If you are wondering how to kill squirrels, you may want to put down your BB gun. Although squirrels are members of the rodent family (and some of the trickiest pests homeowners have to deal with), killing them is not the best practice. Understanding how to get rid of squirrels is all about exclusion and removal. In order to perform this type of do-it-yourself pest control, it helps to know a little about the furry pest.
Bed and Breakfast
Squirrels have adapted to humans and have even come to rely on us for occasional sources of food and shelter. They feed on a variety of foods, from nuts and seeds to fungi, fruits and whatever else is in your bird feeder. For bird lovers, squirrels and their feeding habits can become a real nuisance and lead people to try a variety of do-it-yourself pest control techniques.
Most squirrels, like the gray squirrel, are arboreal, meaning they prefer to live in trees. When trees are not readily available, they will gladly settle for your attic or some other soffit place inside your home. Squirrel removal becomes trickier and dirtier once the pest has settled into a space within your house. These pests are notoriously filthy creatures and will happily relieve themselves in their nest, which now happens to be your attic.
Quit Bugging Me!
You hear the pitter-patter of little feet but unfortunately those feet are not human. You have a squirrel, or squirrels, living in your attic and now you want know how to get rid of squirrels fast. The two techniques used most frequently for do-it-yourself pest control are trapping and repelling.
Trapping:
- Use a trap designed specifically for squirrel removal. Smaller squirrel traps may not be big enough to hold a gray squirrel, so don't skimp on size or quality.
- Put the trap near their nest if you can reach it. Otherwise, find a location where you have seen the squirrel eating and set it up there during the day. Night trapping often results in catching wildlife other than squirrels.
- Bait the trap by placing some bread and peanut butter on the trap's trigger. Squirrels are attracted to the smell, as well as the site of food. The peanut butter provides an aroma and the grain offers an appetizing visual.
- Once you have the squirrel in the trap, you can contact your local animal control to find out where to release the animal or see if they will tell you how to get rid of squirrels that you trap.
- Repeat this process until all the squirrels nesting in your home have been captured.
Repelling:
Special strobe lights designed to frighten off and disorient squirrels are another proven squirrel removal tactic. Look for a product created specifically for this purpose. There are other repellent products on the market as well, but those are better for squirrel prevention, not squirrel removal. This electronic pest control device, on the other hand, does help if you want to know how to get rid of squirrels.
Good Riddance
The squirrels are gone, you have your attic back, and you'd like it to stay that way. Here are some quick tips and product advice to keep the squirrels at bay:
Bird Feeders - If you really want to know how to get rid of squirrels for good, get rid of the bird feeder. If that is not an option for you, then go ahead and spend the extra money for a feeder that is labeled squirrel-proof. Also invest in a squirrel-removal product like Squirrel Away, an edible product which doesn't affect the birds but can drive the pest out of your birdseed for good.
Tidy Up - Regularly clean up around your bird feeder and keep a tight lid on your garbage cans at all time. This advice will help keep a variety of outdoor pests away.
More Repellents - As mentioned earlier, most repellents are not good for true squirrel removal, but used in conjunction with exclusionary methods like trapping. Additionally, repellents are useful for making your yard less attractive to squirrels. Some names to try:
Critter-Ridder,
Ropel, and
Shake-Away.
Now that you understand how to get rid of squirrels, you can decide which methods or products will work best for your specific needs. Remember that squirrels, while cute and furry, are still disease-carrying rodents. Always be careful and take precautions when attempting do-it-yourself pest control.