Squirrels are one of the most common attic invaders in Canada but activity in the attic doesn’t always indicate the presence of squirrels. There are other animals that are equally happy to nest in these spaces.
Squirrels, in particular, are diurnal animals (active during the day) so attic activity in the daytime is often related to squirrels. Squirrels are especially active in the early morning or at first light when they wake up and go foraging for food and early evening or dusk when they return to the nest.
Activity in the attic at night usually indicates the presence of nocturnal animals such as raccoons or rats. You can definitely rule out squirrels if you hear activity throughout the night unless in extremely rare cases.
There are also other animals that may be responsible for daytime activity in the attic. Unless you have physically seen the squirrel, the source of the noise might as well be birds. Birds are typically active in the early morning and afternoon hours and make squeaking noises. Squirrels, on the other hand, are rarely vocal. What you are likely to hear instead is scurry, running, or scratching noises or sounds of nuts rolling around.
A dramatic rise in activity consistent with squirrels likely means that the mother has given birth to younglings. Squirrels typically reproduce twice a year once in the spring and once more in the summer. A single litter may include up to 6 baby squirrels.
Hire a professional squirrel removal company to remove the squirrels. DIY exclusion is simple but not easy. Consider those squirrel teeth are sharp and powerful enabling the animals to chew through shingles, vents, aluminum, and wood. Removing the animals from the attic doesn’t guarantee that they won’t find another way in especially in the case of a mother who is separated from her younglings.
It is also illegal to kill or poison squirrels in Canada. Squirrels are considered protected wildlife. It is equally illegal to harm or injure a squirrel so trapping isn’t a viable solution either.
A wildlife removal expert not only extracts the squirrels but also cleans up the contamination and takes measures to ensure that the squirrels don’t return to the attic or anywhere else in or around the home for that matter. Choose a company with a warranty on its work, preferably for more than a year after the initial extraction.