Squirrel

Squirrels belong to the family Scuiridae of small or medium size rodents. The family includes tree squirrels, ground squirrels, chipmonks, marmots (including woodchucks), flying squirrels and prairie dogs.

The common complaints associated with squirrels are their tendency to cause damage in attics, to landscaping and to forests and orchards. Tree squirrels do the most damage in attics, including destroying attic insulation, chewing through wires and chewing holes on the exterior of the home in order to gain entry. Once in the attic, squirrels will build nests for their litter.

As cute as they may be, one major squirrel problem is that squirrels often carry diseases and parasites, so it is important to handle them with proper care. Some squirrels carry fleas and ticks, so try to keep your pets away from them in order to prevent the transfer of parasites. Ground squirrels have also been known to carry the plague and should be handled carefully with protective gear.