[captjim]

Our neighborhood is infested with these bushy-tail pests!! They moved into my attic and took up houskeeping and demolition. They have gnawed all the Thermoflex from my refrigerant line as well as the insulation on my ductwork. I ran them out using mothballs last year, but the smell was unbearable throughout the house. I'm looking for something to use that is more "people friendly".
Any suggestions??

[nickeknew]

Look for where they enter and just barricade it whpth wood it worked for us.

[captjim]

I tried that last year before I used the mothballs. I didn't use wood... I used aluminum sheet. They just gnawed another hole under the eaves

[nickeknew]

They can't naw through 2x4

[captjim]

Not only did they gnaw through a 2x4... they gnawed through 2 (TWO) 2x4's. I mean they went right on through the plate at the top of the wall.

[Patriarch]

After you make sure the squirels are out of the house seal all the entry holes and spread cayenne pepper, or use hot pepper spray, along the perimeter of the crawl space. Prune any tree limbs to no less than fifteen feet from your home. Hot pepper irritates there nasal cavities and they can jump ten feet across. This is the reason for my suggesting such measures.

If you reseal an entry hole with 2 x 4's place a thin sheet of sheet metal between the wood. Also avoid leaving food open around the outside of the house. This quite nqturally will attract squirrels. You may even have to buy wire cage traps to catch them alive. You will have to check it once or twice a day to see if you have caught a furry intruder. If you have caught one carefully take the trap to a rural area and carefully set it free. Make sure you are able to quickly retreat to your vehicle immediately upon setting it loose. I have heard of a squirrel being so angry that it, after running up a nearby tree, charged the person who set it free. It might be good to keep this in mind and prepare accordingly.

[Patriarch]

Also if you apply pepper, whether powder or spray, you will have to periodically reapply it as its potency deminishes over time and especially when wet. Spraying it around the outer perimeter of the house and even the soffit would also help.

Planting peppermint plants around the perimeter of the house helps as well because most rodents do not like the smell of mint. Just make sure the mints are contained because they can become invasive.

[binx44]

Daffodils are poisonus to them too. If you want to end their little lives instead of trying to deter them. Now I don't condone killing. But a pest is a pest and they can really ruin your house. My father used to put daffodil bulbs out where they got in. don't know if it really works though. I was young back then