Hi, we have squirrels getting into our attic. My husband has repaired their holes several times and they just chew a hole in another place in the eave of the house. They have chewed our phone line into. Now one has tried to chew their way into the ceiling of one of the guess bedrooms. We bought some electronic device from Home Depot but that didn't work and we tried a cage but no luck. Do anyone out there know the best way to get rid of them. They are pretty and I hate to hurt them, but we are getting really aggravated with them. Please help.

Have you tried some non-toxic smelly stuff on the entrance area?

I had the same problem in an old farm house where I lived. Would patch the holes and they would break in through another spot, or through where I had patched the hole. My mistake may have been patching the hole with wood.

Where I live now, I once had a family of six racoons living in the attic! Kept covering up the hole, but they kept getting in. When I had a new roof put on and the hole covered with aluminum siding, the racoons finally decided to leave.

I am wondering how they are getting as far as up to your attic. If you have stucco siding, they will climb right up the side of your home. Maybe tree limbs have grown too close to the roof. And, thus providing them easier access? If you don't have stucco siding, then they can climb right up your downspouts. If they are climbing up the downspouts, then you might try putting aluminum in such a way around the aluminum so that they can't get around it to go any further, like those that are used to protect bird feeders in the yard.

How about putting aluminum siding over just the eaves of your home and then painting it the same color as the rest of the house?

I know what a frustration it can be with climbing animals wanting access to the inside of your home.

My experience with them, is that there must be something attracting them to your home. Are you storing anything in your attic that might be attracting them because of the scent?

Any spots on the outside of your eaves that appears to be a weakness in the structure can be an attraction. For instance, corners where dormers meet the roof and appear dark and have small spaces in them where animals can hide, any wood or siding under an eave that has come down at some time to reveal a small crack - they will make it larger if they see it as a possible entrance, etc.

Maybe put a squirrel feeder in your yard some distance from your home so that they will be less likely to attack your home?

Some things that I found online are the following:

Keep Squirrel Away - Home & Garden - Compare Prices, Reviews and Buy at NexTag - Price - Review

A-Cator Pest

I know that they are pretty and that you don't want to hurt them. But, it's either them or your home.

Another thing that I thought of, is if they do actually get into the main part of your home or attic, then that is when the city Animal Control might be able to help.

Do you have pets? I ask because I have always read that animals smell other animals and will not encroach upon their territories.

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Originally Posted by grandma215

Hi, we have squirrels getting into our attic. My husband has repaired their holes several times and they just chew a hole in another place in the eave of the house. They have chewed our phone line into. Now one has tried to chew their way into the ceiling of one of the guess bedrooms. We bought some electronic device from Home Depot but that didn't work and we tried a cage but no luck. Do anyone out there know the best way to get rid of them. They are pretty and I hate to hurt them, but we are getting really aggravated with them. Please help.

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Thanks to all, To Clough, the eave of the house is wood and my husband has thought of putting aluminum siding but since the house is so big he said it would be expensive to try, but it may be our best option. No, to the question about something being up there that has a scent, mostly Christmas Decorations. There is two threes that they could be jumping from, one is dogwood and has beautiful blooms and the other is a oak tree that is also beautiful in shape and it's shade. Of course my husband threatens to cut it down because of all the leaves. There is downspouts for them to climb and have heard them on or in them. My house is brick on three sides and siding on the back. I have also seen them on my cable wire, "They are good". We had two, at different times, get down into our microwave vent and I called the animal control, but was told they didn't have anyway to deal with small animals like squirrels. He told me about the cage and bate it with oatmeal and peanut butter balls and told me to take it about 10 miles from my house before letting it go. I never caught one. My husband had to remove the microwave and then chase the squirrel out the door. My neighbor is having the same trouble with no solutions. The animal control guy told me the squirrels would go in the attic in the winter to have there youngs and the young ones would just keep coming back. Thanks also for the couple web sites. I am thinking of trying some of the spray for trees and shrubbery, if we can handle to odor ourselves. If it is not too strong, maybe I can spray it in the attic. Thanks again for your response

I forgot to tell you my husband did put wire over ou microwave vent to stop them from getting into them again.

You might consider a semi-temporary installation of "hardware cloth" to cover the area that they seem to prefer to use for entry into the attic. Hardware cloth is that galvanized metal mesh stuff that comes in rolls with standard square holes either 1/4" or 1/2". Unless they have a nest that's currently being used to rear young squirrels, they'll probably look for an easier place to access.

Also... you can buy powdered "predator" urine (fox, coyote, etc.) that is effective as a repellent.

Okay, this may be weird, but squirrels hate blood meal. What about making a paste of vaseline, blood meal and cayenne pepper and smearing it in the areas that the squirrels seem to frequent? It's likely the oak tree that attracts them, so you may try spreading a large circle of blood meal and a product such as 'Critter Ridder' around the base of the tree.. also wrapping tin/sheet metal around the trunks of the trees for about a three foot width should prevent them from climbing up.

Second solution - provide them with nesting boxes away from your house... close to a feeding station.

Third solution is that you and your neighbour get together and split the cost of a professional pest control company.

Good luck!

Didi

Blood meal is a product made from fresh, clean animal blood. It is flash dried at high temperatures and is sold as a powder. Although it is highly palatable (and actually good for) birds, squirrels detest it! Up here in Canada we can purchase a product called "Squirrel Away" (which is actually just blood meal) to mix with our bird seed. I believe you can purchase bloodmeal from garden centres, bird seed stores and probably at Lowe's down in Georgia (not sure what brand). It works in keeping rabbits out of the garden too (but put it around the outside of the garden because it promotes foliage at 14-0-0)! I also know Vigoro supplies it to Home Depot up here.

Hope this helps!

Didi

I went to Lowes' and got something called Critter Ridder made by Havahart. I got a spray and some granules. My husband sprayed it around the house and trees close to the house, but when we opened the granules, it smelled so strong we were afraid to put it in the attic. I sure would hate to get that smell in the house. I think we are going to have aluminum put around the eaves of the house. Seems like this may be the best way to take care of this problem. Thanks for all the response.

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Originally Posted by Matt3046

Do you have pets? I ask because I have always read that animals smell other animals and will not encroach upon their territories.

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We are having a squirrel problem in our attic and we have a dog and two cats.

Hello I am new here and was reading to see if I could find a end to my problem and came across this answer and wanted to comment on it because it is not true. I woke up this AM with a squirrel in my house running back and forth between my sunrron and my dining room and the dog slept right throu it. Normally she is barking to scare them off. Now she is an inside dog so I know her scent is in my house but the (cute) little critters are still getting in and knocking everything over in its path... They have to live out side as long as I live inside. That was the aggrement from the time I moved in here and built this house. But now they are thinking different. But I am going to try some of the good idea I have gotten to see if they will work... This mornig was the finail straw... Now it is war for them (cute) little critters...
We will be patching any and all holes with screen wire and I am going to make up a spray mixture ( see below) and spray it around to see if it works before I spend bunches of money...

Hot Pepper Repellant Recipe

You need:
1. One chopped yellow onion
2. One chopped Jalapeno pepper
3. One tablespoon of Cayenne Pepper
Boil ingredients for 20 minutes in two quarts of water. Then let it cool and strain the mixture through cheesecloth. You can apply this with a pesticide sprayer or a spray bottle. This will deter just about any animal from an area where it is applied. The only drawback is that it only lasts for three to five days.

Thank you and I will let you know if it all works... :confused:

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Originally Posted by Matt3046

Do you have pets? I ask because I have always read that animals smell other animals and will not encroach upon their territories.

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grandma215
Put the wire mesh up and then cover it with the wood or what ever you have on the rest of the house.
I am thinking at a distant you might not see it. You can also paint it to match so it blends in better...
Just some thoughts... I am willing to try anything at this point in time... Good Luck...

Home depot sells "havaheart" traps that don't harm the squirrels, however if they are trapped too long they end up hurting themselves by trying to escape. The electronic repelents that send out a sound only rodents can hear are pointless. ( don't feel bad, I think everyone has tried them and learned the hard way!) the wire mesh is def. the way to go. They are seeking warmth, and then once they find warm shelter they look for food. I hear moth balls work as well as the dried urine. I never tried either one. I battle with these little buggers every year. Also once you catch them they say take the traps 10 miles away and release the squirrls, otherwise the squirrl will find his way back to your attic! Good luck!