Keeping the Squirrels Away from Your House
The furry and the cute squirrel though look adorable from a distance, is not so pleasant if it is at your garden or in your attic. It is hard to believe that these sweet animals can create serious damages and can be real pain for the homeowners. Once inside your garden or in the attic there is no difference between squirrels and rats. When these lovely animals become pest you have to make arrangements to keep them out from your premises.
Damages made by squirrels
It is true that the humans and squirrels can co-exist, but the latter can make enormous damages to the properties of the humans. If the squirrels cannot enter the house, they can damage your trees and lawns. They bury their nuts in the lawn and later dig them out. In the process your cherished lawn is damaged. They chew the barks of the trees and shrubs and eat from the birdfeeders.
They are most active when the day breaks and run rampantly on the attic waking up the inmates of the house. You can also feel their movement when it is dusk. While these nuisances are still bearable, it becomes a true concern when the squirrels make their nest in the loft of the house. They tear the wiring of the house, chew timbers, pipes and stored items. They strip insulation from the electrical wiring. Damaged electrical wiring may give rise to fire. If drowned in the open tank, the squirrels can contaminate the water supply.
Not only these hazards, according to the University of California, squirrels borne diseases like tularemia and ringworm could be transmitted to humans. They often have ectoparasites, fleas and mites.
Exploring the squirrels
How to know whether there is a squirrel at your property? You can be sure of their presence just looking at the damages. If you are not sure from the damages whether these are done by the squirrels, here are few easy steps:
Try to locate them: Squirrels are visible creatures and most active during the day time.
Listen to the noises: If you are suspecting that the squirrels have made their nest in your attic, listen during the early morning or at dusk whether you can hear screeching sounds. They will likely to be scrabbling around making noises.
Follow the teeth marks: They will chew the edges of the shutters, window casings and decks. These parts sometimes have paint additives which contain salt that the squirrels like.
Look several times: If you cannot find out the squirrels at the first inspection yet suspect that they are somewhere in your property, thoroughly check around the house. They can slip inside the small places or in the eaves, soffits and overhangs. You can also go up in the attic and look for the signs of their nest, stored foods or babies.
Adopting prevention to keep your house safe from squirrels
Removing the squirrels when they are already in the property is a difficult task. Therefore, try to keep them away from your premises at the first place. There are several effective ways to do this:
Cut the branches of tree: Squirrels can climb up the side of the walls or side of the woods effectively, but they prefer most to climb up the tree limbs. So, cut the branches of the trees when they are at least six feet away from the roof line of your house. Farthest will be the better. Make sure that the squirrels cannot jump from the tree to your rooftop.
Fix your bird feeder: The birdfeeder is often an attraction of the squirrels. If it is true in your case, there are several squirrel proof feeders available in the market.
Put a collar on the tree: You can wrap the trees or the poles with 2m wide metal sheet to stop squirrels from climbing them. This method is suggested by University of California.
Seal the holes: Seal out all the holes with meshes. But, before doing it ensure that there are no squirrels in the hole.
However, if all these measures are ineffective to keep the squirrels away, consult with the expert wildlife extractors. They can study the problem areas and find out where exactly the squirrels are. They will remove the animals from your premise and make sure these never return.
Justin Ludy is associated with Humane removal of wildlife , he specializes in bat removal and Myrtle Beach SC beavers Removal
