Homeowners in Canada often have problems with squirrels during their mating season. When do squirrels mate? They mate in the winter, usually from December through January. This also represents the time they are looking for warmth and shelter, which your attic provides. To keep squirrels out of your attic, you need to know what motivates them and how to deter them.
What Attracts Squirrels to Your Attic?
Survival essentials are what motivate squirrels. Food, water, and shelter. The bare necessities. Unfortunately, homeowners live inside a shrine to all things that matter to wildlife. You can reduce the risks of a squirrel break-in by eliminating access to things it finds enticing.
1. Food and Water
If your house provides easy access to food and water, squirrels are going to keep coming back to it. Food can be anything from birdseed to garbage. Water can come from decorative ponds to spigots and sprinklers.
You can control access to food and water with careful planning. For example, don’t put out bird feeders. Also, use trash cans with tight-fitting lids. For water, only use the sprinkler before dawn or in the evening. Ensure all spigots are off. Finally, keep downspouts and gutters clean to ensure water flows away from the structure.
2. Warmth
In cold weather, most animals want nothing more than warmth, squirrels included. Your house radiates heat, making it a desirable location to nest. While you don’t want to shut off your furnace, there are things you can do to limit interests and prevent access.
First, you can ensure your home and attic space have adequate insulation. Insulation can keep heat from escaping. Next, ensure that all doors and windows have proper seals. Finally, keep firewood and other items away from the sides of your home. Squirrels and other animals will shelter in these materials. The closer they are to your home, the more likely they are to explore and try to get inside.
3. Safety
Ultimately, squirrels want a safe place to have their babies and stay for the winter. Your attic is a safe and warm shelter. Predators do not have easy access to it. A mother squirrel can feel confident that its babies will survive.
You can eliminate feelings of safety by using humane deterrents, such as lighting and noise. Install motion-activated lights in the attic and whole house speakers. Also, eliminate clutter in the attic; keep it neat and tidy. If a squirrel cannot find a place to hide, it won’t feel safe.
Finally, install galvanized steel vents and chimney covers. Squirrels can chew through aluminum and plastic.
How Do You Deal With an Infestation?
If you already have squirrels in your attic, contact a humane wildlife control service. Humane experts will ensure the animals vacate your house, and they will clean up and disinfect the area to ensure you and your family are safe.
Humane services do not use dangerous chemicals or traps; instead, they rely on exclusion products and services. Exclusion products include one-way exits, galvanized steel screens, and wildlife protectants and sealants. The method varies depending on the species and size of the infestation.
Who Should You Call for Help?
If you need squirrel removal in Okanagan, you have options, but only one company has called Canada its home since 1989, pioneering the humane approach to wildlife control. Our methods keep family units together, and babies safe and warm during every removal job. Big or small, the team at Skedaddle has the expertise to remove raccoon infestations and the mess they leave behind. Skedaddle Humane Wildlife Control has over 25 locations, including Okanagan. The company is a proud member of the community, and its technicians are familiar with all common wildlife in the region, including squirrels.
Do you have a squirrel problem? Contact Skedaddle Humane Wildlife Control and schedule a visit.
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