Squirrels belong to the family of rodents with over 200 species existing worldwide, including flying squirrels, tree squirrels, chipmunks etc. Squirrels are mostly categorized under wild animals but they are also sometimes kept as pets. Each of the species have their unique habitats. For example, the tree squirrels live in wooden areas, the ground squirrels, doing justice to their names, dig burrows underground to build their shelter, while on the other hand the Oregon flying squirrels make their homes out of previously built nests on branches or tree holes. When it comes to their food, the squirrels are omnivores; that is, they feed upon both plants and meat. Their food mainly consists of fruits, nuts, fungi, insects, small animals and even young snakes.



Now that we know that Salem squirrels are wild animals, we can safely ponder upon the question as to why sometimes squirrels die inside our houses or attics. The primary reason that has to e stated here is that they enter the houses searching for food but as they are not used to the domestic environment, they forget their way back and therefore trapped inside which eventually results in their death. Looking for food they usually scratch their way to enter the walls of the house or through a hole or crack, but while trying to figure out their way back, they mostly lose it or sometimes the hole or crack is blocked purposely to prevent the squirrels. Only because they can climb trees does not mean that they will be able to successfully climb the walls of a house or into the attic, because the textures of the concrete walls and tree trunks are completely different from each other.

Another reason to why the Oregon squirrels are found dead inside houses can be the inhabitants of the house deliberately placing a poison bait to get rid of the squirrels or when the squirrels have accidentally fed on some poisonous substance inside the house or in the neighbourhood which leads to paralysis and ultimately, death. It can also be stated that the death of the squirrels inside the house is caused by the attack of any bigger pet in the household, such as a cat or a dog, as Salem squirrels or any other rodent animal is their common enemy.

The Salem squirrels, when they lay their eggs, they look for warmth and shelter to nurture their little ones. This leads them to choose a human home as their most suitable spot for their offsprings to grow. Since the young ones are too inexperienced to provide for themselves, when left alone, they usually die of hunger and malnourishment.

The Oregon squirrels die inside the house mainly because they find themselves trapped and are unable to make their way back to escape which results in prolonged hunger and lack of suitable environment for their nourishment. Once a squirrel dies inside a house, it is safe to dispose the corpse as soon as possible, because soon after its death, the flesh starts decomposing due to anaerobic bacterial feeding on the body nutrients and further emits gases causing foul odour.

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