How Critter Guard Can Help Keep Squirrels at Bay

During late winter, squirrels can become quite disruptive as mating habits begin and females look for warm, quiet places to nest and give birth. This behavior can lead to power disruptions or outages and even damage to your home and roof. Fortunately, our humane wildlife control products at Critter Guard can help.

Squirrel Mating Habits

There are more than 250 different species of squirrels throughout the world but they all have similar mating habits. Female squirrels generally enter their first heat cycle (estrus) when they're around 10 to 12 months old. That's usually in late winter (January or February). They will begin chirping and giving off scent pheromones in order to attract a mate. The female will mate at every opportunity for about two weeks in order to ensure she becomes pregnant.

Squirrels rely heavily on scent and sound to identify a member of their own species. Once they've identified a potential mate, the chases and battles begin! This behavior can become quite annoying and sometimes disruptive as squirrels chase each other around up utility poles, across power lines, and around your home.

Squirrel Nests and Attics

Depending on the tree squirrel species, gestation lasts from less than 38 days to around 46 days. Litter sizes range from 2 to 8 babies or kits, with an average of around four. Female squirrels will look for a warm, cozy, and secure nesting place where she can give birth undisturbed in early to mid-spring. Unfortunately, your attic is the perfect place and if proper preventative measures are not taken, squirrels can easily chew their way through your roof and take up residence.

The female will care for her kits for around 3 months before the messy, noisy, and boisterous little critters are finally ready to leave the nest. Once they do leave home, they'll still stay in the neighborhood, rarely venturing more than a couple of miles from their birthplace.

Keep Squirrels at Bay with Critter Guard

At Critter Guard, we can help prevent squirrels from turning your home's attic into a maternity ward and nursery. Our Line Guard and Pole Guard products are designed to prevent squirrels and other critters from gaining access to your roof via power lines, utility poles, and even some trees. Both of these products do more than protect your attic from squirrels. They also protect the critters themselves from electrocution and whole neighborhoods from the blackouts that so often follow that horrific demise.

For more information on how Critter Guard can help protect your home, the squirrels, and the neighborhood from the unhappy mix of squirrels and electricity, contact us today!