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  • Wildlife

Squirrel Control & Removal in the Twin Cities

Signs You Have Squirrels in Your Attic, Ceiling, or Home

Squirrels are resourceful, fast-moving climbers that often go unnoticed until damage has already started. These are the most common warning signs:
  • Listen for scratching or scurrying sounds in your attic, ceiling, or walls, particularly in early morning or late afternoon when grey squirrels are most active.
  • Look for chewed wires, insulation, or wood. Squirrels gnaw constantly to file down their teeth, and electrical wiring is a frequent target.
  • Check for entry holes near rooflines, soffits, fascia boards, and vents. Gaps can range from quarter-sized (flying squirrels) to tennis-ball-sized (grey squirrels).
  • Small, oval-shaped droppings near entry points or inside attic insulation are a reliable indicator of an active infestation.
  • Torn or urine-soaked insulation means squirrels are actively nesting in your attic.
  • Squirrels running your roofline or circling vents are scouting entry points, not just passing through.
  • Bird feeders emptied overnight or garden bulbs dug up suggest squirrels are establishing territory close to your home.
If you’re seeing any of these signs, don’t wait. A single pair of squirrels can produce two litters per year.

Why Squirrels in Your Attic Are a Serious Problem

Squirrels don’t just make noise. A squirrel infestation puts your home at real risk:

Fire hazard from chewed wires. Squirrels gnaw on electrical wiring in attics and walls. Exposed or frayed wires are a serious fire hazard. If squirrels have been in your attic for more than a few weeks, we strongly recommend a wiring inspection.

Structural damage. Squirrels chew through wood framing, fascia, soffits, and roof decking to create and enlarge entry holes. Repairing squirrel damage can run into thousands of dollars if left untreated.

Insulation destruction. Squirrels shred and nest in attic insulation, reducing your home’s energy efficiency and leaving contaminated material behind.

Water damage. Chewed vents and roofline gaps let moisture in. A single Minnesota winter can turn a minor squirrel entry point into a serious water intrusion problem.

Health risks. Squirrel droppings and urine can carry salmonella and leptospirosis. Nesting material can also introduce fleas, ticks, and mites into your living spaces.

The sooner you address a squirrel infestation, the less damage there is to repair.

How We Get Rid of Squirrels — Our Removal Process

Effective squirrel removal isn’t just trapping and releasing. Without sealing entry points, new squirrels will find the same gaps within days. Here’s how Abra Kadabra handles squirrel control from inspection to prevention:

Step 1 — Thorough Home Inspection

Our wildlife technicians inspect your home’s exterior and interior to identify every active entry point, assess the damage, and confirm which squirrel species is responsible. Entry hole size matters: red squirrels fit through golf ball-sized gaps, while grey squirrels need a hole the size of a tennis ball.

Step 2 — Humane Squirrel Removal

We place humane live-capture traps at active entry points and along travel routes. We monitor traps regularly and relocate captured squirrels per Minnesota DNR guidelines. We never use poisons or methods that leave animals to die inside your walls.

Step 3 — Entry Point Exclusion & Sealing

Once squirrels are removed, we seal every identified entry point using heavy-gauge hardware cloth, flashing, and other materials squirrels cannot chew through. This step is what separates a permanent solution from a temporary one.

Step 4 — Cleanup & Damage Assessment

We sanitize contaminated insulation, remove nesting material, and document damage for insurance purposes. We’ll also flag any wiring or structural concerns that need a follow-up contractor visit.

Step 5 — Prevention & Follow-Up

We build a prevention plan for your property: trimming tree branches that overhang the roof, recommending vent guards, and scheduling follow-up visits as part of your service package.

Squirrel Behavior by Species

Minnesota is home to three squirrel species most commonly found invading homes. Knowing which one you’re dealing with helps us act faster.

Grey Squirrels

Eastern grey squirrels are the most common home invader in the Twin Cities. They’re active during the day, most aggressively in spring and fall. Grey squirrels reproduce twice a year, with litters typically averaging 3–4 young born in late winter and midsummer. They need an entry hole roughly the size of a tennis ball and are strong chewers capable of enlarging gaps quickly.

Red Squirrels

Red squirrels are smaller but more territorial and aggressive than grey squirrels. They’re active year-round and particularly persistent once they’ve established a food cache inside an attic or wall void. They can squeeze through a gap the size of a golf ball and also reproduce twice a year. Red squirrels can establish larger colonies than grey squirrels within a single structure.

Flying Squirrels

Flying squirrels are nocturnal, so infestations often go undetected for weeks or months. They glide rather than fly, launching from trees and landing on rooflines. Flying squirrels are highly social and often enter homes in groups, making colonies harder to fully remove. They can fit through an opening the size of a quarter. If the noise in your attic or ceiling happens only at night, flying squirrels are the likely culprit.

Our Squirrel Control Service Packages

Whatever your situation, we have a plan that fits your home and budget.

Gold Plan

Our entry-level squirrel control package covers a full property inspection, humane removal of squirrels, and sealing of the primary entry point. Best for early-stage, single-entry-point infestations.
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Gold Plan

Silver Plan

Everything in Gold, plus sealing of secondary entry points found during inspection and a follow-up visit to confirm squirrels haven't returned or found new access. Recommended for most residential infestations.
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Silver Plan

Platinum Plan

Full squirrel control from initial inspection through long-term prevention. Includes exterior exclusion, attic contamination assessment, nesting material removal, and scheduled follow-up monitoring visits. Best for established infestations, multi-entry-point homes, and properties with prior squirrel history. Not sure which plan is right for you? Our wildlife specialists will recommend the right service level after your free inspection. Call us or schedule online today.
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Platinum Plan

Why Homeowners Choose Abra Kadabra for Squirrel Removal

Abra Kadabra has served Twin Cities homeowners since 2002. Over more than two decades, we’ve built our reputation on a specific set of practices:
  • Our wildlife specialists are licensed and trained specifically in humane wildlife removal, not general pest technicians filling in on wildlife calls.
  • We use live-capture traps and relocate every squirrel we remove. No poisons, no shortcuts.
  • Our IPM-based approach uses the least impactful methods available to solve the problem permanently.
  • Every service we perform is fully warrantied. We stand behind every inspection, removal, and exclusion.
  • We’re rated 4.8–4.9 stars by hundreds of Twin Cities homeowners and hold a BBB A+ rating. We’re also members of the NPMA and MPMA (Minnesota Pest Management Association).
  • We know Minnesota: the seasonal squirrel patterns, the lake property vulnerabilities, the cold-climate entry points that general pest companies miss.

Frequently Asked Questions About Squirrel Control

How do I get rid of squirrels in my attic?

Effective squirrel removal is a three-step process: remove the squirrels with humane live traps, seal all entry points with chew-proof materials, then clean up any contaminated insulation or nesting material. DIY attempts typically miss hidden entry points, allowing new squirrels to move in almost immediately. A professional wildlife removal company inspects the full exterior before sealing anything.
Squirrels themselves rarely bite people, but their presence creates real risks. Chewed electrical wiring is a fire hazard. Their droppings and urine can carry salmonella and leptospirosis. Nesting materials can harbor fleas and ticks. If squirrels have been in your home for any length of time, scheduling a professional inspection and cleanup is worth doing.
Squirrels are excellent climbers. They reach rooflines via overhanging tree branches, utility lines, and downspouts, then probe for gaps. Common entry points include loose or deteriorating soffits and fascia, gaps around roof vents, open chimney caps, and areas where rooflines meet additions or dormers. Grey squirrels need a gap the size of a tennis ball; red squirrels need a golf-ball-sized opening; flying squirrels can squeeze through a quarter-sized hole.
Rarely. Once squirrels have a warm, dry nesting site in your attic, they have little incentive to leave, especially through a Minnesota winter. Waiting typically results in more damage, additional litters born inside the structure, and a larger infestation to address later.
At Abra Kadabra, yes. We use live-capture traps and relocate squirrels to suitable habitat per Minnesota DNR guidelines. We never use poison or methods that trap animals inside walls. Humane removal also prevents the odor and secondary pest problems that come with animals dying in inaccessible spaces.
Cost depends on the severity of the infestation, the number of entry points, the species involved, and whether cleanup or exclusion repairs are needed. The clearest way to get an accurate estimate is a free on-site inspection.
Squirrel activity in Minnesota peaks twice: late winter through early spring (February–April), when squirrels seek nesting sites for their first litter, and late summer through fall (August–October), as they prepare for winter and look for warm shelter. Flying squirrels are active year-round but are nocturnal, making them harder to detect. If you’re hearing activity in your attic or ceiling, any season is the right time to call.

Service Areas

Northeast Metro
  • Andover
  • Anoka
  • Arlington
  • Blaine
  • Champlin
  • Circle Pines
  • Columbia Heights
  • Coon Rapids
  • Fridley
  • New Brighton ​
  • Brooklyn Center
  • Brooklyn Park
  • Maple Grove
  • Crystal Bay
  • Deephaven
  • Excelsior
  • Golden Valley
  • Greenwood
  • Hopkins
  • Independence
  • Long Lake
  • Maple Plain
  • Medina
  • Minnetonka
  • Minnetonka Beach
  • Minnetrista
  • Mound
  • Navarre
  • New Hope
  • Orono
  • Plymouth
  • Shorewood
  • Spring Park
  • St. Louis Park
  • Tonka Bay
  • Wayzata
  • Woodland
  • Belle Plaine
  • Biscay
  • Browntown
  • Chanhassen
  • Chaska
  • Cokato
  • Dassel
  • Eden Prairie
  • Edina
  • Glencoe
  • Green Isle
  • Hamburg
  • Hutchinson
  • Lester Prairie
  • Montrose
  • New Germany
  • Plato
  • Shakope
  • Silver Lake
  • St. Bonifacius
  • Stewart
  • Victoria
  • Waconia
  • Watertown
  • Winsted
  • Young America
  • Woodbury

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Get Rid of Squirrels for Good — Schedule Your Inspection Today

Abra Kadabra provides squirrel removal and wildlife control throughout the Minneapolis–St. Paul metro area. We offer squirrel removal services in Excelsior, Long Lake, Minnetonka, Mound, Orono, Wayzata, and other surrounding areas!

Contact our wildlife specialists to inspect your home, remove squirrels humanely, and seal your home against future entry – backed by over 20 years of Twin Cities experience.

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Pest and Wildlife Library
Abra Kadabra Environmental Services is a member of the Better Business Bureau (with an A+ rating), NPMA (National Pest Management Association) and the MPMA (Minnesota Pest Management Association). We take our business and the safety of our clients seriously, striving to improve the lives of our neighbors with efficient, environmentally mindful pest treatments. Visit our Reviews page to see first-hand testimonials and recommendations.
Give us a call to discuss the issue you’re facing. With our years of experience, we’ve likely managed similar episodes many times. We’ll help you find a solution that works for you and your family.

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