All squirrels have an affinity for living in holes and, unfortunately, our homes are just one big hole to a squirrel. With a gap of a ten pe...
Case Studies
Grey squirrels breed in mid-December or early January (and again in early summer) and are diligently seeking a nesting site this time of year. Litters consist of one to eight kittens, and the young are weaned within two months.
The territory of a grey squirrel can take up about 98 acres depending on the resources available. Squirrels eat nuts, seeds and hard fruits this time of year and switch to the tender buds of elms and maples in the spring. During the hot summer months grey squirrels eat fruit, nuts, seeds and a wide variety of plants such as mushrooms, tomatoes, corn and other garden fruits. When food is scarce, they will chew the bark off trees and shrubs, and may occasionally eat insects.
For those of you that live out in the country, squirrels aren't normally a problem, whereas in towns, they can not only be an irritant but can cause significant damage if they manage to get inside a building. Squirrels enter businesses and homes by traveling along electrical wires, television / telephone cables or by jumping from nearby tree limbs. They can also enter holes in siding, through unscreened vents or from chimneys.
The damage caused by squirrels occurs because of their tendency to gnaw on structures. Gnawing is a squirrel's way of remodeling its home. They chew on sidings and soffits and fascias to create a hole or enlarge an existing one. Once they enter your home, they'll bring in nesting material.
Either through boredom or downright malevolence, squirrels have a propensity to chew on wires. Chewing off the insulation from electrical wires can create shorts that can cause fires, and even simply by a squirrel running along power lines can short out transformers. Shorting out wires will frequently kill the squirrel but that's little consolation to you if your house burns down or you have to pay hundreds or thousands of pounds to fix the damage.
One of the biggest complaints people have about squirrels concerns bird feeders. Not only will the little thieves steal seeds from birds, they will destroy the feeders in the process. They also dig up recently planted bulbs and seeds, uproot new plants and damage lawns when they bury or search for nuts.
Now, what can you do to control these creatures? Not much, if we're talking about outside. After all, that's where they're supposed to be. But, if they're in your house, you need to get the job done as soon as possible. The longer you wait to do something the more damage they can do and the greater the possibility you'll be dealing with a family of squirrels instead of just one or two.
First you need to find how and where they are getting in. If they're running along power lines or cables, slit a 2-foot-long piece of PVC pipe and place it over the wire. When a squirrel tries to cross it, the pipe will rotate destabilising the squirrel's footing, but you must contact the power company before you do this, as they will be able to advise you on how to perform this action safely.
Make certain your loft vents are in good shape. You may want to add a wire screen over any suspect vents. If you have a chimney, cover the opening with the same type wire mesh, seal any holes or cracks, and close openings around pipes. Remember, grey squirrels can enter your home through an opening as small as 1½ inches.
Make certain there aren't any squirrels already in your attic when you seal up your house. If you do accidentally close up a squirrel in your house, don't try to chase it. Open doors and windows and allow the squirrel to find its own way out. If this doesn't work, set a trap as this is the best way to remove a squirrel. Live traps can be purchased from any number of retailers and baits such as whole peanuts or sunflower seeds will entice the squirrel. Peanut butter on bread works very well.
The key to successfully trapping a squirrel is placement. You want to set the trap where squirrels are used to foraging or near their accustomed points of entry. Once you've caught the culprit, you need to take it at least a mile away from your house (10 miles if you live in a rural area).
But remember that just because you've captured the squirrel that was living in your attic doesn't mean your problem has been solved. Squirrels have a strong sense of smell, and they leave a scent where they enter a structure. Where one squirrel has entered your home, others may follow and this scent can last up to six months. Once a building has been invaded by squirrels, it is many times more likely to fall victim once again. Make sure you do a thorough inspection and seal up every potential entry point.