Outdoor Animal Control - Squirrels

I have a squirrel in my attic. He was there last winter. It is difficult but not impossible to get into my attic. Can squirrels do much damage to attics. There is not much up in mine. Mainly just a crawl space. I think he gets in near the corner of my roof where a gutter was installed a few years ago, but I am not sure. I see him outside as well. Do I need to try to keep him out?

you need to get rid of him. it's a health hazard and a safety hazard. an exterminator will trap it and inspect the entry point which you will need to repair.

Yikes!! I'll get right on it!

Inspect where you beleive his point of entry is into your attic and there should be a hole he has chewed or just the wood or siding pulling away from the house where he can get through and get in. Doesnt have to be very big. Remember , a squirrel is just a hairy rat. Get some roofng metal and cut a square large eneough to cover the hole and also where you can attach it to the house with screws and silicone the heads of the screws. He may find another spot to enter but he wont use that one again. Good luck.

You know Bill Murray and the varmit in Caddyshack? That's me trying to get rid of my squirrels. Squirrels cause big problems, chew thru wires, insulation and anything else. They'll create a health issue by urinating and defecating in your attic, not to mention the insects that will attract.

I think I just finally got rid of my squirrel problem. I have a unique problem in that they are not actually in my attic, they've nested in my gable vent, and I have a screen separating them from the attic that they like to chew thru from time to time. I've been battling with these guys for years. Let me just dispell some rumors, mothballs do not force them to move out. Critter-ridders, fox urine spray, etc does not work. Do not waste your time or money trying to get them to leave. You will either have to trap them or kill them, bottom line.

As for trapping...I have read up on this, and there seems to be a lot of people that think trapping and relocating ensures demise for the animal anyway due to several factors. Other squirrels being territorial, not knowing where to find food, etc. Some experts think the squirrel will die trying to get back to it's home (your attic). Plus, I was not successful in trapping them, so that left me with one option.

Keep in mind, I've tried everything under the sun to get rid of these guys, so to all the 'live and let live' people, I apologize. I recently purchased a decently high powered pellet gun and in just one weekend taken care of my squirrel problem.

I had one in my attic, I trapped it with 30 x 18 metal trap you can buy at a hardware store.

Cover the top, sides and bottom of inside with cardboard. They can feel the metal when they step on it and don't go in, the carboard tricks them.

I caught mine with apple slices with peanut butter spread on them. Then I sealed the hole and released it. Make sure you seal the hole before releasing it or it will go right back in.

I had one in my attic, I trapped it with 30 x 18 metal trap you can buy at a hardware store.

Cover the top, sides and bottom of inside with cardboard. They can feel the metal when they step on it and don't go in, the carboard tricks them.

I caught mine with apple slices with peanut butter spread on them. Then I sealed the hole and released it. Make sure you seal the hole before releasing it or it will go right back in.


You don't have to go to all that trouble with the cardboard. I've caught several squirrels (my mistake) in my Hava-Heart screened no-kill trap without doing anything except putting in a small pile of sunflower seeds inside and setting the trap doors. The cardboard really isn't needed. I was actually trying to catch a rat, witch I finally did; put rat and cage inside a large box, cut small hole in box, connected box to car exhaust with an extension. Gased it with the car exhaust in 10 minutes. Rat gone.

To all posters that have had squirrels in your attic:

You've already gotten some great advice about removal and control. What I want to share I hope you will take VERY seriously.

In the house behind mine, I watched daily as squirrels went in and out of my neighbor's attic. I went to his house and told the elderly gentleman about them. He did nothing. A year later he passed away and someone new moved in. They remodeled the house with new siding, windows, paint, carpet, etc. We became friends and she even brought a couple of toads from her yard to live in my garden. Then one night about a year later I couldn't sleep and got up to watch tv in the living room. As I entered the room there was a lovely orange glow. Their house was on fire and the flames were leaping out of the roof!!! I began screaming out the door and my hubby called 911. It was 2 am and the coldest night of the year. Luckily all got out safely thanks to the smoke detectors. The firefighters said the cause of the fire was the chewed wires in the attic. PLEASE have every inch of wire checked in the attic once the squirrels are removed. I warned someone else and they did find chewed wires.

Newt