Trap squirrel attic
How to Get Rid of Squirrels in the Attic
Affiliate Disclosure: This Old House‘s Reviews Team is committed to delivering honest, objective, and independent reviews on home products and services. To support this business model, This Old House may be compensated if you purchase through links on our website.
Do you have unwanted pests in your home? Read this guide on how to get rid of squirrels in the attic and learn how you can keep them away.
Reviews by This Old House Reviews Team 11/15/2022 2:25 pm
Squirrels in your attic can bite into electrical wiring, insulation, and boards, causing significant damage. In this article, the This Old House Reviews Team explains how to get rid of squirrels in the attic and covers how to prevent them from infesting your home. In particular, we recommend two of the top-rated pest control companies for wildlife removal.
Signs of a Squirrel Infestation
Before enacting treatment, confirm that the animal you’re hearing in your attic is a squirrel. Here are a few signs that these fluffy-tailed animals are present in your home:
- You hear scurrying, scratching, or chewing sounds coming from your attic, crawl spaces, or ceiling.
- You notice teeth marks in wires or wood, air vent damage, or chewed electrical wires.
- You notice squirrel footprints (the front paws have four toes, while the back paws have five).
- There’s water damage on your walls and ceilings.
- You smell a foul odor coming from your vents (this could be from decaying squirrels that failed to escape your home)
Steps to Take When There Are Squirrels in the Attic
Once you determine there are squirrels in your attic, take the steps below to remove them from your home:
- Locate the squirrel nest—If you have a family of squirrels in your attic, look for a nest made of materials like cardboard, leaves, and insulation. If it’s February through May or August through October, it’s likely that there are baby squirrels present.
In this case, it’s best to wait a few weeks until the babies grow old enough to leave their mother. - Seal openings in your attic—Squirrels are able to fit through small entry points in your attic. When you find these entry points, seal them off using wire or caulking. Leave one opening so that the squirrels that are currently in your attic can leave.
- Trap squirrels using a one-way cage door—Install a one-way cage door outside the entry point you left so that you can catch the squirrels in a cage when they exit your attic. Once the squirrels are trapped, relocate them to a different location at least five miles away. Check your local laws before doing this, because it’s illegal in states like to trap and relocate wildlife.
- Hire a professional pest control company—The easiest way to deal with squirrels in the attic is to hire a professional pest control company. Pest management experts are trained to get rid of squirrels and other wildlife by using live traps and other methods to prevent these small animals from coming back.
Note that many pest control companies will require an inspection to determine the level of infestation before providing a quote.
How to Prevent Squirrels from Returning
Once squirrels have been removed from your attic, there are a number of ways to prevent them from returning, which include:
- Trim trees near your roofline—Trimming trees near your roofline can help prevent squirrels from getting on your roof and into your attic.
- Change food in your bird feeder—If your bird food contains sunflower seeds, corn, or nuts, consider changing the type of food, as these ingredients attract squirrels. You may also want to invest in a squirrel-proof bird feeder that prevents these critters from gaining easy access to the bird food.
- Scare squirrels using a plastic owl—Placing a plastic owl on your fence post or the roof may help scare squirrels away from your yard.
- Use a taste repellent—Spraying a squirrel repellent composed of garlic, water, and vinegar around the perimeter of your home can discourage squirrels from entering.
- Use a motion-activated sprinkler system—A motion-activated sprinkler system will spray animals any time they come close to your yard, keeping squirrels away.
Comparing Top Pest Control Companies
The This Old House Reviews Team analyzed every major pest control company in the United States based on plans, customer service, pricing, and other factors. Our analysis found that Terminix and Orkin are the best pest control companies in the industry. We recommend contacting these companies using the table below to help assist you with squirrel removal.
Provider | Terminix | Orkin |
|---|---|---|
Get a free quote | Visit Site | Visit Site |
Our overall score out of 100 | 98. | 94 |
Best for | Best Overall | Best for Urgent Service |
Annual cost for general pest control | $550–$700 | $575 |
State availability | 47 | 47 |
BBB rating | A- | A+ |
Online chat | Yes | No |
5To share feedback or ask a question about this article, send a note to our Reviews Team at reviews@thisoldhousereviews.
com.
Squirrel in the Attic - Humane Removal of Squirrels in the Attic of your House
Education - Squirrels in the Attic
Probably the most common human - wildlife conflict nationwide - squirrels in the attic. These capable rodents love to chew their way into your house and raise their young there.
The first sign of squirrels in the attic is the scurrying or scratching usually in the ceiling or eaves, during the early morning or evening hours. Squirrels love to live in attics. The female squirrels view your attic as a big, dry,
safe tree nest! The females give birth twice a year - in late winter and late summer, and then the young grow quickly and start running around in your attic. Peak times for activity are February/March and September/October, although they
sometimes spend all year in an attic, and we get calls about them 12 months out of the year. They are very capable animals, and they can climb
almost any surface and jump very far, and thus they have no problem finding the entry points into your attic - usually poorly screened roof vents, or places where the soffit meets the roof, or eave vents, or wooden fascia boards that they
can chew through.
Your home might have several entry areas. The general process to get rid of squirrels in the attic is as such: First, inspect the house
to find out how the squirrels are getting inside. Second, inspect the attic to find out what kind of damage they have caused, from chewed wires to nesting debris. Third, remove the animals, via either trapping or one-way
exclusion doors, and be sure to remove the young by hand, or wait until they are large enough to enter the exclusion doors or traps. Fourth, repair and seal shut all the entry holes after the squirrels are out. Fifth, repair any damage and
clean and decontaminate the attic if necessary. You may want to get rid of squirrels in the attic fast and easy, but it is work.
How to Get Rid of Squirrels in the Attic - 4 How-To Steps
1 - Home & Attic Inspection
Inspect the exterior of the home, including the roof and all vents, to find out how the squirrels are getting in. Also inspect inside the attic to identify squirrel damage.
2 - Remove the Animals
This process is not simple, but the best methods are either an exclusion door or a repeater trap mounted directly on the primary squirrel hole. Also, get the young.
3 - Repair the Squirrel Entry Holes
The job is not complete until you solve the source of the problem. Seal shut the entry holes, with professional grade repairs, or else the problem will happen again.
4 - Clean the Attic
In addition to repairing chewed electrical wires and damaged duct work, you might want to remove the squirrel feces, maybe the insulation, and decontaminate.
HOW MUCH DOES SQUIRREL REMOVAL COST? Prices vary depending on the situation. Some jobs are simple, require only one service visit, and might be as low as $100. Some jobs
are complex, require multiple service visits, home repairs, attic cleanup, and so on. Prices can also vary by city. To get the best price estimate, call our technician in your area:
Click here for a free price quote over the phone in your town.
Information About Squirrels in the Attic
Is there a nest of baby squirrels? Yes. Pretty much every time squirrels are in the attic, it's a single female who has a litter of young. She finds her way into the attic twice per year,
when she has the litter of young. This is usually around February and August. The young are born, and they grow quickly. They reach adult size in only six weeks, at which time they start to run around the
attic. This is often when homeowners first notice a problem, because they've suddenly gone from one squirrel to five! You must be aware of the young. If you remove just the female squirrel while the litter of
young is less than six weeks old, you will have a problem. The young may scratch or claw, maybe through the ceiling, or they may starve to death and rot and stink. It is very inhumane to remove a nursing
female squirrel and leave the young behind. Read more about nest of baby animals in the attic.
What kind of damage is caused by squirrels in the attic? The primary problems are trampling down insulation and creating tunnels, leaving feces and urine in the attic, bringing plant matter and nesting material into the attic, chewing on wood beams in the attic, and chewing on electrical wires in the attic. Some of these activities are merely unsanitary, but some can cause a risk of fire hazard. Also, be aware that if you have squirrels living in your attic, they might die in your attic, and cause a big odor problem. Read about How To Find a Dead Squirrel in the House. Read more about damage from squirrels in the attic.
How do I trap squirrels? Trapping is helpful in some cases of squirrels in the attic, but actually not the majority. In most cases, your best option is to perform a squirrel exclusion - this
means that you install a one-way door on the squirrels' primary entry/exit hole. To do this, you must first seal up all secondary points of entry, and make sure there are no vulnerable areas to chew back in.
But if
an exclusion isn't possible, or the risk of chewing on wood is too high, then a repeater trap, which can catch up to eight squirrels at once, and mounted directly on that main entry/exit hole, is best. If that isn't
possible for some reason, only then are baited cage traps the best option. They should be bolted to the roof or fascia boards. Never place a trap inside an attic - squirrels will NEVER enter there. I don't know why,
but it is a guaranteed fact. You should set 5-6 traps, to catch the female and all the young. Never set traps if the young are immobile in a nest in the attic. Read more about
squirrel trapping and about the best type of squirrel bait.
Can't I just use a squirrel repellent? No. In my 15+ years as a wildlife removal professional, I have seen it all: attics filled with strobing lights, blaring radios, ultrasonic sound machines, and every
type of over-the-counter repellent, from coyote urine flakes, to ammonia, to the end-all-be-all el cheapo scam, mothballs.
I once went into an attic in which a desperate old lady had dumped close to 100 lbs. of mothballs
in her attic. The squirrels didn't care! Here's the problem with repellents in general: once a squirrel lives in your attic, and has a nest of babies there, that's it. That's the only option for survival. There is no
device, no repellent that will make them leave. Go ahead and buy a squirrel repellent at Home Depot, or a squirrel deterrent device online - waste your time. But they have zero demonstrated effectiveness. Read more
about squirrel repellents.
Can I kill the squirrels? Possibly, but it's actually much more difficult than exclusion or trapping. You could set lethal traps by the squirrel holes, but these traps are very difficult to set, not to
mention dangerous. And they only get one squirrel at a time, so they are ineffecient. What about poison then? There are no registered rodenticides for squirrels. Squirrels never eat food in an attic, so unlike with rats,
they will not consume rat poison.
And rat poison is not designed for squirrels, so if they did eat it, they may not die. Also, if you do manage to kill one with poison, the smell of a rotting squirrel is terrible. Any of
these attempts are inhumane of course, if you care, which you might not if your top interest
is killing them. I understand if you hate the squirrels, and call them "just rats with fluffy tails" and so on, but seriously, it's a lot more challenging to kill squirrels than to install a one-way exclusion door or a
repeater trap. Read more about killing squirrels.
How do I keep squirrels away from my house? Maybe you want to prevent squirrels from coming to your house, roof, garden, or property in the first place, before they get in the attic. Well, it's
hard to keep squirrels away from a property. They can pretty much go wherever they want, and they will, if there's adequate food and water sources. The real key, regarding squirrels in the attic, is to prevent
them from getting inside.
On the roof is fine. Inside is not. To do this, you must inspect the house and seal shut any potential squirrel entry holes, with steel, which squirrels can't chew through. Install a steel
chimney cap to Keep Squirrels Out Of A Chimney. There
are some hot sauces that can prevent squirrels from chewing on wood and some plants, and you can read more about how to keep squirrels away if you want.
How do I do this myself, for cheap? Follow the 4 steps. First, use a ladder and inspect every inch of your house, especially the roof vents, plumbing stacks, eave gaps, soffits and soffit vents, etc. Then
inspect inside the attic to find out more clues. Note the time of year. Listen for the sound of one animal or several. If it's just one, search the attic for the nest and remove them by hand and place in a sack and bring
the young to a rehabber or reunite them with the mother squirrel if you trap her within 24 hours. Or you can wait for the young to grow.
It takes only six weeks. Second, repair all the secondary entry holes in the house, so
that no squirrels can easily get in and out. But leave the primary hole open. It's the one with the most chewing, the most activity. Now, mount a one-way exclusion door or a repeater trap directly on this hole. In the rare
event that there's no way to mount such a device on a hole, set 5-6 cage traps, bolted to the roof or eaves, near the entry hole(s), and bait with peanut butter and whole peanuts in shell. If trapping, check the traps diligently,
and don't leave a squirrel outside, especially in the sun. They can die of heat stroke. Relocate any trapped squirrels at least 10 miles away. Third, after you are sure all the squirrels are out, remove the trap or traps and
seal the final hole shut. Fourth, repair any chewed electrical wires in the attic, and clean the feces and urine. Read more about squirrel feces. The whole process is difficult,
and it took me a couple of years and dozens of jobs before I got very good at it, but if you are very careful and work hard, you can do it!
How much does squirrel removal cost? It varies by the complexity of the job and by the company doing the work.
The job requires several service visits, as outlined above. It will certainly cost at least a few hundred dollars. If you want to find out a ballpark
price in your town, click here for your local wildlife pro and call, and they will be able to tell you. Our wildlife experts have special licensing & certification regulated by state
wildlife laws, as well as all applicable state and local business licenses. They carry liability insurance, due to risks of climbing on roofs, in attics, dealing with dangerous wildlife, etc. They will perform professional grade
repairs which results in a permanent solution so you don't have squirrels again. It is a good investment in your home and protection against further damage. Read more about how much does squirrel removal cost.
The Bottom Line
How to get rid of squirrels in the attic - they are not so easily just "gotten rid of". But they can be properly and effectively removed, and the problem can be prevented from happening again.
Remember to follow the steps above, whether you do it
yourself or hire a professional to do it for you. It is not easy work, but if you don't remove the squirrels in your attic, they will go on to cause further damage. When you do decide to remove them, please remember to treat the animals with respect,
and take the work seriously, and remember about the presence of baby animals in the attic. You can get rid of squirrels in the attic if you follow the correct approach. Best of luck!
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.
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.
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.
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:
- spruce;
- Scots pine;
- Siberian cedar;
- larch;
- fir.
If the squirrel doesn't have enough of such food together, it switches to hazelnuts, fresh and dried mushrooms, occasionally acorns.
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, she hides some of it 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 require grinding.
This forces the animals to gnaw on everything they meet. Such a feature is dangerous for humans:
- 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.
Squirrels do a lot of harm at their summer cottage:
- can dig up flower beds;
- damage fruit trees by chewing bark and shoots;
- are capable of ruining bird feeders.
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.
- 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.
To prevent the animals from getting into the house, certain measures must be taken:
- 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;
- 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.
If all this does not help, the fight against proteins continues with cardinal methods.
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.
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.
- 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. - 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.
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:
- granules;
- powder;
- sprays;
- oils.
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.
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
Squirrels in the attic???
- Forum
- Archive
- Foreign Hayloft
Girls, help with advice! How to keep squirrels away from home? Two years ago we drank a house in Richmond Hill, backyard goes to the rabbi, we live like in a forest.
Everything would be fine, but last year a raccoon climbed in and tore through the roof. I had to saw down a tree next to the house, and now this trouble is happening again, but with squirrels. They made a hole through the roof and rush through the attic. I know about pet control, maybe there are other ways besides cutting down the whole forest around? OFF.......................................
How are you? Do you work with a schedule? hear anything from the Motherland?So what? Yell loudly and make noise?
better to set fire to the forest
Traps.
also lived on the rabbi, very amateurish, mosquitoes, mice, raccoons also climbed onto the roof, by the way there were no trees near the house, they climb around the house and interfered with sleep at night the husband went out at night throwing stones at the raccoons on the roof. In the end we were cleaned out, robbers they love the rabbis, no one sees or interferes.
We are tired of everything, we sold the house and bought a normal one with our neighbors. We like it.
but in essence they call services, they close up holes so that they don’t climb anymore, but this pleasure is also not cheap."climb" "tired"
or blow up the house
actually, they gnaw at everything out of curiosity: wires, for example, not the best neighborhood, I understand the author
Run, call the pet control. Call a few, choose cheaper. We had this happiness in an old house. holes, but don’t flatter yourself too much, the squirrels will still return and begin to gnaw new ones. therefore, immediately agree to seal all possible places with a grid, it’s still somewhere around $ 200. taking out dead more grandmas + can gnaw on wires and beams. In short, don’t waste time yourself, you won’t get rid of them.
Did you also live in the hollow?
no, we lived far from the park!!! near noisy intersections!
reassured me, otherwise I was scared that my "ravine" was somehow wrong - no one robs, they don't run around the attic (pah-pah-pah)
No, I understand too, just wondering.
I love them very much, squirrels, hedgehogs and bears. But they simply did not have such an experience of neighborhood. They say they also yell loudly when they run. yes, it seems to me that they gnaw at the attic more in the city, where there is a forest for them, and so there is where to breed offspring ...
Thanks everyone for the advice. Today we set up a cage-trap, then we will cut the trees. But, in general, my love for nature is going down sharply ... And what's strange is that the neighbors don't have these problems, but we have it like smeared with honey.
I also advise you not to plant fruit trees, I planted two peaches, they gave out fruits so beautifully the first year, but these gray ones galloped up and stole everything. they left me ONE PEACH on two trees, try something like what I planted (((
Buy a cat and a dog, they will catch everyone, and the cage is so much fun that does not work.
Buy a net and cover it with a special net to save the crop.
After another such topic, I secretly rejoice that I live in the city and the only thing that bothers me is the sirens of firefighters or the police from time to time
since when did Richmond Hill cease to be a city?
in vain rejoice in our previous house there was no city, but squirrels got wound up)
keep a dog with a cat in the attic????? Are you serious?
Excuse me, what are you talking about? I live in the States actually
Aaah, I got it. Well, if squirrels start in the house, then this is a village. Nothing starts in our concrete structuresThey live in our park And I live on the 9th floor and there are neighbors above us. We have them too. In the park across the road. But I live in the CITY. In the highris building. We don't have squirrels on the 9th floor
oh, so you live in a high-rise? then of course! everywhere there are + and -, my friend who lives on the 12th floor has an eternal problem with pigeons, the whole balcony is filthy.
- Video: Method of protection of fruit trees from squirrels gardens.
