The difference in animals bothers me a lot. It cost me just as much to catch and dispose of a coon as it does a skunk. It takes just as much gas, wear on tires, insurance to catch a ground hog as a skunk. Why would you charge less for one than the other.
Could it have something to do with free market, like supply and demand?
You can probably find somebody to trap a raccoon or a ground hog for little money all day long, but fewer people may be inclined to trap a skunk for that. It also has to do with how inclined the client is to pay a certain amount for an animal's removal. A person may be more eager to get rid of a skunk because it smells bad and they don't want to get themselves or their dogs sprayed by a skunk. A ground hog somewhere under a pile of wood in the yard is way less concerning. A skunk den under the front porch is nothing people want to put up with. So there.
^^^^^^^^^^^ yep
Skunks require a little more risk to the ADC operator too, I use open cages for skunk trapping just like raccoons (because I have had zero success with enclosed traps). Walking up and grabbing a cage with a raccoon in it and putting it in the back of the truck, that don't work with a skunk, they tend to spray you if you do it like that. You need to take the time to cover it, then you need to transport it, then release or euthanize it. Each step requires risk on the operators part because if it sprays now you have some cleanup cos too. Cousin bob can catch that raccoon and relocate it, but he will not take care of a skunk in a trap
Beavers are more work than raccoon too. Beaver work is hash all not in the customer back yard under the bird feeder
And resetting a 330 takes longer than putting a new cage trap down. Pricing is the hardest part of ADC work, because if you are going to do it full time. You need to make a full time wage. So it's not a "well it only takes a few minutes to set a cage trap and then pick it up and dispose of the animal"
Typical single raccoon causing problem:
Customer calls and takes 15 minutes to discuss their issue with you
Drive to customers house 10-50 minutes
Discuss at site the raccoon problem, write contract, set and bait cage, customer hand-holding as you explain everything they want to know 15-45 minutes
Return next day to pick up raccoon, talk with customer, get payment for raccoon 15-20 min
(No time added for driving to pick up as it should be in route for day)
After you return home for the day you need to take care of raccoon, release or euthanize & dispose 15 minutes, and clean cage and reload in truck
So this is basic easy raccoon job : 1 hour minimum to 2 hours
So how much per hour. Oh and is that raccoon job going to be the 1 hour or 2 job, do you know before you price it? Or do you decide to charge for an average if 1.5 hours per raccoon ?
Oh wait you have to record the capture and keep records of it 10 minutes for administrative time
What about the time on the phone with the person that decided not to hire you, or worse the one that had you come out to the house and didn't hire you. (Someone has to pay for that)
Insurance? Advertising? Phone? Vehicle cost ?
$69-$100 hour is what may cover all above costs for that raccoon
So cost to capture one raccoon $138-$200
And the customer sees you at their house for maybe 25-45 minutes
SEE WHY EVERYONE SAYS " it depends"
Some operators numbers are lower some are higher. This is just an example, hope it helps