Mice are not the only pests you might come across this winter. Believe it or not, you may find that you have a group of squirrels lingering around your home. They can be much peskier then house mice. These pesky rodents can cause damage around your home, particularly in your attic, on the roof and even in the crawl space located in your home. With their hyperactive personalities, squirrels can cause unwanted noise and disturbance to homeowners. Rodent control can help you get rid of troublesome squirrels this winter.
Behavior
The most common squirrels in this area are the red tree squirrel or the gray tree squirrel. Their living and behavioral habits are quite similar to each other. Due to the colder temperatures in the winter, squirrels find their way into the home and most likely nestle in the attic or garage. They find their way in by chewing through the exterior walls for your home. Once they have settled into the home, they build their nest and store food. You can also find them populating trees around your home due to humans expanding their homes into wooded areas. The squirrels are then forced to search for other means of shelter.
Signs of Infestation
• Gnawing damage
• Nesting sites
• Collections of nuts or seeds
• Sounds of activity
• Damage to insulation
• Squirrels running along utility lines near your house (Be sure to seek professional advice from your Portland rodent control before prevention involving power lines.)
• Squirrels hanging around your chimney
• Squirrels eating in your garden or yard
Control
If you think you have a squirrel infestation it is best to call your Portland rodent control for further advice and confirmation. There are many protected species of squirrels so it is best to ask your rodent control the best approach to handling the issue. First, find any entry points that squirrels could potentially find or gnaw their way into. Once you have discovered their points of entry it will be easy to note their schedule of activity. Try to identify how many squirrels inhabiting your home and if they have babies, they are nesting. They tend to burrow into insulation seeking warmth, so it could be difficult to find their nests. Your best and safest option is to call rodent control to take care of the issue since squirrels can be particularly hard to handle.
Prevention
If you want to avoid the potential issue of squirrels invading your home, there are some things you can do to prevent them. Not only can they cause damage but they can also bring a potential health risk to you and your family, as they can carry disease. Before you try to take care of the problem yourself be sure to call rodent control first.
Prevention methods you can take include:
• Trim or remove limbs that are near the roof of your house
• Remove bird feeders
• Install wire fencing around your garden
• Use a tree collar around young trees
If you believe you are faced with a squirrel infestation be sure to contact your Portland rodent control for help being that squirrels can be very difficult to get rid of. Professionals are your best resource when it comes to handling a squirrel infestation. Since they are larger rodents they can cause severe damage to your home as well as carrying diseases similar to ones that mice carry. Squirrels are very active rodents and cause a lot of damage and noise. It can be difficult to determine whether or not your problem is due to squirrels but your Portland rodent control can confirm the issue.