Squirrels are cute animals to watch as they move about in their natural habitat. But squirrels in attic spaces or elsewhere in the home mean trouble. Their ability to chew through almost anything makes them a nuisance. And worst still, they do not come alone but live as a pack. The first defense against this is learning to keep squirrels away from your home. Next is knowing what to do if you have a squirrel infestation problem. These tips can be useful on how to remove squirrels and keeping squirrels out of the attic once and for all.
My family faced this problem when a large family of squirrels invaded my mother’s home. It started with the sound of distinct squirrels in the attic. Before it was under control, several of the following signs were present.
Signs of Squirrel in Attic?
Let’s begin by finding out if you might already have signs of squirrels in the attic. Common signs of an infestation of these animals are:
- There are noises of scurrying, chewing, scratching, or their distinct chattering. Especially at night when the house is quiet. Your pet dog or cat may hear it before you do.
- Attic damage includes chewed wires, wood, or even holes with teeth marks. They may even chew through ceiling panels. Be sure to check places like closets and quiet areas of the home where they can stay busy without being disturbed.
- Nests of materials they’ve gathered to sleep in, including food stashes. They come in to find a place to nest and stay warm. Thus, they tear apart stuff like insulation, cardboard, and paper to make a warm spot to sleep and eat.
- Paw prints. You might be surprised to see their prints along dusty attic floors or ceiling joists.
- Smells from urine, feces, or decay if one has died while getting trapped inside.
Since squirrels are larger than a mouse or rat and tend to also come in family units, they can quickly wreck a home’s attic, wiring, ceilings, and walls.
Trapping and Removal
First, find the nest. Next, close off entryways to prevent more coming in, and leave one accessible where you place the trap. It might be on the roof, such air vent. Or, like in our case, in the crawl space with access through the wall and up into the attic.
There are different types of squirrel traps that you can effectively use to capture them. To do this right, you may have to employ the services of a professional. You must also know about squirrel wildlife laws in your state concerning capture and relocation and stick to them to avoid legal battles.
Live Traps
You can use live traps to capture them by putting them strategically in the attic. You will need bait to attract them into the cage, and you may also need to camouflage the cage to look like a normal part of the attic. When using a live trap, you will also have to deal with the transportation and relocation of the animals to a new area where they have enough food and water for sustenance and are not a nuisance to any homeowner.
Box Traps
You can also put box trap cages at their entry and exit points. The cage locks after the squirrel gets in, and you can safely transport and relocate the squirrel from your house. You must be careful when handling the squirrels because they scratch and bite when they feel trapped. This is just one of the reasons why many people decide to leave removal to the professionals from companies like Critter Stop Wildlife Removal, who have the knowledge and experience to handle the animals carefully.
Squirrels will not leave your attic on their own, especially if they have a food source and your attic is comfortable enough to raise a family. They may look cute outdoors, but in your attic, they can cause damage that will cost a lot to fix.
How to Keep Squirrels Away
Keeping squirrels out of the attic is the best thing you can do. Upkeep and regular maintenance checks help lessen the possibility of having pests invade your home.
- Seal up possible entry/exit points in your home.
- Clean debris from around the home.
- Keep trees and bushes trimmed. If tree limbs hang over the roof, it would be wise to remove those as they make a great path to climb onto the roof and are also dangerous in bad weather.
- Clean up nuts and fruit in the yard. You can still leave it scattered farther from the house, just not a food source close to the house.
- Use natural repellents like pepper, ammonia, and mint that irritate squirrels. Also, a spray made of garlic, vinegar, and water is useful when sprayed around the exterior of the house.
- Keep bird feeders away from the house and consider using food mixes that aren’t squirrel favorites: corn, nuts, and sunflower seeds. Set the bird feeder up to make it hard for squirrels to eat so they don’t get used to expecting a food source by your house.
Hire a Professional
You can choose to eliminate the squirrels on your own to save money, but professionals have the right equipment and skills to remove these squirrels. They are also well aware of the state’s laws on pest removal and control. They will also advise you on ways to prevent a squirrel infestation.
You can also keep squirrels out of your yard and home by ensuring that your yard is always clean and uncluttered. Fix any damages in the roof promptly and seal all potential entry points.
Conclusion
Keeping your home safe from animals is an important part of managing your home. By doing so, you not only keep yourself and your family safe and healthy, but you also keep the value of your home. Unfortunately, there is more out there besides squirrels threatening to damage your house.
