In Southern Ontario – including the areas served by us at Regional Wildlife Services (Burlington, Oakville, Milton and West Greater Toronto) the common squirrels we find are the Eastern Grey Squirrels and Red Squirrels. Don’t get us wrong, we love squirrels and always remove them humanely. But we get it, homeowners want to get rid of them when they take up residence in their attic. So we get a ton of calls about squirrel problems, and share info on squirrels here plus talk about them in plenty of our squirrel blog articles (yes, we’re squirrel experts)!
Who Doesn’t Love Squirrels?
We can’t think of anyone who doesn’t like squirrels, until they become a pest. Usually, we think of playful and innocent creatures jumping branch to branch and innocently gathering nuts for a later meal. We love to watch squirrels at the park and kids chase them playfully without worry (usually!). Squirrels do have another side to them…one that homeowners don’t particularly like!
Squirrel Baby Season is Twice a Year
When the cold weather and/or mating season hits, however, squirrels can become somewhat of an unsuspecting enemy. Grey Squirrels mate twice per year and often make your attic their home base during their baby season. Baby season stretches December to February and again from June to August. Plenty of time to cause trouble! How? They often take up residence by making their way into homes – whether it be in the cavity above your porch or in your attic – to name two common spaces. Otherwise, mommy squirrels tend to delivery in a dry or a hollow tree cavity. The mom cares for the kids and weans them to independence for several weeks (when they’re born, squirrels are helpless and not self sufficient).
Squirrels are Cute…but Sneaky, Elusive and Cause Damage
As much as squirrels are cute, they can wreak havoc if they nest in your attic. Think you have squirrels and trap them by blocking the opening they entered in? Good luck with that, you’ll have a fight on your hands you don’t want. They’ll claw and attempt to chew their way out – or INTO – your home. They’ll chew wires, framing or whatever they have to in an attempt to stay alive…and to provide for their young. We’re talking momma squirrel turning into momma bear!
It’s often hard to pin down how the squirrels entered your home, and hard to get up to even find out. For this, you often will need wildlife removal services in your local area.
In the meantime, you can learn the following right here:
– How squirrel damage can drive you nuts :)
– and perhaps most importantly, read 5 easy tips for squirrel control
Yes, you can get rid of squirrels yet remember that there are relocation laws in Southern Ontario – so check your local regulations. Wildlife must be relocated within the immediate vicinity of where they were captured (and you’ll want to be humane, of course, like us!). It’s important to seal off entry points AFTER you’re sure they’re out of the attic so that they don’t come back.
If you’ve any questions after reading this article and the other squirrel related articles we’ve written and shared, please feel free to ask our squirrel control experts today. At Regional Wildlife Services, we’re happy to help our neighbours in Burlington, Oakville, and throughout Southern Ontario!
