Squirrel Removal

Though squirrels and humans usually manage to coexist in harmony, trouble arises when the squirrels decide to move into your home or business. Crawlspaces, basements, sheds, barns, and attics are appealing to squirrels because they offer shelter from the elements, protection from predators, and ample space to store food.

And squirrels don’t need much in the way of an entry point; a 1.5-inch hole in your home’s roof or exterior walls—easily accessible by climbing or leaping—is usually large enough to suit their purposes.

Squirrel Removal from Attics

While this living situation may prove extremely advantageous to the animals, homeowners with squirrel infestations usually wind up with a major headache. Squirrels are notoriously destructive; it’s not uncommon for them to chew through or tear up drywall, insulation, air ducts, and electrical wiring as they get settled in your walls or attic.

They can carry fleas and ticks in their fur, and their urine and droppings can transmit salmonella and leptospirosis to humans. Squirrels also hoard food, which can attract other animals—including more squirrels—into the house.

The bottom line: squirrels may look cute and charming, but chances are, you don’t want one (or more) living in your attic!

Signs and Symptoms of Squirrel in Attics
Even if you never actually see any squirrels scurrying about, these critters tend to leave ample evidence of their activates. The following clues all point to sneaky squirrels:

• Piles of feces in your attic or crawlspaces. Droppings from a healthy squirrel are small, reddish-brown, and cylindrical-shaped with rounded edges.
• Scratching, chewing, scampering, or jumping noises coming from inside your walls, attic, or roof. Unlike many other kinds of rodents, squirrels are most active during daylight hours.
• Holes in your walls, your roof, or other man-made structures. Be especially wary of outdoor tunnels that lead indoors!
• Chewed up wires, drywall, or insulation, especially in your attic. You may also find small piles or caches of nuts and seeds.

Squirrel Shenanigans
Squirrels are expert climbers, which means that they have very little trouble scaling the sides of human houses or getting up onto roofs. Once there, they exploit existing gaps in the structure or just create new ones with their teeth. Vents, crawlspaces, and pipe entry points are all common targets for these fluffy-tailed pests, as are areas of damaged wood or brickwork. Uncapped chimneys may serve as doorways, too.

Other FAQs
“Are squirrels aggressive?”
Not usually. In most cases, a squirrel would much rather run away than stand its ground when confronted by a human. That said, a frightened or startled squirrel—like nearly all wild animals—will often bite or scratch humans in self-defense. A mother squirrel will also attack if she thinks that another creature is threatening her babies. While squirrels aren’t exactly “dangerous,” you should still exercise caution when dealing with them.

“If I ignore the squirrels, will they eventually just go away?”
Probably not. Unlike birds, who will typically make a nest, raise their young, and then vacate the general area when their babies are old enough to survive on their own, squirrels that have found a safe, comfortable place to live will likely hang around for the foreseeable future. Female squirrels can also have two litters of up to six “kits” per year, which means that one squatting squirrel can very quickly turn into several squatting squirrels! If you think you have squirrels in your home, waiting for them to leave on their own is definitely not the answer.

Be Proactive
As the old saying goes, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Here are some tips for staying one step ahead of squirrels:

• Regularly inspect the exterior of your home (especially the roof) and other outdoor structures for holes. If you find one, either plug it with steel wool or patch it with proper building materials.
• Trim your trees so that the branches are at least six feet away from your roof.
• If you notice squirrels raiding your bird feeder, replace the feeder with one that’s specifically designed to be squirrel-proof or take a break from feeding the birds altogether. Removing the squirrel’s easy food source will encourage it to go elsewhere.

Who We Are…
For squirrel removal in the Dallas, Fort Worth, and Houston areas, look no further than Chimney and Wildlife Specialists. We’re a BBB-accredited, award-winning company that utilizes humane, safe, and cutting-edge techniques to help homeowners get rid of pests. All of our specialists are certified, insured, and well-trained, so even the toughest jobs can be done quickly, efficiently, and affordably. We’re locally owned and operated, and in many cases, we offer same-day, emergency animal control services.

…and What We Do
Chimney and Wildlife uses the a multi-step process to root out pest animals that have taken refuge in human homes:

• Pre-treatment. The pests are removed from your property in a safe, humane manner. We use only the most cutting-edge techniques and technology in the industry, allowing us to be speedy and efficient while remaining eco-friendly.
• Seal up the site of the breach. We discourage animals from returning to your domicile after we evict them by blocking up any easy-access or “weak” points in the building’s structure.
• Set traps. Humane traps catch any pests who try to take advantage of your newly vacated chimney, attic, or walls.
• Sanitation and Deodorization. Our professionals will remove unpleasant smells that linger after your unwelcome guests leave. We’ll also clean up any “gifts” they left behind, reducing your risk of illness from exposure to dander or fecal matter. Tough jobs may require removal and re-installation of attic insulation—which we can take care of in-house.

Schedule Squirrel Removal Near Me

We offer tailor-made action plans for each client’s unique situation. Not only does Chimney and Wildlife want to help you with your current predicament, but we also want to make sure you don’t find yourself in the same situation a few months down the road.

If squirrels are driving you nuts in Dallas, Ft. Worth, Houston or Amarillo then don’t delay—contact Chimney and Wildlife Specialists today!

Not sure if it’s a squirrel? Check out our Rodent Identification Guide.