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Nuisance Wildlife Control
Squirrels, rats, mice, bats, raccoons, and opossums are animals that commonly nest in homes. These and other animals cause damage to structures, gnaw electrical wires and cables, create disturbing noises, leave excrement, and carry diseases.
Gray Squirrels
| Gray Squirrel, Sciurus carolinensis |
| Scientific name: The genus name Sciurus is from the Greek words skia (shadow) and oura (tail), a reference to the bushy tail which casts a shadow on the squirrel. |
| Description: |
Size: Total length, 16 - 20 in.
Color: Uniformly gray above. White on the belly. Tail bordered with white-tipped hairs.
Other things to look for: A tree-dweller with a very bushy tail. In the summer months, one sometimes may see a Gray Squirrel which looks hairless. This condition is caused by a mite infestation called mange. |
| Life Cycle: |
| There are two peaks of breeding activity per year, one in January and the other in May and June. During the breeding periods, several males may pursue a female up and down branches and from tree to tree in what is called a "mating chase." After a gestation of 40 - 45 days, the female gives birth to an average of 2 - 4 young. Young are born naked and toothless, with eyes and ears closed. When they are weaned at 2 months of age, the young are one-half the adult size. They remain with the female as a family group for about 4 - 5 months. |
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We will safely and humanely remove animals from your home to prevent further damage. We also provide animal proofing by permanently sealing off pest entry points into your home.
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Large Squirrel Nest in Attic
Squirrels are usually removed by a one-way escape door. This allows squirrels to escape unharmed, but not return to your home to nest. This method is more efficient, less harmful to the squirrels, and is a less costly means of removing squirrels than trapping. Often squirrels that are trapped in live cages panic and die in the trap, or die soon after they are transplanted far from their established home. Our non-trapping method eliminates these concerns.
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Tree squirrels chewed through a roof rafter and cross board in attic.
Flying Squirrels
 
Flying squirrels are nocturnal. Most homeowners are unaware a family is nesting in the attic
| Southern Flying Squirrel, Glaucomys volans |
| Scientific name: The genus name Glaucomys is derived from the Greek words glaukos (gray) and mys (mouse). The species name is from the Latin word volare (flying). When combined these become the "flying gray mouse." |
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Size: Adults range in size from 8.3 - 9.8 in. in total length.
Color: The fine, silky fur is gray in color on the back and white on the belly. The tail is gray above and pinkish cinnamon below.
Other things to look for: The Southern Flying Squirrel has large, black eyes, prominent ears, and a bushy, flattened tail. It has a loose fold of skin that connects the forelimbs to the hindlimbs from wrist to ankle. This fold of skin, called a "patagium," serves as the gliding membrane when the limbs are fully extended. |
| Life Cycle: |
| The Southern Flying Squirrel has two breeding seasons per year, in January - February and again in June - July. From 2 - 7 naked, blind young are born after a 40 - day gestation period. The nest is lined with shredded bark, grass, moss, or other plant material. It is placed in an abandoned woodpecker cavity or other tree hole, and may be as high as 40 ft. from the ground. By 3 - 4 weeks of age, the young are covered in fur and their eyes and ears are open. At 6 - 8 weeks of age, the young are weaned. At this age they are capable of gliding and begin foraging flights with the female. Sexual maturity is reached at about one year of age. |
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| The Southern Flying Squirrel is the only carnivorous member of the squirrel family. It is also the most completely arboreal. In addition to leaping from limb to limb, it travels from tree to tree by leaping into the air from a tree limb. Buoyed by its outstretched gliding membrane, it can soar an average of 20 - 30 ft. to land at the base of the next tree, which it then climbs to repeat the process. Records of glides up to 100 ft. long have been recorded. By movements of the patagium and tail, it can control the direction of its flight and can make turns of 90 to 180 degrees. The Southern Flying Squirrel is very social, and it is not uncommon to find as many as 6 - 7 individuals using the same nest cavity in the winter. They may benefit from the shared body heat. This species is active throughout the year. Its omnivorous diet includes acorns, nuts, berries, fruits, seeds, buds, blossoms, insects, birds, nestlings, eggs and, occasionally, carrion. When foraging for mast (acorn or nut crops), it may run and hop on the ground. |
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| The Southern Flying Squirrel is found across the eastern United States in hardwood and mixed hardwood - pine forests where there are many old trees with natural cavities or woodpecker holes. It is present throughout Georgia. |
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| The Southern Flying Squirrel can be distinguished from other squirrels in Georgia by its small size, its bushy, flattened tail, and the loose fold of skin that connects its front and back limbs from wrist to ankle. The only other mammal in the United States that has this gliding membrane or looks like the Southern Flying Squirrel is the Northern Flying Squirrel. The Northern Flying Squirrel is found mainly in the forests of northeastern United States and the boreal forests of Canada and the American west. It does not occur in Georgia. |
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Call for Inspection and Quote:
770-938-3400
or email:
info@expest.net |
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