7 Tips For Getting Rid Of Squirrels

Posted on: 1 May 2017

Squirrels might be cute and furry animals, but they can cause considerable damage to your home and garden. A squirrel in your attic could tear apart everything from the insulation to the electrical wiring and cause hundreds or thousands of dollars worth of damage. If you are having problems with squirrels, here are just a few ways you can get rid of them.  

  1. Seal your home. Check your home for entry points for the squirrels and close them off. Be sure to wait until the squirrel is out of your home foraging for food to seal them out. If not, you could seal the squirrel inside of your home. 

  2. Keep trees and shrubs away from the home. Squirrels can leap from trees and shrubs into your home. Ideally, you should keep the greenery four to five feet away from your home to discourage jumping.  

  3. Sprinkle cayenne pepper. Cayenne pepper, red pepper flakes, and other spicy seasonings allegedly help to keep squirrels away. The pepper should be applied along the base of your plants and in other areas that squirrels generally congregate in your yard.  

  4. Place traps for the squirrels. In areas in which the squirrels tend to congregate, you can place traps that are loaded with bait, such as sunflower seeds, nuts, or peanut butter. You can opt for a live squirrel trap that is a more humane way of trapping the squirrel so it can be released in another location. 

  5. Use a heavyweight mulch. Mulch, stones, or decorative glass can help keep squirrels at bay. The materials are too heavy for the squirrels to dig into and could potentially offer protection for your garden plants.  

  6. Cover the garden in netting. Netting can keep squirrels away as long as it covers the entire area. Just covering the base does not work because squirrels can climb and jump. For the best results, opt for plastic netting.  

  7. Keep bird feeder off the ground. Treats that you have set aside for the birds can be easily taken by the squirrels if the feeder is within reach. You might have to readjust the feeder several times to find the right height for protecting the feeder from the squirrel. You also need to avoid placing it near a tree.  

Getting rid of squirrels can be challenging. A pest control service like Florida Wildlife Trappers can help with removing the squirrel and help you pinpoint methods to keep them away in the future. 

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