squirrel removal, attic, chimneyRock Squirrel Removal and Control is a problem that any animal removal company in the western part of the United Staes faces on a daily bases. Rock Squirrels, with their long, bushy tails, look very much like tree squirrels, but seldom climb trees. As their implies, rock squirrels are most commonly found in rocky habitats—canyons, cliffs, and hillsides. Occasionally a nest is found in a tree, but they usually dig burrows, choosing a place that offers a near-by lookout where they can watch for danger. Other mammals and even burrowing owls are known to use their dens if the squirrels abandon them.
The rock squirrel's geographic range is large, and it is found at elevations from sea level to 2,900 m. In the US, rock squirrels are found in parts of Texas and Oklahoma, and west into Colorado, Utah, New Mexico, Arizona, and Nevada, and south into central Mexico.
As mentioned earlier, rock squirrels are most at home on rocky hillsides, talus slopes, canyons, arroyos, and cliffs, and tend to avoid wide open spaces like open plains, wide valleys, and deserts. They’ll also happily exploit man-made structures such as old buildings, terraced roads, bridges, and stone walls, as long as there are prominent observation points nearby. Rock squirrels build underground burrows, frequently reusing the same burrows from year to year, but will also move seasonally. They will expand their burrow system each year; multiple entrances are common. Abandoned rock squirrel burrows will be reused by burrowing owls and possibly other animals.
Rock squirrel diets consist of nuts, seeds, grains, berries, fruit, roots, green vegetation, cactus, grasshoppers, beetles, and earthworms, and occasionally larger vertebrates. In addition, rock squirrels will consume the fruits or seeds of the following domesticated plants, making themselves quite a pest to farmers and gardeners: muskmelon, watermelon, apples, cherries, apricots, blackberries, squash, peas, grains, corn, peaches, and pears.

Rock Squirrel Nuisance Factors

Due to their flexible and wide-ranging diet, rock squirrels can be quite destructive towards gardens and agricultural areas. Rock squirrels will frequently burrow under human homes, sheds, and other structures; around gardens, irrigation ditch banks, and cultivated fields. Burrows entrances are serious trip hazards and should not be allowed to exist in equestrian areas, parks, schools, and other public areas. The burrows often extend under sidewalks, dwellings, and outbuildings where they can weaken structural integrity. they are also known to cause squirrel in attic problems Rock squirrels are also associated with transmission of bubonic plague to humans. For these reasons, property owners and public organizations should not allow them to exist where they pose unnecessary risks.Some of the other problems that we have are squirrel in wall calls on a dailey bases in the spring.

Dealing with Rock Squirrels

As with many pest problems, an integrated approach using multiple control methods will be most effective.

  • Fences, frightening techniques, and repellents are generally ineffective in excluding rock squirrels.
  • Low-voltage electric fencing, sold for domestic use, may be effective around large gardens.
  • Patching or repairing any gaps around building or house foundations is recommended.
  • Removal of pet food bowls, debris piles, irrigation pipe, pallets, and rock piles can discourage rock squirrels from building burrows in the area
  • Home and office Inspections
  • Shooting is not recommended for safety and legal reasons.
  • Cap all chimney flues with professionally manufactured stainless steel caps
  • A professional pest control company will be up-to-date on all local laws concerning the pest animal; some squirrels are protected in some areas and either cannot be trapped or require a permit for their removal. Squirrels can also carry diseases and parasites that are transmissible to humans; a professional will know how to minimize that risk. Furthermore, professional pest control companies will be familiar with the most effective trapping techniques and approaches.

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