How To Keep Problematic Squirrels Away From Your Katy Home
If you're like most people, you enjoy the sight of squirrels playing in the trees. They are cute and entertaining to watch. However, when these animals start making their way into your home and yard, they can quickly become a nuisance.
There are some things you may not know about squirrels that can help you understand why they're such a problem. For example, did you know that they are constantly gnawing on things? As rodents, their teeth are always growing. In order to keep them at a manageable length, they have to wear them down by gnawing on hard objects. So, if they're not chewing on food, they'll chew on just about anything else they can get their teeth on, including wood siding, wires, and even pipes.
Squirrels are also known carriers of diseases such as rabies, tularemia, and typhus. And, if they happen to get into your attic or crawl space, they can do a lot of damage in a short amount of time. Their constant gnawing can destroy insulation and wiring, and their droppings can contaminate your home with harmful bacteria.
In short, these furry pests can cause some major problems in your house. If you're dealing with a squirrel infestation, don't panic — Modern Pest Control has the solution for you. We will discuss the habits and behaviors of common tree squirrels, why having them around your home is problematic, and some no-sweat tips to prevent them from coming back. We will also teach you the safe and effective way to get rid of a squirrel infestation for good with wildlife pest control in Katy.
Behaviors Of Common Tree Squirrels
Squirrels are small to medium-sized rodents that belong to the family Sciuridae. There are three main types of squirrels that you might notice in our area; tree squirrels, ground squirrels, and flying squirrels. The squirrels most likely to cause problems in or around your Katy home are tree squirrels.
Tree squirrels are small animals with bushy tails and furry bodies. They typically range in size from 12 to 20 inches long and weigh between one and four pounds. They are omnivorous animals, which means they eat both plants and animals. Their diet consists mostly of nuts, seeds, fruits, and buds. However, they will also eat insects, eggs, and small animals.
Squirrels typically mate once a year and have litters of two to eight baby squirrels called "kittens." Baby squirrels are born blind and hairless. They will open their eyes after about three weeks and have all their fur by the time they are six weeks old. Baby squirrels will stay with their mother until about four months old.
Tree squirrels are active during the day and sleep at night. They typically reside in wooded areas, but they will also set up camp in attics, crawl spaces, and other areas of your home if given the opportunity.
Squirrels are good climbers and jumpers, which is how they gain access to your home. Once inside, they will build a nest out of whatever materials they can find, including twigs, leaves, grass, and insulation.
If you have squirrels in your home, you might hear them scurrying around or scratching inside wall cavities or the ceiling. You might also see them running along power lines or climbing trees. Another telltale sign of a squirrel infestation is finding their droppings around your property.
While most squirrels are content to live outdoors, some become nuisances. If you have a squirrel causing problems, it's important to take action quickly. A squirrel can do a lot of damage in a short amount of time, and the longer you wait to get rid of them, the worse the problem will become.
If you're having trouble with squirrels around your Katy home, contact a wildlife management expert like Modern Pest Control. We will come out to your property, assess the situation, and develop a custom plan to get rid of the squirrels and keep them from coming back.
Why Having Squirrels Around Your Home Is Problematic
While squirrels may seem relatively harmless at first, there are many reasons why you may not want them around your home:
They can damage your insulation. As we mentioned earlier, squirrels like to gnaw on things. Their constant gnawing can destroy insulation and wiring if they get into your attic or crawl space, leading to expensive repairs or even a fire. In addition to damaging insulation, squirrels will also urinate and defecate there, contaminating your insulation and making it unsafe for you and your family.
They can contaminate your home. Squirrels also like to do their business in attics and crawl spaces. Their droppings can contaminate your house with harmful bacteria.
They can damage your trees. The squirrel's sharp teeth are designed for chewing through hard nuts and seeds. However, this also means they can damage the bark on your trees. This damage can lead to infection and ultimately kill the tree. If you have fruit trees, squirrels may also eat your fruits and vegetables.
They can spread diseases. Squirrels can carry a variety of diseases, such as rabies and typhus. These diseases can be passed on to humans and pets if bitten or scratched by an infected animal.
They can raid bird feeders. If you have a bird feeder in your yard, squirrels may raid it and eat all of the bird food; it's frustrating if you are trying to attract birds to your property.
They can dig up bulbs and plants. If you have bulbs or plants in your garden, squirrels may dig them up in search of food, damaging your plants and making it difficult for them to grow.
They can damage your home. As we mentioned, they have a habit of gnawing on just about anything, including wood siding, wires, and pipes. This activity can cause a lot of damage to your home and property.
As you can see, there are many reasons why you may not want squirrels hanging around your home. If you have a problem with squirrels, it's best to contact a professional for wildlife removal in Katy. At Modern Pest Control, we offer wildlife pest control services that can help you get rid of squirrels and prevent them from coming back.
Five No-Sweat Tips To Prevent Squirrels Around Your Home
Now that we've discussed the reasons you don't want squirrels around your house, let's talk about how you can prevent them from coming inside in the first place.
Here are some no-sweat tips to keep problematic squirrels away from your Katy home:
Keep your yard clean. If there is food available, squirrels will come looking for it. As we mentioned, they will rummage through trash cans, steal bird food from bird feeders, and raid gardens. Keep your yard clean and free of food sources, and avoid bird feeders. Or, if you must feed birds, use a squirrel-proof bird feeder.
Seal off entry points. Take a walk around your home and look for any potential entry points squirrels can use to get inside. These pests can squeeze through very small openings, so it's important to seal off any cracks or holes that you find. You can use caulk, steel wool, or expandable foam to fill gaps. Another way to seal off entry points is to use a wire mesh placed over vents, chimneys, and other openings. Make sure the mesh is small enough so squirrels can't squeeze through.
Prevent roof access. One of the most common ways squirrels get into homes is by climbing onto the roof and then chewing their way through the attic vents. To prevent this from happening, you should trim any trees or branches that are close to your home. If you have any ivy or climbing plants growing up the side of your home, you should remove them. Basically, you want to make it as difficult as possible for squirrels to climb onto your roof.
Use a squirrel-proof trash can. As we mentioned before, one of the ways that squirrels get food is by rummaging through trash cans. You should use a squirrel-proof trash can. These trash cans have a lid that locks shut, making it impossible for squirrels to get inside.
Use motion sensor lights or sprinklers. Although squirrels can be pesky, they are also skittish creatures that don't like to be disturbed. If you use motion sensor lights or sprinklers, it will startle them and make them feel unsafe. As a result, they will stay away from your property. You can also try using a loud radio to keep them out, or even a fake owl or hawk.
Following these steps can prevent squirrels from becoming a problem around your home. However, if you have tried all the tips above and still have problems with squirrels, it's time to call a professional for wildlife removal near you. Modern Pest Control provides humane and effective wildlife control services in Katy. We will work quickly to remove the squirrels from your property and prevent them from coming back.
The Safe And Effective Way To Get Rid Of A Squirrel Infestation
When it comes to getting rid of a squirrel infestation, the best thing to do is to call a professional. While some do-it-yourself methods are out there, they are often ineffective and can even be dangerous. For example, some people will try to trap squirrels and then release them into the wild; this can be dangerous for the animals and for people as well if you don't know what you're doing.
Another popular DIY method is to use poison. However, this is also ineffective, and it can be very dangerous. If you use poison, there is a chance that the squirrel will die inside your home, which will create a terrible smell and unsanitary conditions. In addition, if you have pets or children, they could easily come into contact with the poison and get sick.
The best way to get rid of a squirrel infestation is to call a professional. At Modern Pest Control, we offer wildlife control services that are safe and effective. We will come to your home, assess the situation, and create a customized plan to eliminate the squirrels. We use humane methods designed to safely remove the animals from your property.
Our wildlife control services consist of three steps: Inspection, trapping, and exclusion:
Inspection: The first step is to inspect your home and property to find out how the squirrels are getting inside. One of our experienced wildlife experts will come to your house and look for any cracks, holes, or gaps that the squirrels could use to get inside. They will also look for any nesting sites or food sources the squirrels are using.
Trapping: Once we have found out how the squirrels are getting inside, we will set up traps to catch them. We use live traps designed to capture the animals safely. Using the information from the inspection, we will place the traps in strategic locations to ensure that we catch as many squirrels as possible. We will also set up bait stations to attract the squirrels into the traps.
Exclusion: The last step is to exclude the squirrels from your property. Once we have caught all the squirrels, we will seal up any cracks, holes, or gaps they used to get inside to prevent them from returning to your home. We will also remove any nesting sites or food sources we found during the inspection.
If you're having issues with squirrels in Katy, don't hesitate to call Modern Pest Control. We'll be happy to help you get rid of your squirrel problem for good. Contact us today to learn more about our professional residential and commercial pest control services in Katy, including our wildlife removal.