When you find out there is a squirrel living in your attic, your first thought is probably “oh well, another weekend project!” But as Maryland squirrel removal specialists, we caution you against dealing with squirrels on your own. If it was as fast and easy as it seems, we wouldn’t be getting so many squirrel removal calls from Bethesda, Silver Spring, Germantown, and all over Maryland. Here are some of the main reasons our clients choose to work with us instead of doing wildlife removal on their own.
It’s Often More Than 1 Squirrel
Many homeowners don’t realize this, but frequently animals enter our attics to give birth to offspring. While the babies are little, you often won’t see or hear them at all. They are tucked away in a far corner of the attic or somewhere else where they are difficult to find and extract. It takes skill and knowledge of squirrels’ habits to determine whether there are babies. Then it takes some time and climbing through the attic to locate them. This is not something you want to be doing on a hot and humid summer day, trust us!
Squirrels Can Be Aggressive
You wouldn’t think this little critter is capable of anger, but squirrels can in fact be rather aggressive and territorial. When you get too close to a squirrel, especially if it’s a mother protecting her young, it can jump on you, scratch, and bite. Although not very common in squirrels, rabies is also a possibility and could be a reason why a squirrel is acting aggressively in the first place. Take a look at this squirrel from California (which is supposed to be friendlier than Maryland squirrels) attacking a teenager who just wanted to take a photo. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9gBPT432m8Q
Squirrels Are Smart
If you are thinking about setting up a cage in your attic and baiting it with peanut butter, think again. Squirrels are rather smart and typically won’t go for bait placed inside their den. They are also smart in the way they enter your attic. Squirrels are good at finding weak spots and vulnerabilities in your roof. They are smart enough to pry small holes open, push their way in or lift loose shingles. For this reason, it can be difficult to locate all of their entry spots if you don’t know what you are doing.
Taking Preventive Measures
Removing a squirrel from an attic is only half the job. The second half has to do with preventing other squirrels or different animals from entering your attic. This is done by patching any holes made by offending squirrels and identifying and sealing other potential entry points. This has to be done the same day or soon after the squirrels are removed. Many homeowners don’t have the time or the tools to do all this right away. It may take weeks until you finally purchase and install a vent cover or a drip edge flashing. Meanwhile, there could already be another animal living in your attic.
Repair and Cleanup Can be Considerable
One of the dangers of having squirrels in your attic is their chewing habit. Squirrels chew on EVERYTHING to keep their teeth from overgrowing. This may include the wooden structure of your deck, wiring, plumbing, personal belongings, etc. On top of that, squirrels like to make nests out of attic insulation they rip up into small pieces. All of this means that your attic will need to be thoroughly inspected and patched up after squirrels are gone. And if you don’t have carpentry skills or would rather not deal with squirrel poop—that’s just one more reason to call a pro! Contact Mid-Atlantic Wildlife Control today if you are looking for professional squirrel removal in Maryland.