Types of Squirrel Traps

For the many people who consider squirrels as pests, any method that will enable them to get rid of these rodents is a blessing. To date, there are three ways to do that: by using squirrel repellent, by poisoning the squirrels and by trapping. Of these three methods, the use of traps is more popular because many people really find it effective, even the professional exterminators themselves. However, the kind of trap used affects its effectiveness in catching squirrels. Later on, we will discuss about the four major types of squirrel traps developed by squirrel exterminators and squirrel control enthusiasts. But let's touch base before we talk about these traps. Let's examine the other two methods used to get rid of squirrels.

Squirrel Repellents

The use of squirrel repellents is best used before a squirrel invades a house. If the homeowner wants to start right, he or she should squirrel-proof his or her house through the use of repellents. Experts also agree that when it comes to squirrel control, prevention is always better that extermination. However, once squirrels have already nested in a house, the use of repellents is futile.

Examples of old-fashioned squirrel repellents used by house wives even up to this day are naphthalene balls, bleach and ammonia. Some even go overboard and use human hair, which of course is not scientifically proven. However, all these things have one thing in common: they can produce unpleasant smell which squirrels might dislike. Unpleasant odor usually discourages squirrels and other animals to stay in a place. For example, mice flee once they get a whiff of rat smell or gazelles run away once they smell urine excreted by lions. Thus, just like how humans are warned by their sense of smell to go far away from rotting garbage, animals are also warned to get away from something which might harm them through their sense of smell. The only difference with the use of repelling scents is that the harm is not actually apparent, instead, these scents are used to confuse the squirrels into thinking that the place is not safe for them to stat.

However, the problem with this method is that the door from the repellent used cannot actually spread throughout the entire house (or else, you too will not find your house liveable anymore), thus, squirrels will just have the tendency to relocate to another area in the house. Say, maybe the squirrels used to nest in the attic and you place your repellents there, they might just go to the basement or the ceiling. This proves why squirrel repellents are best used before squirrels have nested in your house.

Apart from scent repellents, electronic repellents can also be used. Examples of electronic repellents are devices that emit ultrasonic high pitch sounds. Regular radios can also be used for this purpose. However, the FTC has warned people from using such repellents because they found it ineffective in performing its supposed function.

Squirrel Poison

If you have been a victim of a squirrel attack in your house or in your garden, you might be surprised to know that no squirrel poison has been registered yet. That means that no poison can be legally used against squirrels. I don't know what the legal implication of this is, but I am pretty sure that this means that the governments of the different states around the world do not really encourage killing squirrels. The only known "allowed" way to kill squirrels is through the squirrel hunting events in some parts of Europe.

If we would just consider poisoning as a method per se, of course squirrel poisoning is effective in killing squirrels. However, since squirrels are highly territorial animals, killing the squirrels that invade your house or your garden will only "tell" the other squirrels out there that the "territory" is no longer "taken" and so they will take-over. The result is a never-ending process of squirrel-killing.

Moreover, killing animals is also a very controversial issue. Many people would indict you for hurting animals, lest killing them. This, killing is simply an ineffective and inhumane way to get rid of squirrels. Dead squirrels can also emit a very strong horrible door which is really awful to smell. This usually happens when you kill a female squirrel that is currently nursing squirrel litters. Without anyone to attend to them, the litters are left to die.

Now, we are ready to talk about squirrel traps. The four types of traps are: Body Grip Traps, Single Animal Live Cage Traps, Repeating Live Cage Traps and One-way Exclusion Door Traps.

1. Body Grip Traps

Although traps are supposed to be humane, this specific trap is lethal and is seldom used by squirrel control professionals. It is more like a rat trap, only bigger. Like rat traps, Body grip Traps snap through springs. These traps are usually set over holes made by squirrels through the attic or the basement. Since squirrels get in and out the hole every now and a while, squirrels will definitely get caught into these traps and end up dead. We are all encouraged to find other trap alternatives.

2. Single Animal Live Cage Traps

This is the most commonly used trap both by professionals and do-it-yourself enthusiasts. Cage traps are nothing but metal cages that are left open with food bait inside. Squirrels that are lured to enter the cage will be trapped by closing the door behind them. The doors either close through a trigger or through manual closing. These traps are widely available in pest control stores around the United States. Normal size is 16 by 5 by 5 inches.

3. Repeating Live Cage Traps

This trap is more expensive because it can hole many squirrels, maybe up to six squirrels depending on the size of the cage. It can catch as many squirrels because its entrance door can repeatedly open into the cage but its exit cage do not open.

4. One-way Exclusion Door Traps

The best squirrel trap, as per my personal opinion. It is just like the repeated cage trap but it only has one door. The door can be pushed from the outside, allowing squirrels to enter it. The same door can't be pushed from the inside of the cage so the squirrels are trapped inside.