As you’re washing dishes, you glimpse out your kitchen window and notice a squirrel tucking leaves under its chin, and wonder why people would want to know how to get rid of squirrels.  You realize he must be making a nest somewhere nearby and think it’s wonderful to live so close to nature.  The squirrel carefully balances its load, scrabbles up a nearby tree, up and out of sight.  Turning off the water, you hear a small thump on the roof and small feet running along your shingles.  It suddenly occurs to you that the squirrel might be living closer to you than you wish.  Just to be on the safe side, you walk outside and squint up at your home.  Your heart drops when you spot a neat little hole chewed right through the soffit.  That cute little squirrel is making a den right in your attic.

But, you choose to ignore it for a while, hoping against hope that the squirrel will find a better place to build its nest and leave your home without a fuss.  You know if you bring it up to your husband, he will be upset and grumble about how he doesn’t know anything about how to get rid of squirrels, how much it will cost to have the squirrels removed and repair the damage to the soffit.  Chewing your lip, you go back to your dishes and try to convince yourself you’re imagining things when you hear soft rustlings coming from the attic.

The kids come home from school, your husband comes home from work, and sounds of laughter, occasional fighting between the children, television and video games fill the air.  Relieved, you think the squirrel has probably left your attic for a more quiet nest outside.

As the evening winds down and you get ready for bed, you choose to remain ignorant to the fact that the squirrel is probably matting down your attic insulation, possibly chewing through electrical wires causing a fire hazard, maybe laying a litter of babies.  You try to push out thoughts that sometimes baby squirrels can fall down into your walls, or shudder at the idea of squirrel droppings littering the space right above your head.  That cute little animal you saw outside your kitchen window this morning has become this evening’s nightmare.

Finally, you determine that enough is enough.  You don’t need to bother your husband.  Tomorrow, you will find out how to get rid of squirrels, or better yet, call for a professional to make sure every single squirrel is removed out of your attic, clean up the mess they left behind, and repair the damage to the soffit.  Better safe than sorry, you think.