Why Do Squirrels Chew Wires?

Imagine your teeth uncontrollably grew forever. Eventually, your face would be a mutilated mess taken over by sharp tooth fragments. Or, you would have to pay a premium for a tooth trimming. Well, this is the case for squirrels. Luckily for humans our teeth stop growing in our mid-20s. However, squirrels never get that sort of oral relief.The squirrel’s diet consists mainly of nuts, seeds and fruit. A lot of those varieties are hard on teeth. If humans had a diet of strictly those foods our teeth would wear away to stubs. But, squirrel’s teeth constantly grow to combat that problem. This is why we see them gnawing on all sorts of different objects such as wood, metal or plastic. They chew on these items to control their growing teeth and prevent them from getting too long. They will bite on different materials several times a day.

WILL SQUIRRELS CHEW OTHER MATERIALS ON MY HOME?

When squirrels get into the roof of your home there are plenty of different materials for them to gnaw on. They can get into your attic through small holes they chew in your house’s walls or roof. Once inside they will look for a safe place to build a nest. This happens primarily throughout the spring breeding season. Mother squirrels need a safe and protected place to raise babies. While in your roof or attic squirrels are exposed to electrical wires and support beams. These are excellent materials to gnaw and control their growing teeth. Electrical wires that are exposed create a great risk, especially when next to insulation or the dry materials and nuts squirrels often carry inside attics. As soon as you suspect you have squirrels in your attic, you should start the process of their removal by calling the professionals.

WILL SQUIRRELS CHEW OTHER MATERIALS ON MY HOME?

When squirrels move into your attic they behave as if they were outdoors, chewing anything they can. Even if you have only had squirrels in your home for a few days, there is a fire hazard present and it must be addressed by professionals. Once the squirrel leaves, the wires they chewed are still left behind. Additionally, if you have squirrels in your attic during the spring and summer months, it is likely that babies are present. As they grow they will use your wires to file down their newly growing teeth.

It’s incredibly important to remove squirrels from your roof or attic at the earliest point of discovery. Early detection can help reduce damage. Something that starts as a small hole in your siding can increase to complete rewiring or repairs to the structure of your home. These concerns also pose a huge risk to the safety of the homeowner and their family.

Keep tabs on squirrel activity on your property. They have also been known to gnaw on car wires, decks and fences. Skedaddle Humane Wildlife Control can help with early detection or remove squirrels already living in your attic. Call Skedaddle at the first indication of a squirrel infestation – 1-888-592-0387