We all have different names for them -- some call them cute, some call them rodents, some call them evil... and
everyone calls them squirrels. Squirrel control is also different for everybody. It depends on where the squirrels are wreaking havoc and what your squirrel removal goals are. Whether you are the landlord of an office building or a homeowner trying to enjoy your backyard, there are squirrel control plans and pest removal devices to cover your needs.
This is for the Birds
You've heard the stories, most of them true, about bird feeder owners fighting against squirrels with big appetites. If you are a homeowner and a bird lover, then your squirrel control needs may be limited to keeping the pests away from your feeders and off of your lawn. With a little effort and some special squirrel control products, you'll be singing like a lark in no time.
Squirrel-Proof Feeders - There are several manufacturers of good, albeit expensive, anti-squirrel bird feeders. After witnessing how much seed a single squirrel can pack away, paying for an industrial-strength bird feeder may not be so bad. Both
Droll Yankees and
Wild Bills have bird feeders that have withstood the test of squirrels. To help these products do their job, make certain to place the feeders on a pole and away from trees so the squirrels cannot jump to the feeders. Adding something called a
baffler to the pole can add another level of squirrel control.
Food Repellent - Mess around with a squirrel's food and you have found a great squirrel removal idea. For a totally natural, do-it-yourself pest removal idea, try adding safflower seeds to your mix and only purchasing bird feed without sunflower seeds. Squirrels love the sunflower seeds, but find safflower distasteful. If that doesn't help, you can purchase a repellent like
Squirrel Away, which makes the food in your feeder taste bad to the squirrels.
Keen Senses - Animals use their nose as much as their eyes to spot danger. Repellents that mimic the presence of predators can be effective for all types of pest removal, including squirrels. Sprinkling products made with fox urine in the area around your feeder, and even around trees, can help keep squirrels away from your bird food and out of your yard.
Your New Tenant
Squirrels have adapted to the presence of humans over time and have even come to rely on us for occasional sources of shelter. When trees are not available, squirrels will happily settle for your attic or some cozy nook inside an office building. Squirrel control takes on a whole new meaning when they have set up shop inside your home or office. The smell, mess and potential health hazard turns your squirrel control efforts into full-scale pest removal.
Trapping is the best and most common method for squirrel removal. These pests are relatively easy to trap and you can usually get help from your local animal control, even if it is just in the form of good advice and some free traps to use.
- Make sure you use a trap designed specifically for squirrels and one that is large enough for the species you are dealing with.
- Try to leave the trap near the squirrel’s nesting place or where it tends to feed.
- Bait the trap by placing some bread and peanut butter on the trap's trigger or by using commercial bait.
- Once you have the squirrel in the trap, you will need to take it to a location 10 miles away before releasing it in order to ensure the pest doesn't come back to your property.
- Repeat this process until all the squirrels nesting in your home have been captured.
Continue with Prevention
Once you have achieved your squirrel removal, it is time to re-address squirrel control. Using repellents is a good way to keep the old squirrels away and stop new ones from entering. These are some common repellents used for squirrel control:
Food repellents make the squirrel's food source taste undesirable. Spray around garbage cans or anywhere else you believe the squirrel is feeding, but be certain to follow directions concerning accidental human consumption.
Indoor repellents are used for areas like attics, eaves and other places squirrels crawl into. Indoor repellents can be in the form of granules, a spray and even an electronic pest control device. Strobe lights, for instance, have been used to confuse and frighten squirrels out of indoor spaces.
Heavy gauge mesh wire can be used to cover any small soffits once you are certain all of the pests have been removed. For an added bonus, you can periodically spray the mesh with a squirrel repellent to keep even the most determined pest away.