Squirrels are fascinating creatures with sometimes funny mannerisms. If you have never tried squirrel watching at a local park or even in your back yard, it is something we highly recommend. What we don’t recommend, however, is opening up your home and allowing these tree rodents access to your home. As fun as these bushy-tailed climbers are to watch, it is certifiably not fun when they Waldorf properties. Here are some of the biggest problems squirrels pose in our area.
What You Need To Know About Squirrels
As cute as squirrels are, they are still rodents at the end of the day. If you don’t know much about rodents, here are two facts for you to consider.
Rodents have sharp front incisor teeth that never stop growing. To keep these teeth at a reasonable length, rodents like squirrels chew on things constantly. Around properties, this habit leads to serious problems, mainly in the form of structural damage. It is not uncommon for squirrels to chew through vinyl siding, roof shingles, water pipes, and electrical wires.
Rodents are omnivorous and don’t pay much mind to expiration dates on food. It doesn’t matter if an apple pie or roast chicken is fresh out of the oven or rotting in the garbage, rodents will eat anything they can. If you know anything about rotting and decaying organisms, you know these things carry disease-causing organisms. These organisms are often brought onto properties by squirrels and spread through their excrement around structures.
Most rodents are great agile climbers, and squirrels are among the best. These dexterous furry pests use landscaping, trees, telephone poles/wires, and other elements around a home or business to get inside. Most pests only invade through the bottom half of a building’s exterior; squirrels, on the other hand, usually can access the entirety of a property’s exterior.
How To Prevent Squirrels
To prevent squirrels, you have to reduce factors that attract these pests toward your property and limit their access to said property’s interior. Here are some practical steps our experts recommend to do these things.
- Clean up leaf piles, sticks, trash, debris, and clutter from around your property.
- Trim bushes and tree branches back at least five feet from your property’s exterior.
- Pick up fruit and nuts that drop from trees around your property.
- Be mindful not to leave unsupervised food or drinks outdoors for long periods.
- Avoid feeding your pets outdoors.
- Seal gaps, cracks, and holes in your home or business building’s exterior foundation using some steel wool and a caulking gun.
- Repair damage to siding, shingles, and your roofline.
- Keep unscreened doors and windows closed as much as possible.
- Make sure your chimney has a high-quality rodent-proof cap.
The more effort you put into prevention, the less likely you are to have trouble with these invasive and problematic pests.
A Better Way To Handle Squirrels
Squirrels don’t invade properties as much as other rodents do, but they are arguably one of the best at it. To keep your home or business safe from these invasive, destructive, and dangerous pests, get the experts at Mike’s Pest and Termite Control involved.
We know which methods work best to deter squirrels and have the advanced treatments and industry-leading pest control products needed to effectively remove these pests from properties. Get in touch today to learn more about our specialized rodent control plans, or schedule your property for a meticulous service visit. Our team is standing by and ready with fast solutions to pest problems.