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Community Corner

Don't Let Squirrel Problems Drive You Nuts

The squirrels are out. Know what to do and what not to do when issues arise.

Signs of spring are everywhere in the national capital area. The cherry blossoms have been blooming, the Nationals have started the season and squirrels seem to be multiplying exponentially.

Squirrels in Montgomery County yards are a lot like opinions. Everyone has them and they can elicit a variety of emotions.

But most agree that baby squirrels, at least, are fun to spot. But what to do if you find one separated from its mother or orphaned?

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Do you stay away, as you were probably once taught regarding baby birds, fearing that marking it with a human scent would mean abandonment by its mother?

The "hands-off" baby bird treatment, by the way, is actually a myth—birds have a poor sense of smell and will not reject a young bird if touched by a human.

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Baby squirrels are no different, and in the local area, young squirrels that have been rescued from encounters with domestic pets, lost habitats from construction or fallen from their nests have a place they can go—the Second Chance Wildlife Center in Gaithersburg.

As a part of its third annual Squirrel Week, The Washington Post profiled the center, which receives more than 500 baby squirrels per year. Workers at the center rehabilitate the young animals, taking them from hand feeding to placing them in outdoor enclosures and then releasing them into the "wild" at 18 or 19 weeks.

The Second Chance Wildlife Center is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and is located at 7101 Barcelona Dr. in Gaithersburg. It can be reached at 301-926-WILD (9453).

For those older squirrels who may try to turn your attic into a nesting place, the Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) has a number of tips for living with gray, red, flying and fox squirrels.

DNR recommends prevention over control, noting that poisoning squirrels is illegal.

It recommends trimming branches that can offer squirrels access to your roofline, installing squirrel guards on bird feeders, placing chicken wire over budding plants and flowers and raking fallen acorns in a timely manner.

If squirrels have already moved in, DNR suggests chasing them out with a broom or simply darkening the area in which they live, providing an exit and allowing an hour or two for them to vacate. In more difficult circumstances, live trapping can be successful, usually with the help of a professional.

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