Squirrels in Wisconsin
Squirrels are rodents with bushy tails, large eyes, and long hind feet. The most common species in Wisconsin are the red squirrel, gray squirrel, flying squirrel, fox squirrel, and 13-lined ground squirrel.
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.
What are the Signs of a Squirrel in Your Attic?
Squirrels often seek shelter in attics and chimneys. They are excellent climbers with strong front claws and teeth that can gnaw through fascia boards, vents, eaves, and ridges. Gray and red squirrels are most active during the day, while flying squirrels are nocturnal and active at night. You may hear gnawing, scratching, and scurrying sounds when they move through the attic or walls, especially in the early morning and late evening. Homeowners may also find nesting materials in their attic, such as torn insulation, leaves, and twigs.
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 your home or business.
We will perform a thorough home inspection to identify signs of squirrel activity, such as droppings, nesting materials, tracks, and entry points. Live trapping is the most effective and humane way to remove a squirrel. After removal, we will seal all entry points to prevent future intrusions.
Squirrel Exclusion
Squirrels are a common problem for homeowners, frequently invading properties in search of food, water, and shelter. The best way to prevent squirrels is to create exclusions and modify the habitat around your home. Our wildlife specialists can identify and seal potential entry points to secure your home and prevent future wildlife problems. Learn more about our exclusion and repair services. Taking simple preventative steps will also help 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 tree branches that overhang the roof.
- 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