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General Squirrel Questions
Q. When are squirrels a problem?
Q. Why did the squirrels pick my house?
Q. Why do squirrels want to live in my attic?
Q. How do squirrels get in my building?
Q. How can I get the squirrels out?
Q. Why do I need to get rid of squirrels?
Q. When do squirrels come into houses?
Q. When is the best time to get rid of squirrels?
Q. Where do squirrels usually enter a building?
Q. Where can I get help with my squirrel problem?
Q. How do I know if I have squirrels in my attic?
Health & Safety
Q. What are the health risks of having squirrels in my residential or commercial building?
Q. Will the squirrels attack me?
Q. Who is responsible for this squirrel problem?
Animal Control Products and Methods
Q. Which poisons do you recommend to kill squirrels?
Q. Which squirrel repellents are the best?
Q. Which methods can I use to exterminate squirrels?
Q. Which methods do you use to get rid of squirrels?
Q. Who should I call for help?
Q. Why should I hire a professional to get rid of squirrels?
Property Damage
Q. What damage can squirrels cause?
Q. What is this going to do to my property value?
Q. What will a wildlife removal technician do about the squirrels in my building?
Q. How can a wildlife removal technician help me get rid of the squirrels?
Costs
Q. What does it cost for an initial on-site squirrel inspection?
Q. What does it cost for an initial over-the-phone squirrel control consultation?
Q. Who pays for my squirrel problem?
Q. What free animal control services does your company offer to the public?
Q. How much will it cost to get rid of the squirrels?
General Squirrel Questions
Q. When are squirrels a problem?
A. In nature squirrels are cute. In your home they are noisy, destructive and smelly. Squirrels, being rodents, are compelled to chew to keep their teeth worn down. So they chew on various materials in your house: plastic pipe, vents, wires, wood, and siding. Chewed plastic pipes can cause flooding.
Q. Why did the squirrels pick my house?
A. All animals are opportunists. They are looking for a food, safety and shelter. In the case of squirrels, when there is food available from bird feeders, pets, or nut tress and gardens, a home is even more attractive. Predators rarely penetrate the attics and chimneys occupied by squirrels, giving them great feelings of safety. Finally, climate controlled buildings provide a warm, comfy place to raise baby squirrels.
Q. Why do squirrels want to live in my attic?
A. Squirrels use attics as a handy substitute for the hard-to-come-by hollow tree. Attics are a great place to raise baby squirrels.
Q. How do squirrels get in my building?
A. Squirrels access homes through existing gaps, such as unscreened vents, holes made by other animals or birds, and through holes they create themselves. They access the high parts of buildings from trees, vines or connecting wires.
Q. How can I get the squirrels out?
A. Hire a professional for on-site removal, or try our over-the-phone squirrel removal coaching service.
Q. Why do I need to get rid of squirrels?
A. The first reason most people give for getting rid of squirrels is noise. If that were the only problem with squirrels I might recommend you just live with it. But noise is the least of your problems. Damage from chewing can cause everything from expensive maintenance needs to floods and fires. Disease transmission from squirrels and the insects and parasites that live with them is also a big issue.
Q. When do squirrels come into houses?
A. Squirrels actively search for nesting sites mid-December, January and in early summer. However, if they happen on a good site, they can move in any time of the year.
Q. When is the best time to get rid of squirrels?
A. As soon as you know they are in your home. Don’t wait. We can remove squirrels, even with litters of young, any time of the year. Better yet, put preventative measure in place and keep them from getting in in the first place.
A. In their natural habitat, squirrels build nests in trees. However, squirrels are resourceful and have moved into the human world very successfully and are common in suburban and urban areas. Attics of homes are similar to big, hollow trees: dry and safe with the added bonus of warm. Squirrels can climb just about anything and chew their way in as soon as they find a vulnerable area.
Q. Where do squirrels usually enter a building?
A. They enter through chimneys, unscreened vents, gaps in siding, shingles or other exterior materials, or through holes created by other animals or that they create themselves. They get to the high areas of the home by jumping from nearby trees or climbing and running along electrical, television or telephone wires and cables.
Q. Where can I get help with my squirrel problem?
A. Call us. We are professional squirrel removers and have trained technicians who can help you get rid of the squirrels, keep them out, and clean up the mess.
Q. How do I know if I have squirrels in my attic?
A. Usually homeowners are alerted to squirrels by noise. Quick scurrying, thumping and scratching sounds come from attics, walls, or chimneys. The second alert is visible damage to the home including chewed holes or urine stains seeping through ceilings. Strong, highly unpleasant smells are an additional indicator. If you see squirrels at bird feeders or pet bowls on your property, there is a significant chance they are also in your home and you just haven’t noticed yet.
Health & Safety
Potgut Squirrel Plague -Video
Q. What are the health risks of having squirrels in my residential or commercial building?
A. Squirrels can carry rabies and, therefore, should be treated with caution and any bite immediately treated by a medical professional. They pose other threats including fleas and ticks, and Tetanus.
Q. Will the squirrels attack me?
A. Squirrels won’t generally attack unprovoked, but will bite and scratch in defense.
Q. Who is responsible for this squirrel problem?
A. The property owner is responsible. Cities, counties, states or federal government agencies will assist with problem domestic animals (like dogs) or big game (like deer, elk or cougars), but not pest wild animals. Wild animal removal is part of private property rights and responsibilities, similar to shoveling your sidewalks in winter. Wild animal removal is best performed by trained professionals who specialize in the removal of pest animals.
Animal Control Products and Methods
Q. Which poisons do you recommend to kill squirrels?
A. Poisoning animals is not a good idea because if they die in your attic, you have a bigger problem than you started with. Exclusion is a much safer and more effective technique than poison.
Q. Which squirrel repellents are the best?
A. The old-wives tale that predator urine will get rid of squirrels doesn’t work. Other gimmicks like ultrasonic sound, flashing lights, mothballs and ammonia also fail. I know of no truly safe and effective repellent on the general market today.
Q. Which methods can I use to exterminate squirrels?
A. There are many ways to kill a squirrel, but you don’t want it to die in your house. Be very cautious or you will cause greater problems than you currently have. Professional animal removal is the best alternative and leaves your home free of squirrels, alive or dead.
Q. Which methods do you use to get rid of squirrels?
A. We use trapping, venting, exclusion and structural maintenance.
Q. Who should I call for help?
A. Call Allstate Animal Control. We are professional squirrel removers and work with wild animals all the time. Remember that your local dog catcher or division of wildlife officer is not trained in squirrel removal. It is in your best interest to contact a specialist.
Q. Why should I hire a professional to get rid of squirrels?
A. Squirrel removal is not easy. It requires the physical removal of squirrels and their babies, exclusion of the animals in the future, repairs to the home or other building, and clean up of waste. All of these are difficult, technical processes best performed by professionals with equipment and experience.
Property Damage
Q. What damage can squirrels cause?
A. The number one squirrel threat to homes and other buildings, believe it or not, is FIRE. Chewed wiring creates a major fire hazard and is a truly deadly danger. Other damage includes destroyed, smelly insulation and damaged ceilings from urine soaking through from the attic. Exterior damage includes large holes chewed in roofs, gables, siding, fascia and other materials. On a minor note, but still annoying, is the tendency to overrun birdfeeders, driving away the birds you have worked so hard to attract. Even small squirrel infestations cost hundreds of dollars in repairs and, left untreated, the damage quickly reaches thousands of dollars worth of damage.
Q. What is this going to do to my property value?
A. Smelly, chewed up homes are hard to sell. Reduction in value can total 10% and salability drops dramatically.
Q. What will a wildlife removal technician do about the squirrels in my building?
A. We work to remove the squirrels and keep them out using professional, humane methods. We also clean up the mess to make your home or other building safe for your family and coworkers. Possibly the most important job we perform is the necessary repairs and maintenance to the structure to help safeguard against future infestations.
Chewed wires cause shorts and fires.
Q. How can a wildlife removal technician help me get rid of the squirrels?
A. You may get advice to just block their holes or put out traps, but there is a lot more to getting rid of squirrels than that. Incorrectly performed, these attempts can cause more problems than they solve. A professional will perform a complete structural inspection to identify entry points. Animal removal may include physical handling of litters of babies and includes special equipment such as one-way vents. Entry points must be sealed and future problems prevented by repairing or modifying the structure. Finally, a thorough cleanup gets rid of the mess and smells that trouble you and entice the squirrels back.
Costs
Q. What does it cost for an initial on-site squirrel inspection?
A. For specific information, see our Pricing Page.
Q. What does it cost for an initial over-the-phone squirrel control consultation?
A. FREE! Send me 5-10 pictures via e-mail and I will review them and call you to recommend a solution and give you an estimate. Pictures should include possible squirrel entrances, all four sides of building, attic (potentially), or other areas you think might be important.
Q. Who pays for my squirrel problem?
A. squirrels are the responsibility of the property owner. You can attempt to get rid of them and clean up yourself, but I recommend that you contact us, your squirrel removal specialists. Typically squirrel removal starts with an inspection and evaluation which costs approximately $150-250, depending on your location. You may want to contact your property insurance carrier; your policy may include coverage for removal and clean up of pest animals.
Q. What free animal control services does your company offer to the public?
A. Our company offers the following free service: if you see a particular problem occurring on your property, take 5-10 digital pictures and e-mail them to us (use the Contact Us page). We will call you on the phone and discuss your situation for a few minutes and suggest a plan of action, as time allows.
Q. How much will it cost to get rid of the squirrels?
A. Each squirrel removal job is unique and can involve 1 to more than 40 animals. Depending on how many animals there are, how long they have been there and the extent of the damage, the price will vary. I can give you a FREE estimate over the phone using digital pictures you e-mail me. For specific information, see our Pricing Page.
Common Squirrel Myths:
Myth: Squirrels are nocturnal:
Fact: Squirrels are not nocturnal. They are diurnal. If you hear night noises or see damage that occurs primarily at night, it is probably not from a squirrel.
