Both species are diurnal and active year-round. Squirrels are mainly seed eaters, but they also eat buds, tree bark, flowers, and mushrooms. Sometimes gray squirrels will feast on insects, small birds, and even eggs. Red squirrels love to pull small pieces of bark off trees in the spring so they can lick up the sap. In fact, they can often cause problems for maple syrup producers by eating through the plastic tubing.

These rodents can also cause other types of damage by eating through electrical wires (which can cause fires) or telephone cables, as well as the wires under the hood of your car. They also dig up ornamental plant bulbs. They can infiltrate and cause damage in attics, houses, sheds, bird houses, and bird feeders.
On the other hand, they contribute to reforestation because most of the nuts they hide are never found. However, this habit can become a problem if their hiding place is under your roof because insects can colonize the piles of nuts and seeds. Squirrel fur is marketed worldwide.

If you decide to rent a cage, it is important to know whether you wish to capture a gray or red squirrel because the size of the cage is not the same. Using peanut butter as bait is recommended and you should add an apple quarter to prevent the animal from becoming dehydrated. Once the squirrel is captured, take it 15 to 20 km away to prevent it returning.