How to Identify Squirrel Tracks

Heated houses provide the ideal winter shelter for squirrels. Once inside a home, squirrels cause extensive damage. These pests chew wooden beams, rip up insulation, create nests in chimneys, and destroy wiring. Squirrel tracks in snow or mud near buildings may be the first sign of an infestation.

What Do Squirrel Tracks Look Like?

Homeowners concerned about these rodents infesting the attic should look for squirrel prints on a roof or around the entrance of a crawl space. While squirrel tracks look like many other rodent footprints, they do have some special traits.

Size: Squirrel tracks are relatively small at about two inches in length.

Front Paw Prints: Although their prints are around the same size as those left by rabbits, squirrels have front paws with four narrow toes tipped with tiny claws.

Hind Paw Prints: A squirrel’s larger rear paws also feature five distinct toes with a large pad at the heel.

Squirrel Control

Any sign of squirrel tracks in mud leading to broken or loose siding, holes, or cracks is bad news for homeowners. To prevent the pests from nesting in a residence, exclusion can be effective. Keeping up with home repairs and inspecting roofs regularly goes a long way toward preventing wildlife problems.

If trapped in a building, squirrels may be aggressive, especially if they are nesting with their offspring. These rodents are destructive and can transfer diseases such as leptospirosis. Residents who find squirrel footprints in the attic or on the roof near access points should contact the experts at Critter Control.

Learn more about squirrel removal.

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