Having squirrels on or inside of your property can be a very annoying thing to be dealing with especially during the springtime or in the colder months when winter is at our doorsteps. Winter makes it more likely that squirrels break in and stay in the attics for a long period because of the warmth and shelter it provides to haul through the winter. There are several signs you can recognize either by smell, sight, or hearing. Knowing these signs can help you determine whether you are dealing with a squirrel or not. In either case, though, you should call a reputable wildlife control technician in either case because noises coming from the attic can never be a good sign. Before we get into the nitty-gritty of it all, it is important to know why people need to call a wildlife control technician because people seem to underestimate the urgency of calling one for such a small animal.
If you are dealing with squirrels, feel free to give Squirrel Control Hamilton a call, and we’ll take it from there. Give us a call to book an appointment or to get a free consultation!
The reason as to why to call one is that an expert can easily, and safely remove the animal or animals in question in the span of a few days. While the squirrel is a rodent it like mice and rats, it does enjoy the privilege under the Wildlife Conservation Act which makes it illegal under the law to kill, harm, abuse the squirrel under any circumstance. Whereas, mice and rats can be killed without a precinct. This means that mice and rats can be killed at any rate since they breed rapidly and can cause any situation to spin out of control very soon. Squirrels have the habit of gnawing on things as a way to keep their front teeth in check, otherwise, it would grow too long for it to function and do its tasks daily. To combat this issue the squirrel gnaws its teeth and basically grinds it with several materials, most notably aluminum or electrical wiring, because of the copper that is inside of it used to conduct the current. Apart from that, several squirrel species create a latrine to do their business. While this seems like a great idea, it is not that great once you find out that they tend to create the latrine in the same enclosed space in the attic. This can create a cesspool teeming with all kinds of pathogenic bacteria that can make you sick. This is why it is important to the following six signs to find out if you have a squirrel.
1. Noise at early hours of the day
Squirrels tend to start their day early usually at 3 to 4 am. When you hear rustling, pitter-patter, or thumps coming from above your head it likely maybe a squirrel. If you hear it at night and hear a heavier pitta patter, thumping, and rustle this may very well be a raccoon since they are nocturnal which means that they are active during the night.
2. Roof Damage
This might be a hard one to spot unless you actually head out outside. You may see teared up or damaged shingles. If you do see this, this might imply that you are dealing with a squirrel since they like to look for any hole that can lead them in the attic. They can exploit drainage pipes, or any soffit crossings, any wide enough whole which they can make bigger by force by either tearing, biting, or pushing themselves through.
3. Seeing them physically enter through the entry point.
This might be very obvious, but at the same time, this can be very hard to spot. If you have been noticing some squirrel activity around your property this may be the same squirrel that enters your attic.
4. Hearing squirrel babies
Around the warmer and colder months, the mother tends to give birth in a safe and warm environment. In nature, she will build a nest of all kinds of materials that she can get her paws on. In an urban environment, this can be paper, cardboard, leaves, etc. If you are hearing squeaks, screeches, and cries then this might be a sign that you have squirrel babies. Only a licensed wildlife technician can take care of this safely.
5. Stench from the attic area
Certain species of squirrels tend to defecate everywhere and some create a specially designated area. Regardless of where they always tend to make it close to the nest. For them, the nest happens to be the attic thus they make the latrine in the attic. Urine as well can be built up over time and seep through the attic floors since the flooring is usually antiquated and not well maintained. Insulation material suffers and can deteriorate over time which asks for a costly replacement for all affected material. Over time the stench builds up and leaves the space and finds its way throughout the property.
6. Noises from the fireplace
The urban squirrels build their nest often in chimneys because it gives the squirrel a safe place to stay away from predators. When you hear certain sounds from above the fireplace know that squirrels might be nesting in there. Do not turn on the fireplace as you can cook them alive. When this happens the mother squirrel can usually escape leaving her babies alone unable to escape…
If you have any issues with wildlife in and around your property, make sure to contact the technicians from Animal Control Hamilton for quick and efficient removal!