Why Do Squirrels Die Inside Houses Or Attics?

There are many species of rodent to be found across the United States, and one of the most common is the squirrel, with several varieties of the species that are present in different parts of the country. When they are scampering around and leaping up trees, they can be quite cute animals to watch as they scavenge for food and play, but if squirrels get into a domestic property then the damage they can cause is certainly no laughing matter. As well as nesting in a property, squirrels can sometimes die in these properties too, although if you are trying to deal with an infestation you don't necessarily need to use lethal means to deal with the animals.


How Squirrels Get Into The Property

One of the key reasons why squirrels and other animals can be such a challenge to deal with in domestic properties is that they will exploit the hidden areas of the home in order to gain access, which means it can take work to find out how they are getting in and out. Weak points will be around the roof line of the house, beneath soffits and any small gaps where repairs have been carried out, and it is most common to find squirrels in the attic of a property. Understanding how they are getting in and out is one of the key aspects you will need to consider when you are trying to deal with the squirrel infestation.


Poison And Trapping

When it comes to squirrels dying in houses and attics, it is true that the majority of the examples of this happening will come when people identify there are rodents present and start to take steps to try and deal with the animals. There are lethal traps you can use to kill squirrels, but poison is the most problematic approach, as squirrels can move around a lot, and it can be difficult to find where the squirrel has died within a property. This means that a squirrel carcass that lies undiscovered in a dark corner of your house can have been dead for some time before the smell can be sensed, and by this point it may have attracted other pest animals.


Other Reasons For Squirrels Dying In A Property

There are several other reasons that can lead to squirrels dying in a property, and as they will often carry diseases and parasites, in some cases they can die of ill health, especially in areas where they are struggling to find food. They can also die by accident in properties, as they are animals that naturally gnaw and electric wires can prove to be an attractive surface for squirrels to gnaw, and can then cause an accident that kills the squirrel. There will also be a small number of squirrels that simply die of old age and natural causes, although relatively few animals will actually die for this reason.


Dealing With Squirrels In Your Home

An infestation of squirrels will often be first identified by the sounds of scampering in the attic, and when you explore the attic signs such as torn and chewed insulation and small areas soiled with feces can be signs of a squirrel infestation. Lethal traps aren't always required, and after a thorough search where you identify the entry points used by the animals, the use of exclusion funnels can get rid of the squirrels humanely. Once you have got rid of all the squirrels, make sure that those entry points used by the squirrels are securely sealed, and that any damage caused by the animals in the attic is promptly repaired.



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