Squirrels may be more popular than their other rodent counterparts, such as rats and mice, but make no mistake: squirrels can cause serious harm to your home and your health. Squirrel families in your walls or rafters can damage wiring, create fire hazards, and chew molding and framing on your home. With that said, rodent removal companies don’t just exterminate unwanted visitors. A humane squirrel removal can ensure your rodent visitors aren’t harmed. If you haven’t already, here are the top three reasons to look into a humane removal for squirrels in your home.

Squirrels May Carry Disease

The bubonic plague was historically associated with fleas on rats and mice, but squirrels in the western United States have been found carrying the disease as well. Like other rodents, their fecal matter can contain traces of salmonella and leptospirosis (which is commonly mistaken for a stomach flu). In addition, squirrel bites and scratches can result in infection, which can be especially serious for elderly people and children.

Squirrels can Cause other Safety Concerns

Like other rodents, squirrels in the attic or walls of your home can chew through wires, potentially causing a fire hazard. They also like to construct nests for their young, which can act like kindling next to an exposed wire. Even worse, such fires can rage in a wall or attic and go undetected.

They Repopulate Quickly

While female squirrels have a litter of “pups” every year or so, a small family of squirrels can become a large one if left to its own devices. Rodents reproduce quickly: in the right environment, a rat family can reach 482 million in three years, while a rabbit family can reach 2 billion in six years. Allowing a squirrel or two to take up residence in your home may not seem like a big deal, but within a few years, the squirrel infeestation can turn into a squirrel colony.

Humane squirrel removal protects rodent visitors while ensuring that they don’t injure you or themselves while living in your home. Rodent control doesn’t need to be painful: finding a company that specializes in live removal of squirrels ensures that your squirrel tenants are released safely.