Professional Squirrel Removal & Control

While squirrels are an enjoyable part of our local wildlife, they quickly become destructive pests when they decide to nest inside your home. Because of their ability to chew through building materials and the potential health risks they carry, a squirrel infestation requires swift, decisive, and professional action.

At Evict 'Em, we specialize in the humane trapping, removal, and exclusion of nuisance squirrels throughout Jackson, WI, Washington County, and the surrounding 30-mile radius.

The Evict 'Em Approach to Squirrel Removal

We don't just set a trap and hope for the best. We provide a comprehensive, start-to-finish solution to ensure your squirrel problem is solved permanently.

1. Comprehensive Property Inspection

Before we set a single trap, we conduct a thorough assessment of your property. We meticulously inspect rooflines, fascia boards, soffits, gable vents, and chimneys to identify how the squirrels are getting inside. Squirrels only need a hole about 2 inches wide to gain access.

2. Humane Trapping & Removal

DIY trapping often leads to trap-shy animals or, worse, trapping a mother outside while her dependent babies remain trapped inside your attic to starve.

• Live Trapping: Strategically placed, professional-grade live traps are often used to capture active squirrels safely so they can be removed from the property.

• One-Way Exclusion Doors: In many cases, we install specialized one-way doors directly over the primary entry points. This device allows squirrels to exit the building to forage for food, but safely prevents them from re-entering. Once we confirm all squirrels have left, the doors are removed.

3. Exclusion and Damage Repair (Critter-Proofing)

Removing the current squirrels is only half the battle; preventing the next generation from moving in is just as important. Squirrels leave behind pheromones that attract other squirrels to the same nesting site.

• Sealing Entry Points: All identified entry points and vulnerable areas must be sealed using chew-proof materials. We utilize heavy-duty galvanized steel mesh, metal flashing, and professional-grade sealants that squirrels cannot gnaw through.

• Reinforcing Vents: Flimsy plastic roof and gable vents are often replaced or reinforced with heavy gauge wire mesh.

• Chimney Caps: Installing stainless steel chimney caps prevents squirrels (and other wildlife) from falling into or nesting inside your chimney flue.

Associated Diseases & Health Risks

Both red and gray squirrels can carry diseases and parasites that pose health risks to humans and pets. These risks are especially prevalent when squirrels decide to nest inside attics, wall voids, or chimneys. Squirrels can leave behind urine, feces, and contaminated nesting materials that harbor bacteria and fungi. Humans are typically exposed when cleaning up after an infestation or if they are bitten or scratched.

• Salmonellosis: Salmonella bacteria are frequently found in squirrel droppings. If humans come into contact with contaminated surfaces or airborne particles during cleanup, it can cause severe gastrointestinal distress, including diarrhea, abdominal cramps, vomiting, and fever.

• Rabies: While it is exceptionally rare for small rodents like squirrels to contract and transmit rabies to humans, it is still a potential risk if you are bitten or scratched. You should always seek medical attention after any wild animal bite.

• Tularemia: A bacterial disease that can be contracted by handling sick or dead squirrels, or by coming into contact with contaminated environments. Symptoms often include swollen lymph nodes, fever, and skin ulcers.

• Leptospirosis: This bacterial infection is spread through squirrel urine, which can contaminate soil and water sources. Symptoms in humans range from fever, chills, and muscle aches to more severe complications affecting the liver or kidneys if left untreated.

• Ringworm: This is not a worm, but a fungal infection. Squirrels nesting indoors can leave fungal spores on insulation and wood. Direct contact with these spores can lead to an itchy, red, circular rash on the skin.

• Hantavirus: Though much more commonly associated with mice and rats, it is rarely possible for squirrels to transmit Hantavirus. It is contracted by inhaling aerosolized dust from dried rodent urine and feces, leading to severe respiratory illness.

• Lyme Disease: Squirrels are common hosts for ticks, including the black-legged ticks known to carry Lyme disease. When squirrels travel through yards or nest in attics, these ticks can drop off and eventually latch onto humans or pets, causing fatigue, fever, and joint aches.

Squirrel Biology & Behavior

Signs of a Squirrel Problem

Squirrels are naturally elusive when inside a home, but they leave behind several distinct clues. Because they can cause significant structural damage and pose health risks, it is important to recognize the early warning signs of an infestation.

1. Unexplained Noises

• Time of Day: Unlike mice and rats, which are nocturnal, gray and red squirrels are diurnal (active during the day). You are most likely to hear them scurrying, scratching, or chewing in the early morning at sunrise, and again in the late afternoon before sunset.

• Location: Sounds typically originate from the attic, inside wall voids, or between floors.

• Types of Sounds: Listen for frantic scurrying, heavy thumping (squirrels are heavier than mice), scratching, and persistent gnawing on wood.

2. Visible Exterior Damage

Squirrels must constantly chew to keep their ever-growing teeth sharp, and they will relentlessly gnaw to widen entry points into a warm building.

• Chewed Entryways: Look for gnaw marks around roof edges, eaves, soffits, fascia boards, and gable vents. Holes are typically about 2 inches in diameter.

• Damaged Vents: Torn window screens, chewed attic louvers, or bent roof vents are common entry points.

• Roof Debris: Scattered shingles or torn roofing material often indicate a squirrel has forced its way inside.

3. Interior Damage and Chewed Wires

Once inside, squirrels can wreak havoc on the structure and systems of a home.

• Insulation: You may find torn, displaced, or heavily trampled attic insulation where they have cleared space for a nest or gathered material.

• Chewed Wires: This is one of the most dangerous signs. Squirrels frequently chew on electrical wiring, stripping the insulation and creating a severe fire hazard. Look for exposed wires or unexplained electrical shorts.

• Wood Damage: Gnaw marks on attic beams, rafters, and structural supports.

4. Droppings and Odors

Like any pest, squirrels leave behind waste that accumulates quickly.

• Droppings: Squirrel feces look similar to rat droppings (dark, cylindrical, and about 3/8 to 1/2 inch long) but tend to have slightly rounded edges and are often lighter in color depending on their diet. They are usually found clustered in specific areas of the attic.

• Urine Stains and Smells: Over time, an active infestation will produce a strong, foul, and musty odor from accumulated urine and feces. You may even notice yellow stains seeping through the ceiling drywall.

5. Nesting Materials

If you inspect an attic or crawlspace, you might spot the physical nests (dreys).

• Look for large, chaotic piles of dry leaves, twigs, moss, and torn household insulation tucked into corners, near the eaves, or near the chimney.

6. Frequent Roof Activity

Visual confirmation is a strong indicator of a nest nearby.

• If you consistently see squirrels running along your rooflines, climbing down your gutters, or constantly utilizing the same tree branch that touches your home, there is a high probability they are entering the building.

Ready to Evict 'Em?

Don't let squirrels cause further damage to your most valuable investment. Trust the experts to handle it safely and professionally.

Why Choose Us?

• Local Expertise: Proudly serving Jackson and the greater Washington County area. We know the local wildlife and how to handle them.

• Technology-Driven: We use thermal imaging and endoscopes to find the animals that others miss.

• Humane Methods: We respect the wildlife we handle and prioritize safe, ethical trapping.

• Long-Term Solutions: We don't just treat the symptom; we fix the structural vulnerabilities to keep your home secure.

• Prompt Response: Text us and you will get a response quickly.

• 24/7 Service: Emergency service available

• Reasonable Rates: We will beat anybody's price.

Gray squirrels are highly adaptable and are the most commonly seen squirrel in suburban and urban environments. Red squirrels are smaller, faster, and noticeably more aggressive than their gray counterparts. They traditionally favor coniferous (pine) forests but readily adapt to residential areas with mature trees.

Gray Squirrels: Gray squirrels are scatter hoarders. They forage for acorns, hickory nuts, walnuts, and seeds, burying them individually in thousands of shallow holes across their territory. They rely on an incredible spatial memory and a keen sense of smell to retrieve these nuts during the winter. In nature, they construct spherical nests called "dreys" out of leaves and twigs high in the forks of trees. However, they frequently seek out more secure, weather-proof locations to survive cold winters or raise their young. This drives them to exploit vulnerabilities in rooflines, fascia, or vents to establish nests inside warm residential attics.

Red Squirrels: Red squirrels are larder hoarders. Instead of burying single nuts, they gather massive quantities of food—especially pine cones, seeds, and fungi—and pile them in one central location called a "midden." They prefer to nest in dark cavities rather than open tree branches. Because of this instinct, they are notorious for aggressively gnawing through wood siding, louvers, or shingles to gain access to attics, wall voids, and outbuildings. Once inside, they will drag in significant amounts of insulation, leaves, and food for their larder.

Don't let squirrels take over your attic and damage your biggest investment. If you are hearing scratching in your walls or seeing signs of chewed wood along your roofline, contact us today for a professional inspection and a permanent solution!