The "How's" in Squirrel Control

The cartoons are actually depicting squirrels right. Squirrels are highly trainable animals. They are intelligent and are very inquisitive of their surroundings. However, the same characteristics that make squirrels unique also make them one of the most common trouble makers in home gardens and commercialized orchards. Because of their nature, these animals can actually find ways to penetrate gardens and feed on flowers, seeds, nuts and bulbs grown there. It is important for gardeners to keep a close watch over their garden, or else, these cute and furry creatures will devour their most precious garden produce.

Squirrels normally live in trees but with the continuous practice of humans to cut down trees even in the wild, squirrels are fast adapting into a new way of living. These animals have actually learned how to utilize living spaces that resemble a tree. As a result of this learned behaviour, squirrels are able to live under houses, in attics and even in ceilings. This article will discuss about the many "how's" when it comes to squirrel control in the house.

1. How do we stop squirrels from entering our homes?

No matter how cute squirrels are, they are still rodents and we all know what they are capable of. Like all their cousins, squirrels are opportunistic; they would grab every opportunity they can have to forcibly enter a haven where they can get food. Thus, if there are existing openings around your house, there is a very huge possibility for squirrels to use that as an entry point. The opening may not be wide enough to permit squirrel entry but the squirrel is capable of gnawing around the opening to make it wider. This normally happens in the attic or in the ceiling where most of the time, the material used is wood.

The best way to avoid this scenario is to give your house a thorough inspection. By careful examination, you will be able to find holes and buy enough time to seal them before a squirrel finds out about it. You can choose to have the opening repaired but if this is a little bit too costly for you, you can simply "plug" the hole with paper towel or with old newspaper. If the squirrel is a bit incessant, you will notice that this "plug" will be pushed out. If this happens, then your best option is to invest either on the materials used to close the opening or on squirrel spray. The squirrel spray is usually made from a chemical concoction that is distasteful to squirrels. Spraying the immediate surrounding area of the opening will prevent squirrels from gnawing it. You also need to be mindful about the season. Squirrels usually invade homes during summer or during spring. Be sure to do your inspection before the start of these seasons.

2. How to make your attic squirrel-free?

Squirrels get into the attic by climbing trees having branches that stretch into the attic. To prevent squirrels from doing this, you need to make the tree difficult to climb. Simply wrap the trunk of the tree with a 3-foot wider metal sheet. Don't wrap starting from the ground as this can make your metal sheet corrode over time (moist soil, grass, etc.). About 4 feet about the ground is enough and you don't need to wrap the entire trunk, one 3-foot sheet is already enough.

However, if squirrels have already gained entry into your attic, you are left with no other option but to get them out. Remember that squirrels can give birth to two litters each year and they start giving birth in the beginning of spring. It might be difficult to hunt down the squirrel during this period so you have to wait for about six weeks. Only until then will the mother squirrel go on hunting trips. You will notice movement during this period and it will be easier for you to track them. The most humane way to keep them out is to simply install live door traps directly into the entry point that they are using. The trap will not harm the squirrel so you can actually set them out after they are caught. If you feel bad about the litters left by the mother, you can make a thorough search in your attic and take the litters outside for possible integration in the wild. But then again, chance of survival is relatively low.

You will know if you trap has already caught all the squirrels that go in and out your house once you notice that the squirrels are no longer making sounds in your attic. If this happens, you are ready to remove the trap door. However, make sure that you patch the hole with industry grade cloth or with wood, else the squirrels will only come back. To increase security, you should spray the surrounding area of the hole with squirrel repellent. These sprays can be bought in many pest control shops and gardening shops around the country. If you do not have access to these shops, you can also try spreading hot sauce directly into the surfaces around the hole. Squirrels detest hot sauce and this will prevent them from chewing into the wood around the hole.

Nevertheless, you should know that if you use the trap door during the winter, you are most likely also killing the squirrels. They will definitely die outside your house during these cold days. So, if you want to be kinder, try to exterminate them before winter comes. That way, they will still have time to look for another place to live when the temperature begins to fall.

Thus, the best way to keep squirrels out of your attic is to prevent them from getting-in in the first place. Make sure that you do periodic inspection around your house to find possible entry points the soonest that they appear. Trimming overhanging branches of huge trees and putting on a chimney cap will also help keep them out.