Squirrels, Voles & Chipmunks: What We Do (and Don’t) Treat

People searching for rodent help often are not sure whether they are dealing with a mouse, a rat, a squirrel, a vole, or a chipmunk. We would rather tell you honestly what we do and do not handle than take a job we are not the right fit for. Here is the straight answer, plus how to tell what you are actually dealing with.

We Specialize in Mice and Rats — Here Is Why That Matters

Mice and rats are what we inspect, remove, and exclude. We do not treat squirrels, voles, chipmunks, or other wildlife. That is a deliberate choice, not a limitation we are apologizing for: a company that tries to handle every animal that shows up in a yard usually does none of them particularly well. Focusing on mice and rats means we know the entry points, behavior patterns, and exclusion materials for those two species better than a generalist would.

How to Tell What You Are Actually Dealing With

A quick way to sort out which animal you are seeing:

Squirrels — Why They Need a Different Specialist

Squirrels are active during the day rather than at night, enter through the roofline instead of the foundation, and typically gnaw larger entry holes than mice or rats. In Minnesota, the DNR allows a homeowner to trap nuisance squirrels on their own property without a license, but relocation comes with specific rules — the animal generally needs to be released 10 to 15 miles from where it was caught, with permission from the landowner or governing agency where it is released. A wildlife control specialist who focuses on squirrels will know these rules and have the right equipment for a roofline entry point, which is different from what we use for a foundation-level rodent problem.

Voles — A Lawn Issue, Not an Indoor One

Voles live almost entirely outdoors and rarely, if ever, become an indoor infestation the way mice do. If you are seeing shallow, snaking tunnels through your lawn, that is a vole issue best handled by a lawn care company or wildlife specialist, not a rodent exclusion service.

Chipmunks — Usually a Yard or Foundation-Adjacent Problem

Chipmunks burrow near foundations, patios, and retaining walls, which can sometimes look similar to a rodent entry point from the outside. Most of the time, though, chipmunks stay outdoors and the fix is a wildlife or landscaping issue rather than sealing an indoor entry point. If a chipmunk has actually gotten into the house, that is closer to squirrel territory than a mouse or rat problem.

Not Sure What You Have? We Will Tell You Honestly

If you are not sure whether you are dealing with mice, rats, or something else, you can still reach out. If it turns out to be a mouse or rat problem, we will handle the inspection and exclusion. If it is a squirrel, vole, or chipmunk issue, we will tell you that directly rather than trying to sell you a service that is not the right fit.

Scope FAQ

Why won’t you treat squirrels if they get into an attic too?

Squirrel entry points, behavior, and legal handling requirements are different enough from mice and rats that we would rather refer you to a specialist than stretch outside what we do well.

Can a mouse and a vole problem happen on the same property at the same time?

Yes, they are unrelated issues that can coexist — a vole tunneling through the lawn does not mean mice are getting into the house, and vice versa.

What if I am not sure whether it is mice or a smaller pest like voles?

Describe what you are seeing when you contact us — droppings location, whether it is indoors or in the yard, tunnel patterns versus gnaw marks — and we can usually tell fairly quickly whether it is in our scope.

Do you have a referral for squirrel or vole removal?

We do not maintain a formal referral list, but a general wildlife control company or, for voles specifically, a lawn care provider is typically the right search term to use.

What We Do Treat