Squirrels are very funny, small animals, but, despite their attractive appearance, they earned the reputation of famous intruders for a long time.
They literally damage everything they can reach and it costs thousands of dollars to have some things fixed.
These cute animals feel perfect in your territory all year round. They eat bird food, damage vegetables and your favorite flowers, tip everything in the attic. The pair of squirrels in love can transform into an entire army of rodents and occupy your home for a long time.
Squirrel removal
The removal of squirrel is a long process, which requires both time and patience. If you want to get rid of these rodents forever, mobilize your strength and start now. In our guide we try to give comprehensive information that will help you control rodents indoors and outdoors.
How dangerous are squirrels?
Under the mask of this touching and pretty animals is a real monster that is able to change your careless life in a blaze.
- They eat away any plants of fruit trees you have planted
- They ruin birds’ nests and eat their food.
- They make noises by climbing your roof or to the attics, crawl into pipes and the walls of the house.
- They defecate and make everything dirty.
- They eat away cables which can cause short circuits and even fires.
- They carry different diseases and parasites.
Squirrel control and prevention
The easiest way to deal with squirrels is not to allow them in. Squirrels are much easier to control outside than trying to start the war with them from inside. Therefore, you should do everything to avoid squirrels breaking to your house. Start with the simple steps.
- Remove anything that can serve as an attraction to a squirrel:
- Collect nuts, acorns, fruits and cut long branches from trees to prevent them from climbing on the roof.
- Buy airtight trashcans with tightly fitting covers and keep them always closed.
- Find special feeders for birds – there are different models and types. Do not place them near trees or the house. Clean the area under them.
- Keep decorative plants away from your home for a while, at least until you get rid of the squirrels.
Keep Squirrels out of your home
As we have said, fighting the squirrels outside is much easier than fighting them from inside your house. In order to do so, take the following actions:
- Seal all the openings in the walls and the entrances to the attic. Patch all the holes and places through which a squirrel can crawl in.
- Close ventilation openings with the nets.
- Place a metal fence in the ground no less than 30 cm deep so the squirrels will not dig under it.
If nothing stops these little rascals and they continue to visit you, try these simple tactics to keep them at bay:
- Frighten them with sound, leave the radio on or a CD playing on the roof – squirrels must constantly hear human voices.
- Try to scare them with light. Squirrels are scared by flickering lights.
DIY Squirrel Preventions Methods.
There are other things your can do get rid of the little rascals. The majority of things you can find in your house can be used to fight them back.
Use citrus peel
Squirrels do not like the powerful smell of lemon and citrus at all. To hunt them without breaking your head and in a natural way, simply keep your lemon, lime, orange or grapefruit peels and place these peels in strategic places, for example near the vegetable patch.
Limit access to the house, roof or garage
We understand we have mentioned this before, but we cannot stress it hard enough. If squirrels take refuge in your house or attic, be sure to plug holes and openings well to prevent them from entering. Also, cut the branches of the trees, because it is often by climbing trees that squirrels reach your roof, your chimney or your attic. You certainly do not want them to nest there and settle in with their babies.
Use human hair or body hair
This may sound nasty, but desperate situations call for desperate measures. You may be surprised to learn that squirrels, like many small rodents, hate the smell of human hair and body hair. During your next cut, keep your hair and spread it around the places where squirrels visit frequently. It does not cost a penny and it works very well.
Spreading animal hair
Likewise, squirrels will flee from your backyard like the plague if you spread a little cat or dog hair there. Simply brush or shear your pets, and keep the hairs to spread them on your property.
Concoct a mustard repellent
For a homemade and natural repellant, simply mix a few spoons of strong mustard with a container of water. Put the liquid in a plastic spray bottle and spray small amounts of this repellant frequently on your property.
Keep the coffee grounds
Another idea to keep squirrels away is to keep the coffee grounds (that is, the coffee residue left in the coffee maker filter after brewing it). Spread it near your garden to keep squirrels at bay.
Bring an ultrasonic repellent
You can also buy an ultrasonic repeller for a few tens of dollars. This small device will detect movements and emit ultrasound when necessary, which will not only deter squirrels, but several other unwanted visitors such as birds, weasels and raccoons.
Use leftover garlic
Squirrels will also avoid your property if they smell the smell of garlic. Therefore, you can scatter garlic peels or leftover ground garlic around your yard, or near where squirrels are living.
Buy a water jet repellent
You can also buy a water repellant, which will activate and propel a strong spray if it detects unusual movements in your garden. This technique will deter not only squirrels, but also birds and other wild animals, who hate being watered by surprise.
Use mothballs
As with many other wild animals, mothballs are very effective at repelling squirrels. You can just drop it on the ground; their powerful smell will keep little beasts at bay.
Prepare a Pepper Repellent
You can also make a homemade repellent by mixing a good amount of ground pepper (more or less five tablespoons) with a liter of water. Put this liquid in a spray bottle and spray it all over your backyard.
Cover your tree trunks with aluminum foil
If squirrels like to take refuge in your trees, wrap the bottom of the tree trunks with aluminum foil. This technique is safe for trees and harmless for squirrels; it will simply prevent them from climbing.
Plant foliage that repels animals
To effectively ward off squirrels, you can also plant a plant foliage. It gives off a strong odor that repels rodents. Ask a greenhouse to find out what to buy according to your needs and simply scatter a few plants through your flowers in the garden; you will be assured that squirrels will no longer put their feet there.
As a last resort, call a professional
Above all, do not try to catch the squirrels yourself because you could injure or hurt yourself. Likewise, do not buy a rat trap or poison; squirrels must be kept away, not exterminated. If the problem persists and you have squirrels in the garden or in the attic, call a professional like https://stoppestinfo.com who will capture and relocate them safely.
If you cannot manage squirrels, just feed them. Buy the food and give them the opportunity to eat their fill. Place their favorite “dishes” so they are able to easily find them or scatter seeds across the yard. Squirrels will memorize the spots where food awaits them and therefore they will be busy receiving it all instead of trying to find a way to your house.
Photo by Romain Rullaud on Unsplash
