2 Key Squirrel Habits That You Need to Know

You’ve worked hard and invested a lot of time, energy and money into making your property your very own slice of heaven. Everything was perfect…until the squirrel invasion.

The bushy tailed, four legged, acorn-eating invasion, that is. Yes, the ‘War on Squirrels’ has been declared, battle lines have been drawn and now it’s time to make a plan to get rid of the squirrels. They say there is one key element in turning the tide of war in your favor: know thy enemy. Understanding the squirrel’s habits is key to formulating your defensive strategy. Here are two important habits of the common grey squirrel that you need to understand to get into their heads:

Food gathering and storage, the grey squirrel’s top priority

Your defensive strategy rests on knowing your enemy’s eating habits. Squirrels spend most of their time searching for, gathering, and hiding food. Their appetite does not end with acorns alone, squirrels will gladly eat bugs, fruits, vegetables, bird seed, and most plants, so no flowerbed or garden is safe.

Strategy A is to eliminate access to their food sources.

This means raking up any acorns that fall and making the other sources as unattractive as possible. Fence in your flowerbeds and garden and put Rover to work patrolling the yard.

In areas where guns are permitted, squirrels are often classified as “game”. You know what to do with that one.

Strategy B is to feed them.

Yep, you read that right. By putting out squirrel feeders, you may save your flowers, plants, fruits and vegetables from this ravenous horde. Strategy B is not without risk, however; when word gets around, you may attract additional squirrels from neighboring properties.

Gathering is only one side of the coin, however. The other is their habit to store food reserves for a later snack.  Be alarmed.

These fury invaders are planning for a long occupation. The will spend the spring, summer, and fall burying rations for the long winter ahead. They’re digging in, literally.

Although damage to the actual lawn is minor, it’s their long-term plan that you want to disrupt here. It’s recommended to use several different deterrents together to keep them off-balance and on the defensive. Rover with a semi-automatic has a nice ring to it.

Nesting, the most destructive squirrel habit

Alert! Alert! The intruders have breached your castle and have made nests in your attic and/or walls.

It’s imperative that these furry menaces are evicted as soon as possible. But no need to panic, because you’ve made a plan for this contingency.

Firstly, you need to find their way in and erect a blockade. Those little teeth can gnaw through almost anything, including your household wiring but a metal mesh screen attached over the opening will keep them at bay. It’s also recommended that you call in reinforcements here. Wildlife removal experts can get these furry invaders out of your castle in a hurry and may provide some added firepower in your ‘War on Squirrels’.

To your success!

Success in your battle with these furry invaders hinges on your understanding of the squirrel’s habits.

Battle plans are made and executed based on this understanding. Should the above plans not yield 100% success, squirrel removal is an option. You could purchase traps yourself or hire wildlife removal experts to get the job done. This option may cost a little more but may provide you with the piece of mind that these invaders have been repelled, for now.

Your defensive strategy will need to be maintained seasonally and you will need to patrol your property from time-to-time to inspect for evidence of their return. Lock and load Rover, it’s squirrel removal time.

If you’re in the Burlington, Oakville, Milton, Halton Hills or Waterdown areas, call Halton Wildlife now for a squirrel or wildlife removal quote!