Squirrels are one of the most common pests that property owners do battle with, and now is the time to take preventative measures against them. And the earlier you take steps to keep them out of your home or business, the better. With winter on our doorstep, and it being well before wildlife baby season begins, now is a great time to do this.
Knowledge is power — be aware of important timing considerations
You need to know when baby squirrels will be born because once they’re inside your property, you’ll be stuck with them until they’re old enough to live in the wild on their own (humane treatment of wildlife is very important and well worth doing). Consequently, it’s better to prevent them from getting in at all, and you can do this by sealing up your property before they’re even born.
Baby squirrels can be born as early as March, and again in July or August (there are two squirrel baby seasons per year). Each litter will have as many as nine babies. After those little ones are weaned from their mother (at about ten weeks of age), they’ll grow up to have babies of their own — as you can imagine, it won’t take long for a relatively simple problem of two squirrels to turn into dozens if you’re not careful.
Complete a thorough inspection of your property before wildlife baby season begins
Now, before baby squirrels are cozying up inside your home or business, is a great time to do a thorough inspection with the aim of sealing up any weak spots that enterprising squirrels might consider to be an open invitation. Focus on areas that squirrels are notorious for abusing.
Chimneys and attics are popular with these critters as a location for their nest, so make sure these problem areas are well-protected. You can install screens on your chimney that allow smoke to get out, but prevent wildlife from getting in. Attics are a bit more complicated to protect, but it can be done once you know what to do. Make sure your shingles are in good repair — aside from the fact that you need to protect the wood beneath it from moisture and rot, you also need to protect that wood from being chewed through as an entrance to a squirrel nest. It’s also a good idea to inspect your soffits — this is a major problem area that squirrels and other wildlife have been known to exploit in order to get inside your attic. Finally, if you have trees adjacent to your building, consider whether or not any branches are positioned in a way that allows squirrels to use them as a runway onto your roof. If you see any problem branches, trim them right away, or hire a professional to do it for you.
Winterizing your home to prior to wildlife baby season is important
Do everything you can before winter arrives to prevent squirrel problems from happening at all. This is far easier than dealing with a family of squirrels that’s stubbornly persisting in running around inside your property as if they own the place. Worst case if despite your best efforts you run into issues, the simplest way to deal with them is to hire a professional to get rid of them.
At Regional Wildlife Services, we have the homes and businesses in Burlington, Oakville, Milton and all of Halton covered. Let’s get rid of unwanted animals from your property!
