During the cooler weather of autumn, squirrels and other creatures will begin to hunt for a warm place to live over the winter. There are many spots on houses such as attics, eaves, gutters, and chimneys that serve this purpose nicely, so homeowners must ensure they take the necessary steps 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.
Restricting access to outdoor food sources can also help make the area less enticing to hungry wildlife. Household pets need to be fed indoors and their dishes should also be kept in the house. It can also help to distract the squirrels by giving them their own feeder away from the home.
Before fixing any openings on the house, one must determine if any animals are already residing inside by loosely packing them with balled-up newspapers, if these papers are later pushed out, then it is evident an inhabitant is present. Other signs include dark rubbings around edges of holes, which can be fur. Any animals found will need to be professionally trapped and relocated by a service, and then the access points sealed off.
Some people use various types of deterrents such as cayenne or hot peppers, mothballs, and sprays made from the urine of predators, however these are not always particularly effective. Owl or coyote decoys may be helpful too, but only if they are moved around often or the clever squirrels will realize it is not real and poses no threat to them.
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.
Restricting access to outdoor food sources can also help make the area less enticing to hungry wildlife. Household pets need to be fed indoors and their dishes should also be kept in the house. It can also help to distract the squirrels by giving them their own feeder away from the home.
Before fixing any openings on the house, one must determine if any animals are already residing inside by loosely packing them with balled-up newspapers, if these papers are later pushed out, then it is evident an inhabitant is present. Other signs include dark rubbings around edges of holes, which can be fur. Any animals found will need to be professionally trapped and relocated by a service, and then the access points sealed off.
Some people use various types of deterrents such as cayenne or hot peppers, mothballs, and sprays made from the urine of predators, however these are not always particularly effective. Owl or coyote decoys may be helpful too, but only if they are moved around often or the clever squirrels will realize it is not real and poses no threat to them.
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 Pest Control Removal Company in in Decatur and Tucker, GA then he recommends you visit his friend at Crocodile Dave
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