How to get squirrels out of your house
How to Get Squirrels out of Your House
The bright-eyed squirrels that are so appealing when chattering in the trees outside your home, eating acorns or chestnuts, are much less appealing if they find a way into your home. There are more than 30 species of tree-dwelling squirrels, rodents in the Sciurini subfamily. While these animals are widely tolerated, even admired in their outdoor habitat, make no mistake—these rodents are closely related to rats and mice, and if they infest your home, they can be even more damaging.
Click Play to Learn How to Get Squirrels Out of Your House
Squirrels typically go through two breeding cycles a year in late winter and early spring, and a nest of squirrels in your attic, walls, or rafters can do substantial damage as they gnaw through insulation, wood, or even electrical wires and plumbing pipes.
The good news is that a squirrel is usually more scared of you than you are of it. As recommended by the Humane Society of the United States, there are six tips you should consider before getting lethal.
Warning
Squirrels are not naturally aggressive, but they may get frantic if cornered. Bites or scratches are possible, so use care if you are trying to chase a squirrel or when trying to release one you have caught. A bite or scratch can become infected or lead to transmission of a viral disease.
6 Ways to Get Rid of Squirrels in Your House
Wait for It to Find Its Way Out
If a squirrel gets into an inhabited space—such as down a chimney and into an open room—its natural instinct will be to get out, and get out quickly. It does not want to nest or make a home in a house with lots of human activity. The first solution to try is to make it easy for the squirrel to find the exit.
Remove any pets from the room where the squirrel is running or hiding. Also, remove any foods or snacks that might give the squirrel a reason to hang around. Close any doors that open into other parts of the house, but open all doors and windows that open to the outside.
Then, leave the room yourself, and let the squirrel find its way out. If the squirrel is in an upper-level room, open only the windows that are above grass and trees. Do not open windows that fall steeply down to concrete or hard surfaces. In most cases, the squirrel will vacate the premises within a few minutes.
Remove Squirrels From the Attic
Attics and other unoccupied upstairs spaces are common places for squirrels to take up residence, since they are usually uninhabited, and holes or missing fascia boards along the roofline often provide easy entry points. But squirrels will be unlikely to stay if these spaces suddenly become active and inhabited.
If you have squirrels in the attic, try frightening them out of the house with loud noises. Rap on the ceiling, walls, or rafters; talk or yell loudly; bang pans; or turn on a radio, television, or other ongoing music or sound and leave it playing day and night.
If the loud-noise method doesn't work, set up a bright light in the area and leave it on through the day and night.
And, you can soak rags in cider vinegar and set them around the attic. Squirrels do not like the vinegar smell, so they are likely to leave.
Continuous sound, bright light, and certain smells will also deter squirrels from entering an attic in the first place.
The Spruce / Adrienne Legault
Remove Baby Squirrels From the Attic
If pesky adult squirrels refuse to leave the attic, you may have a nest of babies that is preventing the adults from abandoning the house.
If you can, it is best to wait until the babies grow enough to leave on their own. They may do this naturally in a few weeks when they are old enough to move around with the mother. If you don't want to wait, it's best to hire a professional who can safely relocate the family.
If you seal the entry points into the house and you notice the squirrels keep trying to get back in, it may be that there are babies trapped inside. In that case, a professional should be called.
Catch the Squirrel With a Blanket
If the squirrel is cornered but not moving, put on heavy gloves and hold a blanket in front of you.
Slowly approach the squirrel, then quickly drop the blanket on it and roll it up. Don't roll it too tight or push too hard, or you risk injuring the creature.
Carry the blanket-wrapped squirrel outside, close the door to your house, open it onto the ground away from you, and let it make its escape.
Remove a Squirrel in the Chimney
Squirrels sometimes climb down the chimney flues on traditional wood-burning fireplaces, seeking a place to nest. On rare occasions when the fireplace has not been operated for a long time, they may even create a nest in the space above the fireplace damper.
Make loud noises at the fireplace to scare the squirrel up the chimney and encourage it back out to the roof. You can also carefully attach a long, thick rope (at least 3/4 inch thick) to the top of the chimney, and drop it down. This will provide the squirrel with a way to climb out. Normally, though, the squirrel will react to noise and attention by climbing out of the chimney on its own.
The Spruce / Adrienne Legault
What Causes Squirrels in the House?
Squirrels enter your home for the same reasons as mice, rats, and other rodents: They are seeking food, warm shelter, and nesting areas. If your home has easy access points, squirrels will have an invitation to come indoors and attempt to set up housekeeping.
How to Prevent Squirrels in the House
Once you have gotten the squirrel out of your house, try to find out how it entered your home and block those entry points. Look for tracks around the chimney, inspect the attic for nests, and check the foundation and exterior for holes. Trim back any overhanging tree branches that allow squirrels to reach your roof or eaves.
Seal any potential entry point to prevent another squirrel or another wild animal from getting in. Metal flashing can be a sealant, as the animals cannot chew through it to get back in. Cover chimneys with chimney caps. Keep all exterior doors closed when not in use.
Do not feed squirrels or provide easy food sources like open garbage cans. Take measures to keep squirrels from stealing the birdseed from your feeders. If pet foods or birdseed are stored in the garage, place them in sealed metal containers.
The more squirrels congregate around your home, the more likely they are to find a way into your house or garage, so do whatever you can to make your property unappealing to these rodents.
FAQ
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Although transmission to humans is rare, squirrels can potentially carry some of the same diseases carried by rats and mice, including encephalitis, Rocky Mountain spotted fever, tularemia, leptospirosis, and even rabies. Don't take any risks when chasing or trying to catch squirrels.
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Carefully release any squirrel you have caught into the yard outside your home. Take steps as soon as possible to seal your home to ensure it doesn't return. Take care when releasing a trapped squirrel, as it will be agitated and could possibly scratch or even bite you.
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The same spray mixes that are used by gardeners to protect plants and buried bulbs from being consumed by rabbits, squirrels, and woodchucks may also work to chase squirrels out of an attic or other indoor space. But these concoctions have a powerful odor that you may waft through your house if you apply them heavily in your attic.
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The same poison baits used for rats are sometimes mistakenly used to try to kill squirrels, chipmunks, and other rodents. This is not only illegal but cruel, as these larger rodents may incur serious internal but nonfatal damage from consuming rat baits. Further, squirrels very often will drop rat bait into yards, where family pets can eat it.
Your state or community may, however, have legal trapping or hunting seasons for animals such as squirrels and rabbits. This might be an option if you live in such an area and have no moral qualms about hunting. In some regions, squirrel and rabbit meat are often consumed in stews or used in other recipes.
In others, though, trapping a live animal and moving it off your property is actually illegal: Research your local regulations before taking action. -
Triggered by motion, these electronic devices emit a high-pitched sound that is inaudible to humans but very irritating to squirrels and other rodents. These can be expensive devices but are worth a try if other methods have failed. However, some pets may be affected by the high-pitched noise emitted by these devices.
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A professional exterminator may be the best choice when all other methods fail, or when you suspect that the squirrels are nesting within wall or ceiling cavities. These hidden squirrels will be very hard to get rid of without the tools and materials used by professionals.
If you do hire an exterminator, specify if you wish for the animals to be live-trapped only. Where allowed, some exterminators may use spring traps that kill the squirrels.
How To Get A Squirrel Out Of Your House
How Do I Deal with a Squirrel in My House
Have you ever listened to a family member, friend or neighbor talking about the time a squirrel got into their house? It’s not a lie, as it can quickly happen to any of us.
We may think they are cute as they scurry around the yard, up and down trees, and crunch on nuts, but that’s where their cuteness ends.
As they can easily find a way into your house, do not panic, and do not touch. But it is vital to know that you must get rid of them quickly as they can carry diseases and can cause damage to the property by gnawing at electrical wires and insulation.
It is always highly recommended to hire a professional wildlife removal company to remove them humanely and efficiently, so they do not return. However, if you have just seen one randomly make its way into your house, here are a few ways you can quickly try to persuade the little critters to flee.
Provide An Exit
Squirrels often enter houses out of curiosity and have no intention of staying. So rather than close exits, imagining this is a step toward capturing the animal, open the doors and windows. The little critter will likely flee if you stand back and make space for it to go outdoors.
What Scares Squirrels Out of My House
Make Loud Noises
If you’ve already provided an exit for the squirrel, but it won’t go, it might decide to sit still and hope you go away. You can heighten the animal’s instinct to get out of your home by making a loud noise.
A hearty bang with a serving spoon on a saucepan will create enough din to make the squirrel skedaddle. Failing that, turn a TV or radio on and leave the room. The squirrel will likely be out of the house when you return.
Turn on a Bright Light
Squirrels often hide in dim spaces but run away in bright rooms. So turn on all the lights, remembering to stand far away from the exit so the animal can make a clean getaway.
Soak Rags in Vinegar
Create a natural squirrel repellent by soaking rags in cider vinegar. The squirrels will dislike the smell and prefer to be outdoors rather than stay in your home. As a bonus, the scent will keep other squirrels away, too, if you refresh the vinegar when the rags dry.
What To Do If There is a Nest
If you find a nest, call a professional immediately since several precautions must be taken. A professional will know whether the nest needs to stay until the babies are born or if it can humanely be removed quicker.
What To Do After They Are Out
Once squirrels are out of the house, block entryways to stop them from returning. Cover your chimneys using chimney caps, check for exterior holes, and cover any you find. Also, trim overhanging branches squirrels might use to reach eaves or the roof.
A professional wildlife removal company will use the correct exclusion methods to keep them out and away for good.
So, if you choose the try to get rid of the one and only little squirrel who has made its way through your front door, try these tips to persuade it to flee. Try noise, bright light, smells they hate, and provide several exits so the squirrel can leave.
Soak rags in vinegar and place them around the room where the animal hides to repel it.
Otherwise, call a professional. The Critter Detective is here to help.
mechanical traps, ultrasonic traps and chemicals
When meeting this furry animal in the forest, many look at him with affection. Funny squirrels sometimes even take a treat from their hands.
Squirrel on a tree
But if these fluffy robbers have settled in your area and started destroying the planted nuts, spoiling the fruits, tenderness disappears and irritation appears.
It is even worse when the animal settles in the house, in the attic or in another secluded corner. Then he chews on everything. nine0003
We have to figure out how to get rid of squirrels on our own: we will present the most effective ways to fight in our article.
Content of Article
- PEACE BETTER
- Life Life
- Diet
- Housing for humans
- How to get rid of protein yourself
- Mechanical traps
- Ultrasonic replagers
- Vide 115
- Chemicals
- Conclusion
- Video: Method of protection of fruit trees from squirrels gardens.
Hand-feeding squirrel
This is a small animal, the length of which does not exceed 32 cm, most of it falls on its tail.
This baby does not weigh more than a kilogram, but usually up to 400 g, and less during the active period. In summer it is painted in a classic red color, in winter it is noticeably darker. nine0003
Lifestyle
In the wild, squirrels are solitary, except during the rutting season.
Squirrel's nest in a tree
But sometimes in winter you can meet up to 6 individuals in the nest - this way they get less cold, warming each other.
Forest squirrel habitats are varied:
- nest built independently from branches, usually spherical;
- hollow - the former dwelling of a woodpecker;
- empty nest of a large bird. nine0069
- spruce;
- Scots pine;
- Siberian cedar;
- larch;
- fir.
- once settled in the house, they can gnaw through the wires, which will lead to a short circuit and a fire;
- the noise they make annoys the inhabitants of the house and interferes with peaceful sleep;
- excrement, and they can be seen in animal habitats, make you think about how to get rid of squirrels;
- Parasites and diseases that can be transmitted from furry robbers to humans pose a significant health hazard.
- can dig up flower beds;
- damage fruit trees by chewing bark and shoots;
- are capable of ruining bird feeders.
- We'll have to remove all the branches of the trees, through which the animals can get into the attic.
- Do not leave acorns and fruits on the ground.
- Waste bins must be sealed.
- Bird feeders must prevent squirrels from reaching their contents.
- there should be no holes in the walls and roof through which the fluffy animal could get through - the ventilation vents are covered with mesh, and the chimney is fenced; nine0018
- a metal mesh fence is built around the site, dug into the ground;
- scare them away with a flashing light and a loud sound;
- pet hair is scattered in the attic, the presence of a predator should alert the animals and make them leave;
- soak old rags with ammonia - they definitely won’t like the pungent smell;
- the electric cable is placed in a hollow tube so that the animals do not get into the house through it.
- Model Tornado 115. Actually, this device is designed to scare away dogs and cats.
But with a problem with proteins, it will also help very effectively. This squirrel repeller uses 115 dB ultrasonic waves emitted from two speakers to drive the squirrel away. If the squirrels settled somewhere in your attic or shed, then you will need to find out how they get inside there. Having found out this point, the device must be placed at the beginning of the passage of the dwelling where the squirrels settled. And it is important that this facility has access to a 220 V network. Then Tornado 115 must be connected to a 220 V network and it will start dispersing unwanted squirrels. nine0018 - Model GX-033. Emits ultrasound, runs on batteries. Equipped with a motion sensor that activates the action of bright light flashes. Hang it at a height of approximately 1.2 m.
- EcoSniper Model. It operates at a distance of up to 10 m. In addition to the functions that the previous model has, it can turn on a sound siren.
- Model "protector of the yards". The motion sensor is designed for 16 m.
It protects an area of 200 square meters and is able to work both from the mains and from batteries. nine0018 - granules;
- powder; nine0018
- sprays;
- oils.
- ✓ Squirrels eat and spoil everything
- ✓ Farewell, dacha!
- ✓ Repellents
- ✓ Watch out for poisons!
- ✓ Precautions
The squirrel's strong paws, equipped with sharp claws, are perfectly adapted by nature for climbing trees. No worse than a squirrel and jumps, flying along a curve up to 10 m.
Squirrel in a jump
When there is no snow, the animal often moves along the ground, making huge jumps up to 1 m in length.
In winter it prefers to climb trees, sometimes not leaving the nest for a long time in bad weather. If this interval is long, it can fall into half-sleep, but not into hibernation.
Diet
It is very diverse for squirrels and can include up to 130 different types of food, but the main component is seeds obtained from cones of coniferous trees, which are dictated by the habitat:
If the squirrel doesn't have enough of such food together, it switches to hazelnuts, fresh and dried mushrooms, occasionally acorns. nine0003
Nut-eating squirrel
Can eat berries, tubers, bulbs, rhizomes. It can gnaw buds and shoots of trees, severely damaging the bark.
In the mating season and in spring, it can switch to animal food, destroying bird nests and eating their eggs, and sometimes chicks.
In addition to insects and their larvae, it can also attack small vertebrates. The amount of feed that a squirrel needs per day is small - about 80 g during the mating season, and only 35 g in winter.
The squirrel is very active during the day. She does not eat all the food she finds, some of it hides in secluded corners: these are stocks for the winter.
True, she forgets about their whereabouts very quickly, in winter she finds them only by chance. Most of the stock is eaten by other animals and birds.
Harm to humans
Squirrel teeth are designed in such a way that they grow constantly and need to be sharpened. This forces the animals to gnaw on everything they meet.
Such a feature is dangerous for humans:
Squirrels do a lot of harm at their summer cottage:
All this makes you think about how to drive the squirrels from the site to their natural habitat.
How to get rid of squirrels with your own hands
You need to start the fight with humane methods. The easiest way is to simply not allow animals to enter the site.
To do this, it should not have anything attractive to them. nine0003
To prevent the animals from getting into the house, certain measures must be taken:
If all this does not help, the fight against proteins continues with cardinal methods. nine0003
Mechanical traps
They are a bit like a mousetrap, but larger. The principle of operation is the same - the animal is caught on the bait.
The cage can be made of metal, plastic or other materials, as long as they are strong enough.
Trapped squirrel
Size - 15x15x45 cm. It is better to take a trapped squirrel to the forest away from home so that it does not find its way to it.
Ultrasonic repellers
They can be either simple or combined. nine0003
GX-033 Ultrasonic Repeller
The former are capable of emitting only ultrasound. Secondly, in addition to it, there is a sound signal and flashes of light. They are more efficient.
Stationary dog and squirrel repeller Tornado 115
Devices differ both in power and in price.
If furry pests cannot be repelled in this way, less humane chemical methods are used.
Video: Stationary dog, cat and squirrel repeller Tornado 115
Chemicals
Of course, no one is going to poison animals. It is enough just to apply chemical agents that have a deterrent effect - repellents.
They are available in various forms:
Means are not toxic, repel animals by smell.
Gel repellent from the manufacturer Trixie
The composition is usually complex: extracts of hot pepper and mint, extracts of secretions of predators.
Under good weather conditions, this repellent will keep squirrels away from the area for a whole month.
After heavy rain, the treatment must be repeated. Spray repellents where furry rodents are most likely to appear. nine0003
Conclusion
Pets must exist next to a person, which have already adapted to his way of life. The place of wild animals is in wildlife.
If your fight against squirrels, after taking all possible measures, has not been successful, you can give a simple advice: feed the animals outside your area.
Well fed, they will be spared the desire to search for food in your territory with all the ensuing consequences.
Video: How to protect fruit trees from squirrels
How to get rid of squirrels in the country | DIY
Contents ✓
Last summer the walnuts on my two trees in the country house were eaten by a squirrel.
I saw her once on the branches and even drove her away. But you won't be on guard all the time! And having arrived once again for the weekend, I found that not a single nut was left on the trees, and empty shells were lying below. Tell us how to get rid of this animal or at least protect the crop. nine0003 Oleg Ivanovich DENISENKO, Brest region, Malorita
EVERYTHING YOU NEED FOR THIS ARTICLE IS HERE >>>
Squirrels eat and spoil everything in a row
These are just funny little animals in the pictures. Despite their external attractiveness, they have long gained a reputation as malicious pests that spoil literally everything that comes their way. The main part of the diet of squirrels is made up of various nuts - hazelnuts, cedar and walnuts, peach pits. There is a known case when a squirrel plucked the most beautiful fruits of a pear and gnawed seeds out of them. It was also noted that in the absence of their favorite food, they are not averse to feasting on bulbs of vegetable and flower crops (especially tulips), berries, buds and bark of fruit and berry crops.
nine0003 They can also be predators: squirrels often eat nestlings and eggs of useful birds, lizards and frogs. Titmouse, which are expelled from their houses, suffer the most from them. There are cases when squirrels "sharpened" their teeth on wooden furniture and electrical wires.
Read also: How to get rid of mole rats and voles - my way
Farewell, cottage!
Animals with sharp teeth feel great in foreign territory all year round. Not only do they manage the garden, but they turn everything upside down in the attic if they get there. nine0003
A pair of squirrels in love is able to “equip” an entire army of rodents and occupy your home for a long time. In a year, a squirrel brings a couple of litters of
3-10 squirrels, and a year later the squirrel population is enough for a whole fur coat, but earlier the rodents will eat everything that is in the country, along with a wooden house.
Therefore, let's face it: such a cute little animal has no place in summer cottages and household plots.
It follows from this that keeping them in the garden, or at least feeding them, is by no means worth it. nine0003 Sound and light
Fighting squirrels is not a one-day task, it takes time and patience. These creatures are quite smart, and it is very difficult to beat them. High intelligence and agility allow them to reach any feeder or get deep-planted bulbs out of the ground. The insidious plans of the animal are brought to life with the help of strong paws: they easily jump from branch to branch, cling to wires and dig entire holes.
The simplest way to fight is the method of avoidance. Instead of feeding animals, you need to remove everything that a squirrel can eat: collect nuts, acorns, fruits from the ground, buy airtight trash cans with tight lids and always keep them closed. Get special bird feeders - they come in a variety of models and types. Do not put them close to trees and the house, keep the area under them clean. nine0003
If nothing stops the jumpers and they continue to visit guests, try to scare them away with a sound, leaving the radio or music player on the roof.
Squirrels will constantly hear human voices, and they are unlikely to like it. Leave flashing lights right on the site and attic. They can make the animal run away and leave the venture to settle there.
See also: How to get rid of mice in the vineyard and orchard
note
Constant light in the attic can cause squirrels to leave. In especially difficult situations, a pulsating light beam can scare away rodents. For this, flashing strobe lights are used.
Repellents
Squirrels can be repelled with repellents. Today, the market offers many such drugs to choose from. All of them have a deterrent and are available in any form: sprays, liquids, oils, granules or powders.
Repellents are easy to use and economical. They allow you to protect bird feeders, flower beds, shrubs, ornamental plants from destruction by proteins. It is enough to spray a spray, sprinkle granules, powder or oil a place around the perimeter - and the smell will scare away the animals for up to 30 days.
nine0003 Electronics
Electronic squirrel repellers are environmentally friendly and safe devices. They come in different types: ultrasonic, light, water, etc.
Ultrasonic devices emit sound vibrations to which only animals are sensitive. They make the squirrels uncomfortable and force them to stay away from the device. The high decibels of ultrasonic repellant noise can make an area of interest unbearable for individuals who only plan to occupy it. nine0003
Traps
If the previous methods turned out to be powerless, and predators made a real mess - they gnaw wires and multiply uncontrollably, then use traps for squirrels. Outwitting and catching a squirrel is not as easy as it seems, because you are dealing with an intelligent creature. There are several types of traps on the market that are used according to the instructions.
One-man automatic trap cage (pictured) is the most common squirrel trap. It is a solid metal trap cage with a special door slamming mechanism.
When an animal comes in to feast on something tasty, the mechanism works, and the squirrel is inside - closed, alive and unharmed. A number of cages are made from hard plastic, metal rods and other materials. Squirrel cages should be large enough and strong enough to hold a rodent. As practice has shown, the optimal size is 15.25 × 15.25 × 45.75 cm. Make sure that the bait is far inside so that the squirrel cannot reach it from the side. Ideal bait is nuts, crackers, apple slices, peanut butter, bread crusts.
It is best to take the caught squirrel to the forest, located 20-25 km from its habitat. It is believed that in this case she will not find her way home.
Be careful with poisons!
It is undesirable to use poisons for squirrels, after all, they are living creatures that have their own life, flowing according to rules different from those of humans. This is probably why there are no officially registered squirrel poisons on the market. In addition, it is unlikely that such a smart animal can be "persuaded" to eat poison.
- Video: Method of protection of fruit trees from squirrels gardens.
