And the squirrel said, “Baby it’s COLD outside”!

It is official….winter weather is here and it is COLD! Even our furry outdoor friends are feeling the hit! Squirrels especially are seeking warmer shelter as we speak. Most will forage during the day but seek warmer shelter than their usual year round residences when the temps hit 30 and 40. Where you ask? The best spot , if they can find access, is your home’s crawlspace. It beckons to them like a neon motel sign flashing a vacancy sign.

I was chatting with the neighbor’s about their squirrel problem (which is what prompted me to blog…thinking others may be experiencing squirrel intrusions in their homes). The neighbor has a much older home which translates into a much older crawl space. Over the years the crawl space most likely has turned up small spaces and crevices for outdoor friends. So, as the weather became colder, the neighbors began to hear thumping and scampering sounds. Being animal and nature lovers, they did not want to do anything harmful to the intruders but they did want some peace and quiet. They took matters into their own hands, i.e.,putting  cat hair in the crawl space when the squirrels were out on the town during the day. Certainly that would scare them away. It didn’t. They tried moth balls. Useless. Next they hung one of those sound-wave gadgets in the crawl space. The squirrels enjoyed batting it around like a toy ball. The neighbors thought the squirrels were now having a lot of laughs at their expense and mocked them before they fell asleep every night!

The neighbors “Googled” information that would aid in their efforts. What they figured out is that the squirrels may have been also seeking shelter to mate and perhaps the female will give birth at some point. They certainly didn’t want to create a multi-family situation. They finally called a humane capture of pests type of guy. He came and found the entry point….humanely captured the squirrels in question…..sealed up the crawl space spot where they were gaining entry….and assured the neighbors that the squirrels will be released to their natural habitat somewhere not near their house!

At least the neighbors didn’t have an attic or basement like the types back up north….they may have attracted the whole tribe to settle in for the winter!