Burlington Experts for Squirrel Removal

Various Squirrel Species are Common in Burlington

The Eastern Grey Squirrel is the most common squirrel species in Burlington, though American Red Squirrels are also found throughout the city. Both species have adapted exceptionally well to urban environments, where mature tree canopies provide food, shelter, and easy access to residential properties.

Here’s why the squirrel population in Burlington is growing fast and invading both residential and commercial properties in this region.

Mature Trees Create Natural Highways

Neighborhoods such as Roseland, Aldershot, Headon Forest, and Millcroft feature extensive tree canopies, allowing squirrels to travel from branch to branch without touching the ground. These elevated routes help them avoid predators while providing direct access to rooftops, soffits, vents, and attic entry points.

Increased Activity in Early Spring and Fall

Squirrel activity typically peaks during spring and fall. In early spring, female squirrels search for safe nesting locations to raise their young, often choosing attics over hollow trees. During fall, they become more active as they gather food (like mushrooms and berries), prepare for winter, and seek warm, insulated shelter. While squirrels don’t hibernate in the winter, they spend long hours in their nests.

Homes Offer Warmth and Protection

Have you ever wondered why squirrels invade attics? An attic provides many of the same benefits as a hollow tree. It offers protection from harsh weather, predators, and disturbances while creating a safe environment for nesting. Once squirrels establish themselves inside these safe, dark areas, they often return year after year to raise their young unless entry points are properly sealed.

Signs these Rodents have Invaded Your Property

Unlike raccoons, squirrels are active during the day. That means homeowners often hear activity in the attic during the morning and afternoon rather than late at night. Because squirrels frequently nest inside attics and wall cavities, recognizing the warning signs early can help prevent extensive chewing damage and costly repairs. Common signs of a squirrel infestation include:

• Scratching, scurrying, or running noises during the day
• Chewing sounds coming from walls, ceilings, or attic spaces
• Frequent squirrel sightings on rooftops, soffits, gutters, roof vents, or tree branches
• Twigs, leaves, insulation, or other nesting materials near entry points
• Small entry holes along the roofline or around attic vents
• Droppings, food caches (like hickory nuts), or nesting activity inside attic spaces

Squirrels are active year-round and easy to recognize by their bushy tails, slender bodies, and ability to move quickly through trees and across rooftops. While most species spend much of their time above ground, they are excellent climbers thanks to their powerful hind limbs and large hind feet. They also have a poorly developed thumb, which helps distinguish them from other climbing mammals.

Frequent squirrel sightings on your roof, soffits, or attic vents may indicate that they are nesting inside your home. Contact us for reliable squirrel removal services.

Real Problems when these Critters Enter Your House

The biggest risk isn’t the squirrels themselves, but the damage that they cause once they begin nesting, chewing, and expanding their living space inside your home. Whether it’s fox squirrels or the eastern chipmunks, these rodents can cause the following forms of damage to your home.

Damaged Electrical Wiring

Given that squirrels’ front teeth never stop growing, they must constantly gnaw to keep them worn down. Unfortunately, electrical wiring is often an easy target. Chewed cables can lead to short circuits, power disruptions, and increased fire risks, particularly in older homes in downtown Burlington and Maple, especially on Locust Street and Nelson Avenue.

Destroyed Insulation

Attics provide an ideal place for squirrels to build nests and raise young. Insulation is often torn apart and rearranged to create nesting material. Over time, droppings, urine, and nesting activity can contaminate attic spaces and reduce the home’s overall energy efficiency.

Roof and Vent Damage

To gain access to attics, they often chew through roof vents, soffits, fascia boards, and other vulnerable roofing components. Small openings can quickly become larger access points, allowing repeated entry while accelerating wear and deterioration throughout the roof system.

Repeated Infestations

Once squirrels establish a safe nesting location, it often attracts future generations. Family groups may return to the same property year after year if entry points remain accessible. Without proper exclusion and repairs, homeowners often find themselves dealing with recurring wildlife problems.

We Get Squirrels Out for Good (Our Process)

At Critter Hero, we identify how squirrels got inside residential or commercial property, determine whether they are nesting, and implement long-term exclusion measures. Here are the steps we follow to remove squirrels in the most humane way possible.

Step 1: Find Out How They’re Getting In

Our technicians will inspect roof vents, soffits, fascia boards, attic vents, and roof intersections to identify the exact openings letting squirrels into your home. We also look for signs of chewing damage, nesting activity, and the travel routes they use to access your roof.

Step 2: Check for Active Nests and Babies

Squirrels commonly use attics as nesting sites, especially during spring and fall. Before removal begins, we determine whether young squirrels are present and develop a humane strategy that safely handles the entire family group.

Step 3: Remove them Humanely

Once we understand your squirrel problem, we install specialized one-way doors and exclusion options that allow squirrels to leave safely while preventing them from returning. Our methods are 100% poison-free and comply with wildlife protection regulations.

Step 4: Seal Entry Points and Prevent Re-Entry

Removing the animals isn’t complete unless we prevent them from coming back. We seal vulnerable entry points, repair damaged access points, and recommend practical prevention measures to help keep squirrels from returning to your property.

Cost of Professional Removal Services

The cost of squirrel removal in Burlington depends on several factors, including the number of animals present, whether babies are nesting inside, the location of entry points, and the extent of damage requiring repair or wildlife-proofing. A professional inspection helps assess the work to be done and the associated costs. Here are the estimated costs of squirrel removal in Barlington.

Before You Remove a Wild Animal, Know the Law

 While property owners don’t need a permit to remove a squirrel from their property, Ontario wildlife regulations prohibit relocating a squirrel more than one kilometer from where it was captured. That makes long-distance relocation illegal and ineffective. Humane exclusion methods, such as one-way doors, allow squirrels to leave safely while remaining in their familiar territory.

Timing also matters. Squirrels breed twice annually, and sealing an entry point during baby season can separate mothers from their young. This often leads to extensive damage as the mother attempts to regain access, while trapped babies create serious odor and contamination issues inside the home.

Additionally, baby squirrels are born hairless, blind, and deaf. They take up to two months to be able to move. At Critter Hero, we carefully inspect nests to protect the mother and baby squirrels. Professional removal helps ensure compliance with wildlife protection laws.

Frequently Asked Questions

• What attracts squirrels to Burlington homes?

  Food sources such as bird feeders, gardens, nut-producing trees, compost bins, and accessible shelter all attract squirrels. Burlington’s mature tree canopy and extensive green corridors make many neighborhoods especially attractive to wildlife.

• Do squirrels leave on their own?

  Not usually. Once squirrels establish a nest inside an attic, they are unlikely to leave voluntarily, especially if they have babies. Professional, animal-safe exclusion methods are often needed to remove them.

• Why do squirrels keep coming back to the same house?

  Squirrels often return to properties where they previously found shelter and nesting opportunities. If roof vents, soffits, fascia boards, or attic openings remain accessible, future generations may reuse the same nesting site year after year.

• Can squirrels have babies in my attic?

  Yes. Female squirrels commonly choose attics as nesting locations because they provide warmth, protection from predators, and shelter from harsh weather. In Burlington, baby season spans early spring and late summer.