While squirrels may look cute and be entertaining to watch from a distance, having a squirrel as an uninvited “houseguest” is quite a different experience. Despite their charming, bright-eyed, and bushy-tailed appearance, squirrels are both rodents and wild animals at their core. This means two things: squirrels can wreak havoc on your home and they are not safe to handle without proper training and precautions.

Therefore, if you suspect you do have a squirrel hiding in your home, it’s important to act quickly. Below are the typical signs that mean you most likely have a squirrel living under your roof.

1. Scratching, Scuttling Noises From Up Above

Squirrels can be noisy. If you have an infestation in your attic, you may hear them scurrying above the ceiling or around the rafters. You might also hear the sounds of them scratching or chewing things like wood beams, drywall, and air ducts.

2. Bad Smells Coming From Your Attic or Air Ducts

Squirrels will have no reservations about using your attic as a restroom. Their waste has a strong ammonia odor that’s hard to miss. The droppings themselves look like oblong pellets, ranging in size from one-eighth to three-eighths of an inch long. When they’re fresh, they’re dark brown, but they’ll turn gray over time.

3. Brown Stains On the Ceiling

Unfortunately, those are urine stains, and you’ll probably be able to tell by the stench. If you’re seeing these stains, that means the squirrels’ urine has soaked through your insulation and has reached the drywall. It’s time to bring in a squirrel control expert ASAP.

4. Teeth Marks and Signs of Chewing

Because squirrels are rodents, their incisors never stop growing. Squirrels need to gnaw constantly to keep those teeth filed down, and anything in your attic is fair game. You may find teeth marks on your roof tiles, drywall, wood, air vent covers, your heating system’s sheet metal, and electrical wiring.

New Jersey and New York Nuisance Animal Control

When handling a squirrel infestation, it’s essential to remove the existing invaders but also put preventative measures in place to avoid future issues. At Horizon Pest Control, we’re dedicated to providing our customers with effective, long-term solutions to nuisance animal problems. For help with a squirrel infestation in your New York or New Jersey home, call us today at (201) 447-2530 or contact us online.