A house invader from the ‘wild garden’
Squirrels are interesting creatures of wooded and wild gardens and subdivisions – if they stay outside.
But inside, they’re hazardous. The risks come from squirrels’ endless chewing.
They chew holes in siding, they chew holes in insulation, they chew this and they chew that.
The main risk comes from chewing electrical wires. They may cause short circuits in hidden places which can cause house fires.
Squirrels are also a potential, though uncommon source of disease.
Getting rid of squirrels is a bad enough problem. There are companies in the business of moving them. If you have squirrels in your house, you can get them out yourself with a little common sense, capture technique and carpentry.
Forget chemicals. There is nothing I would recommend for this purpose.
How about mothballs? They are neither effective, nor labeled for eliminating squirrels.
So, how can you get rid of them? The first thing to do is find the opening. Look around vents and other likely places. Then use a cage trap – set inside – to catch the animal. A trap that opens at both ends mounted over the hole works great.
Use peanut butter in bread crusts and apple slices for bait. After you’ve caught your squirrel, set the trap again to catch another. Keep the trap in place for at least a week after you catch your last squirrel. Then close the opening.
Leave the trap set in the attic for a few more days to catch any squirrels accidentally locked in.
Don’t turn your squirrel loose in the yard – he will chew back into his old residence. He needs to be taken far away. How far? It’s hard to say.
Try ten miles.