A squirrel infestation can cause significant damage to your home, which is why you must stop or prevent it with techniques like sealing entry points and removing easy-to-access food sources. Using specific agents to repel squirrels and working with the pros can also help.
Stopping squirrel invasions is now more crucial than ever, as some species are growing and spreading quickly into cities. Sustainability-focused media platform TheCoolDown.com, for instance, reports that fox squirrels are rapidly spreading in urban areas with food-providing trees like maples and oaks.
By understanding these rodents better and knowing the best way to deter squirrels, you can keep them out of your home and minimize the risk of them causing property damage or even spreading diseases to you or your loved ones.
What Causes a Squirrel Infestation?
One of the primary reasons behind a squirrel infestation is nesting. They like to enter homes and sneak into attics to build their nests, as explained by the folks at Alpha Wildlife in Knoxville, TN.
Squirrels like attics in human homes as these places provide them with a warm, secure shelter where they can breed or keep safe from the winter cold. Aside from attics, it's also common to find a scurry or a dray of squirrel inside walls and chimneys, as these places also act as a haven.
Making food easily available to rodents like squirrels can also cause them to "invade" and nest in a home. Examples include leaving dog or cat food outdoors or exposed, not properly sealing garbage cans, and having bird feeders in the garden.
Having easy access points throughout your home can also cause a squirrel infestation. Always remember that while you may find these animals cute, they're opportunistic. They can exploit areas in your home, like gaps in damaged siding, roofline soffits, roof tiles, and fascia boards, to enter and nest inside.
Why Are Squirrels So Active in October?
As ReconnectWithNature.org (The Forest Preserve District of Will County, Illinois) puts it, the fall season (of which October is usually the height of) brings about "nuttier than usual squirrels."
Squirrel activity heightens in autumn because with it comes the signs of colder weather. They trigger the need of these rodents to forage and cache food for the upcoming winter season.
How Do You Stop a Squirrel Infestation?
Squirrels are best admired from a distance because if you attract them to your home, they can cause significant property damage. They can also carry squirrel flea, a type of wingless parasite that can transmit diseases.
According to the California Department of Public Health, for instance, certain squirrels and chipmunks carry fleas with the bacteria that cause plague. It should be a good enough reason to follow these tactics to stop these critters from invading your home.
Sealing Entry Points
You should seal all possible entry points in your home before the need to remove squirrels from attic spaces, inside walls, chimneys, wall voids, and dryer vents arises. Once you find these access points, do the following:
- Fill tiny holes with steel wool and put caulk around the wool to secure it in place
- Use spray foam to seal holes
- Install lath screens or metal sheeting for larger holes
- Fix gaps in skirting
- Use flashing around the base of your house
- Seal garages and outbuildings
Removing Accessible Food Sources
If you have pets at home, such as dogs and cats, that you feed outside, clean up immediately after they finish eating. As opportunistic critters, squirrels will feed on pet food left outside.
Clean up fallen nuts, fruits, and seeds from plants and bird feeders, too. You should also switch to a squirrel-proof bird feeder, which features a weight-activated cage or mechanism that prevents rodents from accessing the seeds it contains.
Don't forget to secure all your trash cans with locking lids.
Using Squirrel Repellents
You can make your home "less" attractive to squirrels by using natural and taste-based repellents. An example is planting daffodils, mint, and marigolds, which squirrels typically avoid.
There are also strong scents these critters dislike, so you can try putting some peppermint oil, coffee grounds, or vinegar-soaked rags around plants. Spraying plants with a mix of garlic, hot sauce, and water or sprinkling some chili flakes or cayenne pepper on the soil can also help.
Working With Pest Control Professionals
If you find yourself facing a severe squirrel infestation, it's best to hire professional pest control specialists as soon as possible. With their specialized knowledge, expertise, tools, and equipment, they can remove these critters from your home in a safe, humane manner.
Human wildlife control experts can help make your home squirrel-free without harming the animals. They can also help prevent these critters from re-invading your home through exclusion strategies.
Frequently Asked Questions
How Can You Tell That You Have a Squirrel Infestation at Home?
If you hear rapid, frantic tapping or running noises inside walls or up in the attic, whether it's early in the morning or late in the evening, it could indicate a possible rodent infestation, and that rodent could be a squirrel.
An infestation is even more plausible if you find structural damage around the house. Examples include torn insulation, chewed-on wood, or damaged electrical wires.
Finding excrement is another telling sign. Squirrels produce tiny, dark-colored droppings that look similar to pellets. In severe cases, you may smell the rancid odor of squirrel urine. A dead squirrel is even worse, as it can emit an unbearable rotting odor.
Do Squirrels Bite?
Yes. While it's relatively uncommon for squirrels to exhibit this aggressive behavior, they can bite humans (and other animals like pet dogs and cats), such as when they feel cornered or threatened. The bites themselves may be painful, and in severe cases, may require medical attention.
Stop a Squirrel Infestation Before It Gets Worse
Stopping a squirrel infestation requires you to seal entry points, eliminate food sources, and use repellents. In more severe cases, though, it's best to partner with humane pest control experts, as they can help proof your home and remove these critters from your property without killing them.
If you're looking for more home upkeep or improvement guides like this or would like to stay updated on current local events, check out our other top stories and news articles.
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