The Dangers Of Squirrels In Your Home

Squirrels are rampant in the state of Georgia. Hundreds of thousands roam the North Georgia area, alone and they are one of the most common critters Atlantans see on a day to day basis. But squirrels are not just cute and fuzzy little acorn scavengers. They pose a great threat to our homes and can cause costly damaged if left unattended.

Signs that you have squirrels in your home

There are two main species of squirrels in Georgia. The Georgia Department of Natural Resources created this fact sheet about our state’s squirrel habitation.

• Gray Squirrels:

  If you mainly hear noises coming from your attic during the day and not as much at night, you most likely have a gray squirrel infestation. Every fall and winter, gray squirrels flee the leafless trees and chew holes in the rooftops of unsuspecting homeowners. The gray squirrel is the most common squirrel in Georgia and can be found in both rural and urban areas. Oak acorns, hickory nuts, flower buds, berries, and grass provide the most nutritious food for gray squirrels. Winter is breeding time for the gray squirrel and they commonly seek shelter in attics of homes to keep their babies out of harm’s way. Another indication is if you hear things falling down your gutters, as it is most likely nuts or acorns from the squirrels. Gray Squirrels are known to be the most territorial animal in the state of Georgia and once they get in, they leave odors to attract other squirrels. This makes their removal an almost impossible task for homeowners.

• Flying Squirrels:

  Flying squirrels are nocturnal. If you hear noises around your attic between 7 PM and 7 AM, it is most likely a flying squirrel. Flying squirrels are a huge problem because in order to keep their ever-growing teeth to a manageable level, they constantly chew and gnaw at things. This can cause a lot of damage to your home. They also occur in much greater numbers than gray squirrels because they live in colonies, so if you see one flying squirrel in your attic chances are there are a lot more living in there as well.

Squirrels chew through electrical wiring

Squirrels love to chew through our housing structures and wires are one of their go-to meals. This behavior can cause serious damage to your home and safety issues for your family as electrical wires are live and will spark fires in your attic, crawlspace, or basement where the squirrels are dwelling. There are over 20,000 homes in the U.S. burn down each year due to squirrel wire damage. 

Feces & Diseases

Squirrel droppings and urine are also damaging to your home and dangerous to the people living inside. Squirrels carry diseases and their feces can be laced with bacterias. The clean up of a squirrel infestation is time-consuming and costly.

Professional Squirrel Control & Removal in Atlanta, GA

At Lookout Pest Control, formerly Any Pest Inc., we are leaders of pest and wildlife control, providing high-quality squirrel control services to residents in the metro-Atlanta area for over three decades. All of our wildlife technicians are permitted by the Dept. Of Agriculture to perform nuisance wildlife control. You can count on us to get the job done correctly and efficiently. If you are having a squirrel infestation problem, contact us online or give us a call today at 678-888-0035.