Squirrels are cute when they are out in nature, but less so when they are damaging your attic or garden. With suburbs pushing farther and farther out into the country, animal habitats are getting smaller and smaller. Squirrels have come up with a solution to this problem, they are moving into homes. These animals can cause damage to your home and their noise in an attic can be a bother.
Inside attics, squirrels can eat though electrical wire, which may in extreme cases case a fire. They also soil and tear insolation. Squirrels can also be pests in gardens and lawns by tearing up flower bulbs and plants and pillaging bird feeders. The best way to deal with squirrels in and around your home is to use traps to catch them.
Squirrel Traps
Squirrels often make homes in attics in the fall and winter for the warmth that it provides. If possible, wait until the summer, when it is too hot for squirrels to live there, to block off entrances to your attic. If you need a more immediate solution, squirrel traps are your best bet. Squirrel traps work by using bait, such as crackers, peanut butter, pecans, or sunflower seeds to attract the squirrel to the trap. The trap should be 18 to 24 inches long with an entrance that is about five by five inches. The trap should be placed outside, as near to the entrance to the attic as possible.
Once the squirrel gets inside a mechanism is activated and the opening snaps shut, trapping the squirrel. You should check the trap twice a day for any captured prey. Havaheart makes traps specifically designed for squirrels, and Human Way makes a repeating squirrel trap that can catch multiple squirrels at one time.
Relocating Trapped Squirrels
When dealing with trapped squirrels always wear gloves, as squirrels may be defensive when caught and can host a variety of parasites. Although rabies is extremely rare in squirrels, if the squirrel acts extremely aggressive or convulsive you should contact the authorities. The best way to deal with relocating squirrels is to go at least 4-5 miles away from your home, in a remote wooded area before setting them loose so they are less likely to make their way back to your home or move into somebody else’s home. After you have relocated the squirrels make sure that you block off entrances to your attic before it becomes home for another squirrel.
Keeping Squirrels Out
In order to prevent squirrels access to your roof tree limbs should be cut back at least eight feet from you home, and wood piles should be moved away from the walls of your home. To avoid attracting squirrels to your yard, get rid of bird feeders which squirrels enjoy eating from. If you don’t want to get rid of your bird feeder you can lube up the bird feeding poll with Vaseline so they can’t eat all the bird seed. Spraying Ropel or Hot Pepper Wax on seeds, bulbs, and flowers can be used as a squirrel repellant.