Blog - Page 5 of 11 - Wildlifeshield.ca

08 Sep

Squirrel Nest in Chimney – What to Do

You may have heard scratching, fighting and chattering in your chimney or smelled the pungent odour of squirrel droppings. Squirrel in the chimney in Toronto is actually fairly common. The chimney looks a lot like a hollow tree so the critter will naturally want to nest in it. Some fall in by accident and can’t climb out especially if the tube flue is made from slick metal. Whatever the case, you need to remove the squirrels as soon as possible. Read More →

06 Sep

How to Seal Off My Attic So Squirrels Can’t Access It

Pitter-patter, pitter-patter, pitter-patter. That sound is not a welcoming one to homeowners with attics. If you hear that sound above your head, it means you have an invader in your home, which is most likely a squirrel. Squirrels commonly invade attics because it provides them with a cozy, comfy shelter.

What harm could a cute, innocent squirrel do in your attic? It is just looking to hide out and stay comfortable, right? Wrong. A squirrel can create tremendous damage in your attic. They can tear up insulation, leave feces and urine everywhere, chew through sheetrock, and damage cables and wiring. Learning how to keep squirrels out of your attic can help, though or call us if you need squirrel removal services: 647-560-3988

What Are The Best Ways to Control Squirrels?

Squirrels in Toronto can be a nuisance on your property but keep in mind that they are protect wildlife. It is illegal to kill or harm squirrels or transport them for more than a kilometre without a permit.

The law may limit your options but it is still much you can do to control squirrels on your property. Squirrel repellents don’t work including homemade and those bought over the counter. Read More →

30 Aug

When is Squirrel Mating Season?

Squirrel mating season in Canada may vary from squirrel species to species but generally speaking, squirrels mate twice a year; from December to February and once again from June to August. The gestation period of the average squirrel is 45 days when the animal gives birth to a litter of between 3 and 8 baby squirrels. The younglings are born deaf, blind and naked (without fur).

Multiple males will attempt to mate with a single female. The males attempt to get the female’s attention by loud chattering and slapping tree barks to show dominance. A female is receptive for less than a day and her pheromones can attract males up to a half kilometre away. The female chooses the most dominant male to mate with. It is not uncommon for the female to mate with multiple males. Read More →

28 Aug

What is The Average Lifespan of a Grey Squirrel?

The average lifespan of a grey squirrel in the wild is between 1 and 4 years although there are rare cases of free-roaming squirrels living up to 13 years. The longest recorded lifespan of a squirrel in captivity is 20 years. The animal’s life expectancy depends on a number of variables.

One variable is wintertime conditions. Grey squirrels do not hibernate and spend extended hours in their nests during harsh weather. Prolonged or severe winter can minimize the squirrel’s ability to find food while heavy snow cover can limit its ability to recover buried nuts. Desperate squirrels are known to exhibit cannibalistic behaviour, eating members of their species. Read More →

26 Aug

What to Do If a Squirrel Bite You

Squirrels are not naturally aggressive and a squirrel biting a human is extremely rare. In fact, you are statistically more likely to get bitten by another human than by a squirrel. That being said, these are still wild animals and may attack if they feel threatened or cornered. A mother squirrel can also be more aggressive than usual.

Most people get bitten when they attempt to capture or transport squirrels or accidentally while feeding them by hand. Read More →

24 Aug

Why Are There So Many Black Squirrels in Toronto

Black squirrels are actually the Eastern Grey Squirrel. The difference in colour comes from a genetic anomaly that prevents their fur from turning grey. Most people agree that black squirrels seem to be dominating the wildlife scene in Toronto. Scientists theorize a few reasons why this might be the case although it is difficult to say conclusively why there are so many black squirrels in Toronto compared to their grey counterparts. Read More →

22 Aug

What Predators Squirrels Have in Toronto

Squirrels are cute, furry animals and it is difficult to imagine anyone wanting to eat them. Unfortunately, wild animals don’t follow the same rationale while hunting food so the squirrels have many natural predators in the wild including weasels, coyotes, foxes, wildcats and snakes.

Granted that squirrels have fewer predators in Toronto but the rodents still don’t relinquish their position on the food chain. Common squirrel predators in Toronto include: Read More →

20 Aug

What Do Raccoons Eat in Cities

Raccoons are omnivorous animals so the easy answer to the question what do raccoons eat in cities is; virtually anything the critters can get their paws on.

Raccoons will gladly eat pet food left outside overnight, rotting vegetables and worms in compost, bird food, and leftovers in trash cans, fish inside decorative ponds, eggs and small birds in chicken coops, and fruits and berries from fruit trees. Although they are out of their natural environment in cities, raccoons still have an abundance of food choices in most cases. Read More →

18 Aug

What Do Raccoons Eat in the Wild?

Raccoons that live in the wild tend to settle down in forests as near as they can get to a body of water. However, some wild raccoons also live in rural and urban areas. Housing and business development destroy forestry, and so the raccoon must adapt to a new environment. So, what does a raccoon eat in the wild, whether living in the forest or among rural and urban living conditions? Read More →

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