Seattle Squirrel Removal & Control Trapping Service

US Animal control

Seattle

Professional Licensed Wildlife Removal

Seattle Wildlife Removal and Exclusion Specialists

Remove These Animals Everyday

*1-888-229-2036*

Flying squirrel information Below

Seattle Squirrel information

The best form of squirrel control is prevention!

Proper sanitation and property maintenance in Seattle will prevent most problems. Most urban squirrels owe their existence to humans. We supply both food, and shelter without thinking. A house is just another funny looking tree to the squirrel. Why should the squirrel spend days cutting and hauling twigs up a tree to build a nest, when there is a perfectly good attic to sleep in. Its warm, out of the weather, and they don't have to worry about predators coming in. Just add a few leaves, a bit of fluff, and call it home.

A dish of pet food left unattended, an open garbage can, or a full bird feeder is a free meal to a hungry squirrel. Their common sense says " this sure beats foraging" and it's a lot easier. Wow...these humans are really great!

If you read this far, then you probably have some of these problems already. So, remove the food supply. If it is a bird feeder, move it twenty or more feet from the house. Close or cover garbage cans, and if possible make them inaccessible. If you have a barbecue near the house, keep it clean and covered. Squirrels have been know to eat the drippings and sometimes build a nest if they can get inside. It doesn't take very long, sometimes just hours.

Maybe the squirrels are digging in your Seattle garden, or flower pots. While you can't stop a squirrel from digging, you can discourage it. Use hardware cloth, a heavy metal screening with a half inch square grid, to place in the flower pot. Cut it to fit around the stem of the plant, and extend it to the edges of the pot. Place it just below the soil. Put some small rocks near the edge to hold it in place. This same approach can be used in a small garden.

If the squirrels are eating your fruit as it ripens, about the only way to stop them is to cage the entire plant. Most times this is not practical, and allowing them to have a little may be a small price to pay. I know they can be wasteful, try to accept it as food tasting.
Other devices, such as high frequency sound emitters and animal scents may be effective for a short period of time. Once the squirrel gets use to them, and they will. They become ineffective, and you're out a lot of money.

The use of " Squirrel Away" or " Hot Pepper Spray" are also ineffective as deterrents. They can actually do harm to both squirrels, and other animals, especially when these products get into their eyes. Then how do you deal with a blind squirrel?
The use of " moth balls" as a deterrent does work. But again, only temporarily. A determined squirrel will get used to the smell, or simply push the " smelly stuff" out of its way. So if you do try this method, wrap them in a piece of metal screening to form a bag. Then tie the bag to a solid object, make it as difficult as possible for the squirrel to move. You will have to replace the contents every few days for it to be truly effective.
Another problem area can be exposed wires or rubber hose's. Most common are those on gas grills, and stored motor vehicles. But, low voltage lighting can be a tempting target for squirrels. What the most squirrels are trying to do, is clean and sharpen their teeth. They do this by biting through some material, (normally wood) then they pull their head back so the fibers slide between the teeth. I guess you could call it the squirrel version of dental floss. Most squirrels stick with small tree branches, but some have found the plastic coated wire or rubber hose does a much better job. The only way to stop this problem is to trap and relocate the offending squirrel. Once the squirrel is removed, the problem should end.
Once a squirrel has chewed its way into an attic or crawl space, again the only practical way to remove it is by trapping (see section below). Of course repairs should be made immediately to close the entrance hole. It is also important to cut off the access route to the attic or crawl space. This may require trimming tree branches that overhang the roof. Remove firewood that may be stacked against the building. Fill cracks in foundation walls. Even a one inch hole or crack can make a suitable entrance hole for a determined squirrel. When patching wood, use metal plates or flashing where ever possible. On foundations walls use concrete. Avoid plastic or PVC vents when ever possible.

If your only alternative is to trap, and remove an unwanted squirrel, you should first check with your Seattle local government agency. Your City, County, or State may require you to obtain a permit. There may be certain circumstances when a professional trapper is needed to capture and relocate the animal. A phone call can save you a lot of trouble.
The other very important part of trapping concerns the time of year. The female squirrel will give birth to a litter of three or four, in the early spring and possibly again in the fall. If you trap and relocate the mother squirrel, you will surely kill her babies since they can not leave the nest on their own. While this alone would be heart breaking, consider what will become of those baby squirrels. They can cause quite a smell. Please give this some careful thought before you proceed. If you're not sure, please ask for help. That's what we're here for. If you are allowed to trap, your next step will be to find a suitable trap. Be sure to find one that is the proper size for the squirrel you wish to trap. Too small of a trap may not completely enclose the squirrel and one too large may not be sensitive enough for a one pound squirrel.
Traps should come with instructions to bait and set them, be sure you under- stand and follow the directions. Peanut butter (Skippy crunchy) is considered the best bait for a squirrel. Placing a spoonful on the trip lever usually does the trick.
Your first step is to do a little detective work. Find the path that the squirrel is using to your attic, crawl space or where ever it should not be. To find this path, you must first observe your squirrel's routine. Normally in Seattle a squirrel will leave the nest at dawn or shortly after in search of food. This would be the best time to watch and wait. Find a place where you can view your house and the entrance hole. Be very still, and watch how it gets to or from the house. E.g. climbing, jumping or both. Once you discover this path, you should place the trap accordingly. Always set the trap on a stable surface, such as the ground, on a porch or deck. Never hang the trap!
If you have the time, leave the trap opened and without bait for several days, so the squirrel will accept it as part of the landscape. You should also consider what if any other animals might be in the area of the trap. Since a cat, dog, or even a bird may be tempted into your trap.
You must be able to see or hear the trap operate, so it would be best to set it only when you have the time to watch or listen for it to operate. Once a squirrel is trapped it must be removed as quickly as possible to prevent stress to the animal. Be sure you are wearing heavy work gloves while handling the trap. Be prepared to listen to a lot of complaining. This squirrel is going to voice its displeasure non-stop!

You must relocate the squirrel at least a three miles from your location, even further if you are in a heavily wooded area. An ideal location would have a natural barrier, such as a river or lake. If you're moving the squirrel within an urban area, try to place it across several highways or other busy streets. You should give some thought to where you are going to relocate the squirrel before capture. A place where it can find food, water and shelter would be in your best interest. Don't give this squirrel a reason to return!

It may be necessary to repeat this process if more than one squirrel is involved. Please remember that if there are babies in the nest, they can " not" be trapped and must be removed by hand.
Then be sure to correct the problem that led to the squirrel moving in, as quickly as possible. Be sure to wash the entrance area, with a strong solution of ammonia and water, or a household cleaner to remove any scent the squirrel's may have left.
If you have problems, concerns, or questions about live trapping. Many local government agencies have people that are knowledgeable in this area and may be able to offer you additional advice.
If you do not have the time or are not sure you can accomplish this task. There are professional animal or pest control companies that can remove squirrels for you. If you consider the time and effort involved, it may be best to contact a local company for an estimate.

Seattle

FLYING SQUIRRELS

THE ULTIMATE PEST

Glaucomys volans; Glaucomys sabrinus

Species: Southern flying squirrel ( Glaucomys volans), and the Northern flying squirrel (Glaucomys sabrinus)

Size: 9-11 inches long, the Southern is the slightly smaller of the two.

Weight: 2-4 ounces

Color: Northern flying squirrels have light brown upper body fur and a white belly. Southern flying squirrels have a grayish brown body, white belly and black ring around their eyes.

Range: Southern flying squirrels are found from southern Canada south to southern Florida, west to Minnesota and eastern Texas. Northern flying squirrels are found from southeastern Alaska and northern Canada south to Tennessee and west to the Pacific coast.

Reproduction: Females of both species mate in early spring, and about 5 weeks later, give birth to three to five tiny, blind young. Southern flying squirrels may have two litters in summer, but this rarely occurs in Northern flying squirrel females.

Habits: Northern flying squirrels usually live near streams and rivers. They build their nests in tree cavities in forests full of wood rot, frost cracking, and leftover woodpecker and carpenter ant holes. Females breed with only one male and will stay with that male year after year.

More aggressive than their northern cousins, the Southern flying squirrels produce several high pitch sounds used for navigation, communication and mating. Females breed with different males and after mating the male has nothing to do with the female or the young.

Lifespan: Though their life expectancy is only about six years in the wild, flying squirrels often live between 10 and 15 years in captivity.

Falling with Style: Depending on the air current, flying squirrels may glide 150 feet or more from a height of 60 feet. They can turn easily at right angles while gliding and control the direction of their glide by tensing and turning their legs and body and flapping their tail. As a flying squirrel approaches its landing, the squirrel flips its tail up and holds its body back to slow the glide down, giving the squirrel ample time to position its feet for grasping the tree trunk. Flying squirrels usually land face up and often run up the tree immediately after landing.

What if we could design the ultimate pest, one that would made us money and drive everyone else insane? What if you could design a pest that would drive any homeowner to the point that they would shoot holes in their ceilings or tear down entire wall to get rid of it? If I could design the perfect pest, I would make it run around all night long, causing the homeowners to lose sleep. I would make it move into the house in the winter and leave in the summer-only to come back just when the homeowner thinks it finally gone.

Setting traps would be almost worthless unless you were very good at it, and even then more of the pest would return the following year. They could squeeze through a hole the size of your thumbnail, and through a linear crack the width of your pinky finger. Even worse, the entry hole would have little, if any, chewing damage, so it would be hard to find the main entryway.

I would make this pest toilet in one spot over and over again, day after day. It would have a strong odor and stain the ceilings and soffits. The feces would look like bat guano, just to confuse both homeowners and wildlife professionals.

I would make this pest omnivorous, so if the homeowners removed the birdfeeders outside, the pest could still feed on the mice living in the house.

I would make it lightening fast and loud, so seeing it would be difficult and hearing it would seem like an entire army was living in the attic. If they were to catch a glimpse of one, the homeowners would find that’s it’s multi-colored, so it’s difficult to identify or describe-except for its really big eyes, which make it seem larger than it really is.

Jumping 100 to 150 feet would be no problem for this pest, so cutting down trees would be absolutely useless.

And, of course, I would make it so that only wildlife professionals with serious experience could effectively catch them.

They already exist

In my book, the flying squirrel is the ultimate pest. Next to the bat, this is the pest that pays my mortgage. It’s the pest that I have spent the last decade studying at night, strapped to trees, waiting for them to come by. These are the little guys I have spent countless nights anchored to roofs to observe them during exclusions. I have sat in an attic all night long and have had them run up my pants legs.

They are the ultimate pest, and I am thankful for them. Yes, flying squirrels can pose a serious challenge, but don’t be discouraged. If you can do a bat exclusion, you can do a flying squirrel exclusion. The basic idea is to find the main entryway and put a one-way door over it. Then seal up the rest of the house. For flying squirrels, you want to seal up all holes bigger than your thumbnail and any linear crack wider than your pinky finger. You can use any type of barrier, but the key is to use something that they cannot get through. Remember that bats will not chew to get back in the way a flying squirrel will. I have heard that “flyers” will not chew through barriers or electrical wires. That is false. I have seen them chew electrical wires just like corn on the cob. However, they chew in such a hyper state that they never sit still long enough to make it through the wire like mice or red and gray squirrels will.

Attention to detail is crucial. Your can seal up an entire house and leave one small hole in the hardest-to-reach spot and they will find it.

During an exclusion, when they first go out of the one-way door and then can’t get back in, flying squirrels start to search the entire roof line for another way back in. The lowest point I have found them to re-enter is from six feet above ground.

Give the entire exclusion process 10 days. If symptoms are still occurring after that, the flying squirrels have found their way back in. For you, that means it’s time to start searching for the new entryway. This is where a lot of professionals will start to pull their hair out.

If you have little patience, do not even attempt to do flying squirrel or bat work. But for the rest of us, make the most out of this opportunity. And when this pest is giving you headaches, just remember that the only way to be the best is to do things than no one else is willing to do. That’s how you can become the ultimate wildlife management professional.

The exclusion

Flying squirrels will be one of the toughest challenges that you will ever face in the field. There are really only two ways to get rid of flying squirrels from a customer’s home--trapping and exclusion. Trapping is a temporary solution with a temporary relief for the customer. If the house isn’t sealed, squirrels will always come back. The customers calls you back the next year and they’re trapped out again, and soon the customer grows tired of this and calls a company that can fix the problem permanently. They don’t give you referrals; instead, they refer the company that fixed the problem permanently.

An exclusion will win out on any bids presented to an educated customer against the trapping method. The customer should become educated during the inspection.

The first step once you’ve made the sale is to locate the main entry way. Flying squirrels will generally use one or two main entry ways. The trick here is once they go through the one-way door, any and all other cracks and small openings can become the new main entry ways. The must be sealed up also.

I used to sit up on houses at night during exclusions with night vision goggles to see what they were capable of. I would do the same thing with trees where I knew flying squirrels were hunting and foraging. I once infested my own house with flying squirrels and had monitoring cameras set up to watch what was going on in my attic and walls.

Northern and Southern flying squirrels will eat mice, bats, birds, bird eggs, moths, all kinds of insects, fruits, nuts, seeds and will raid bees and hornets nests. They’ll even kill and consume other flying squirrels from other colonies-they are true omnivores. The irony of it is, flying squirrels easily get used to humans because they are so communal, so much so that they are illegally making it into the pet trade.

To keep out the other cracks from becoming main entry ways you must seal them up. I use silicone and ¼ inch galvanized wire mesh. Many people use black foam but I prefer the silicone. Points to seal up right off the bat are your ridge cap vents, gable end vents, returns and soffits. You must cover every square inch, six feet and up (I have never found an area below this height that a flying squirrel has entered). What I found is that flying squirrels disperse in groups of about six-never alone.

The chimney is another area that must be scrutinized. The flashing must be sealed and you must check to see if the chimney is lined in older homes. If it’s lined, check to make sure that the crown is intact and that there are no gaps leading into the chimney that they can squeeze through. Look down and make sure that the liner tiles are mortared together. Sometimes I have found gaps on the highest one that the flying squirrels were getting down in from. They cannot go up a lined chimney once they go down, and will get trapped in the firebox. But, they can jump the height of one if it is disconnected.

If the chimney is not lined then it must be capped. Your standard caps will allow re-entry so you must line the cap with smaller mesh, or mortar one in place beforehand. If this is their main entry-way, then vent them from here, making sure it doesn’t stop air flow for a furnace or gas stove.

If it’s for a wood stove or fireplace, make sure that the homeowners are aware of what needs to be done and what you are doing. Even a chimney that is line can be so laden with creosote that flying squirrels can travel up and down the entire length of the chimney.

Keep in mind that if during your inspection if you find bats of evidence of bats, you should inform the homeowners that it wouldn’t be that much more to also exclude them at the same time.

On the day of the exclusion, make sure that you book a date to come back for the takedown. No matter how prepared you are, no matter how well you sealed up the house, you will always get a few callbacks. This is when you must troubleshoot and search for the area where the flyers got back in and re-exclude them back out again. Search all the areas that you previously sealed and check for rotten wood on the edges. Wood rot should be taken into consideration in the beginning, but sometimes it is just enough to miss and can be rotten enough for the flyers to chew the edges and slide back in.

There are always unforeseen areas, so take your time and check all areas the first time. Never try to race through an exclusion, or you will find yourself redoing your work, and that will cost you money. Your worst critics will be the flying squirrels, and one mistake from you will be a victory for them.

David Kondrup

us animal control state wildlife removal and control experts