I love squirrels....

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Jstar

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...but not in my attic. I keep thinking of ways to get them out, but nothing so far has worked. {I want them out before I close the entryways up of course}

These are the overwinter babes, and they are as big as mama squirrel, only they haven't been evicted yet cuz of the cold Im sure..but they are tearing up my insulation, and my wood..and I don't want them to discover any wiring up there..

Any advice? I've tried the mothball route, but that aint cutting it..Im thinking of making me some peppermint spray..any thoughts on this? Anyone? HELLLLPPPPP!
 
Live traps. There is also a way to rig a two sided live trap into the opening to get them coming or going. I've also seen an exclusion set up where hardware cloth covers all the openings and a "door" is added so they can leave but not get back in. Your best bet might be to call a humane critter ridder type place

squirrel-infestation.jpg
 
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Thanks for the response :)

Yea, I have read up on those you mentioned. Problem is, is that they aren't 'coming out' yet..they are having indoor parties...I think there are at least 3 of them, and I can hear them up there having a blast.

You would think mama squirrel would have evicted them by now since it is nearing her time to begin breeding again..she's still the only one leaving out during the day.

Guh..they party 24/7 too..driving me bonkers :crazy:
 
Do you have access to the attic? If so, you can put the live traps in the attic and not outside. You may even be able to rent live traps from farm or feed supply stores.
 
If the co-ops or feed and seed stores do not have live traps(or they are too expensive), call your local veterinarians and/or animal control, they often have live traps they are willing to lend out. You may have to fill out forms, and perhaps pay a deposit, but I would definitely start with them. You can then take the little darlings out to a rural area to let them go.
 
Well, my attic isn't really tall enough for me to get into..it's more of a crawl space I guess. A very narrow sloped roof..plenty big for them, not so much for me.

They really don't know how lenient or tolerant I am right now..I come from a long line of hunters, and I have a few successful squirrel hunts in my bag. :lol:

I don't want to go that route yet..figure they at least need a chance to be a squirrel before hunters start chasing them lol

I saw a bit of encouragement just a bit ago..mama squirrel was outside on a tree screeching for them to come out..they were sticking their heads out, but having none of the outside world full body.
 
LOL Susie, Im about as rural area as you can get....way out in da boonies....well it USED to be before all these ppl discovered the country haha
 
A 22 and good aim, taters and dumplins with peas carrots etc.. stew next day! LOL

You could bait a few live traps and sit up there near whtever opening you have to get access. Once they go in and trap snaps shut they will be there ready to remove.
Use some good bait for them so they want to go to the trap and enter it.
Then you only need enough room up there to sit the traps in and remove them later, not like you need to walk around up there.

Not sure what the best bait would be, squirrels eat about everything. Birdseed, corn, nuts, etc... just about anything you put out for other animals a squirrel will eat.
 
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See, I was being all PC and stuff! Squirrels are good eating.

You don't need much room to put a trap in. Just about 2 feet at the most. But if Mama Squirrel is telling them to come out, get the boards and screws ready to cover that hole!
 
I know they love green peanuts and birdseed. Perhaps set up a feeding station away from your house? After they are out board up the holes? I get them in my greenhouse. Once I pull out the nesting material a few times they usually give up and leave. But I don't have free insulation in there.
 
I have mixed feelings about squirrels. On the one hand they are rather destructive ... they have chewed all of our metal furniture, gutters, and my grill. They are also ubiquitous ... one for every tree (pretty much) and my house is in a development that is basically an oak forest. I think I have 5 squirrels in my yard, and I suspect that might be a reasonable average for all of my neighbors.

OTOH about 4 years ago I learned that they can live to be 21 years old. That kind of threw me for a loop. I have some respect for that.

I've been on the fence regarding an air rifle for quite a while now. Hrmmm....

-Dave
 
Well, it's now getting to the point of either goin in after them, or forcing them to come out, or the last idea is letting them remain...as 'remains'..they have now moved into my walls and are chewing and shredding everything they can get their teeth into.

2 of them even came out {heads and front feet} to stare at me and my sister as we were standing at the corner of the house discussing how to close up any possible entry hole. They were not afraid at all..{probably because I yell at them all the time from inside the house.}

I hate to kill them, but its either them or my safety..they are now in the area of the wiring and that's just not going to do. :(
 
My parents had the same thing happen but with skunks under the house. The smell gave them away, lol! My dad finally bated them outside using cat food. When he saw them all in the yard after dark he quickly slapped on some plywood until he could get a more attractive covering. He's REALLY diligent about keeping things covered now since one died under their bedroom and one kept visiting him in his office. Not a situation that's easy to forget. Good luck getting the little guys to move away!
 
Growing up in the country, to me squirrels are just rats with a better reputation and a hairy tail!

Still, in a park on a summers day, they are cool. Just not in places where they shouldn't be, like an attic.

On the shooting estate we would have to work at keeping the numbers down or it would be crazy there.
 
Get the traps, only put food in the traps. Don't feed them outside anywhere, you will pull all the squirrels in the neighborhood into your yard. Put a dab of peanut butter in the trap to hold down the corn or nuts. That makes them actually have to go all the way into the trap to get it, rather than figuring out how to snatch it without getting caught.

For those of you thinking that squirrels are just not that smart, go to YouTube and search this phrase "squirrel obstacle course". You will get a plethora of videos for your enjoyment and enlightenment.
 
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For those of you thinking that squirrels are just not that smart, go to YouTube and search this phrase "squirrel obstacle course". You will get a plethora of videos for your enjoyment and enlightenment.

That's funny. Squirrels are unbelievably good problem solvers. My late father spent years trying to keep the damned things from raiding his bird feeders.

-Dave
 
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