Madison Wildlife Control: Why Do Squirrels Stare At You?

Madison Wildlife Control: Why Do Squirrels Stare At You?

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Humans and squirrels can get along very well as long as a healthy distance is maintained between the two. However, although squirrels may be wary of humans, they can be attracted to human homes because of the promise of warmth and safety offered beneath their roofs. Unfortunately, the tree-dwelling rodents can cause extensive damage if they get into a home, making prompt squirrel removal necessary. Squirrels have a lot of habits that are mystifying to people. For example, sometimes a squirrel in the yard will just stop and stare at you. Some people find this charming, while others are unnerved by it, but not many people understand what it means. The fact is that when a squirrel stares, it can mean different things. Observing its other behaviors while it is staring can give a clue about what it is thinking.

Curiosity

Some people attempt to attract squirrels or call them over by making sounds mimicking the ones they make. Since wildlife should never be handled or touched, this isn't a good idea. However, if squirrels hear something like this, a squirrel sound coming from something, not a squirrel, they may stop and stare to figure out what it is. Sometimes they will stand up on their hind legs to get a better view. If they don't feel unduly threatened, they may even approach cautiously to investigate further.

Fear

Squirrels have a lot of predators, which means that to survive, they constantly have to stay alert to potential dangers. When a squirrel encounters a new potential threat, it may stand perfectly still to determine the danger level. If the squirrel decides that it is a threat, it will run for cover. It may also communicate the danger to other squirrels in the area by making noises or twitching its tail.

Hunger

Some people like having squirrels on their property and feed them to try to keep them around. This is not advisable, as the squirrels may interpret it as an invitation to make themselves comfortable inside your home. Nevertheless, if squirrels become accustomed to being fed at a certain time of day, and if for some reason they do not receive food at the usual time, they may stare in the same way that a dog will stare at you to beg for food. As with dogs, it is best to discourage this behavior from squirrels by ignoring it.

Sleep

Squirrels have the remarkable ability to sleep with their eyes open. This allows them to continue monitoring for danger even while resting. If the squirrel's brain detects danger while it is sleeping, it will reflexively wake the squirrel up so it can run for cover. A squirrel that is not blinking and remains completely motionless may be sleeping. It may appear that it is looking at you, but it doesn't see you or, more accurately, doesn't perceive you as a threat.

Scanning

A squirrel's eyes are positioned on the sides of its head, which gives it a wide range of peripheral vision. Without moving its head, it can see around and even above it, which is helpful if a predatory bird swoops down from the air. So while it appears that the squirrel is looking at you, it may be scanning the skies above it or looking at something off to the side to determine whether it is a potential threat.

Skedaddle Offers Wildlife Control in Madison for Squirrels

It is best to leave squirrels alone as much as possible, observing remotely but not interacting. Even if squirrels get into your Madison home, you should not engage with them directly. Rather, you should contact Skedaddle to have them removed in a safe, humane way and allow you to maintain the distance in both species' interest.

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Marcus Mueller

About the author: Marcus is the owner and operator of Skedaddle Humane Wildlife Control – Milwaukee. Born and raised in Milwaukee, Marcus combines the academic training (M.S. Wildlife Biology, UW Madison) with the field training and skills to be successful in resolving wildlife conflict for home and business owners. Part of this field experience was working as an intern at a local wildlife rehabilitation center where Marcus interacted with Milwaukee residents experiencing conflict with wildlife on a daily basis. These interactions pushed Marcus to bring these needed services to Milwaukee and officially launch Skedaddle Humane Wildlife Control – Milwaukee!

Connect with the author via: LinkedIn

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