Squirrels may be cute, and watching them scurrying about your yard certainly makes for a good pastime. However, these tiny rodents are also highly invasive and when left unchecked, can cause quite a lot of destruction. Don’t let them settle in. Call us for professional squirrel removal services in the GTA. Call: 647-496-0815
An indigenous species in North and South America, Eurasia and Africa, squirrels have also been introduced to other parts of the world too. They vary in size and range from the tiniest rodents to fairly mid-sized ones. The African Pygmy Squirrel, for example, measures only between 7 to 10 centimeters in length, weighing just about 10 grams, while the largest of the species, the Alpine Marmot, can measure up to 73 centimeters in length and can weigh up to 8 kilograms!
Can Squirrels Really Damage Property?
Now, the squirrels we usually come across may look small in size but when it comes to damages, there is simply no limit to the havoc they can create. Sometimes, they wreak destruction knowingly, and at other times, cause a great amount of trouble without even knowing it.
For example, power outages caused by squirrel electrocutions are a common problem in areas with a high squirrel population. Now, while they themselves get electrocuted in the process, they do cause a lot of damage by causing the outages too.
On the home front, they are a pain to have in the yards. From chewing on the bark of your ornamental trees to destroying the bird feeder, squirrels tend to damage even the stuff they do not eat! Allow the squirrels to run amok and these creatures are quite capable of completely changing the way your yard looks, for the worse!
These free-spirited creatures are also great at chewing holes in the structure of your home, apart from chewing on utility lines. Apart from the noise they make, they also end up leaving a trail of devastation in your attic, your garage, and just about any area where they find enough privacy to go about their activities. At times, homeowners have left their homes on a long vacation, only to come back and see multiple holes in the structure of their house!
Diseases Spread by Squirrels
Apart from the damage they cause through their nesting, feeding and food storage habits, squirrels are also carriers of several diseases, some of which they are capable of passing on to humans as well as other animals.
Among the most dangerous of diseases that squirrels are capable of passing on to humans is Lyme Disease. The ticks found on affected squirrels pass on the Borrelia bacteria to humans and the inflammable disease then goes on to affect the joints, the nervous system and even the heart.
Leptospirosis, Tularemia and even Plague are other serious health risks that squirrels are capable of passing on to humans.
All over the world, there are about 285 squirrel species that have been recognized until now. While most of these are known to survive in the wild with minimal interaction with humans, some species have been living in close contact with humans and their habitat. Although these members of the rodent family mostly stay out of the way due to their naturally shy behavior, when they do cause damage, it is on several fronts.