At home earlier this week the cutest squirrel decided to visit and pose for the longest time for pictures on the back deck. Initially I thought he was being a friendly neighbor and doing an “I’m ready for my close up …” sort of thing.
After the number of phone calls we’ve received this week from homeowners regarding squirrels in their attic, I’ve learned the truth. My cute squirrel was “casing the joint” looking for an access to the attic!
Squirrels are in the midst of their courtship rituals and in the process of looking for “home sweet home”. If their new home ends up being in your attic, there is nothing “sweet” about it for the unlucky home owner.
Not only are they very noisy, their gnawing behavior is destructive to the wooden components and other materials of the home. Squirrels also present a fire hazard when they chew on electrical lines, a problem which has caused a number of insurance companies to add disclaimers about fires caused by squirrels.
Squirrel populations have increased because their natural predators such as foxes, owls and hawks are not as bountiful. As their natural habitat is cut down, squirrels quickly adapt to live in almost any building man constructs. Tree squirrels can access a roof by climbing up through down spouts, and from there even a small crack is a door into the attic.
To help minimize the chances of hosting a family of squirrels in your attic make sure tree limbs are cut back at least 10 feet from the house, cover down spouts and install gutter guards.
Lastly each homeowner must decide if feeding the birds is worth the very real possibility of attracting squirrels. The internet is full of humorous pictures that indicate the lengths squirrels will go to in order to rob bird feeders.
If you should be the unlucky homeowner hosting a family of squirrels, or any other wildlife, Mr. Bugg’s has the expertise and resources to evict your unwanted guests.
