Squirrel Removal and Control
If you are hearing noises in your ceiling, it may have squirrels in your attic needing removal. There are a number of wild animals that coexist with humans in an urban environment such as Burlington, but squirrels, birds and mice are the most common when it comes to uninvited guests in your attic.
You will know that a squirrel is occupying your attic if you are hearing quick running across your ceiling in the period between 6.30 am and 9.00 am. This is the time when they are known to wake up. You will rarely hear them during the night, so if that is when you are hearing the noise, you are likely having a problem with a different animal. Squirrels also tend to make a very characteristic sound similar to that of a crying human baby – so that’s another clue to tip you off that your problem is a squirrel invasion.
Once you’ve positively identified the intruder in your attic as a squirrel, you can make use of the following easy tips for squirrel control.
Inspection
The first thing you need to do is to inspect the whole house for any openings, big or small, that squirrels can use to enter your home. Squirrels often chew their way inside the house by enlarging small holes so they can get in. You need to check your ventilation system as well. Don’t forget to inspect trees around your house too – squirrels often use them as launch pads to jump across to your house.
Live traps
After you have identified each and every opening in your house, you need to seal shut all of them but the main entry/exit hole. Then you can set the trap near it, preferably baiting it with whole peanuts. Squirrels do not hibernate, even in winter – they need food and water on a daily basis, meaning that they will definitely use the main hole often. Once you capture it, you need to make sure you release it in the wild 10-15 miles away from your home otherwise you run the risk of it coming back.
Once you have removed the squirrel, you will need to block the main entry hole, plus clean and disinfect the attic. Make sure you check your electrical system as squirrels often chew on cables. Take your time to locate the nest, and clean any droppings as well.
One-way exclusion devices
A smart and effective method of squirrel removal is the use of so-called one-way exclusion devices (one-way doors). You will need to follow the procedure of blocking all holes except the main one, and then install the one-way device on it. If you have properly sealed all other holes, this approach should result in a squirrel-free house within a day or two.
Chili spray
If squirrels make a mess of your garden and plants, you might consider spraying the places they frequent with a spray containing capsaicin (the hot substance found in chili peppers). Just make sure your children and pets are safe from it.
Bird feeders
Unfortunately for bird-lovers, squirrels just love bird feeders. Even if they have plenty of food around, squirrels usually cannot resist the temptation of messing around with the nuts and seeds inside those feeders. Your best bet is to remove the bird feeder altogether, but if that is not an option you can install a free-standing feeder on a metal pole, attaching a metal cone to the pole to prevent the intruders from climbing up.
Be humane
It is important to remember that whatever method for squirrel control (or any wildlife removal) you choose, you must make sure that the animal remains unharmed. Being humane to animals is the only option – both animals and humans share the same environment, and ours is the responsibility to protect it.
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Photo Credit: © Feliscatus | Dreamstime.com
