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Frequently Asked Questions About Squirrels
- I found a baby squirrel--can I care for it myself?
- I found a squirrel nest and/or babies in an inconvenient or dangerous area. Can I move it/them to a better area?
- There's a
squirrel/squirrel family living in my attic/shed/under my deck. How can I get rid of it/them?
- I found a hole leading into my roof/attic. How can I tell if this space is currently occupied by squirrels?
- There’s a squirrel living/nesting in my car engine. What can I do?
- There's a
squirrel in my yard-could it have rabies?
- There’s a squirrel is chewing at my window panes/part of my house. What should I do?
- There’s a squirrel is frantically trying to get into my roof/attic/garage. What should I do?
- A mother squirrel has had a litter of babies on my balcony—how do I get them to leave?
- There’s a squirrel digging up bulbs in my garden. What can I do to deter it?
- Help—my question wasn’t answered here!
- How do I choose a wildlife removal company?
1. I found a baby
squirrel--can I care for it myself?
Baby squirrels will always receive the best care from their parents, even though life in the wild may seem dangerous for them. Before intervening with any baby, make sure it is actually orphaned by following the links under “Orphaned or Abandoned Animal”.
If the baby is in need of help, it is important for several reasons that the baby receives professional care from a wildlife rehabilitator if it is to be raised in captivity. Baby squirrels have very specific dietary requirements. Because these babies grow so rapidly, improper nutrition can cause problems in their development that is not always apparent until it is too late. Wildlife rehabilitators trained to raise baby squirrels are able to provide species appropriate food, and the right kind of care facilities (e.g. access to large, secluded outdoor cages to exercise and develop normal behaviours before release).
In addition, baby squirrels MUST be raised along side other baby squirrels and with minimal contact with any other species (including humans) in order to develop normal social behaviours that enable them to survive in the wild. Squirrels that do not learn how to fear and avoid predators, for example, and communicate with others of their species, have a poor chance of survival and can even become a threat to humans and other animals once released.
Because of their specific requirements, Toronto Wildlife Centre does not recommend trying to care for squirrels without proper training in wildlife rehabilitation, appropriate permits, and the resources and facilities required to meet the needs of the babies and give them a fair chance at survival after release. Squirrels are also provincially protected and it is against the law to care for them without proper permits.
What if I just keep the baby as a pet?
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2. I found a squirrel nest and/or babies in an inconvenient or dangerous area. Can I move it/them to a better area?
Moving squirrel babies to a new location will orphan the young. Even if babies are moved with their mother it is unlikely that she will continue to care for them in the new location. Additionally, relocating an adult squirrel will place the animal in a new territory where it would be at an extreme disadvantage—in addition to it being against the law to relocate wildlife, relocated animals often do not survive in their “new” territory. Squirrels commonly den in busy urban and suburban areas, and tend to do even better in these areas—where there is ample food and shelter—than more remote “natural” habitat. Relocating wildlife also does not address the real source of the problem, which is a structure that has not been properly “animal-proofed” or a food source is available. New animals will simply move in to the space left open by relocated animals.
It is, however, sometimes possible to encourage squirrel families to move on their own when they have denned in inconvenient areas. See FAQ “There’s a squirrel family living in my attic...” for more information.
It is also possible, when assistance is needed in moving a squirrel family, to hire a humane wildlife removal company. The consumer should be cautious of unprofessional or inhumane organizations, however. Wildlife removal is not a well regulated industry and many practices that seem innocuous may be harmful to the animal or leave the homeowner vulnerable to further damage. Toronto Wildlife Centre recommends AAA Wildlife Control as the best option. AAA Wildlife Control is a reputable company with a reliable history of humane animal removal and good customer care. If AAA Wildlife does not serve your area, click here for a list of tips on how to screen potential companies.
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3. There’s a squirrel/squirrel family living in my attic/roof/shed. How can I get rid of it/them?
Squirrels use den sites in the spring and summer to raise their young, so any squirrel inhabiting a space like this during that time should be assumed to be part of a family, even if only one squirrel is seen.
Often, the best course of action is to do nothing at all. Squirrels typically inhabit den sites for short periods. They seek shelter in the summer when they rear their young, and in winter, during cold spells. Squirrel babies become independent 3 months of age, after which point they disperse from their family groups and leave the area. Squirrels do not present a threat to people, and if the minor inconveniences of their presence can be tolerated, it may be easiest to simply wait until they leave naturally and then close off the area to prevent future use of the den site.
If you want to hasten a squirrel’s departure from an active den, we suggest using sight-sound-smell harassment at the opening to the den. This method should ideally be applied in October and November, after most babies are weaned and before the weather gets too cold. (Unless absolutely necessary, neither this or any other exclusion method should be used between April and September, when young babies may be inside the den, since it is possible that an evicted mother might abandon or become separated from her babies, causing them to die inside the den. However, most squirrel mothers will relocate themselves and their babies to an alternate den site when threatened.) Place the following items near or inside the entrance hole to the den:
- A bright light. A motion-activated light is ideal, but any powerful light will do. If the light is used inside a structure, you may wish to enclose it in a wire cage so that it doesn’t come into contact with flammable material.
- A radio. Tune the radio to an all-talk station—the sound of human voices is threatening to squirrels. The radio should be as loud as possible, but does not have to be so loud that it causes a disturbance to your neighbours.
- Urine soaked rags/urine soaked cat litter. Wild animals often use urine to mark their territories. Squirrels are threatened by the smell of another animal’s urine near their den. Place open baggies of urine-soaked cat litter near the entrance to the den, and replenish it daily. Alternatively, you may use a rag soaked in ammonia. Ammonia-soaked rags should be placed in a plastic bag punched with small holes to allow the smell to escape. (This barrier not only helps to keep the rags from drying out but limits the animals’ direct exposure to ammonia, which can be toxic.).
These sensory harassments should be used during the day only, when squirrels are most active. Continue them for three consecutive days, all day long. Sometime during this period the squirrel will probably relocate itself and its family to a new home. After three days, remove the harassments and check to make sure the squirrels are no longer using the den by taping a piece of newspaper over top of the entrance hole. Check the newspaper daily for 3 days in a row—if it is undisturbed for that period of time and there are no sounds coming from inside the den, it is safe to close the hole without worry of trapping animals inside. Seal the hole by bolting down 1/2” wire mesh (also called hardware cloth) overtop. This material is available at hardware stores.
It is also possible, when assistance is needed in moving a squirrel family, to hire a humane wildlife removal company. The consumer should be cautious of unprofessional or inhumane organizations, however. Wildlife removal is not a well regulated industry and many practices that seem innocuous may be harmful to the animal or leave the homeowner vulnerable to further damage. Toronto Wildlife Centre recommends AAA Wildlife Control as the best option. AAA Gates Wildlife Control is a reputable company with a reliable history of humane animal removal and good customer care. If AAA Wildlife does not serve your area, click here for a list of tips on how to screen potential companies.
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4. I found a hole leading into my roof/attic. How can I tell if this space is currently occupied by squirrels?
Loosely tape a piece of newspaper over the hole early in the morning. Check the hole late in the day, and then again the next morning, and then again late the next day (these frequent checks are to see if the paper gets moved by an animal, and if so, at what time of day/night this happens). If the newspaper is disturbed/torn away during daylight hours, it is likely that squirrels are using the space as a den. (For tips on how to handle a resident squirrel family in this situation, click here). If the paper is disturbed at night, it is more likely that nocturnal animal such as raccoons are using the space (see raccoon FAQ’s for more information on resolving this situation). If the newspaper is not disturbed at all over a period of three days/nights, it is safe to assume it is not an active den entrance point and may be sealed by bolting down 1/2” wire mesh (also called hardware cloth) overtop of the hole. This material is available at hardware stores.
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5. There’s a squirrel living/nesting in my car engine. What can I do?
In spring and summer, squirrels seen going into a car engine are likely nesting or preparing to nest inside the engine. At other times of year, squirrels may be using engines to keep warm, or simply chewing the wires.
As this situation can be potentially detrimental to both the engine and the squirrel, we suggest using a sight-sound-smell harassment to encourage the squirrels to move on (squirrels with young are capable of moving their young to an alternate den site, if given a chance to do so). Use the following steps:
- Prop open the hood of the car during the day. It is best to start early in the morning, when squirrels become active. This will create a more exposed area which will be less appealing to nesting squirrels. Leave the hood closed overnight, as squirrels are not active during this time and will not move to a new location overnight.
- Place the following things inside the engine:
- A radio. Tune the radio to an all-talk station—the sound of human voices is threatening to squirrels. The radio should be as loud as possible, but does not have to be so loud that it causes a disturbance to your neighbours.
- Urine soaked rags/urine soaked cat litter. Wild animals often use urine to mark their territories. Squirrels are threatened by the smell of another animal’s urine near their den. Place open baggies of urine-soaked cat litter on the engine. Alternatively, you may use a rag soaked in ammonia. Ammonia-soaked rags should be placed in a plastic bag punched with small holes to allow the smell to escape. (This barrier helps keep the rags from drying out, limits the animals’ direct exposure to ammonia, which can be toxic, as well as contains a potentially flammable chemical. Note that these bags MUST be removed before the car is driven anywhere).
Additionally, taste deterrents such as cayenne pepper or bitter apple spray (the latter is available at many vet clinics) may work as a deterrent to chewing if applied to engine tubing where squirrels are chewing, though it is advisable to check with your mechanic before placing any chemicals in your car engine to ensure it is safe.
Continue these harassment measures all day long. If the squirrels do not move from the engine, close the hood overnight and repeat the process the next day. It may take several days for the squirrel to move on.
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6. There's a
squirrel in my yard-could it have rabies?
It would be extremely unlikely. Rabies is a rare virus in North American wildlife, and squirrels are not a typical transmitter for this disease. Most squirrels that appear sick or injured, including squirrels that are disoriented or losing balance (which can be signs of rabies), are suffering from other types of injuries or illnesses. In addition, the rabies virus can only be contracted through a bite or scratch from an animal showing active symptoms of the disease, at which point they are noticeably ill. To prevent any possibility of being bitten, never handle a sick squirrel directly. If you have found a squirrel you think may be sick or injured, choose “Sick or Injured Animal” from the main menu and follow the links.
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7. There’s a squirrel is chewing at my window panes/part of my house. What should I do?
Like other members of the rodent family, squirrels have long upper and lower incisors designed for gnawing. Because their teeth grow constantly, they must chew on hard items to wear them down. Occasionally squirrels choose areas like window frames or other wood surfaces on houses as a site for chewing. To deter them, it is best to foster a negative association with gnawing at these sites by either applying a taste deterrent such as capsaicin to the area (some products with capsaicin are available at garden centres, or you can use a cayenne pepper and water solution to spray on areas being chewed), or to harass the squirrel whenever it attempts to chew by spraying it with water from a hose or spray bottle (it does not take much to annoy a squirrel in this way—it is not necessary to soak the squirrel with water).
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8. There’s a squirrel is frantically trying to get into my roof/attic/garage. What should I do?
It is common for squirrels to enter human-built structures in order to build nests and rear their young. If any holes in the structure have recently been sealed, a squirrel attempting to regain entry is almost always a mother whose babies have been trapped inside the structure. The hole should be opened immediately—mother squirrels can do damage to the structure while trying to access her babies, and the babies inside will die without their mother’s care. If re-opening the hole is impossible, the babies should be removed, along with their nesting material if they are not yet fully mobile, from inside the structure immediately and placed directly outside the hole where their mother can find them and move them to a new location. This should only be done during daylight hours—if the mother does not retrieve her babies and move them within 2-3 hours, call Toronto Wildlife Centre for further advice at (416) 631-0662 and follow the prompts for “orphaned animals.”
If no holes have recently
been sealed, you may want to deter the squirrel from the point of
entry (or potential point of entry) into the structure using a
combination of harassment techniques.
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9. A mother squirrel has had a litter of babies on my balcony—how do I get them to leave?
Tolerance for the new family should be encouraged for as long as possible. The baby squirrels will be independent and no longer in need of a den site at about three months of age, though often the mother relocates her young to an alternate den site long before this. If the squirrel family absolutely cannot be tolerated in this nest location, harassment techniques may be used close to the nest area to encourage the mother to move her babies to another site—however these methods are strongly discouraged when the babies are young and immobile, as there is some chance all or some of the young could become orphaned in the process.
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10.
There’s a squirrel digging up bulbs in my garden. What can I do to deter it?
Newly planted bulbs such as tulip and crocus are often vulnerable to predation by squirrels. The best way to protect the bulbs is to secure wire mesh down over the planted area (it can then be covered by soil). This will allow the plants to grow through the mesh but prevent squirrels from being able to dig them up. Some have also reported success putting blood or bone meal in the soil to deter squirrels from digging, though the reliability of this method is unconfirmed.
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11. Help—my question wasn’t answered here!
Call our Wildlife Hotline for further advice at (416) 631-0662. The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) website also provides a wealth of information about urban wildlife, and additionally has print materials available on resolving human-wildlife conflicts. See http://www.hsus.org/wildlife/.
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12. How do I choose a wildlife removal company?
Because professional wildlife removal practices are not very strictly monitored, it is up to the consumer to ask questions about a company’s practices before hiring them. A good wildlife removal company should demonstrate the following characteristics:
- Willingness to listen to and look at the problem encountered by the client and provide an individualized plan of action and price estimate before the client is required to commit.
- A focus on long-term solutions, such as fixing all potential entry points (as opposed to simply removing animals).
- At least a one-year guarantee of their work.
- Knowledge of wildlife behaviours, such as when babies will likely be present for each species and potential wildlife access points around the home.
- A "release-on-site" policy for any denning animals that are live-trapped (never hire a company that relocates animals as this is illegal and harmful to the animals). Entrances to the den site should be secured by the company immediately after animals are removed.
- Visual inspection for the presence of babies (e.g., in attics or other confined spaces) whenever possible.
- Frequent monitoring of live-traps (at least twice daily) or agreement with homeowner to do frequent monitoring.
- Availability and willingness to return at any time to removal site in case of emergency (i. e., animals trapped inside a structure due to exclusion, or animals caught in a humane live trap).
- If willing to do removal of babies, a high success rate in reuniting parents with babies.
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