Edmonton Exterminators Ltd.
Tree Squirrels
Squirrel Removal in Edmonton | Humane Capture & Relocation
Squirrels in Alberta are more often regarded as cute little creatures than nuisance animals. They certainly are fascinating animals to watch work away seeking and storing their food caches. However, if you have squirrels on your property, beware! These small feisty animals cause substantial damage. Here, we will help you learn about the squirrels found in Alberta, their habits, and how and when they become a nuisance from a pest control perspective. We will also provide some information on how to keep your property safe from squirrel damage.
How do I Know what kind of squirrels I have?
There are two species of tree squirrels that you can find in our area in addition to a common ground squirrel.
Red Squirrels
Red squirrels are by far the most common tree squirrel in our area. You can recognize these fellas by their red-brown colouring, bushy tail and feisty personality.
Photo: American Red Squirrel
Photo: Eastern Grey Squirrel
Eastern Grey Squirrel
Eastern Grey squirrels are often darker or even black in colour. They are generally larger than the more common red squirrel.
Richardson’s Ground Squirrel
You probably know the Richardson’s Ground Squirrel as a “gopher”. They are actually a species of squirrel. However, these are ground dwellers and are managed differently. You can find more information about them on our Gophers & Ground Squirrels page.
Photo: Richardson’s Ground Squirrel (AKA: “Gopher”)
Most of the calls we get are to solve a red squirrel situation, so as you read further, when we say “squirrel” here, we specifically mean “Red Squirrel”.
Red Squirrels Behavior
When assessing the level of risk you’re facing with any rodents, it is good to first learn about their behavior. Here are a few interesting and useful facts about red squirrels.
- They chew a lot. They have to chew because they are rodents, and rodents have two front incisors that grow continually. Chewing keeps their teeth from growing out of control.
- They are very territorial. The good news is that this means they don’t generally live in masses like some rodents.
- To clear a misconception: They do not hibernate in winter. Yes, they work hard storing caches of food all summer and fall, but this is more to do with the lack of and more difficult access to food in winter. So they gather it and hide it.
- Speaking of food. Squirrels are actually omnivores. Although they certainly enjoy chowing down on pine nuts, they will eat just about anything that won’t eat them! A note from the author writing this: I once watched a squirrel eat a caterpillar out of its cocoon. They aren’t picky eaters.
- They will store thousands of acorns and other food sources for winter.
- They live 5 to 10 years and have up to 6 pups per year.
Where do Red Squirrels Nest?
In nature, red squirrels prefer to live where they are well-adapted to shelter and be near food. Mature pine or spruce trees are ideal as they provide a place high above the ground, where many predators roam. The trees also offer voids in which the squirrels can nest, and pine cones are a red squirrel favorite However, often squirrels will discover that humans construct roomy, secure and warmer places to live or ‘renovate’ into a food cache. So, they may just decide to move into a structure like a shed or even inside your attic or walls. This, of course, is generally a problem. For you. Not so much the squirrel. 🐿
Problems Caused by Red Squirrels
Squirrels are generally benign creatures until they move into your home or business. Once they settle in, they can cause a host of damages:
- Chew through wood and siding
- Leave body oil that can stain
- Leave large amounts of droppings and urine
- Chew through electrical wires
- Have the capability to cause home and garage electrical shorts resulting in fires
- Nest in chimneys
- Potentially they can carry disease
What Can You Do About Squirrels on Your Property?
If you have squirrels on your property, you can have them relocated or take preventative measures and coexist with them. You can do these things if you plan to live with your squirrel friends rather than have them removed.
- Keep your yard clean.
- Trim back trees that canopy your house or other building.
- Don’t leave pet food where a squirrel can access it.
- Consider that bird feeders are generally excellent squirrel feeders. Even a ‘squirrel proof’ feeder is a problem because birds tend to drop seeds on the ground, which attracts squirrels.
- You can wrap tree trunks with an anti-climb object.
- Pest control companies are a good resource for information or to take care of the squirrel situation for you.
Red squirrels are puzzle masters when food is the prize!
Consider that bird feeders are generally excellent squirrel feeders. Even a ‘squirrel proof’ feeder is a problem because birds tend to drop seeds on the ground, which attracts squirrels.
How Can You Prevent Squirrels from Causing Damage to Your Property?
Red squirrels are extremely ambitious!
If squirrels haven’t yet moved into buildings on your property:
The approach to ‘squirrel proofing’ your property depends on your current situation. If the squirrel(s) haven’t found their way into any of your buildings or other places, you can take preventative measures by inspecting potential entry points. These are some entry opportunities that squirrels look for:
- Vents (especially the roof).
- Small openings like a garage door that isn’t seated properly or a utility pipe opening.
- Damaged or rotten wood or siding.
- Any small openings that allow the squirrel to realize there is a cavity behind it (like your roof eve) are grand for hiding pine cones! They will use their teeth to make these holes larger.
- If you have a garage or shed, inspect them thoroughly. These are popular guest houses for red squirrels.
If squirrels haven’t yet moved into buildings on your property:
The approach to ‘squirrel proofing’ your property depends on your current situation. If the squirrel(s) haven’t found their way into any of your buildings or other places, you can take preventative measures by inspecting potential entry points. These are some entry opportunities that squirrels look for:
- Vents (especially the roof).
- Small openings like a garage door that isn’t seated properly or a utility pipe opening.
- Damaged or rotten wood or siding.
- Any small openings that allow the squirrel to realize there is a cavity behind it (like your roof eve) are grand for hiding pine cones! They will use their teeth to make these holes larger.
- If you have a garage or shed, inspect them thoroughly. These are popular guest houses for red squirrels.
Is it Legal to Trap Squirrels in Edmonton?
Red squirrels can be hunted and live trapped in Edmonton and area. (Following all hunting regulations, of course) If live trapping, care needs to be taken to ensure the squirrel doesn’t perish in the trap. Squirrels are very anxious creatures and cannot survive long-term capture of more than about 24 hours.
What’s the Most Effective Squirrel Repellent?
If you’re attempting to convince a squirrel that your property isn’t a great place to live, you can try using peppermint or coffee grounds to deter them. They don’t like the smell of these substances. There are also some retail products available.
We don’t have a scientific analysis to share on the effectiveness of squirrel repellents, but we can say that, in our experience, squirrels are incredibly ambitious. If they decide they want to chill in your garden, or nest in a wall, or steal your dog’s food one kernel at a time, you will need more than chemical repellent to change their mind. However, you can make your property less attractive by not displaying things they love. Please read on to learn more on this.
How Much Does it Cost to Have Squirrels Removed from My Property?
Generally, removing squirrels is on the lower end of the spectrum in terms of cost. Each situation with squirrel issues is unique. It is best to give a trusted pest control company a call to explain your particular situation and get a quote.
How Do You Get Rid of Squirrels
If you want to get rid of squirrels on your property, we feel the best solution is humane trapping, then safely relocating them by following these steps:
- Check with your local ag or hardware store to purchase live traps suitable for squirrels.
- Place and bait the traps.
- IMPORTANT: Check traps 1 – 2 times per day.
- When you trap a squirrel, immediately transport it a minimum of 20 KM from your property in a wooded area to ensure it remains safe and healthy.
- If you catch more squirrels, release them in the same place, in case they are a family. Squirrels mate for life.
- Be aware that squirrels will die if left in the trap longer than 24 hours.
Your other option to get rid of squirrels is to let a pest control company do it for you. Most licensed pest control companies are already well equipped with gear and knowledge of how to safely manage squirrels, and provide direction on how to protect your property from future costly squirrel damage.
Edmonton Exterminators Squirrel Removal Process | We offer convenient and safe humane squirrel removal
Our licenced technicians understand how to manage squirrel capture in a safe manner for kids, pets and the squirrels. We offer humane catch & release services to relocate squirrels for you.
This is our process:
📞 Message or call us. In most cases, provide you with an immediate quote
📆 We will schedule one of our licensed technicians who will assess and set up traps
💬 Once a squirrel is captured in the live trap call or text our dedicated line to let us know and your tech will come by to relocate the squirrel
If you have more than one, we will reset your traps
If we capture more squirrels at the same property, we release them all in the same place. Squirrels mate for life, so we want to keep their furry family together.
To ask questions or get a free quote for your squirrel situation, give us a call or message using the chat widget below.