It is difficult to imagine somebody being angry at a squirrel. After all, what harm can these soft-furred and fluffy-tailed animals possibly do to us besides melting our hearts away?
But don’t be fooled by their disarmingly cute looks, for these tiny woodland critters can become a real menace once they enter your household.
The threats range from food supplies regularly going missing to tick and flea infestations and salmonella-carrying faeces and urine. The good news is there are many humane ways in which you can part with these unwelcome visitors. Or call in a squirrel control service to trap and evict them. But before doing that, you need to be aware of the reasons behind their small incursion.
There are many reasons why squirrels have decided to seek shelter in your home. Here are the top three causes why you may have squirrels running about on your property:
Squirrels generally prefer attics over other rooms for three reasons. Lofts are dry, warm and safe from natural elements and predators. When the squirrel gains access to your loft it will separate it into different sectors. One for defecating, one for sleeping, one for eating and one for giving birth (if it’s female). For its sleeping quarters, the fluffy vermin will use your insulation, tearing it to pieces to make a comfy bed.
Squirrel teeth never seize on growing, which is why they frequently need to gnaw on something to keep them nice and trimmed. However, while their natural habitat provides them with plenty of opportunities to do so (acorns, bird and tree seeds, etc.), in the big city squirrels are forced to improvise. This can quickly turn into a problem with a capital “P” as they can heavily damage:
If a squirrel has managed to sneak inside your home, you will be aware of its presence almost immediately. These critters are fairly active during the day and will generate lots of noise, which can be very mentally exhausting. But there is no reason to deprive yourself of sound sleep if you can do something about it. Here’s how to drive out the noisy squirrels from your place the humane way.
You may find it hard to believe, but the squirrel is much more afraid of you than you are of it. Since the animal will be nervous, try to keep you cool to avoid being bitten as some squirrels may carry rabies.
If you have dogs or cats, make sure to either move the pets into an adjacent room, take them to a friend’s house, or temporarily keep them in their holding pens. This will ensure that no pesky ticks, fleas, parasites or other beasties will get transmitted from the rogue squirrel to your fluffballs.
Don’t expect a squirrel to simply walk away if you have bags of nuts and veggies in plain view, especially if the temperatures outside are way below zero. Make sure to hide all food sources (tightly packaged food included) insecure, out-of-reach areas to hasten the troublemaker’s departure from your home.
Squirrels love to hide in small and dark spaces, such as cupboards and drawers since they remind them of the tree knotholes they usually inhabit in the wilderness. Closing these will deprive the squirrel of any safe hideouts, which will hopefully motivate the animal to head straight to the exit.
Make sure to facilitate the squirrel’s escape by closing all doors and windows of your house but the ones you want the animal to pass through. If the squirrel is located on the second floor, make sure to open a window that is in close proximity to any form of greenery, such as grass or trees.
If the squirrel doesn’t want to leave on its own, you can give it an incentive to do so by soaking a few rags of cider vinegar and placing them in the room where the animal has taken residence. If that doesn’t work, you can also try playing loud music or talk shows for a continuous period, use a cool-burning LED bulb near the animal’s hideout, or buy fox urine to fake the presence of their natural predator. For attic and wall dwellers, try to talk as loudly as you can and repeatedly make noises with either a broom or by banging pans together.
If none of the scarecrow methods gets the point across, then you’ll need to use traps to relocate the vagabonds. One of the most popular trap options, available from both hardware stores and online, is a one-way door trap. In order for the traps to work, you need to place them in the areas where you observed the most activity. For bait, you can use walnuts, peanut butter, or sunflower seeds.
It’s important to note the types of squirrels you can see in the UK. The red squirrel is a protected species, so it’s illegal to kill it. However, the grey squirrel is an invasive species and it’s illegal to release it in the wild. So, if you have caught the squirrel and you aren’t sure which type it is, take it to a vet. You’ll be advised on what to do next.
The rodent control specialists from Fantastic Services are here to help you.
Besides being freeloaders, squirrels often feel comfortable enough to create a family of your own right under your rooftop. Once you’ve chased the initial invader away, you will need to check the perimeter in case the animal has left any offspring behind. The steps we’ve outlined below are especially important to follow if you’ve spotted the squirrel in the months of February through May or August through October, which is the duration of their breeding periods.
On rare occasions, the squirrel who sought shelter in your house may have been already badly wounded by its natural predator. As a result, the animal may perish from its wounds, leaving you with the unenviable task of tracking it down and disposing of its carcass. Here is what you need to know before you attempt to remove the unfortunate animal from your home.
Now that you’ve dealt with the squirrel cartel in your home for good, it’s time to repair the damages to ensure that the furry thieves will not return for a surprise visit.
So, there you have it, a guide on how to remove a squirrel from your house. Finding a wild animal inside your peaceful abode is always stressful and its relocation can be tricky.
In case none of the methods work or the animal keeps coming back despite your admirable efforts, it always pays off to hire a certified professional.
The squirrel control specialists, working with Fantastic Services, use bait-loaded traps, which are removed once the unwanted intruder is captured and carried away from your property.
Preferential booking slots and reduced rates for more than 25 services. Sounds good? Then, why not take a look at our Fantastic Club membership programme. It’s great for urgent cases as priority case handling is included in the package. Learn more about Fantastic Club.
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Image source: Shutterstock / Paul Reeves
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