Squirrels are a familiar species of wildlife that are a regular problem on our Jacksonville, Florida, properties. With their large, bushy tails, these furry rodents love to call our yards home. They won’t hesitate to use our trees, roofs, and attics as a place to live and raise their young.
Unfortunately, sharing your property with squirrels is not ideal. These pests pose health risks and cause structural damage. Choosing a professional to provide you with effective Jacksonville squirrel control is vital to keeping squirrels away. The professionals at Wildlife and Pest Control Experts are here to provide you with useful information about squirrels and effective squirrel prevention strategies. Read here to gain a better understanding of these common critters.
Squirrel Behavior And Biology: Insights For Effective Control
Tree squirrels are a common type of squirrel in Jacksonville and the most likely to wreak havoc in our outdoor spaces. These squirrels are agile and known for their acrobatic behaviors. They are excellent climbers and have superior jumping capabilities. The squirrels common in our region are most active during the day and prefer to live above the ground. It is commonplace to see them bounding around rooftops, in trees, and along powerlines.
Squirrels are a type of rodent and, like all rodents, have front incisors that grow continuously throughout their lives. To stop their teeth from overgrowing, squirrels gnaw on almost anything they can fit their chisel-like teeth around. Through their gnawing habits, squirrels can cause a lot of damage in our yards and homes.
Squirrel-Related Health Concerns: Handling Droppings And Disease Risks
Not only are squirrels in Jacksonville damaging pests, but they also create health concerns. Rodents carry and transmit various diseases that can cause illness in people. They spread their diseases through their saliva, feces, and direct contact.
Some of the more common diseases spread by squirrels include:
Salmonellosis
Lyme disease (through infected ticks they carry on their bodies)
Tularemia
Leptospirosis
Ringworm (fungal infection)
While squirrels are cute to watch and seem like they couldn’t possibly be harmful, the truth is that they are disease-spreading pests. Controlling squirrels and keeping them away from your property is vital to the health and safety of your family and pets.
Tips For Squirrel-Proofing Your Yard: Protecting Your Home And Garden
Keep squirrels from taking over with the assistance of these prevention tips:
Remove bird feeders from your property.
Keep trees in your yard pruned back from the roofs of homes and garages.
If you have gardens and fruit trees, regularly harvest them and remove fruits and vegetables from the ground.
Keep tight-fitting lids on all outdoor trash cans.
Place metal sheeting at the base of trees to help stop squirrels from climbing your yard’s trees.
Install owl, hawk, or another predator decoy in your yard, especially near garden areas.
Keep squirrels that find their way to your yard out of your home by ensuring caps are on chimneys, mesh covers are over vents, and screens in windows and doors are intact. It is also important to repair roof damage and inspect exterior walls for openings that provide them with entrance and exit points.
Squirrel Control Done Right: Contact The Experts Today!
Protect your property from unwanted squirrels with the help of Wildlife and Pest Control Experts and our Jacksonville wildlife control services. We understand the needs of homeowners in Jacksonville and how best to protect your property from curious, opportunistic squirrels. Our wildlife control and exclusion services will address any issues you are experiencing with these pests. We can solve even the most challenging squirrel issue using our humane, non-lethal solutions. Please call us today to learn about removing problematic squirrels and implementing a long-term squirrel prevention solution.
Complete our online form to schedule your no-obligation inspection!