How to Feed Squirrels Without Turning Them Into a Nuisance

When feeding the wildlife around your home or office, it is important to follow certain guidelines if you want to prevent future nuisance critter problems. This point is especially true for squirrels. Squirrels are notorious for overstaying their welcome in terms of nuisance wildlife tampering and activity. Not only can they pillage your pots and planters, but they can also steal all your birdseed, pet food, and even your garbage.

As a squirrel admirer, you will be happy to learn that there is an easy way to nurture and feed your backyard squirrels without turning them into a nuisance. Continue below for these tips and more!

Squirrel Critter Control Nashville Clarksville Tennessee 615-610-0962
Squirrel Critter Control Nashville Clarksville Tennessee 615-610-0962

Tips for Feeding Squirrels

You can find squirrel feeders all over the place. From your local home improvement and garden stores to your favorite all-encompassing online retailer, squirrel feeders are easy to procure and even easier to set up. Just be sure you get yourself some quality squirrel feed! This is just one way you can protect your property from nuisance squirrel activity.

Let’s review some of the most important rules when feeding squirrels around your house:

Avoid Using Human Foods

Although it may be tempting to leave out some fresh fruit and vegetables, or some crunchy peanut butter, is not recommended to feed human food to squirrels. Not only is people food deficient of certain nutrients essential in a squirrel’s diet, but depending on manufacturing and ingredients, it can also make them sick. If you wish to make your own squirrel feed, aim for organic, unprocessed ingredients like nuts, legumes, and seeds.

Secure Your Trash

Squirrels love a good garbage raid. They will pillage any open and accessible trashcan whenever possible. Even if you are feeding squirrels, they will still go after your garbage receptacles if the opportunity is there. To prevent squirrels from reaching this level of nuisance activity, be sure to secure your trashcans inside until collection day or replace your trashcans with metal ones that cannot be chewed through. The same goes for pet food that is kept outdoors.

Place Feeders Further Away From Your House

When choosing locations for your squirrel feeders, it can be tempting to lodge them close by where you can see them and enjoy the show. But if squirrel feeders are too close to your house, you may run into some nuisance squirrel problems down the line. Hanging feeders too close to your siding can give squirrels access to your roof, which is a prime target for attic and chimney invasions. Hanging them from your patio can cause concern if you have young children or pets, as squirrels are known to carry diseases, and can become too comfortable, causing them to turn territorial and aggressive.

Are you concerned about the nuisance squirrel activity on or around your property? Contact Smoky Wildlife Control at 615-610-0962 for TWRA licensed squirrel removal and control in Nashville, Tennessee, and surrounding counties. We serve residential and commercial clients.

Related Posts:

How to Tell if You Have Squirrels in the Attic
How to Stop Squirrels From Emptying Your Bird Feeders
Why You Should Not Feed the Wild Animals Around Your House

How to Tell if You Have Squirrels in the Attic

It is not difficult to confirm a squirrel infestation in the attic. After all, you are here because you have likely already experienced a few tell-tale signs, like sounds of chatter and scurrying about. Squirrels are nimble and fast, plus experienced at accessing residential structures, like attics and crawl spaces. If you suspect that you have squirrels in the attic, here’s what you need to know:

Squirrel Removal Nashville Tennessee 615-610-0962
Squirrel Removal Nashville Tennessee 615-610-0962

Squirrel Damages Can Add Up Fast

Squirrels are rodents, and like most rodents, they are filthy and carry a long list of diseases and parasites. They mark their territories, in this case your attic and insulation, with their urine, which creates foul, lingering odors throughout your home. Their droppings carry and transmit salmonella, which can put both people and pets at risk of infection. Squirrels are also avid chewers and will pilfer all electrical wiring and more in your attic space.

Overall, squirrels in the attic will cause a lot of damage and unhygienic environments. The longer they hold occupancy, the more damages will accrue, which makes renovations timelier and costlier.  

Squirrel Control is a Must

Before getting started on extracting squirrels from the attic, it is important to understand how to keep them out of there in the first place. If you do not implement any degree of animal-proofing around your house, you cannot prevent future tampering and infestations. Squirrel control involves sealing up any exterior openings and access points that will allow squirrels to get in. This includes installing squirrel abatement devices like valves and mesh screening, as well as roof vent covers and chimney caps.

Once you understand how to protect your property against nuisance animals like squirrels and chipmunks, you can better assist in the process of getting rid of squirrels, altogether.

Best Ways to Get Rid of Squirrels in the Attic

There is really only one tried and true method of squirrel removal and that is to hire a licensed and insured wildlife control company in Nashville. Not only are specific permits and licenses required to raise and relocate wildlife in Tennessee, but there are also strict procedures on how to extract wildlife and facilitate safe animal-proofing strategies for residential and commercial properties. What does all this mean? It means you should never attempt to touch, harm, trap, or kill animals unless you are permitted under law to do so.

When experiencing problems with squirrels in the attic, crawl space, roof, chimney, or wall voids, your best tool is a skilled wildlife control operator. They have the authority, resources, equipment, and knowledge to safely extract squirrels and prevent them from becoming a problem in the future. They can also provide minor attic restorations and cleanup services for animal damages.

Not sure who to trust for safe and humane critter control in Tennessee? Contact Smoky Wildlife Control at 615-610-0962 for affordable squirrel removal in Nashville, Tennessee and its surrounding counties. We serve residential and commercial clients.

Related Posts:

Honor National Squirrel Appreciation Day With These Fun Facts!
How to Stop Squirrels From Emptying Your Bird Feeders
Which Squirrel Species are Found in Tennessee?