Squirrels will probably never become household pets, and one place you don’t really want to see them is inside your house. There are a lot of reasons why this is a bad idea. We will go over some of those reasons, as well as some of the ways that squirrels can get into your house even when you don’t want them too. We will also talk about the steps you can take to remove them from your home, and what you can do to prevent them from ever returning.

During the warmer months, squirrels are content to live their lives outdoors wherever they can find a place to build a nest. But when the weather gets colder, they will do the same thing you and I would do, which is find a warmer place to be. This doesn’t mean you can’t be invaded by squirrels when it’s warm out. Squirrels are scavengers, and if they see something they think is food they will go for it no matter where it is. This can be a problem because once squirrels find their way into your house; they are not always inclined to leave again.

You might believe that your house is squirrel proofed, but you would be surprised at the number of ways these little varmints can gain access to your home. Squirrels are very flexible animals, and sometimes they are willing to go to great lengths in order to get to something they want. They can fit into some pretty tight spots when they want to. They are also smart enough to work their way around a place looking for ways to get inside.

Once they are inside, the first thing they are going to do is find some place to nest. They will crawl through the attic, under floors, and even get inside your walls in search of a warm and quiet place to burrow. On their journey they will chew through wiring, insulation, and even the wood itself to get where they want to go. The end result can be quite a mess. It can also be quite expensive if there are damages, especially if those damages involve the electrical wiring or other utility lines in your home.

So now that we know we don’t want the squirrels living in the house, how are we supposed to get them out of there? We’ve all seen the comedies where the actor is after the animal who has taken up residence in the house. A lot of things get broken, holes are made in walls and floors, and the end result is usually the total destruction of the property or the actor. Not the best way to go about getting rid of your squirrel problem.

The best thing you can do, and the first thing you should do is call an animal control specialist. These are the people who are trained to deal with squirrel infestations. It’s one of the most common calls an animal control professional can receive. An animal control expert will remove the squirrels from your house while at the same time doing their best not to damage your property or injuring the animal. They go about this with a variety of traps, nets, baits, and exclusion methods. They also wear protective clothing in case an animal is in a biting mood.

If you decide to remove them yourself, you should take every necessary precaution. Squirrels are wild animals, and they will scratch and bite you if they are trying to get away. Have a set of heavy work gloves on hand, and protective goggles are not a bad idea either.

You can purchase humane traps to catch your squirrels, and you can bait them with a lot of things. Of course squirrels like nuts; peanut butter is an effective lure because the odor will attract the squirrels quickly. Place your traps anywhere you think that the squirrels are going to come out. Try to avoid using things like poison; it often causes more harm than good. Once you catch a squirrel, be sure to get it outside as soon as possible, and release it somewhere close by outdoors.

You should also make sure that there is no way the squirrels can get back in the same way they did before. You will need to check the roof, and the foundation. It also wouldn’t hurt to make sure all your windows seal as tightly as you thought they did. If you can’t repair a hole immediately, try to at least block it off with some type of metal mesh or plate. Using wood isn’t very helpful, squirrels will gnaw thought that.

Whatever you decide to do about your squirrel infestation, make sure you do it quickly. Waiting only gives the squirrels a chance to get a better toehold inside your home. Plus you also run the risk of being buried in squirrels if you are already hosting a mating pair. Then your problem will get very serious very quickly. Try to use professional help wherever possible, and take the humane route to solving your problem if you can. Remember it’s your house, not theirs.

Call Alliance Pest Services for all your wildlife and pest problems.  We have trained wildlife exclusion experts ready to remove wildlife animals including squirrels, raccoons, opossums, and skunks from your home and builds.  New Jersey wildlife control expert’s pest removal.