Squirrel removal in Columbus, OH Scratching at sunrise, then quiet all night? Look at squirrels.

Daytime, unless it is the other squirrel

The squirrels in the yard are gray squirrels or the larger fox squirrel. They are up with the sun. Dawn noise that fades by afternoon fits them.

Noise after the house is dark is a different guess. Southern flying squirrels live in central Ohio too, and they work at night. They sound bigger than they are. Mice are smaller and faster. You do not have to sort that out before you call. The clock is the useful clue.

From the oak to the joist

A limb over the roof is a bridge. From there they test vents, the seam where the shingles meet the siding, and any gap a previous squirrel started. Teeth turn a crack into a door.

Clintonville, Upper Arlington, and the older streets in Dublin and Worthington see this every fall, when squirrels settle in, and again in late winter when young are born. A nest with babies means the hole stays open until they can leave.

The chew is the expensive part

Squirrels chew wood, plastic, and sometimes wiring. That is a practical reason to deal with it. While we are up there we look at what they have been working on and tell you what we see.

The outside of the repair has to be metal. A new screen that is only a little tougher than the old one is the same hole next month.

What should you do tonight?

• Skip the attic tour. A startled squirrel bouncing off rafters helps no one.
• Write down the time. Dawn points one way. The middle of the night points another.
• From the yard, in daylight, look for a bent vent or a branch on the roof. A photo from the ground is enough.
• Do not put poison in the attic. A dead animal in a wall is a worse week than a noisy one.