What Should You Do About Squirrels and Other Wildlife In The Winter
No, evicting raccoons or squirrels from your attic during winter is not inherently cruel. Still, the method and timing of eviction should be carefully considered to ensure it is done humanely.
These animals seek shelter in attics to protect themselves from the cold, and abrupt eviction without proper measures can be harmful, especially if they have young ones.
An experianced wildlife service will know when baby season is or if you’re worried about the baby situation they will know what to do.
A typical scenario at Wildlife Removal Brampton during January and February is raccoon and squirrel babies born a few weeks or more early.
When we arrive at a customer’s home to evict wildlife but discover early babies inside the attic on a routine inside inspection, we consider the elements outside before disturbing the babies and doing any nest removal.
Most customers understand the situation and are willing to wait for the temperature to rise before the baby removal process is started.
The downside to leaving the nest of babies and mothers inside the attic is noise disturbance and possible animal waste buildup but this can be cleaned and sanitized if necessary.
Dealing with wildlife removal later in the year when it’s warmer is better for everyone involved, so if you prefer the humane approach, take your time with winter to decide to remove a nest of animals.
- Humane Eviction: It’s important to use humane methods for eviction. Trapping and relocating wildlife, or using poison, can be harmful and is often not recommended.
- Understanding Raccoon and Squirrel Behaviour: Knowing these animals’ behaviour can help devise a more effective and humane eviction plan. For instance, understanding animal nesting and foraging patterns can aid in determining the best time to evict them.
- Prevention: After eviction, it’s crucial to take preventive measures to ensure they do not return. This includes sealing entry points and removing food sources that may attract them.
City Animals Are Capable Of Entering Attics At Will
City animals, like raccoons and squirrels, are adept at entering attics through vents and soffits for several reasons, especially when compared to their country counterparts:
- Adaptation to Urban Environments: City animals have evolved or adapted behaviours suited to urban landscapes. This includes learning to navigate human-made structures like roofs, vents, and soffits, which are not present in country settings.
- Access Points: Urban homes often have more potential entry points (like roof vents and soffits) that are easier for animals to exploit compared to rural homes, which might be simpler in design or better secured against wildlife.
- Learning from Parents: Animals born in attics or who watch their mothers break into these areas learn these behaviours early on. This learned behaviour is a crucial survival tool, especially in urban environments with scarce natural shelters.
- Lack of Natural Predators: In cities, there are fewer natural predators, allowing animals like squirrels and raccoons to explore and exploit human structures with less risk.
- Resource Availability: Urban areas often have abundant food sources due to human waste, which attracts and sustains larger populations of these animals, increasing the likelihood of them seeking shelter in homes.
In contrast, a country animal dropped in a city might struggle due to unfamiliarity with urban landscapes and human structures. They may not instinctively know how to exploit these new types of shelter, unlike city-born animals who have adapted to these environments.
In summary, if it breaks your heart to see an animal suffer but you’re literally losing sleep thinking about their eviction day, remember, removing them in the winter is not inherently cruel, as long as it’s done thoughtfully and humanely, considering the animals’ well-being.
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