Squirrels in the House
There are over 200 different species of squirrels in the United States. The squirrel family (Sciuridae) includes ground squirrels, tree squirrels, chipmunks, marmots, prairie dogs, and flying squirrels. You are most likely to have a tree squirrel enter your home.
Several species of squirrels reside throughout the United States, and the more human habitation encroaches on their natural habitats, the more the pests take up residence inside homes. Manmade buildings offer shelter from harsh weather conditions and access to steady food sources, and squirrels especially like to set up nests in soffits, attics, wall voids, and roof eaves. They gain access to the indoors via loose roof tiles, chimneys, uncovered vents, and damaged screens.
SIGNS OF A SQUIRREL IN THE HOUSE
Once there are squirrels in the house, residents will be alerted to their presence via various sounds, smells, and signs of destruction. Individuals may hear gnawing, scratching, and pattering over the course of the day, which is unique to squirrel infestations as most other home-invading pests are nocturnal. The sight of droppings, and the odors that accompany squirrel excrement, also help homeowners detect squirrels in the house. Finally, individuals may find nesting materials, such as torn insulation, cardboard, and twigs, in the pest’s favorite locations.
Squirrel in Attic
So you’ve been hearing noises in the attic, maybe you’re hearing scratching above your head while getting ready in the morning, maybe it’s gnawing in the walls when you get home from work. Sounds like you probably have squirrels in your attic. We deal with various animals making their home above your head, but squirrels are the only exclusively diurnal, or active during the daylight hours, animal we find up there. The other animals we deal with are almost exclusively nocturnal, or active at night. What that means for you is that if you’re hearing noises during the day, it’s a very good bet that squirrels are the culprit. Most people think of squirrels as the cute little animals scampering through the trees, but these cute creatures are a nuisance pest problem.
I believe that we have squirrels in our attic. We have been hearing scratching and gnawing sounds sporadically over the past 2 months. I believe that they are entering the house through our roof vents. What method do you use to get rid of squirrels? What would be the cost? Is there any guarantee?
WHY WOULD SQUIRRELS IN THE ATTIC BE A PROBLEM?
While squirrels are not known for the zoonotic diseases, diseases that could be transferred from an animal to a person, or damage to a home usually associated with rats or raccoons, squirrels are just as bad, they just don’t have the same reputation. Being rodents, just like rats, squirrels must gnaw constantly to file down their incisors, or front teeth, for this reason alone they can cause quite a bit of cosmetic damage to the exterior home, and even damage ductwork, pipes and wiring in the interior of your home.
Also, much like raccoons, squirrels are usually found in the attic because they are looking for a place to nest and rear young. This means that not only are they leaving urine and fecal material in your attic, they are also leaving ectoparasites like fleas, ticks, and mites up there, and using the insulation to make their nests, contaminating and damaging it. The longer the squirrels are up there, the worse the damage becomes. Additionally, don’t think that the issue stops with just the squirrels presently in your attic or that removing them from the attic is the complete solution.
How Do Squirrels Get into the Attic?
Those squirrels had to get in there somehow, and neglecting to close those entry points can lead to more problems than just another family of squirrels moving in. The squirrels left nesting material, urine, fecal, and scent markers in the attic, which can actually end up drawing raccoons, opossum, and even rats to your attic looking for them, looking for an easy meal, or someplace for the new animals to nest, making your problem exponentially worse. That’s why when it comes to having squirrels in the attic, trapping and removing them is only a small part of the solution for the problem, especially considering that most squirrels aren’t nice enough to put out a welcome mat letting you know how they are getting in.
In fact, the majority of the entry points we find on houses are actually construction gaps, areas that have been accessible since the home was built, and it was just a matter of time before something got in. Even the cutest of animals can cause issues when they get into your attic. So whether you’ve heard noises in the past and paid them no mind, are hearing them now, or just want to have the peace of mind that you won’t hear them in the future, have a professional wildlife removal specialist come out and take care of the job in its entirety.
I think I have squirrels in the attic. I spoke to someone about removal and all he wanted to do was poison and leave them to decay. I am worried about the smell and more getting in. Do you pinpoint the entry point and remove?
Squirrel in Yards and Trees
In most parts of the country, having squirrels in yards is just a fact of life. They sometimes entertain with their energetic antics, but are more likely to annoy with their intrusive, destructive behaviors. As seed and plant eaters, squirrels frequently target bird feeders and ornamental vegetation. They dig up and eat flower bulbs, make holes in lawns to use as hiding places for food, and eat seeds meant to attract birds. The most damaging by-product of a squirrel in the yard is the possibility that it might chew its way into the attic.
Occasionally, a homeowner might find a dead squirrel in the yard. Unless several are found in a localized area or if there are visible signs of disease, such as emaciation, missing fur, or scabs, they are generally not a cause for concern. Pets should be kept away in case the animal came into contact with poison. Also, some jurisdictions might require notification of the discovery, so local government guidelines should be consulted.
Infestations of squirrels in trees will be readily apparent as the bushy-tailed rodents are often seen scampering about yards and climbing up tree trunks. Their clawed feet make them excellent climbers, but they tend to leave visible scratches on trunks, fences, and house exteriors. Tree squirrels can also be extremely vocal animals, chattering and squeaking as they chase each other about. Finally, homeowners should be able to determine which trees are housing populations of the pests by looking for squirrel nests in tree branches.
