With spring right around the corner it’s nearly time for another common thing that comes along with it… backyard pest season! As the weather warms up pests like squirrels and raccoons start to come out of hiding so that they can look for places to build a nest for the spring baby season, meaning your home and yard are in danger of infestation.

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There are many reasons why squirrels and raccoons are terrible guests in your home and property. Read on as we highlight some of the top reasons why you should serve them an eviction notice as soon as you spot them hanging around!

They are messy

Neither of these pests are anything along the lines of neat and tidy. Both squirrels and raccoons will create a mess in your yard, under your deck and in your attic. Whether they are digging holes to make their way under your deck or shed, damaging  your siding to get into your attic or ripping out attic insulation to build a nest, the mess created by these buggers is one you’ll notice right away, and wish you didn’t have to deal with!

They cause damage

While digging up holes in your yard is unlikely to lead to long term damage, other habits of theirs actually might. Both squirrels and raccoons like to pull at wiring and insulation when building a den in your attic which can lead to fire danger and reduced heating efficiency in your home. They also have a nasty habit of sharpening their teeth on wood beams, wiring and anything else they can find in your attic. When creating a nest for baby season, both of these pests see nothing as off limits if they think they can make use of it. They’ll rip out anything they can get to in order to create a comfortable nest. Once one of these rodents finds its way into your home, you want to act fast to get them out before they cause any lasting damage.

They are hard to remove

Squirrels especially aren’t very big and they can get into your attic through even the smallest of holes. A small entry way naturally means it’s hard for you or a pest removal company to get into your attic or under your deck to get them out.

As we near spring it is also more likely that raccoons and squirrels are entering your home in order to create a den to prepare for baby season. Once these pests have babies in your space it becomes much harder to remove them since the babies can’t leave their den for the first several weeks, so methods like exclusion could just lead to abandoned and starving babies left in your attic.

They are noisy

Squirrels and raccoons may seem like small animals, but they can definitely create a racket! Being nocturnal, raccoons are known for keeping homeowners up at night with their constant scurrying and scratching sounds as they build their nest and move around the attic. Squirrels on the other hand will be more active during the day and you’ll definitely be able to hear them moving around in your ceiling.

They smell

Squirrels and raccoons aren’t trained to use a litter box or go outside like your family dog or cat might be, which means they’ll be using your attic space to do their business. If not noticed soon enough, the smell of urine and excrement can permeate a house leaving you smelling these pests long after they’re gone.

Kick them out quickly

As soon as you notice signs of a pest getting comfortable in your home or yard you should take measures to get them out. Squirrels can be a bit easier to remove than raccoons, especially before they’ve had babies. Often the exclusion method can work well with squirrels, though you have to be careful that there is no chance of babies inside. If there is any reason to even suspect babies are with the squirrel in your attic it is always best to contact a professional for help removing them. 

Raccoons are harder to remove than squirrels so it’s often recommended to hire a professional to help you out. Raccoons can get vicious if provoked so you want to take some serious precautions when dealing with them. Raccoons- and any wild animal- can carry some serious diseases that you don’t want to chance contracting.