Squirrels In The Attic

Recenly, a squirrel had decided my attic would be its new home. To get rid of it, the experts wanted me to pay about 500 dollars so considering that price tag, I thought I’d get rid of the problem on my own.

I initially put some peanut butter in a cage that I purchased and then placed it up on the roof, but had no success. I discovered that I was targeting not just one squirrel, but a mother squirrel and her young ones, and needed to bring my strategy to a whole new level …

When dealing with a family of squirrels, exercise some patience.

Doing absolutely nothing was my next option. These animals usually live in attics for only a short while, I later discovered. At four months of age baby squirrels break away from their family units, as they become independent. To keep other squirrels from nesting in my attic in future, I decided to wait for the current baby squirrels to disperse before sealing off the opening they used to access this space.

Here’s a few things I learned through the experience…

The attic, which is relatively quiet and dark, is seen, by the mother squirrel, as a safe place for her young family. It’s possible to convince the mother squirrel that the space is no longer safe for her family, and thus force her to move them out, if I introduce some scents, noise and light into this dark and quiet haven.

Brighten Up Their Space

Whether outside or inside, install a bright source of light at the entrance into the squirrels’ den. Remember to find a fire safe light. When looking for a potential nesting spot, squirrels tend to avoid brightly lit spaces.

Introducing Noise

Close to the den entrance, place a radio tuned to a talk station. Squirrels are scared of human voices; however, music doesn’t have the same effect on them.

Introduce A Strong Scent

Place some rags in a plastic bag after soaking them in ammonia or Apple Cider Vinegar. Hang it next to the entrance into the squirrel’s den and then make some holes in the bag and leave the strong scent to escape into the surrounding area. Alternatively, you can use kitty litter placed in a plastic bag instead of the soaked rags. Both scents are threatening to the adult squirrel as they resemble the smell of predators.

Now Wait …

Maintain the above set up for the next 72 hours. To force the squirrel to move out of the attic, you have to be relentless.

Testing For Success

Use a paper test to check whether the squirrels have left; you can tape over the entrance hole, two sheets of newspaper, or ball up and stuff a newspaper into the opening. Come back after 72 hours. The squirrels have moved out if you don’t hear any noises in the attic and the paper is still in place. Before you permanently repair the opening, use a ¼ inch wire mesh to cover it in the mean time.

Voila. In my case, this worked. I followed it up with a comprehensive sealing project of all openings.

In the future, my attic will be free of squirrels, fingers crossed.