When you think of pests, flying squirrels may not be the first animals that come to mind, but they can cause extensive damage to your home. If you live in Georgia, southern flying squirrels may reside in your area and eventually make their way onto your property. In the event you have to deal with a flying squirrel infestation, it’s important to know what steps to take to fix the problem.

How Can You Identify a Flying Squirrel?

In the eastern United States, southern flying squirrels are the most common type of flying squirrel. These animals have reddish-brown or gray fur with cream-white stomachs. The average length of a southern flying squirrel ranges between 8 to 10 inches. These squirrels have membranes between their front and back legs that allow them to glide in the air.

Can Flying Squirrels Actually Fly?

Technically, no, flying squirrels can’t fly, but they can glide. While flying requires controlled and continuous movement through the air, gliding relies on gravity and air currents to generate lift and move from a higher point to a lower point. In other words, a bird can flap its wings to propel itself and fly, but a flying squirrel can’t make the same continuous movement.

A flying squirrel uses special cartilage on either side of its body to glide. These animals can glide over 100 times their own body length at a time. This gliding ability allows flying squirrels to access high points like trees faster, giving them better access to shelter and food.

Where Can You Find Flying Squirrels in Georgia?

Typically, flying squirrels like to hide in the canopies of deciduous forests or urban and suburban areas with plenty of trees. As Georgia is home to diverse forest landscapes, flying squirrels can be common throughout the state. These animals are nocturnal, so they can be difficult to find during the day, which is why you may never see one in the wild. 

Where Do Flying Squirrels Like to Hide?

If a flying squirrel enters your home, it will hide in the attic or upper areas of the building. These tree-dwelling creatures like to live up high and are attracted to dark and quiet spaces, making attics ideal spaces for them. Sometimes, flying squirrels will reside within the walls of your home, too.

These animals can enter your attic through wall gaps, cracked windows, ceiling crevices and other small openings you may not know exist. If you have tall trees or other structures situated next to your house, flying squirrels can jump from there, glide onto your house, and then enter the upper parts of the building.

How Do You Know if You Have Flying Squirrels?

There are many ways to tell if you have a flying squirrel infestation. The most obvious sign is scampering and scratching sounds coming from your attic. If you consistently hear what sounds like an animal moving through your attic in the early morning and night, you may have a flying squirrel infestation. These animals only come out at night, so you likely won’t hear them during the day.

It may be helpful to check your attic for droppings — southern flying squirrel droppings are smaller than regular squirrel droppings. Check for piles throughout your attic. Additionally, you can look out for gnaw marks on wood, electrical wires and insulation. If you see nesting materials like twigs and leaves in combination with other signs, you could have a flying squirrel issue on your hands.

Note that depending on the time of year, you may not physically see a flying squirrel in your home. These rodents are active foragers, and they don’t hibernate, so they’re often out and about in nature, gathering food and nesting materials. As a result, it’s important to be proactive and look for potential signs of their presence — just because you do not see a flying squirrel doesn’t mean they aren’t in your attic.

Are Flying Squirrels in Your Attic a Problem?

Yes, flying squirrels in your attic are an issue. These pests can cause structural damage to your home by chewing through wood and other structural components. Additionally, gnawed electrical wires can create fire hazards. If they’re left to nest in your attic, the problem will drastically worsen over time. In some cases, you may end up making costly repairs to deal with the damage.

Otherwise, having any kind of pest in your home can be a health hazard. Letting animal droppings accumulate in your house can lead to illness. Even if it turns out flying squirrels aren’t the problem, you want to get rid of any rodent living in your home as soon as possible to keep you and your family safe.

How to Get Rid of Flying Squirrels in Your Attic

Getting rid of flying squirrels in your attic can be done humanely. Never attempt to handle a pest problem by yourself — doing so can lead to injuries and health issues if you come in physical contact with the animal. Instead, it’s best to consult professional flying squirrel removal services to take care of the infestation for you.

At Rid-A-Critter, we provide comprehensive animal control services using ethical methods and advanced industry insights. If you suspect that you have a flying squirrel infestation in your Georgia home, our team can respond promptly. First, we’ll assess the area to create the best solution for your individual issue. Then, we’ll use expert measures to remove the rodents from your property. Rid-A-Critter understands that flying squirrels are unique pests, and we can take the right measures to humanely get them out of your attic.

Once we’ve completely removed the pests, we go a step beyond to make sure they can’t return. With our exclusion techniques, we’ll go through your home and address any potential entry points that pests might use to get inside. When we’re finished patching up any openings, cracks and gaps, you can rest assured that flying squirrels and other pests will stay out.

Address and Prevent Flying Squirrel Infestations With Rid-A-Critter

Are you dealing with a flying squirrel infestation in Georgia? Do you want to prevent pests like rodents from entering your house? Rid-A-Critter provides squirrel removal and exclusion services to homeowners and businesses in Georgia and Alabama, where southern flying squirrels can be a destructive nuisance. A combination of industry expertise and humane methods allows us to take care of the problem effectively.

Don’t let flying squirrels make themselves at home in your attic. Contact us today to learn more about how we work and the services we offer. Request a quote to get started.