Get Rid of That Squirrel!
It all began when Jocie and I realized that an animal was under our roof. I say under our roof because we have no attic. Our second floor has vaulted ceilings and no access of any kind (so we thought). But time and again we would hear scratching.
Enough people in our neighborhood have had squirrel problems that I actually met a squirrel catcher hired by a neighbor. He told me that squirrels typically find holes through siding, especially end caps right below eaves. He makes a living setting traps to capture the squirrels and then driving them at least 50 miles away before releasing them! Apparently, 49 miles away and they’ll find their way back.
But, I didn’t really want to pay a squirrel catcher. So, I began by soaking a rag in ammonium and placing it under my siding by the eaves (a suggestion I found online). The next day I found my rag–and numerous nest makings–thrown down on my deck!
This confirmed the access point, but didn’t solve the problem. Since we were already planing to have the roof replaced, I asked the roofers to seal the gap in the siding. I thought that was the end of it.
And then we heard the familiar scratching sounds above our second bedroom again. It was luck that Jocie and I saw the squirrel entering our house through another gap (on the other side of my house! — they are persistent!) between the siding and our roof. So I turned back to the net for more answers. Here’s what I learned:
How to Keep Squirrels Out
The only effective way to keep squirrels out is to block the entrance. Sounds like an easy task, but squirrels can wriggle and slip through some of the tiniest gaps. Don’t block the entrance with wood or plastic as they will chew right through it. Aluminum siding or a sturdy wire screen proves a good choice. Remember to be sure to block the entrance when they are not there. Otherwise, they will find another exit (and create another entrance), or worse, die in your attic or between two walls. Online resources will point you toward moth balls, ammonium and repellent
What do you think? Ever had an animal try to turn your home into theirs? What tools and tricks did you use to get them out?
Picture from www.wildlife-traps.com/squirrels.html
March 5th, 2008 at 4:52 pm
No tips from us.. The squirrel we had in our attic is back. He/She was gone for a bit. But the sneaky critter must have found a new way in. I heard him 10 minutes ago.
March 5th, 2008 at 4:58 pm
I feel your pain. It’s weird knowing an animal is living above you.
March 5th, 2008 at 6:23 pm
We’ve had mice and bees in our attic. The mice went away when we got a cat, the bees were a little harder to deal with.
They were yellow jackets, so no bee keeper was interested in taking them out for us. They nested between the insulation and the drywall near the middle of the room. They were also chewing through the dry wall in the ceiling to make their nest. The only way I could get at them without getting swarmed (by crawling up in the attic) as to drill a couple of holes in the ceiling, then spray the nest up through the ceiling from inside the house. I didn’t like doing it that way, but it was the best way I could think of.
I later cleaned up the nest and dead bees and patched the holes.
March 6th, 2008 at 2:04 am
The ammonia has worked for us before, but didn’t for one of my neighbors. They tried sprinkling fox urine purchased from a garden center, and that worked for them.
March 6th, 2008 at 4:33 am
Fred:
I added your link to http://www.CA2PR.com. I like how detail oriented you are with your blog…this will be very helpful to people…keep up the good work!
March 6th, 2008 at 6:39 am
Green Fairy,
I think the ammonia is a good deterrent. Where did your neighbor sprinkle the fox urine? yard? roof?
Monks,
I’ll make sure Fred see’s you’ve added the blog. Thanks man!
March 6th, 2008 at 10:15 am
That’s crazy! We have been lucky in this house, but in my house growing up we had a few birds come into the house through the fireplace!
So far the only animals in our house are the ones that we invited.
March 6th, 2008 at 11:18 am
We had squirrels at our last house. I felt bad about trying to get rid of them. I heard the scratching - but then would think… Squirrels need a home too!!
Come to think of it, we never actually did get rid of them. We moved before I got the energy!
Aimee: We found a bird in our bedroom one night. Absolutely hilarious. We discovered that the dryer vent had fallen off and the bird had made his way through the vent.
March 6th, 2008 at 9:27 pm
Keeping it short, I once discovered a catbird in my friend’s basement workshop in a previous residence. He kept trying to fly out the eight-inch, pull-in style casement, hitting his head.
I was about to try to usher him through the house (which I didn’t want to do) when he miraculously flew above the frame of the window (a couple inches clearance only), then hopped out the window and flew away. It was a relief.
March 9th, 2008 at 8:28 pm
Yes it’s Fred’s sister again, anonymous. Just like to visit the blog and see how things are going. However, I did find Ethan and Jocie’s squirrel problem of interest. As we started out with a nest of birds one year who apparently were eventually evicted by a squirrel. Our old neighbors use to feed them. We always seem to forget about the hole in the eave until we hear her again. Yes she is definetly a she. She has had a couple of baby’s who have to wait for her to get back up there. We also had a peach tree that that supplied them with food. We had that cut down a few weeks ago. Hurricane Isabel had knocked it over way back when and I didn’t do a very good stacking job. Might try some of the suggestions. Mainly the putting up screening. She always seems to know the piece back down once we put it back when we know she’s out.
Thanks,
Lisa