Squirrels are energetic, bushy-tailed rodents found all over the world except Australia and Antarctica. Opinions about squirrels vastly differ. Some think they are adorable and will watch them in the park or even feed them, while others consider them a nuisance.
There are more than 200 species of squirrels that are categorized into three main types: tree squirrels, ground squirrels, and flying squirrels.
Tree squirrels live in trees. Ground squirrels dig systems of tunnels underground. Flying squirrels live in tree holes or nests they make in crooks of branches. Flying squirrels cannot actually fly; they spread a muscle membrane between their legs and body to glide in the air. Because they can glide up to 160 feet, it looks like they are flying.
Squirrels are rodents, but in a different suborder than rats or mice. They are closely related to prairie dogs, chipmunks, and marmots. And unlike rats and mice who are nocturnal, squirrels are diurnal.
Why Are Squirrels in Your House or on Your Property?
Because squirrels are everywhere, it’s hard not to have some on your property, especially if you have trees. Trees supply squirrels with a home, acorns or other nuts, and cover from predators.
Squirrels have become used to living among people. Urbanization and the fragmentation that our intersecting roads have created make it necessary for squirrels to live among us when wooded areas and forests are not within proximity.
Once squirrels are on your property, coming inside your house is a natural extension. Your house represents a safe haven for squirrels, especially during mating season when they need to make a nest for their young. Your attic, chimney, or crawlspace is safe and provides them with warmth in harsh weather.
Signs of Squirrels
While we’re aware of all the squirrels around us when outside, we’re not always aware that they’ve come into our home. Because squirrels inflict costly damage and carry parasites and diseases, we need to be just as aware of these rodents as we are of mice and rats.
Although they are all rodents, signs of squirrel trouble are different than that of rats and mice:
- Noises in the attic or in the walls, during the day or at dusk and dawn. Scratching, scurrying, and squeaking are all noises associated with squirrels. This is the most important sign because you will probably hear squirrels before you see another type of visual evidence.
- Squirrel droppings in and around the house. Squirrel droppings may be hard to recognize. They look similar to bat droppings. This is something a trained nuisance wildlife specialist would be able to confirm for you. Animal droppings are a sign of a possible infestation and should be investigated, as the feces of rodents and bats carry disease.
- Chewing damage on the outside of your home on the roofline, soffits, or shingles. The front teeth of squirrels continue to grow throughout their lives. They are sharp and are kept at a manageable length by the squirrel’s constant gnawing. They can chew through roofing materials and even metal.
- A foul smell coming from the attic, chimney, or crawlspace. If a squirrel has made a nest in your home, the smell of the accumulation of urine and feces will penetrate your living area.
- Yard damage is another hallmark of squirrel trouble. And you might even be able to catch them in the act. Squirrels will dig up the lawn for nuts, chew on the bark of trees and the twigs of your shrubs, dig up bulbs, and eat fruit off your trees and vegetables from your garden.
Problems Squirrels Cause
If you suspect you have squirrels in your house, it’s imperative to get rid of squirrels as quickly as possible because the damage they create is costly and sometimes dangerous.
Squirrels are determined creatures and will chew and rip their way into your attic, creating a hole that can let rain and snow enter. Once inside, they will continue gnawing on wood, tearing insulation to use for their nests, and chewing on wires. These chewed wires create a fire hazard. In addition, they will defecate, and this causes rot as well as a health concern. Squirrels also carry parasites such as ticks, mites, and fleas that can infest your home.
Typical Places Squirrels Are a Problem
As you’ve probably already gleaned, squirrels are a problem both inside and outside of your home. The most common places to find squirrel problems inside are in the attic and chimney. Outdoor areas that may see damage include the roof and the yard, such as in your garden, trees, and lawn.
How To Get Rid of Squirrels From Your Attic
If you suspect squirrels in your attic, the best defense is to call a Critter Control wildlife specialist. Getting rid of squirrels on your own can be tricky and dangerous. Squirrels are smart, aggressive, and can transmit disease.
Squirrel Trapping
Trapping is often challenging because squirrels are not only fast but can get into very small spaces to hide. Juvenile squirrels can be captured and relocated along with the parent squirrel.
One-way Doors
One-way doors are one of the best ways to eradicate squirrels. These allow squirrels to leave but not to reenter. Once their entry points are repaired and all the weaknesses in the roof sealed, the one-way door is employed.
Exclusions
Exclusion methods are used to keep squirrels and other nuisance wildlife from entering your home. Some measures to take in this effort include removing trees and branches close to your roof that provide easy access. Sealing all vulnerabilities in your roof, soffits, vents, and chimney are also important.
Remediation and Clean-Up
Whether in your attic, chimney, crawlspace, or warehouse, Critter Control repairs all spaces to their original condition upon eradication. Insulation is replaced, wires are repaired, and the entire space is cleaned and sanitized.
Squirrels in Attics
How to Get Rid of Squirrels From Your Roof
Live Traps
Squirrels are territorial, so if you have too many squirrels running around your roof, it’s only a matter of time before they get inside. Live trapping and relocation are solutions. Critter Control specialists are fully trained in local and state laws concerning relocating squirrels.
Trim Branches
Trees and branches close to your home are how the squirrels hop onto your roof. Trimming these branches restricts the access squirrels have to your home.
Other places squirrels cause problems
Chimneys
Walls
Ventiliation
Gutters
Crawlspaces
How To Get Rid of Squirrels on Trees
If you have lots of squirrels scampering around your yard, you may think a solution is controlling the number of squirrels in your trees. Keeping squirrels out of your trees is time-consuming and largely ineffective. Like all animals that live in proximity to us, they are looking for food and water.
Limit Food Sources
The best way to control squirrels on your property is to take down bird feeders, use mesh around fruit and vegetables, and do not feed pets outdoors where squirrels have access to their food and water.
Squirrels on Roof
California Ground Squirrels
California ground squirrels, also known as Beechey ground squirrels, live throughout California, Oregon, Nevada, and Washington. They live in burrows, creating extensive tunnels under the ground. These squirrels can not only be a nuisance to homeowners but also to farmers as well, where they eat crops, including vegetables, orchard fruit, and vineyard grapes. In colder areas, they hibernate, and in hotter areas, they retreat to their burrows, where they spend dormant periods.
Ground Squirrel Control
Ground squirrel control is tricky at best. Critter Control can provide effective and humane trapping systems that both abide by state and local ordinances and will not trap other types of wildlife. Some squirrels are considered fur-bearing game animals and require a license to trap. In some places, it is illegal to relocate squirrels to other areas because of the risk of spreading disease.
DIY Squirrel Prevention
While it is impossible to free your yard of all squirrels, there are simple DIY tactics that will make your yard and home less attractive to squirrels.
Limit Foods Sources
Tree, ground, and flying squirrels are all driven by their search for food. When food sources are limited, they will look elsewhere for food. Since squirrels make their home close to their food source, it stands to reason that if food sources are limited in your yard, they will make their nest elsewhere. Bird food is also squirrel food. Eliminating bird feeders is one of the best DIY tasks for discouraging squirrels. Even squirrel-resistant feeders attract squirrels to the seeds and nuts that fall to the ground as birds eat. Another way to limit food is to keep pet food and water indoors.
Trim Trees
Trimming tree branches that overhang your home is an effective way to limit squirrel access to your roof and chimney.
Keep Your Roof in Good Repair
Keeping your roof in good repair is an effective way to dissuade squirrels and other nuisance animals from getting inside and, in general, a good idea to prevent home leaks and keep in the warmth.
The Benefits of Using a Nuisance Wildlife Company
To keep squirrels away in a way that is humane and limits your exposure to the harm of aggressive squirrels, it is best to leave squirrel control to the experts at Critter Control. Critter Control will not only eliminate the squirrels but will eliminate the ways they are entering your home, as well as repair and sanitize your home from the damage and mess they made.
Squirrel Removal Near You
See how the professionals at Critter Control get rid of squirrels.
Get them out.
Keep them out.®
Experience wildlife or pest issue? We can help! Complete this form and your local Critter Control® office will contact you to assist.
Best Bat Removal
Brandon was out to please and make out lives easier with out bat situation. Above and beyond of the call of duty and got the job done. Thank you!
BAT POOP CLEAN-UP AND PREVENTION! Bat guano removed from gables. No bats found in attic, so put new screens on all gable vents, as one screen was close to breaking and then bats may have gotten in! Great work in
Tulsa!
Squirrels and chipmunks were in our attic. So we called Critter Control to do an inspection. Their representative climbed all over our very steep roof and found several places where squirrels had entered our attic.
Upon inspection of the attic, evidence of bats was also found. The Critter Control team came on time to completely caulk the entire perimeter of the house and create an exit strategy for the squirrels and bats.
Because
bat droppings can cause histoplasmosis, this also required total removal and replacement of our attic insulation and sanitizing the space. Not a small job in a 1,300 sq. ft. attic! While Critter Control’s cost was high, our homeowners insurance covered most of it. Everyone representing Critter Control was professional, courteous and timely. I would highly recommend them to anyone who thinks they might have unwelcome guests living in their attic
On recommendations from a nearby pest control company, I called Critter Control for suspicious
bat droppings.
Madison came out the same day to do an inspection. She was knowledgeable, thorough, and highly professional. She examined the ‘matter’ that had been scattered on my threshold and thought it was foliage. But she then asked to go up to my attic space where the bats could be roosting. She had to walk up 3 flights of stairs with a heavy ladder. She again spent some time searching all the nooks and crannies and found nothing.
She seemed so interested in her craft, it was truly inspiring to see! She reassured me and is writing up a prevention strategy for my appraisal. She charged me NOTHING!! I am so impressed. We need more Madisons in this world!
Service:
Bat Removal
We noticed droppings on our brand new deck - we were given their number from our contractor. They came the next day. Brian looked at it and said - yeah, bats!! He then checked every area in our attic and he explained exactly what needed to be done.
He found evidence of a mice infestation, provided a referral and they are helping us as well. Great service, very informative, very professional! We are very satisfied and would recommend them to anyone who has any issues with any critters!
Quicklinks