Category Archives: Squirrels

Can I Keep a Squirrel for a Pet in Illinois?

In this post, we’ll discuss whether you can or should keep a squirrel as a pet in the state of Illinois.

This is a funny question for us because we’re not necessarily the biggest fans of squirrels around here.

Sure, they give us plenty of business. We have to remove squirrels from attics, patch holes in siding and soffit, and clean up the messes they leave behind. They sure can keep us busy!

Then there’s the worst thing about squirrels, which is that thousands of home fires a year are caused by squirrels chewing wires. We consider that reason alone to not invite a squirrel into your home.

For other people though, they see the squirrel as having a cute little face, a delightful fluffy tail and tiny little hands they use to pick up and gnaw on food.

So even though we are most frequently asked how to get rid of a squirrel and how to squirrel proof your home, there are still people who want to know…

Can you keep a squirrel as a pet?

The short and easy answer is NO.

Thank you squirrel Squirrels are wild animals, and in the state of Illinois, nearly all wildlife is protected under the Wildlife Code (Section 2.2) and cannot be held in captivity. The only exception is if are if you are a licensed wildlife rehabilitator.

In Illinois, it is not even legal to kill or trap a squirrel without a hunting license or a nuisance animal removal permit.

To be clear, keeping a squirrel as a pet is illegal in Illinois.

Squirrels were once kept as pets in the 18th and 19th centuries by humans, but they didn’t make very good pets and the wildlife laws have changed since then to reflect our modern standards.

There are many animals which are not only legal to keep as pets, but much safer, predictable and ultimately more rewarding than a squirrel.

Reasons not to keep a squirrel as a pet

Squirrels are wild animals – They are not domesticated animals like dogs and pets. Wild animals will be happiest when they are free in the wild, not confined to a cage or your home. Many people would say it is unethical to keep a wild animal as a pet.

They have sharp claws – Their claws are evolved to pierce bark and allow them to climb trees. Imagine what those claws can do to your skin, clothing, and furniture.

Squirrels can bite without warning – Domesticated animals like dogs have evolved to possess a “bite inhibition reflex”. They know that they’re not supposed to bite, that biting is “bad”. For a wild animal like a squirrel, if they get the thought to bite, they will. There is no counter-thought in their brain to say that “biting is bad”.

You will be bitten and scratched – See the above reasons. People who have kept squirrels as pets are inevitably bitten and scratched many times. Professional handlers will usually where protective clothing. Remember, these are wild animals after all.

Squirrels will taste anything – They may take a bite out of anything they see that looks like it might be food including furniture, shoes, wallpaper, drywall, plastics, toys or anything. And unlike dogs, they can climb their way to reach almost anything.

Their diet is more varied than you realize – We all think of squirrels as nut eaters but that is only part of their diet. In the wild, they will eat a varied diet of berries, fruits, vegetables, insects, and worms. If you want a healthy squirrel you need to commit to feeding them like this.

Squirrels can not roam your house free – You would have to keep a squirrel in a cage most of the time. They are intensely curious and highly mobile. You will not be able to keep them out of trouble or contain their destructive tendencies if they are roaming your home freely. It won’t be safe for you or for them

It is illegal to own a squirrel – If nothing else convinces you, it is illegal to keep a squirrel as a pet. You will be facing a $1500 fine from the state of Illinois, as well as potential fines from your county or city and if you don’t own your home, potential eviction from your landlord.

Instead of trying to keep a squirrel as a pet, a safer alternative is to try and befriend a wild squirrel. They are tolerant of humans and can learn if you are a friendly human. Many people have trained wild squirrels to come to their porch for a snack, even to take food from your hand. You’ll still need to be careful but you and your home will be at less risk.

Wild animals should be kept in the wild. They’ll be happier and safer, and so will you.

If you need a licensed animal removal service to humanely remove a squirrel from your home or business anywhere in Chicagoland, please email or phone us at (847) 464-1861.

Image Source – Wikipedia Commons

How to Keep Animals Out of Your Chimney with a Chimney Cap

In this post, we’ll discuss how to keep animals out of the chimney of your home.

That chimney on your house may look like an inviting home to wild animals. It’s a common nesting place for birds, bats, raccoons and squirrels.

To an animal, a chimney is a nice warm space safe from predators. But these animals bring insects and diseases with them and their droppings can be a difficult issue to deal with.

If you get to the point where you require professional animal removal service, then we can help you with that. But we bet that you would prefer never having the situation get to that point.

For professional removal of animals from your chimney in Chicagoland, call (847) 464-1861

Install a chimney cap

A chimney cap is the best way to prevent wildlife from moving into your chimney.

It’s an affordable solution that can prevent the problem for decades. If you don’t mind working on your roof, then it’s possible that you can even install it on your own if you want.

A chimney cap can be purchased at your local home improvement store for as little as $50. High-end models may cost several hundreds of dollars. There are many sizes and styles to choose from, from stainless steel to chimney caps made of copper.

How to install a chimney cap

Tools you will need:

Measuring tape
Ladder
Chimney cap
Screwdriver and/or wrench
Caulk for chimney flues made of tile or brick

How to choose a chimney cap

The screen height of the chimney cap you choose must be sufficient to allow your chimney to draft properly. It is recommended that your cap should be about six inches higher than the chimney flue.

Stainless steel is usually the best value for your money. You may choose a different cap though which better suits the look and architectural style of your home.

Whatever style you choose, installing a chimney cap will provide you a reliable solution for keeping wildlife out of your chimney and could save you hundreds of dollars in animal removal, dead animal removal and repairs of your home.

For professional removal of animals from your chimney in Chicagoland, call (847) 464-1861

How to Tell What Kind of Animal is in My Attic?

Hearing noises coming from your attic at night?

Unfortunately, in Chicagoland, it’s not an uncommon thing. The extremes of weather here, especially during winter months will send a lot of animals searching for shelter. They might just decide your attic is the perfect place to settle down to keep warm or raise a family

In this post, we’ll cover some basics on how to try and identify what that animal in your attic is.

Identifying animal sounds in the attic

Most common animals in attic

The two most common kinds of animals that will enter your attic are raccoons and squirrels. This is a good place to start because most of the time that sound is going to be one of these two critters.

Related: Common animal entry points

Raccoon sounds

If you are hearing animal sounds in your attic at night, it is most commonly a raccoon because they are nocturnal animals and thus most active at night.

Raccoons are often the loudest sound you will hear in your attic. They are the largest animal that will enter your home. It will make heavy, thudding, dragging, slower moving sounds. They will sound more like footsteps than any other animal, which can be frightening sometimes.

Squirrel sounds

If you are hearing sounds in your attic during the day, it’s probably a squirrel. They are typically only active during daylight hours.

Squirrels will make more erratic kinds of sounds. They ar lighter and will scurry and move around faster than a raccoon. Squirrels will usually stick to a schedule and so you’ll hear them moving around at the same time every day, usually around dawn and dusk.

If you hear one in the wall near you and bang on the wall, unlike some animals you’ll hear the squirrel run away from you.

Related: How to get rid of squirrels

Mice sounds

Being the smallest animal, mice will be much harder to hear. The saying “quiet as a mouse” exists for a reason. But it is possible you may hear them moving around at night. It might sound like a light scratching or chewing sound.

If you hear a mouse in the wall and bang on the wall, unlike a squirrel, it won’t run away. It will remain perfectly still for at least a minute, waiting to move again.

Bats

You usually won’t hear a bat at night. They are in places where they’re not likely to be heard unless they are trying to crawl through your wall. In most cases you’ll see a bat in your house before you hear it.

For professional animal removal services or attic cleanup and repair in Chicagoland call Attic Solutions (847) 464-1861

Image Source

Do I Need a Permit to Remove a Nuisance Animal in Illinois?

Raccoons carrying disease into your home

You may not realize it, but that nuisance animal in your attic, shed, garage or on your property might be legally protected in Illinois.

Most wildlife is protected by law and cannot be killed or even removed without a permit.

The Illinois Department of National Resources is tasked with conservation and management of wild species in Illinois. By Illinois law, a property owner or tenant needs a Nuisance Animal Removal Permit to trap and remove most species of wildlife.

By Illinois law, property owners or tenants need a Nuisance Animal Removal Permit (PDF) to trap and remove most species of wildlife.

Is the animal you want to remove a protected species? We’ve listed the most common nuisance animals in Illinois below.

Questions? Call Attic Solutions at (847) 464-1861

Mice, Norway rats, moles, voles, gophers, and shrews

These small mammals may all be removed with no permit needed.

Exceptions to this rule include the eastern woodrat and rice rat, which are endangered species in Illinois. These two species may not be removed.

Ground squirrels and chipmunks

The eastern chipmunk and the thirteen-lined ground squirrels may be removed without a permit.

Franklins ground squirrels are listed as threatened in Illinois and may not be removed.

Raccoons, skunks, opossums, beavers, muskrats, red foxes, gray foxes, mink, river otters, badgers, weasels, woodchucks, coyotes, and bobcats

The Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) recommends hiring a professional wildlife removal service to capture and remove fur-bearing animals. If you want to remove a fur-bearing animal yourself, contact an IDNR District Wildlife Biologist to see if you qualify for a Nuisance Animal Removal Permit.

In rural areas, the IDNR encourages removal of most furbearers during open hunting and trapping seasons whenever possible. All Illinois hunting regulations must be followed. For more information on hunting and trapping regulations, visit the IDNR Licenses & Hunting site.

Related: Common animal entry points

Gray squirrels, fox squirrels, red squirrels, and southern flying squirrels

The Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) recommends hiring a professional wildlife removal service to capture and remove squirrels. If you want to remove a squirrel yourself, contact an IDNR District Wildlife Biologist to see if you qualify for a Nuisance Animal Removal Permit.

In rural areas, gray squirrels and fox squirrels may be taken during open hunting seasons.

Rabbits

The Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) recommends hiring a professional wildlife removal service to capture and remove rabbits. If you want to remove a rabbit yourself, contact an IDNR District Wildlife Biologist to see if you qualify for a Nuisance Animal Removal Permit.

In rural areas, rabbits may be taken during open hunting seasons.

Bats

The (IDNR) recommends hiring a professional bat removal service to capture and remove bats.

Bats inside rooms will usually exit on their own. Close off exits to the room and keep windows open overnight.

White-Tailed Deer

White-tailed deer are protected under the Illinois Wildlife Code as a game species. It is illegal to take live deer from the wild unless you have received a permit from the Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) or are a licensed wildlife rehabilitator.

IDNR Deer Removal Guidelines (PDF)

In rural areas, deer hunting is permitted in season. All state hunting regulations must be followed. Outside of hunting season, or in situations where hunting is not allowed, a deer removal permit may be issued by an IDNR District Wildlife Biologist.

A person who hits and kills a deer with a motorized vehicle can legally claim the deer to salvage the meat, hide, and antlers.

For more information on hunting and trapping in Illinois visit the Illinois Department of National Resources.

For professional animal removal services in Chicagoland call Attic Solutions (847) 464-1861

Why Attic Restoration is Important

Cleanup and restoration of your attic after animals have been living in the space is critical for the health of you and your family.

Attic restoration means to clean and restore your attic to the condition it was in before unwanted wildlife moved in and created a mess.

You may think getting rid of the animal in your attic is enough, but that is not the end of your problem. Animals living in your attic will make a mess, leaving feces and diseases after they are gone.

For professional attic restoration in the Chicago area, please contact us online or call (847) 464-1861

Problems caused by animals in the attic

Animal feces and urine in your insulation
Leftover food and food waste
Animal and urine odors
Mold growing in urine soaked areas
Roundworms, parasites and their eggs
Animal scents which can attract more pests

It’s extremely important to make sure all these issues are taken care of. They are not something that you would want to attempt on your own because you risk becoming infected by some diseases.

Parasites such as roundworm can become airborne, risking infection simply by breathing them in.

A trained professional attic restoration technician will clean, disinfect, and repair the attic using an air filter and protective clothing.

You will also need to make sure that you inspect the home to locate and repair any points where animals have entered your home. This may include roofing, fascia, soffit, siding, and chimneys.

Professional cleanup and attic restoration helps protect you and your family from disease. Animal entry repair will prevent the problem from happening again.

Live animal trapping and attic restoration video

In this video, you can see the Attic Solutions team cleaning and restoring a customer’s attic and returning it to its original state.

For animal removal and attic restoration services in Chicago, the Chicago suburbs and southern Wisconsin, contact us online or phone (847) 464-1861

How to Get Rid of Squirrels

Ah squirrels. To some people they’re cute little critters. Not to us though, and not to you either.

You know about the damage a squirrel can cause. They use their choppers to chew up your flowers, roof shingles, siding, patio furniture, electrical wiring in your home and just about anything they can their little paws and teeth onto.

So how to get rid of squirrels? It’s not easy, we know. We get a lot of calls from people who have given up and “called for backup”, which is us.

You can try a lot of different methods and still have trouble with them. We’re going to go over some of the ways you can try to get rid of squirrels in your home and your property.

If you’d rather just have us get rid of your squirrels, don’t hesitate to email or phone us at (847) 464-1861.

How to get rid of squirrels in your house

Let the squirrel leave on its own – A squirrel will leave your house on its own if given a chance. If there’s a squirrel in your attic, it will leave on its own to go in search of food. Wait for it to leave and then search for the entry point and cover it up as quickly as possible so it can’t get back it.

Squirrels in your walls can be a challenge. We recommend you contact us to have them removed.

If the squirrel is trapped in your house – If a squirrel has not made a home in your attic and instead has accidentally become trapped in your house, you’ll have a few different options, but please use caution.

Make sure all your pets are out of the squirrel’s way. Squirrels can carry diseases that could be passed on to your pets.
Confine the squirrel to a single room. Close all doors that lead to another part of the house. Then open all windows and any doors that lead to the outside.
Leave the room. Let the squirrel feel safe enough that he can make his escape. He doesn’t want to be there and he’ll leave if he feels he can do it safely.
Alternately, you can use a humane capture trap, bait it with some peanut butter and capture the squirrel. Get it as close the squirrel as you can and then leave.

We’ve heard of people capturing squirrels by using heavy blankets and sneaking up on them, but we do NOT recommend that.

How to keep squirrels out of your garden

Squirrels in your garden can be extremely annoying. Sometimes they will pick whole vegetables and run off with them. What’s even more annoying to me though is their habit of taking one bite out of your vegetable and then leaving the rest on the vine or the ground.

Citrus fruit peels – Save a big container or orange and lemon peels from over the winter months. When it is spring planting time, bury the old rinds just under the top of the soil and they will discourage the squirrels.
Scatter dog and human hair around your garden – Squirrels do not like the smell of humans and they fear the smell of dogs. Just like the citrus peels, bury it just below the top level, or even sprinkle some right on top of problem areas.
Spices – Garlic powder and cayenne pepper sprinkled on top of your bulbs can keep squirrels away.
Squirrel repellents – People report varying levels of success using these products. Your results may vary but they do sometimes work, but sometimes squirrels may build up a tolerance to them over time.
Motion activated sprinklers – These can be used to keep all kinds of animals out of your yard. As a bonus, they can water your lawn and garden!

Call a professional

If you don’t want to remove squirrels yourself (and we DON’T recommend it), then please call Attic Solutions at (847) 464-1861 for professional squirrel removal in the Chicagoland area.

Squirrels Chewing Wires is a Major Problem

Are there squirrels plotting right now to take out the power in your home?

We’ve talked before about the damages squirrels can cause in the attic and how they’ve even gone as far as to attack a Chicago politician.

The biggest problem they can potentially cause though is to start an electrical fire in your home. Although we like to have fun and joke about animals, a fire in your house is no laughing matter.

Squirrels chewing on wires in your home are a major problem. Although it’s hard to find a reliable number, it’s known that squirrels cause many home fires every year.

They caused a fire that burnt down a home in the UK while a family was on vacation. They caused a fire in a pastor’s home in Florida. Squirrels have even been reported to knock out power to entire towns.

We’ve read claims that squirrels cause 30,000 house fires a year. We can’t say how reliable that number is but having seen the damages that squirrels cause all across Chicagoland, we wouldn’t be surprised.

Let’s talk about why squirrels do then and how you can stop them.

For professional animal and squirrel removal in Chicagoland Call (847) 464-1861

Why squirrels chew electrical wires

Squirrels are a common nuisance in homes and often may enter the home during winter months. They are looking for a warm and dry place to stays, and maybe even to hide some nuts from rivals or to raise a family.

The reason that squirrels chew is because their teeth never stop growing. Their teeth will continue to grow throughout their lifetime.

Because of this, squirrels need to chew on hard objects, such as metal wires, so that they can slow the rate of their teeth growing and control their length.

Chewing also keeps their teeth hard, and chewing on metal wires can help keep them sharp. Squirrels need hard, sharp teeth to break through hard nut shells and will engage in chewing and sharpening behaviors throughout their entire lifetime.

How to protect your electrical wires from squirrels

So how do you protect your home and family from the dangers of squirrels chewing your wires?

First off, if you think you have squirrels in your home, get rid of them! As soon as possible!

For professional inspection and animal removal call (847) 464-1861

If you don’t have squirrels in your attic, hooray! Let’s keep it that way. Nothing can protect your home like putting some time into prevention.

common animal entry points in home

Learn what the most common entry points for animals to enter your home and then inspect your house to make sure you’re not giving them an easy way in. Learn how to squirrel proof your home and keep them out.

Try to keep them away from your bird feeders and don’t give them any other sources of food.

Keep your house secured from squirrels and you will also be helping to keep other pests out as well.

Nobody likes an uninvited animal guest so make sure you’re not leaving them a welcome mat.

For more animal prevention tips read our blog.

For professional animal removal services in Chicagoland including squirrels, raccoons, bats and more, contact Attic Solutions by email or call us at (847) 464-1861

Aggressive Squirrel Puts a Hit on Chicago Politician

Having performed squirrel removal in Chicago for years, we know how much damage an aggressive squirrel can cause to your property. But still, even this incident is a new one to us.

In a blatant act of aggression, the Chicago squirrel mafia placed a hit on Chicago Alderman Howard B. Brookins Jr.

On November 13, 2016, alderman Brookins was enjoying a recreational bike ride along the Cal-Sag trail when he was jumped by the squirrel mafia hit man.

The squirrel laid in wait for Brookins to ride by and then threw himself into the bicycle wheel spokes, causing the victim to be thrown head first over his handle bars at a high rate of speed.

The victim received a fractured skull, broken nose and had several teeth knocked out. The perpetrator was killed in the attack but not before seriously injuring the alderman.

aggressive squirrel attacks politician on bike

Why did the squirrel mafia order the hit?

The reasons for the hit on alderman Brookins was immediately apparent to his colleagues and followers of Chicago politics.

Howard was a well known outspoken critic of the Chicago squirrel mafia and their destructive property crimes.

Only the month before, Brookins had attacked the squirrels at a city council meeting, saying that “aggressive squirrels were undermining the effort to overhaul the city’s trash carts, (reported the Chicago Sun Times). The squirrels were gnawing through the garbage cart lids at a cost of $300,000 to the city.”

Little did he know that the Chicago squirrel mafia would not tolerate this attack on their campaign of destruction across Chicago and it’s suburbs. Squirrels are ruthless though.

We at Attic Solutions want you and the rest of law abiding citizens to remain vigilant in the face of this attack.

We cannot let them get away with this!

If you have a problem with squirrels destroying your property, let this be a warning to you that you should call the professionals.

We are not afraid of them! We at Attic Solutions are here to protect you and your loved ones!

Call us today for squirrel removal at (847) 464-1861

Sources: NPR | Washington Post |

Image credit: CoC Wiki

Protect Your Home from Animals in Winter

So where do animals go during the winter? What do they do when you’re inside warming yourself around the fireplace or tucked under a warm blanket.

Those wild critters get cold during winter too. They need a warm place to stay. Your attic, garage, shed or basement sure start to look like an inviting critter Airbnb.

These are not the kind of holiday guests you want in your home!

Squirrels, raccoons, mice, and bats oh my! They’re all looking for a warm place to stay and your warm home is so inviting.

If you think your family and friends can make a mess of your home during the holidays, you don’t want to see what these wild critters can do!

So how do you keep these determined rodents out of your home?

Here are some tips to help keep wild animals out of your home during the winter months.

Wildlife in the home prevention tips

Check your foundation – From the bottom up, check your foundation for openings or any signs of animal activity in the spots where pipes, vents, and cables enter your home.
Secure your trash cans – Wherever you store your garbage before you take it to the curb, keep it tight and secure. Raccoons especially are attracted to garbage cans. Once they find a nice place to eat, they might decide it’s also a nice place to live.
Trim branches away – Tree branches that come close to your home make a nice path for a squirrel or bat to find their way into your home. Don’t make their trip into your attic easy for them.
Clear away clutter – Piles of clutter, yard debris and garbage make great hiding places for animals. Unnecessary clutter makes critters feel comfortable to get close to your home.

You can’t always keep all animals out but the biggest thing is to not make their route into your home any easier.

Keep a clean home and property. Check your doors, foundation, roofline, pipes and utilities and patch up any potential entrances.

If you do get critters in your home, Attic Solutions are experienced at animal removal in the Chicago area.

If you have any questions, just give us a call at (847) 464-1861

What Do Animals Do During Fall?

Where do animal pests go when the whether becomes chilly? Surprisingly, many of them stay active before the snowy, winter months hit. Read more to discover what do animals do during fall.

what do animals do during fall

What Do Animals Do During Fall: Migration

Many birds and insects migrate to warmer areas during the chillier months of fall. Because temperatures begin to drop during the fall season, these creatures begin to find more suitable conditions. For example, swallows migrate south once the weather begins to cool and their food sources dwindle. You may think that since some animal pests are leaving during this season you’ll see less activity, but it’s far from the truth. In fact, you may see more activity in your home at this time of year.

What Do Animals Do During Fall: Hibernation Preparation

Other animals prepare to hibernate during the fall. Squirrels, chipmunks, and groundhogs will gather food to store for the winter. Although chipmunks and squirrels do not go into a true hibernation state, they a relatively inactive during the winter. This leads them to frantically stockpile leftover food near your garbages or from your bird feeders. These small mammals can be quite pesky during the fall.

Bats will also hibernate during the cold months. You can expect their presence to taper off as the insect population dies down with the cool weather.

In addition, wasps and bees will still be active during the fall. They do not hibernate until winter. If there’s a nest near your home that needs to be removed, unfortunately the cold weather won’t be enough to detract them. Make sure to call pest control for assistance moving wasps or bee nests.

What Do Animals Do During Fall: Stay Active

Many other animals stay active during this time of year. Skunks, for example, stay in their dens but are awake during winter. You’ll see (and smell) plenty of skunks during the fall. Raccoons behave similarly, and will stay active year round. This means, you still have to be vigilant and remove outdoor food sources for these pests. In fact, you may notice more pest activity because homes have plentiful opportunities for food, while the cool weather limits natural sources.

Opossums are also active during the colder months. You may be surprised to know that they’ll even become active during the day, though they are nocturnal. Nonetheless, you should never take a chance with an opossum behaving strangely, as it may be infected with rabies or another disease.

Lastly, rodents remain highly active during the cold months. You may see more mice and rats in your home during the fall, as fields are plowed and they escape to your safe home. In addition, homes are full of food sources and provide shelter from the elements. Your rodent problem may be highest during the fall. Call Attic Solutions to remove your pests safely and efficiently, so you can enjoy the fall season without pests.