Tips To Keep Squirrels Away From Your Western Massachusetts Property

Squirrels are wonderful animals that many people enjoy watching. Is this the case for you? Do you like to watch them as they run around your yard and scramble up trees? Squirrels are fun. But they stop being fun when they start to become a problem.

Squirrels can start damaging window and door screens, plants, and trees, and they can get the notion that it is a pretty good idea to live in your attic. But these aren't the only ways they can cause trouble. A squirrel can be a problem by just coming into your yard.

Let's take a quick look at how squirrels are a problem and how squirrel pest control in Western Massachusetts works to prevent this. Keep in mind that if you have a wildlife control issue that needs to be addressed immediately, you can reach out to us here at American Pest Solutions for service. With that said, let's take a look at those squirrels.

Types Of Squirrels That Hang Around Yards

You've probably noticed that we have an abundance of gray squirrels and red squirrels. If you have squirrels in your yard, they are likely to be one of these two types. While they look different, they generally present the same issues.

The Diseases Squirrels Are Capable Of Spreading

Squirrels are associated with a range of diseases. These can impact dog, cat, and human health. A squirrel doesn't give you these diseases by sneezing on you. They do so by leaving feces and urine in the places they explore, or by dropping ticks and fleas into your yard. One squirrel can have over a hundred seed ticks on its body.

Some of the diseases spread by squirrels are:

• Typhus
• Tularemia
• Lyme disease
• Rocky Mountain spotted fever
• babesiosis
• Plague

Effective Squirrel Prevention Tips

Squirrels come into your yard in search of food. If you have a garden, you can expect to catch the attention of squirrels. They'll also eat many other foods that you might not expect, such as certain plant bulbs, fungi, and insects. You'll notice that food is going to be a major theme in this prevention list. We won't cover all the ways food can attract squirrels, but these tips should inspire you to make your own tips:

• Move bird feeders away from your home. Squirrels love seeds.
• If you have trees that produce nuts or fruit, keep on top of cleaning them up off the ground.
• If you have a garden or berry bushes, there are a few natural ways to deter squirrels, such as putting hot pepper on your plants. Select the methods that work best for you.
• Refrain from feeding squirrels.
• Remove water sources and address conditions that allow rainwater to collect on your property.
• Trim tree branches away from your roofline to prevent squirrels from getting onto your roof.
• Use fencing material to protect voids underneath structures.
• Stay on top of yard clean-up, such as raking leaves.
• Keep brush piles well away from your exterior.
• Use motion-sensitive flashing lights or some other scare tactic to scare squirrels away.

The prevention steps listed here can have a big impact on squirrel activity in your yard. If you're diligent, you can keep squirrels out of your yard and away from your home.

The Safest Way To Keep Squirrels Away

Life gets busy and it can be difficult to stay on top of the pest maintenance that is required to keep squirrels away. This can allow squirrels to start exploring your landscaping. As they do, they'll leave droppings and urine, and drop ticks, fleas, and other parasites.

The safest way to keep squirrels away is to have routine visits from a licensed pest management professional. We have a couple of those right here at American Pest Solutions. Our technicians do many things to prevent squirrel activity, some of which require specialized training and equipment. If your squirrel problem warrants it, we may use traps to catch and release squirrels away from your property.

There is a science to catching squirrels. When traps are deployed by untrained individuals, they can fail to catch squirrels, or they can lead to the inhumane treatment of squirrels. For the best results, and to ensure safe treatment of these beautiful animals, let a trained and experienced pest-management professional handle squirrel prevention for you.

When squirrels get into your Western Massachusetts home, it is even more important to contact American Pest Solutions. There are many ways that DIY squirrel control can cause unwanted results, such as property damage and injury. Get the best trapping services and wildlife management possible by reaching out to American Pest Solutions. While squirrels are wonderful animals, they're also wild animals that can transmit diseases, attack defensively, and cause damage to your property. It is best to not have them in your yard or near your home if you can help it.