — raccoons follow scent back to dens that worked before. That's why we seal every entry point we find, not just the one they were using, with materials they can't tear out or bend back.

Do you handle other animals in Malden?

Yes — squirrels, bats, skunks, woodchucks, opossums, birds, and more, plus mole and vole lawn treatment. See the full list on our FAQ page.

Book your inspection

​A raccoon denning in your attic for the winter only gets more expensive the longer it stays. Book an inspection online, or call 1-800-692-0406 — emergency service, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.