Why Some People View Squirrels as Pests

Squirrels are widely viewed as innocuous and even cute by most people. However, just like any other animals on Earth, they can become a severe nuisance in large numbers. In this article, we want to go over how this cute little rodent can become a serious pest.

You see them scurrying around, looking for eggcorns, running up and down the neighborhood trees. Squirrels in small numbers are little more than a decoration on the landscape that is your home. But this is not always the case.

An area rich in resources can quickly become overwhelmed with squirrels. This is because a single females can have 10 or more kits per year. In a setting where there are a large number of squirrels, they can become more aggressive and do more damage to your property. They are also more prone to contract rabies, a disease which can infect you or your household pets.

Squirrels will often dig up gardens or yards, chew on wires, raid bird feeders and even make a nest in your attic or crawlspace. Believe it or not, squirrels do many millions of dollars’ worth of damage to homes and yards every single year.

They aren’t going out of their way to bother you. They are just trying to set up a community like any other creature on this Earth. But their intention really doesn’t matter when you find yourself with chewed communications wires and a destroyed garden. You simply want them gone.

Keeping squirrels out of your attic or crawlspace can be as simple as sealing up any openings they are using to gain access. You can also sprinkle cayenne pepper or vinegar near it, so they don’t try to re-open the access point. It’s important to remember that small squirrels can make their way through a hole as little as an inch in diameter.

A pest control agent can help you set traps around your home if you have a squirrel population problem. Making sure there are no easily obtainable foods for them to live on is a good idea as well. Maybe put away the bird feeder for a while. Or remove the tree they are feeding from. Some folks have even resorted to using a pellet gun.

Whatever your preferred method of ridding yourself of a squirrel problem is, make sure you do it right and stick with it. With enough effort you can cut the local squirrel population way down or even eliminate it entirely.