Fox Squirrel
The Fox Squirrel is the most common squirrel found in Arlington. The adult weighs less than two pounds and is about twenty inches long with its tail about half of its total length. The Fox Squirrel is brownish-gray with a reddish yellow underbelly. Acorns are the squirrel’s main diet in the fall and winter but they eat other nuts, insects, buds, green shoots, fruit and seeds in spring and summer. Squirrels do most of their feeding in the early morning and later in the day. Squirrels breed twice a year, January through February, and again in May and June. They have two to four helpless young and they leave the nest at about ten weeks old.
Squirrels in the Attic or Chimney
The best way to keep squirrels out of the chimney or attic is prevention. Maintain the outside of your homes and keep any holes sealed up. Be sure your chimney cap is installed and trim any overhanging branches from your roof. In the event a squirrel does get into your chimney or attic remember they could have young. Trapping and removing the squirrel might orphan the young and create a smell homeowners may regret. First find where the squirrel is going in and out. Then the best way to remove squirrels from attics or chimneys is to soak a rag in a household cleaner (ammonia) and place it inside the fireplace or attic near the nest. Shine a bright light towards the nest and play a radio loudly near the nest. This will create an unsafe home for the squirrel and it should move on with their young. When you believe the squirrel is gone, plug the hole with some paper towels. If the squirrel is still in the attic it will remove the paper towels to get back in. If the paper towels stay in place after a couple of days, secure the hole with hardware cloth. If the squirrel was in the chimney secure it with a chimney cap.
Reference sources: 911 Wildlife and Texas Parks & Wildlife Department
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