The Eastern Gray Squirrel (Sciurus carolinensis),

 

The genus, Sciurus, is derived from two Greek words, skia, meaning shadow, and oura, meaning tail. This name alludes to the squirrel sitting in the shadow of its tail. The word, carolinensis, refers to the Carolinas, where the species was first recorded.

The gray squirrel is is predominately gray, however may have reddish fur as well.  In some suburban areas, black and albino squirrels have been found.

Gray Squirrels hoard food and may be seen digging holes into your lawn tp bury acorns or other nuts in the fall.

Hoarding is type of animal behavior where an animal will store its food within a cache, in times of surplus, for times when food is less plentiful. It will also scatter hoard when it can't defend a large concentration of stored food. In other words, it will spread out the food supply, perhaps throughout its home range, hiding it well to prevent other animals from finding and pilfering it. There are two types of caching behavior, scatter-hoarding, where a species will create multiple caches, often with each individual food item stored in a unique place, and larder-hoarding, where a species creates a few larger caches which it often defends.

Squirrels live in a leaf nest, referred to as a drey.  It is made up of leaves and twigs.  The squirrels usually prefer a nest in a tree cavity, as this protects the young from predators and from falling out.  In many areas the squirrels will nest in attics of homes.

The Gray Squirrel is Diurnal, meaning active in the daytime hours.  It may be heard in the early morning inside of homes scurrying from the soffet area.  

Reproduction takes place two times per year, December-February, and May to June.  The gestation period is 44 days.  2-4 young are on average, but as many as 8 may be born.  At 7 weeks the young are weened and will leave the nest after 10 weeks.  The Gray Squirrel can breed as early as five months of age, but most do not breed until after the first year.  The Gray Squirrel can live up to 20 years in captivity,  and up to 12 years in the wild.  Most do not live that long due to predation.

 Baby Squirrels Removed from Atlanta home.

                                       Squirrel Nest (Drey)

                                     Squirrel Entry Point

Gray Squirrel Trapping & Removal for Atlanta, GA

Squirrels can be very annoying creatures if they enter your attic space for shelter or to nest.  Noisy squirrels may be heard scurrying along the soffit area in your attic.  This usually occurs in the early morning hours, depending on the weather outside.  Some indication that you have squirrels in your attic or home, is that you may hear acorns dropping into wall voids, or scratching sounds as the squirrels make a cozy nest in your attic.  Gnawing sounds, urine stains on the ceiling, or you may even smell the strong scent of the squirrels while your investigating up in your attic space.  We strongly recommend against trying to walk up in the attic area, as we have had customers fall through their attics and injure themselves.

How squirrels get into your home

Squirrels will enter through existing holes or gaps in shoddy construction, rotted wood, gable vents, soffits, eaves, and other areas that are poorly constructed.  Construction gaps are usually the number one area of entry.  The squirrels will usually chew into the fascia board at the roof cornice, or roof corners, as this is usually an area that is easily compromised.

The squirrels may chew into other areas of your home and seem to love cedar shake shingles.  This wood is easily chewed through, or pecked by woodpeckers in search of grubs, which leave an inviting opening for the squirrels to enter through.  If you have squirrels in your attic, squirrel removal  and control is the only option available to stop damage from occurring.  Atlanta Wildlife Solutions, LLC, removes squirrels humanely by placing squirrel excluder traps over entry holes, thus allowing safe squirrel removal or by placing cage traps on roof tops, or near the entry points, using attractive baits, that will capture the most sneakiest squirrel. 

Gray Squirrels are very territorial in nature and you may see squirrels on your roof vocalizing in an effort to persuade you to leave. Some customers of ours have tried to use human hair, repellents, coyote urine, bb guns, strobe lights, and a host of other gimmicks to no avail.   

Squirrels can certainly be bold at times.  Most squirrels that find their way into your home are simply looking for shelter.  Other squirrels may be looking for a new nesting site to have young.  Either way, we can rid your home of squirrel pests for good.  Get Rid of Squirrels Quickl and Efficiently, Call us Today for a Free Quote.

Professional Squirrel Removal and Control for Atlanta, GA.



Gray Squirrel photographed by Chad Artimovich Copyright 2011

                  Squirrels will damage your home and create costly repairs!

            Two Juvenile Gray Squirrels removed from John's Creek Home.

How to get rid of squirrels from your home.  Gray Squirrel Removal for Atlanta, Alpharetta, Roswell John's Creek, Dunwoody, Milton, Buckhead, Sandy Springs, Cumming, Dawsonville, GA, and surrounding areas, provided by Atlanta Wildlife Solutions, LLC.

Photograph by Chad Artimovich, Copyright 2012



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If you think you have a squirrel in your attic, think again. You have more than one, usually 4 or 5 or more. Squirrels are very social animals and will stay as a family unit, which in essence means more damage to your home.

If you try and resolve the squirrel problem yourself, you may end up trapping a squirrel or squirrels in your attic which will cause major damage as the squirrel or squirrels will chew a hole to get out. If one or more of the squirrel family members are outside, they may assist the squirrel that is located within the attic in escaping.

It is best to leave the squirrel removal and exclusion to a professional in the animal control or wildlife control field. Most of the time the problem can be corrected in a short time with no more damage caused. A wildlife professional will also assist in preventative measures which will deter future problems with squirrels.

Some customers have tried to have a "handy man" take care of the squirrel problem by throwing poison up in the attic or placing wire mesh over the hole, this is not only illegal, since squirrel removal can only be be performed by licensed wildlife control professionals, but costly since dead animal removal will be needed.

Squirrels are acrobats and can easily gain access to your roof by jumping from trees or climbing gutters by hugging the edges.  Cutting or trimming branches may help, but is not a cure all. Feeding birds attracts squirrels and other rodents.  Squirrels can be persistent and chew on the exterior wood of your home and still do damage.  Trimming branches that contact your home will help deter squirrels using an easy access to your roof.  Squirrels only need a marginal gap to start gnawing down wood to enter into your home.  We can provide tree trimming along with our other squirrel removal services.  Please be sure to ask us during our squirrel inspection.

Atlanta Wildlife Solutions, LLC, can solve your squirrel problem, utilizing time proven squirrel trapping and removal techniques.

Remember, nuisance squirrels should be handled by a wildlife control professional.

Please contact us today to schedule an appointment at 770-363-5350

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Sometimes, young juvenile squirrels will fall from nest down into a void area, or other area within the attic and die. This can create a horrible odor, if this does occur, Atlanta Wildlife Solutions, LLC, specializes in all phases of dead rodent and animal removal.  Click here if you are in need of dead animal removal.

When squirrels reside inside of your attic, they can leave an awful mess.  We have found mummified squirrels that have died while chewing on wires, squirrel feces and urine scattered throughout the attic insulation, chewed wires, large quantities of chewed insulation and leaf debris.  Atlanta Wildlife Solutions, LLC, offers squirrel feces removal, contaminated insulation removal, and deodorizing, so that your attic is restored to its previous condition.

If you have squirrels in your attic, some of the following may occur from them nesting in your cozy home,

Contamination- is caused from squirrel droppings and urine, sometimes the urine soaks into the sheet rock and may seep down into the living are of the home.  We have also found sheet rock chewed into after removing insulation. Dead squirrels attract bugs and other parasites once living on the squirrel will seek a new host.  Squirrels also mat down insulating material, which causes higher fuel bills.

Insulation- Many  Atlanta homes were not insulated properly by builders when the home was constructed, thus increasing gas and electric bills.  Most homeowners do not go up into their attic, except to change the air filter, or change an occasional light bulb.  Damage from squirrels is evident once they have residing inside the attic space for a period of time.  Strong odors are apparent from feces and urine, as well as chewed wires and wood damage.  As squirrels travel throughout the attic in search of food, loose fill insulation will become matted and compressed allowing heated air to escape into the attic in the winter and hot air to enter the home in the summer. This squirrel damage causes heating and cooling bills to rise. Insulation replacement should not be remedied until squirrel removal and exclusion have been solved.

 We are greater Atlanta's premier animal waste removal and insulation removal contractor.

  Squirrel Biology and Habits


 

Atlanta Wildlife Solutions, LLC provides squirrel removal, squirrel trapping, squirrel pest control, squirrel control, and squirrel exclusion and damage repair in Atlanta and all of North Georgia, including the counties of Baldwin, Barrow, Bibb, Butts, Carrol, Chattahoochee, Cherokee, Clarke, Clayton, Cobb, Conyers, Coweta, Dekalb, Douglas, Fayette, Forsyth, Fulton, Gwinnett, Jones, Marion, Monroe, Morgan, Oconee, Paulding, Rockdale, Schley, Stewart, Upson, Walton and Webster; the cities of Acworth, Alpharetta, Athens, Atlanta, Buford, Carrollton, Catula, Columbus, Cumming, Decatur, Douglasville, Duluth, Dunwoody, Fayetteville, Ft. Benning, Fortson, Midland, Mulberry Grove, Gainesville, Hapeville, Kennesaw, Lawrenceville, McDonough, Marietta, Macon, Newnan, Peachtree City, Roswell, Sandy Springs, Smyrna, Stockbridge, Suwanee, Thomaston, and Woodstock; and all of their surrounding metropolitan areas.

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