In the East South-Central Region of the U.S. — which includes Tennessee — there are five types of squirrels. The Northern Flying, the Southern Flying, the Eastern Fox, the Red, and the Eastern Gray Squirrel. All five types are known as tree squirrels. By far, the most common type is the Eastern Gray Squirrel. These squirrels seem to be everywhere; they can be seen in parks, woodlands, suburbs, cities, mountains, and elsewhere. They have gray fur on top with white underneath and have a bushy gray tail bordered with white hairs.
As their name implies, tree squirrels climb trees and jump from branch to branch. However, they do come to the ground to find food, which includes nuts, acorns, and seeds. Their love of stealing seeds from bird feeders is a constant source of irritation to many bird lovers and has led to highly creative and inventive means of discouraging this behavior. Simply stealing seeds is relatively benign compared to the more substantial damage these cute furry creatures can cause. They like to chew on bark and twigs, pull up planted bulbs, dig in the lawn to hide nuts, and can decimate your vegetable garden or fruit tree.
Even worse, squirrels can damage your home. They are experts at finding small openings and can nest in walls, under your floorboards, or in your attic. They can gnaw wires, creating a fire hazard, and can get trapped inside of a chimney or flue. They shred insulation to make bedding and can gnaw through PVC, causing water damage and flooding.
Worst of all – beyond damage to your garden or your home – squirrels can pose a danger to your family’s health. Besides contaminating your home with unsanitary waste, they can also carry disease, as well as fleas and ticks (which have their own host of pathogens). They have been found to carry plague, typhus, and ringworm, and ticks are the most common transmitter of Lyme Disease.
While some signs of a squirrel problem are obvious – scampering sounds in the walls, scratching coming from the attic, small holes dug into your lawn – others are less so. Here are some other signs you may have a problem: chewed up wood and wood chips on your property, a foul odor in your house, water damage on your ceiling, and air vent and roofing material damage.
It can be challenging to diagnose an infestation. If you think you may have one, it would be best to call a professional. While they are fun to watch, squirrels can be dangerous when cornered. At Wildlife Protection & Repair, we know how to identify a squirrel infestation, humanely remove them, and prevent them from coming back. The earlier the problem is addressed and taken care of, the more likely that severe damage can be prevented.

Wildlife Prevention & Repair can handle your squirrel or other nuisance wildlife problems in a responsible, efficient, and effective way. Give us a call today for a free estimate. We provide squirrel removal services in the greater Jackson, TN area including Humboldt, Milan, and Union City.

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