Squirrel behaviour
With its curving, bushy tail, the eastern grey squirrel is easily recognizable—and a frequent sight around our homes. Some specimens may have a black coat, but they belong to the same species: Scurius carolinensis.
Common in southwestern portions of Quebec, the eastern grey squirrel lives in hardwood forests as well as green spaces in cities. Its cousin, the red squirrel, is smaller and prefers the coniferous forests farther to the north and east.
In summer, squirrels often build nests of twigs and leaves in the higher branches of trees. Come fall, they gather and hide food for the winter, as they do not hibernate. Squirrels eat a little bit of everything: seeds, nuts, maple keys, bulbs, flowers, fruit, insects, eggs, etc. They spend the winter in spots better protected from inclement weather, most often in the hollows of tree trunks.
Are grey squirrels useful or bothersome?
Useful
- Eastern grey squirrels contribute to forest regeneration because they bury so many nuts—and then forget to dig them up and eat them.
- They are very active and visible in the daytime, bringing our parks and woodlands to life.
Common nuisance behaviours of squirrels include:
- Getting into attics and sheds and building their nests there.
- Chewing through electric wires, which can result in a fire hazard.
- Stealing birdseed and/or destroying bird feeders.
- Rummaging through garbage bins.
- Digging up and eating seeds, bulbs, flowers and fruit.
- Gnawing the bark of various shrubs and chewing on their buds.
Tips for keeping squirrels away from your home
If you have a dog or cat, you can count on it to scare off squirrels. If not, there are a number of actions you can take and repellents that can help.
1. Keeping squirrels out of your garden and flowerbeds
When you plant bulbs, sprinkle blood meal (available at any gardening centre) into the planting hole.
Spread repellents around plants: Cayenne pepper, human hair, cat or dog hair all work. Re-apply after every rainfall.
Spread hen manure fertilizer in the garden: squirrels hate it!
Choose bulb plants that don’t attract squirrels: narcissus, snowdrops (Galanthus), hyacinth, etc.
Grow aromatic plants (geraniums, mint, rosemary, etc.) around bulbs.
Lay chicken wire above seeds and bulbs, a few centimetres beneath the surface of the soil. To prevent squirrel damage, some people put up fencing around their vegetable garden and cover it with a lift-away grille.
2. Keeping squirrels away from your shrubs and fruit trees
Wrap the trunks of shrubs in plastic sheathing.
Wrap sufficiently tall strips of PVC (designed for fences) around the trunks of fruit trees to keep squirrels from climbing them.
If squirrels are leaping into a shrub or tree from some “perch,” block their access by putting up a net on thin poles.
3. Keeping squirrels away from your bird feeders
Install feeders out of squirrels’ reach: at least 1.5 m above the ground and at least 3 m from any jumping-off point.
Hang feeders from long metal wires or tall poles. To further complicate things for squirrels, install a cone or dome designed for this purpose.
Sprinkle Cayenne pepper on the birdseed. The birds won’t mind it, but the squirrels will quickly turn up their noses!
4. Keeping squirrels away from your house or shed
Strengthen and/or repair all roof edges and block any access points leading underneath your shed.
Trim back tree branches that are within 3 m of buildings.
Block openings using wire mesh with openings of 1 cm or less. First make sure there are no squirrels already inside: otherwise, they will do serious damage trying to get out!
How to get rid of grey squirrels?
If a squirrel is nesting in your shed or attic:
Shine a light continuously into the shed or attic, or turn a radio on in the space. The squirrel should leave.
Spread flour near the exit to check whether the squirrel has left (you will see its paw prints).
Last resort: trap the squirrel in a cage, using bait, and release it outside. You can buy a cage from a hardware store, garden centre, pest management retailer or humane society.
Angry mama!
Things get problematic if a female is raising her young: she will defend her nest from any intruder by screeching and biting. If disturbed, she will carry the babies one by one to a new shelter.
To learn more about the grey squirrel
MINISTÈRE DE l'AGRICULTURE, DE l'ENVIRONNEMENT ET DES RESSOURCES NATURELLES
Bonnes pratiques à adopter en présence d’animaux sauvages (French only)
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