Do we have Flying Squirrels in Connecticut?
I did not know we even had flying squirrels in Connecticut is the usual response I get when informing people about a flying squirrel infestation in their home. Flying squirrel removal is very common fall and winter call in CT. Southern flying squirrels are as common as gray squirrels and chipmunks in Connecticut. Flying squirrels are nocturnal, even knowing what you are looking for they are tough to find in the wild. You have likely heard them on quiet winter nights while taking out the trash. They make mouse like squeaks when warning their colony of danger. Flying squirrels usually invade homes during our colder months, yet start storing food late summer.
How to Identify a Flying Squirrel
I am not going to go through all the scientific stuff you are here to find what is in your home and how to get rid of it. Throughout the years I have found that most people notice two things about these animals the eyes and tail.
- Eyes of the flying squirrel look too big for their body, “creepy alien eyes” is not an uncommon description given.
- The tail, a flying squirrels tail is flat. We are talking Willie Coyote getting squashed by a steam roller flat.
- Chipmunk size, well lets call it a plus sized model of a chipmunk. The skin flaps it uses for gliding makes it look chubby .
- Color is grey brown on top slightly darker sides & light underbelly
Do Flying Squirrels fly?
Flying squirrels glide they do not really fly. They use their extra skin flap to glide. They are incredibly agile gliders and use their tail and feet to make right angle turns mid air. Flying squirrels can make glides of around 150ft. For every one foot decent they can go three feet out. Cutting down trees is not usually a viable option to deal with this type of squirrel. Flying squirrel removal is a more viable option than tree removal for a flyer infestation.
Habits of the Flying Squirrel and what they eat
Flying squirrels are the smallest of our native squirrels and the only nocturnal squirrel in Connecticut. True omnivores they will eat fruit, seeds, insects, bird eggs, cat and dog food. Flyers drink tree sap preferably from our sugar maples. They nibble a hole in the tree and lick off the sap that appears. Flying squirrels are the nemesis of people who make maple syrup. Chewing the plastic lines running from tree to tree is easier than tapping a tree themselves. Call for flying squirrel removal from your sugar shack.
Are Flying Squirrels living in your attic?
When it is warm flying squirrels are more likely to be living in tree nests. They are a fall and winter time pest in buildings mostly, though the occasional family will raise their young in a home during spring and a cooler summer. Flying squirrels are very social animals in fall and winter colonies will group up together 10-40 individual squirrels. Flying squirrels are very active and will explore every nook and cranny they can access. Late winter is flying squirrel mating season, they will be running around the attic more often at this time. On warmer winter nights and days flying squirrels may stay out in the trees. It is not uncommon for lots of activity one nigh then nothing for a couple of nights.
Do Flying Squirrels Do Damage to Homes.
Flying squirrels will chew on exterior trim, siding, and wires. The most extensive damage to electrical wiring I have ever seen was do to flying squirrels. Some wires had feet of bare wire, it was crazy. Unfortunately I think this is going to be a bigger problem on future homes. Overseas companies trying to go green have been using soy based coatings on wires (at least in cars) that rodents see as food. Flying squirrels are rodents, and like all rodents need to chew to keep their constantly growing teeth short. The food they store also attracts mice. Flyers also damage insulation. Flying squirrels will sent in insulation creating voids and holes decreasing your attics R-value. They also will shred the insulation batons on vertical walls, this is a telltale trait of flying squirrels. The newer plastic waterlines being used in modern construction are not rodent safe. I have had calls because of flying squirrels chewing into these lines causing flooding.
Signs of a flying squirrel infestation
Evidence of flying squirrels can be found through droppings, tracks (usually on HVAC equipment in attic), chew marks on entry points, sounds, the smell, actually sightings, and the bang test.
- DROPPINGS: The droppings are dark and just slightly bigger than mouse droppings. It will look like you have a big mouse problem to the untrained.
- TRACKS: Tracks are usually spotted on HVAC equipment as they hop up and travel along the flex tubing. Flyers like to be as high as possible usually in case an escape glide is needed.
- CHEWING: Chewing on entry points. Flying squirrels will round off the inside of a trim board to get in. This slight chewing to found off a corner is a hallmark of the flying squirrel.
- SOUND: Small but loud, they do more of a hop rather than a run. they are loud when chasing each other around and of course this is from 9pm to 4Am typically.
- SMELL: The droppings and urine will have a musty sweet smell. To me I smell a hint of maple syrup, but others complain about a musty odor.
- SIGHTINGS: Flying squirrels explore and are curious animals by nature. Spotting one hoping around the living space of a home is not uncommon. Seeing them in an attic is also common. Many confuse them for chipmunks.
- BANG TEST: Banging on the wall where you hear noises flying squirrels will usually run in the direction of their exit point. Mice will freeze and bats will just ignore you.
How to get rid of flying squirrels
To get rid of flying squirrels you need remove the squirrels from the home and squirrel proof, what we in the industry call an exclusion. Getting rid of flying squirrels is the toughest job in the wildlife control industry in CT. If the home is solid(meaning few possible entry points) a one-way door can be installed to let the squirrels out and keep them out. Unfortunately most homes are porous and one way doors do not work well. Live trapping is possible, but not usually feasible, we are talking 10-40 squirrels in a colony that’s a whole lot of live traps. It is a death sentence capturing individual flying squirrels and releasing them outside of their territory. They need the support structure of their colony to survive. Trapping using snap traps is the most economical and humane way to deal with a flying squirrel infestation. Trap the squirrels out (usually in winter) then squirrel proof the house (usually in spring). Squirrel proofing is the same as a bat exclusion except metal is needed.
Flying Squirrel removal, Squirrel proofing a home
Flying squirrels and bats go hand in hand typically if you have flying squirrels you also have bats. The difference is with flying squirrels you need to use metal to reinforce the exclusion. Flying squirrels chew, bats do not. Flying squirrels are the hardest animal to deter. Out of all animals in Connecticut, the flying squirrels are the toughest animal to keep out of a home. My flying squirrel exclusions come with a three year guarantee.
Cost of flying squirrel removal
Flying squirrels are one of the most expensive animals to permanently remove from homes. Trapping out is only a temporary solution to a flying squirrel infestation. The real solution is a flying squirrel exclusion sealing off all entry and possible entries into a home. This process can be expensive and specialty equipment is sometimes needed, usually boom lifts. Bat exclusions and flying squirrel removal / exclusions are very similar the only difference is metal is needed to prevent flying squirrels. Give me a call 203-900-7559 to talk about your options and solutions to your flying squirrel problem.
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