It’s not uncommon to see squirrels hopping around yards and scurrying up and down trees in residential neighborhoods. Due to their small size and bushy tales, many people find the critters cute and are eager to feed them by hand. You shouldn’t encourage the creatures to come to your house, though, as they could get inside in search of more food or shelter, resulting in the need for professional squirrel removal. For more incentive to let the creatures find their own food, check out the following guide.  

3 Reasons You Shouldn’t Feed Squirrels

1. Personal Safety

Squirrels should be admired from a distance, as you increase the odds of getting scratched or bitten by feeding them by hand. Knowing food is readily available makes squirrels lose their natural fear of humans. This means they could lunge, following you, or demonstrate other aggressive tendencies if they see you in the yard or driveway without food. Worse yet, they can carry diseases, such as typhus and ringworm, that are harmful to humans.

2. Property Damage

Once squirrels become more comfortable with humans, they’ll no longer fear perching on windowsills, coming up to doors, and walking around the porch. If the critters spot access points, they will try to enter the house. They will chew holes in wooden beams and other support elements, gnaw at PVC pipes and cause water leaks, make their nests in insulation, and bite electrical wires—increasing the risk of fires. They could also eat and trample through the vegetation surrounding your property. Squirrel removal specialists will have to get the critters out of your home before they cause devastating damage.   

3. Animal Welfare

Although you might have the best intentions, feeding squirrels could make the animals sick. Chips, fries, and other salty, greasy snack foods aren’t good for the animals’ diet. Providing food also leaves them ill-prepared to fend for themselves when you aren’t around.  

For professional squirrel removal, contact the animal control specialists at American Bio-Tech Wildlife Services in New Milford, CT. Since 1971, they have been removing wildlife from clients’ properties and returning the animals to the natural landscape, thereby reducing the risk of contracted diseases or incurring major property damage. To schedule squirrel removal anywhere in Connecticut, call (860) 355-1231. Visit the company online to learn about the additional humane animal control solutions they provide. To prevent future disturbances, become a Facebook follower to learn about the behaviors of animals that pose threats to your space.