It's only natural for squirrels to look for warm places to stay for the winter. The gutters, eaves, chimneys, and attics of houses are often targeted by these creatures for this purpose, which is why the best thing homeowners can do is take measures for keeping squirrels out during winter in Atlanta.
A mother squirrel normally gives birth to two litters of young per year. When they grow in numbers, these energetic creatures will take over more space, eventually scurrying into the walls, where may either die and decompose or chew up electrical wires creating a fire hazard. The best solution is to simply prevent them from entering to begin with.
Thoroughly assessing one's property should be the first step in determining which changes need to be made in order to sufficiently reduce appeal and access to squirrels. This includes evaluating the property itself for things such as overgrown tree limbs that serve as squirrel bridges, and the house for any open or loose spaces that may be used as points of entry. Any openings will have to checked out before sealing them to ensure no animals are inside.
It's also advisable to remove anything that may be considered a food source by a squirrel. Feeding dishes belonging to pets should only be kept indoors and likewise pets should be fed inside, as these types of food can also be attractive to wildlife. Those who are more sympathetic to squirrels can even provide them with a feeder of their very own.
Any holes found on the house should be "tested" to determine if creatures are using them by stuffing them loosely with balled-up newspapers and then watching to see if these papers have been displaced. Dark rubbings around a hole can also be signs of animal hair, further evidence it being used as an access point. Where animals are found, they will need to be trapped and removed by a professional, all other loose areas still need to be repaired.
Deterrents offer limited effectiveness but may be worth a try if used along with other tactics. These include sprays made from urine of predators, mothballs, and cayenne or hot peppers. An imitation owl or coyote decoy may be used too, but it should be moved around often or the wily squirrels will soon realize that it's not real.
Rooftop ventilation fans should be inspected closely as they are typically guarded by weak screening which can be chewed away easily. Replacing them with hardware cloth made from galvanized steel is the best way to make them chew-proof. One must also check that no animal is living in the chimney, and then install chimney caps to prevent them from coming in.
A mother squirrel normally gives birth to two litters of young per year. When they grow in numbers, these energetic creatures will take over more space, eventually scurrying into the walls, where may either die and decompose or chew up electrical wires creating a fire hazard. The best solution is to simply prevent them from entering to begin with.
Thoroughly assessing one's property should be the first step in determining which changes need to be made in order to sufficiently reduce appeal and access to squirrels. This includes evaluating the property itself for things such as overgrown tree limbs that serve as squirrel bridges, and the house for any open or loose spaces that may be used as points of entry. Any openings will have to checked out before sealing them to ensure no animals are inside.
It's also advisable to remove anything that may be considered a food source by a squirrel. Feeding dishes belonging to pets should only be kept indoors and likewise pets should be fed inside, as these types of food can also be attractive to wildlife. Those who are more sympathetic to squirrels can even provide them with a feeder of their very own.
Any holes found on the house should be "tested" to determine if creatures are using them by stuffing them loosely with balled-up newspapers and then watching to see if these papers have been displaced. Dark rubbings around a hole can also be signs of animal hair, further evidence it being used as an access point. Where animals are found, they will need to be trapped and removed by a professional, all other loose areas still need to be repaired.
Deterrents offer limited effectiveness but may be worth a try if used along with other tactics. These include sprays made from urine of predators, mothballs, and cayenne or hot peppers. An imitation owl or coyote decoy may be used too, but it should be moved around often or the wily squirrels will soon realize that it's not real.
Rooftop ventilation fans should be inspected closely as they are typically guarded by weak screening which can be chewed away easily. Replacing them with hardware cloth made from galvanized steel is the best way to make them chew-proof. One must also check that no animal is living in the chimney, and then install chimney caps to prevent them from coming in.
About the Author:
Dave L. Weglin has taught safe animal control practices for over 20 years. If you are interested in getting the Best Atlanta Pest Control Removal Service Company in Decatur and Tucker, GA then he recommends you visit his friend at Crocodile Dave
No comments:
Post a Comment