Professional Squirrel Removal in Milwaukee, WI
Advanced Wildlife and Pest Control provides squirrel removal and exclusion services in Milwaukee and southeastern Wisconsin. Our certified wildlife specialists safely and efficiently trap, remove, and exclude nuisance squirrels from homes and businesses.
We begin with a thorough inspection to identify signs of squirrel activity, such as droppings, nesting materials, tracks, and entry points. Our team then sets live traps to humanely capture squirrels. Once the squirrels are removed, we can seal entry points to prevent future wildlife intrusions. Live trapping is the most effective way to remove a squirrel.
Keep Squirrels Out of Your Home!
Get rid of squirrels with our animal control and exclusion services in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
Give Us a Call Today!What are the Signs of a Squirrel in Your Attic?
Squirrels commonly seek shelter in attics and chimneys, where they can cause significant damage. They are excellent climbers equipped with strong front claws and sharp teeth that allow them to gnaw through fascia boards, vents, eaves, and roof ridges. Gray and red squirrels are diurnal and most active during the day, while flying squirrels are nocturnal and active at night. Homeowners may hear gnawing, scratching, or scurrying noises as squirrels move through attics or wall voids, particularly in the early morning or late evening. Additional signs of activity include nesting materials such as torn insulation, leaves, and twigs found in attic spaces.
- Squirrel Identification -
What Does a Squirrel Look Like?
Squirrels are small to medium-sized rodents known for their bushy tails, large eyes, and long hind feet adapted for climbing and jumping. They typically have sharp front teeth and strong claws used for gnawing and gripping surfaces. In Wisconsin, the most common species include the gray squirrel, red squirrel, fox squirrel, flying squirrel, and the 13-lined ground squirrel, each with slight differences in size, color, and behavior.
Types of Squirrels in Wisconsin
What Does a Grey Squirrel Look Like?
The eastern grey squirrel measures 18 to 21 inches long, including its 8 to 10-inch bushy tail, and weighs 16 to 28 ounces. It has predominantly grey fur with a white to light grey underside. Brown, black, and albino variants can be found in Wisconsin. Grey squirrels are social animals and live in groups. They are excellent climbers and are most active during the day.
What Does a Red Squirrel Look Like?
The red squirrel is noticeably smaller than the grey squirrel, weighing only 7 to 9 ounces and measuring 11 to 13 inches. It is easily identified by its prominent ears, white eye ring, and reddish fur. The red squirrel has a flatter tail than other tree squirrels, and its underside is white. These squirrels are excellent climbers, active during the day, and highly territorial. When other squirrels try to encroach on their territory, they fight them off.
What Does a Flying Squirrel Look Like?
Flying squirrels are the smallest tree squirrels in Wisconsin. The northern species measures 10 to 13 inches long and weighs 4 to 8 ounces, while the southern flying squirrel is 8 to 10 inches long and weighs only 2 to 3 ounces. They have soft, gray-brown fur on their backs, white underparts, flat tails, and large eyes. The northern flying squirrel is slightly redder and darker than the southern flying squirrel. The flying squirrel does not actually fly; instead, it glides from tree to tree. They have a loose fold of skin between their front and hind feet. When the animal leaps from a tree, it flattens its body and extends its limbs, which open its flaps, allowing it to glide downward and eventually land.
What Does a Fox Squirrel Look Like?
The fox squirrel is the largest tree squirrel in Wisconsin. It measures 20 to 22 inches long, including the tail, and weighs 24 to 32 ounces. The fox squirrel has a rusty brown coat with a pale yellow to light brown underside. Its grizzled appearance and size make it easy to distinguish from a grey squirrel. The ears of a fox squirrel are rounded and smaller than those of a grey squirrel.
What Does a Ground Squirrel Look Like?
The thirteen-lined ground squirrel has a slender body with large eyes and small ears. It has yellowish-brown fur and 13 prominent alternating light and dark stripes on the back and sides. The light stripes are yellow to white, and the dark ones are black to reddish-brown with lighter spots. The thirteen-lined ground squirrel is often mistaken for a chipmunk, but they are much larger than chipmunks. It weighs between 8 and 9 ounces and measures 10 to 11 inches long. The thirteen-lined ground squirrel hibernates in winter.
Squirrel Exclusion
Squirrels are a common nuisance for homeowners, often entering properties in search of food, water, and shelter. The most effective way to prevent squirrel problems is through professional exclusion and habitat modification. Our wildlife specialists can identify vulnerable areas and seal potential entry points to protect your home and prevent future wildlife intrusions. Learning more about our exclusion and repair services can help you address current issues while reducing the risk of recurring problems. Taking a few simple preventative steps can also deter squirrels and other pests from invading your property.
- Remove or secure bird feeders.
- Secure trash cans and compost piles.
- Install chimney caps and vent covers.
- Cut overhanging tree branches.
- Clean up fallen fruit and nuts from trees.
- Block access to gardens and flowers.
- Squirrel FAQs -
Frequently Asked Questions
What do squirrels eat?
Squirrels are omnivores and opportunistic feeders. Squirrels eat nuts, bird seeds, acorns, berries, tree bark, and insects. If you have a bird feeder in your yard, you will have squirrels.
Where do squirrels live?
Squirrels are found throughout Wisconsin in parks, neighborhoods, and wooded areas. They nest in tree branches, tree trunks, or underground burrows. Squirrel nests are densely packed masses of sticks and leaves located high up in the branches of large trees. The most common areas to find a squirrel in your house are the attic, chimney, garage, shed, inside walls, and crawlspaces.
When do squirrels have babies?
Tree squirrels mate twice a year, once in winter and then again in summer. After a month's gestation period, the female will have a litter of two to seven kits. The young are weakened after seven to eight weeks and will leave their mother when they are about five months old. Ground squirrels have only one litter per year, usually in late spring.
How long do squirrels live?
The average lifespan of a squirrel in the wild is two to three years. Squirrels have many predators, including hawks, owls, foxes, coyotes, mink, weasels, snakes, and bobcats.
What does squirrel poop look like?
Squirrel droppings look very similar to rat droppings. The poop is dark brown and smooth, but squirrels produce larger, barrel-shaped pellets compared to rats’ small, oblong-shaped droppings with taper ends. Squirrel poop is often found around trees, bird feeders, attics, and crawlspaces.
What do squirrel tracks look like?
Squirrel tracks are relatively small at about two inches long. They have five toes and several pads on each foot. The claw marks usually show in snow or mud. Tracks look like small handprints or a bunch of little spots. A squirrel’s rear paw prints are slightly longer than the front paw prints.
Illustration by Dan Goodman