The presence of these nasty creatures in the attic is a common problem. The very first signs of infestation are the sounds of chirping and scratching, bumping, and jumping from above the ceiling. We all believe that squirrels live somewhere off the ground, mainly in trees, but the reality is such that they never refuse from settling down in the attic. In this article we will show you the proper steps to take on how to get rid of squirrels in the attic.
The very first thing to do is stop worrying. There is the right solution to getting rid of squirrels. Secondly – look for advice on how to prevent further infestation. Thirdly – learn the ways of eradicating those that have already entered your place. We hold all the information you need to know while coping with the situation.
5 Steps Ultimate Guide on How to Get Rid of Squirrels in Your Attic
Squirrels are very intelligent animals and can be troublesome if they decide to live in your attic, garden, or even chimney. In order to prevent them from taking up residence, you have three options: trapping, repelling them with water sprayers or exterminating those that have already moved in with traps and poison.
- The first step is to pick up any fallen fruit.
- Remove the water source and seal off all entry points by caulking cracks, trimming trees, cutting back vines, etc.
- Install a one-way door at the top of your attic stairs so that if they do get in you can't go back out again until you've captured them with traps or poison (use as last resort).
- Set up live traps for those already inside and purchase snap traps or live traps to catch those still inside the wall/ceiling before sealing off all entry points.
- Dispose of rodents caught in traps far away from home after reading instructions on how not to be harmed when using poison made especially for rodents which should only be used as a last resort!
Here are 5 steps you must take in order to get rid of squirrels in your attic!
STEP 1: Get rid of the food source
These rodents can smell food from a mile away and will scout out the best way to get into your home.
- Remove bird feeders.
- Clean up any pet food that has fallen on the ground.
- If you have fruit trees, pick up any fallen fruit.
- Remove the water source. Squirrels need freshwater sources such as ponds, streams, and ditches. Minimize these areas around your house by cutting vines so that they cannot climb on them or dig burrows under them. Fill in any ditches or low spots with gravel or bricks so that there is no standing water.
This will put pressure on the squirrels and eventually force them to leave your property for another source of sustenance and shelter.
STEP 2: Seal off all entry points
Make sure doors are closed and windows are shut tight at night.
Caulk cracks and gaps around any doors, windows, or vents.
STEP 3: Cut down trees near your house
Trim back all branches within three feet of your house so they cannot be used to climb on top of your roof or in through a window. Cut the branches at least ten feet away from your house.
Trim back vines and bushes around your house so that they cannot be used as an entry point.
STEP 4: Install a one-way door at the top of your attic stairs
So that if squirrels do get in, they can't go back out again. This will force squirrels to find another place to live.
For example, you could use a screen door with one section made of mesh. The mesh will allow air to circulate but not rodents to exit the attic.
You'll have to work backward from the entry point to find where the best location for this one-way door is.
Look at where the roofline meets the wall inside your house, then follow it up onto the outside of your gable wall.
When you find an opening where the roof is slanting towards the outside of your house, install this mesh-covered one-way door there.
STEP 5: Set up traps for any squirrels already in your attic
Use a live trap or an electronic repellent device like Critter Ridder to keep them from coming back into your home.
Purchase a one-way door to let them out of their current location, where they can then leave on their own accord. This will prevent them from re-entering your home once you have sealed off all entry points. You can also purchase snap traps or live traps to catch any squirrels that are still inside the walls or ceiling of your attic. Choose the best squirrel bait with my review here.
Be sure to check these traps daily so that you do not catch non-target animals. Dispose of captured rodents by releasing them far away from your home.
Exterminate the remaining squirrels in your attic. Purchase poison made especially for rodents to use as a last resort.
Usually, one application will be enough to take care of any further problems with these animals. However, if you are still experiencing issues after one month, repeat the treatment.
Note that poison is extremely hazardous and should only be used as a last resort! Trapping or killing squirrels yourself would be better than exposing yourself to such chemicals since they can cause serious harm if ingested by humans.
Squirrels are destructive animals when they are in your attic. If you need to get rid of squirrels, use these steps to guide yourself through the process. You can also refer back to this article for step-by-step directions on how to prevent them from entering your home in the future.
Coping with Flying Squirrels in Attic
So, ask yourself ‘I have squirrels in my attic… How did they get in there? What should I do?’
There is no surprise they adore such places: they are dry, warm, and are just perfect for nesting, storing foods, and using all other benefits in a comfortable area without any dangers the surroundings have.
However, this is also the most expensive option that saves your time and nerves and relocates the animals.
According to specialists, attics are the best places for these animals to have and grow babies. And this is why squirrel removal should become your priority.
If you don’t have much money and want to do everything on your own, you can trap the pests yourself. In this case, it is very important to make sure that you have evicted all the creatures. Keep in mind that a single colony contains not less than twenty critters, so the process of elimination can become really durable.
If you would like to set all the traps most effectively, you are to make some research, during which you must find all the entry and exit routes and points, as well as block all of them, except for one. This is your chance to make the creatures use only the route you have chosen for them. Just set a trap there and wait until all the “illegal invaders” get caught.
What Are the Chances to Remove Squirrels from Attic
They are high, even if you are not a professional. The ways of removing squirrels are multiple. Of course, you can’t rely on all of them.
And this is why we suggest paying attention to the most effective ones:
Option 1 – Trap-and-Remove. Every professional knows that if you are aiming at ensuring these animals will leave and won’t come back ever again, you are to catch them, trap and remove them. For this purpose, we suggest buying squirrel-sized cage traps that are set near the entry holes. Make sure you mount the cage right against the entry point. Keep in mind that squirrels are very active in the morning and evening, but they can also leave home several times a day. If you place a cage, you have all the chances to capture them as they come out. The procedure should be repeated, and not once. Perhaps, this is a slow method, but it really works.
As this is the best way to get rid of annoying squirrels in the attic, today’s market is ready to offer several types of traps:
- body grip traps,
- repeating live cage traps,
- single animal live cage trap.
Option 2 – One-way Doors. This is another option for those, who want to learn how to keep squirrels away. In fact, this is a way of trapping squirrels in the attic; however, it should be described individually. Specialists call this option the most humane one. All you should do is mount a one-way door on the entrance hole. A special door has a tension flap that allows the animal to exit but leaves no chances for getting back inside. This option is fantastic at getting all the animals out of the attic for as long as you want to. But what if your home has to make holes they can come through? You don’t have to buy many traps. Just seal all the holes and leave only one.- Option 3 – Using Repellents. Why not use the best squirrel repellent in the area infested by rodents? Special sprays will not kill them, but will only keep them from coming back. Regardless of the type or brand you choose, all the solutions promise long-lasting results. Of course, they are not cheap, but still, they cost less than the repair of damage, caused by pests.
Repellents can be sprinkled in pellet or solid forms.
- Option 4 – Ammonia. What should be done? Wet some rags with ammonia and then spread them near the location where squirrels live. These creatures possess highly developed senses of smell, and they won’t stand the smell.
- Option 5 – Lights and Sounds. How to control squirrels? Leave the light and radio on near the entry/exit points. It won’t bother you or your neighbors, but will drive the pests crazy.
After using one of these effective methods you are to make sure that the creatures haven’t left any younger ones behind. Don’t rush and give them some time and they will take their offspring from the noisy place.
How to Keep Old and Young Squirrels out of the Attic: Preventive Measures
There is a very nice old saying – ‘Prevention is the best cure’. If you have never faced the problem of infestation or have luckily solved it, then you should think of taking some preventive measures of squirrel control:
- Perform regular inspection checks around your property, looking for rot or damage near the roofline. The inspection should be performed at least once per month. If there is something you have noticed, don’t waste your time or postpone the task – fix all the damage immediately.
- Eliminate entry and exit points. No access – no infestation.
- Seal up all the holes that have been created by these animals and do the same with the most vulnerable places. For this purpose, we suggest using chicken wire or hardware cloth. Staple the cloth to the plywood and then spray the entrance either with a taste or animal repellent.
- Install heavy-duty steel screens right behind the vents. Do the same with other large entry points.
- Trim your trees. Keep in mind that low-hanging branches are a kind of encouragement for squirrels to jump into the house. Cut them and you’ll eliminate possible risks by 30%.
- Don’t leave any trash as it attracts squirrels, as well as many other animals.
- Use a few ammonia-soaked rags and place them in strategically important areas. Though this is mainly a folk remedy, it is still very effective. According to the latest statistics, 8 out of 10 homeowners report its success.
- Use commercial squirrel deterrents. You can purchase some chemical solutions at any specialized store. Use the deterrent according to the provided instructions, focusing on nesting areas that are inside the attic. We suggest paying attention to the variants with predator urine. This is a non-toxic option that affects the animal’s senses of self-preservation and smell. As soon as the animal notices the smell, it avoids being in that area.
Combine it with the exclusion and trapping techniques to make sure all the pests are out.
When they are already inside your house, it doesn’t matter how they got in there. What really matters is what ways of pest control of squirrels in an attic can be used.
We provide all the squirrels’ information, education, and elimination tips so that every non-professional could cope with the problem once and for all.
Questions & Answers
You should not use poison if you have pets or small children living in your house! Even non-target animals can be harmed by the application of rodenticide products. For this reason, it is best to resolve the squirrel problem through trapping or exclusion before resorting to poisons.
One option would be to purchase self-closing metal screens that come already sized for your windows and doors. You could also fit screens into any existing entry holes, then secure them with heavy wire or a few short nails.
Use a water sprayer to squirt the squirrels every time they try to enter your garden. Floodlights may be helpful as well since many animals are nocturnal.
Squirrels in my attic.
squirrels coming in under my eves
Have you tried the ammonia soaked rags? Did that work? I tried the trap they are to smart for that.
Yes tried the rags
They ran to the top of the roof pacing like they were having a nervous break down. Were gone for months.
Back a couple of days ago.
Put new rags in today and going to cut limps off near roof. Also, ties up old socks amonia soaked and threw them around attic.
I have been successful with traps..have caught at least 10-12 squirrels..I caught them outside in the summer..now I don’t know what to do..still hear them in attic..sounds like 1. Do not know how they are getting in..will wait for snow to melt and then go out and look for entry point.
In Tennessee a solution to “what to do with them” is to invite a few “good ol boys” that love “squirrel and biscuits”. They’ll be gone and you all will have a nice cookout with new friends. Seriously.
I bought 2 trap set, 1 big and small. Bait the big bottom trap with a peanut butter jar baited with peanut butter, celery, other vegs/fruits. Place the smaller trap on top. Holding the smaller trap on top with zip ties. I use tie wire whenever possible. Works almost immediately.
Burn the structure down at night when the squirrels are sleeping.
Then rebuild using bricks w no attics. Your welcome in advance.
I have set a trap 4 a month, put out fruit, nuts in cage still nothing. On top of that, can not find entry area. He’s been there a little over a month.
Your cat will tell you where they are getting in…
Wait for one more month. Have patience
Use peanut butter and put Honey Nut Cheerios on that
Peanut butter in traq
Iset a trap this morning in front of my garage (were they run to get to birdseed) I put peanut butter in the trap.caught one around 11:00am.they had 3 nbabies in mt attic.released it in woods by a sream, probly will let others go insame spot when I catch them.LOL
Over 30 days and you can charge rent….I know its nuts.
We have one in our attic. We have closed up the holes they have chewed through the vinyl siding. But they just keep making new holes to get back in! This is driving me nuts! HELP! LOL
i hear you, these little guys are relentless. Im going to try soaking a couple of rags with bleach, i heard this works.
Did this work?
I made a few bleach bombs myself, crammed bleach soaked rags in every hole I could reach, squirted bleach into holes close to the nest, used a leaf blower to demolish their nest-and plan to get a bucket with a pump-get another 20 gallons & go to town on those bastards.
Spray of coyote pheromones covers l5 feet…spray in every direction of attic and the squirrels will leave. Instinctual smell of predator will do it.
We have had squirrels for 6 months and they come in next doors and come our side by the fixing box above the window under the guttering on the front of the jouse and in through the dividing wall. We have the trap with peanuts but they have not touched them. I will try peanut butter! And then the bleach if that doesn’t work. We see them on the bird table, he goes on the fence all round to the house, jumps on the corner of the house, on the guttering on the back of house and then disappears.
Only thing I found in town a pellet gun with a scope
Please…they are living beings. So not shoot them it causes a lot of pain. Many of us would appreciate for you to be humane. Thank you
How humane is it to kill your family and pets through a house fire caused by the filthy rents gnawing on your wiring? Grow up and prioritize human life over rodents!
You’re right
The family is first
I like the animals as long as they are not causing any real danger and damages
I am all for letting animals live but if they are in my house NO. Stay in the woods. I don’t want a fire, and I don’t want to be woke up at 4 AM with them eating my house.
You got that right!
Humane they can bite and I have to worry about rabies. I say their numbers need to be culled. The problem is our encroachment on the animals that naturally keep their numbers down.
I hear them on the attic fan louvers. A quick turn of the switch ( on then off real fast before the louvers open) and then I have one less squirrel in my attic.
I agree. Do what you have to. They are large rats!!!
I know, but there are so many humane methods.
I agree. I just went tonite for a little .22. My light switches are at the point where half of them dont even work
Damn right. Kill the rats with fuzzy tails. Do what has to be done. Give your address so others will bring there caged rats with tails to your house.
Yes.However,property damage is inhumane,besides the serious fire hazard,if they chew wiring and cause a short.Put people,Guess,Iplease.
Also keep in mind that the humane relocation texhnique places this colony into a very hostile environment filed with other squirrels that do not want them. It’s a painful life of survival with a family displaced. The most humane solution is leaving them in your attic. Shooting and scattering them out of your sight are about the same.
Are you serious? Leave them? Youre such a faggot, swriously. You shouldve been a girl
Or swallowed
Yeah? Wanna fund my extermination services? I don’t have the money & this is my house & after the stress & damage they’ve created-I could care less if they’re in pain.
Who cares. The squirrels in my attic have given me anxiety attacks, nightmares, and untold fear and stress. Who’s more important me or them?
Then u come save them bring them to your house not mine once the winter is over I’ll sit in my yard and shoot as many of these f in things as I can till that move
They are fuzzy rats!!!! They will destroy your house, they don’t care about you.
They don’t care about pellets. Get a .22.
I think if you have a powerful pellet rifle its quitter. There are local rules about killing squirrels in my city so you have to be very careful what you do. when I catch squirrels I transport them a great distance
You have a real talent for putting your thoughts into clear, original content. Your article is easy to read and understand. You have brought forth some really good points that I agree with and appreciate.
Squirrels can be a big problem if they choose to live in your roof. The first thing you need to do is to remove the ones that are living in your roof by trapping, cage traps in the roof work well, but ones set outside are fine as well, we bait them with monkey nuts (peanuts still in the shell but broken slightly open) and honey nut cornflakes set in peanut butter then leave a trail of a few peanuts at the entrance of the cage to tempt them in. They just cannot resist getting hold of the monkey nut shells and breaking them open, in fact I don’t think this technique has ever failed to work for us. Make sure you set the bait firmly in peanut butter on the trigger plate and put a weight on top of the cage to make it more stable and stop it moving about once the squirrel is inside. Fenn traps or Kania 2000 traps are really good too but if you are not familiar with them, you WILL more than likely end up with damaged fingers! Make sure you have caught them all which can take many weeks as they seem to travel around more than one property over a period of time. This is especially true during mating season when the male makes several nests and the female chooses the one she likes the best to rear her young in. The next step is to proof your property where they have been getting in with the original materials or wire mesh screwed down and secured. The last and final step is to work out why they chose your house in the first place, usually its the house at the end of a row next to a tree or the house in the corner of a secluded development, again usually next to a tree. The tree next to your property needs to be cut back leaving at least a 6 foot space to discourage them from jumping onto your roof in the future. Squirrels have a terrific memory, if a squirrel was born in your roof, it will more than likely return at some point in the future, especially if the roof is now vacant of all other squirrels so be on your guard. Being squirrel free will depend on you doing all of the above and sometimes more. We have trapped and removed thousands of squirrels over the last 20 years and the damage we have witnessed to property is just horrific if the problem is left to carry on un-checked. We once removed over 110 squirrels from one single property, over a period of about 18 months, mostly in the garden, but is shows you the potential of what you may be up against. If in doubt, call in an expert. Squirrels are nice to look at and a lot of people feed them but its just an open invitation for the squirrels to stay. They are vicious little things, so be warned they will attack and bite you if they have young in the roof any you disturb them, their teeth are long and sharp, they are able to bite all the way through your finger or even your hand, yep, almost got me once but not quite! We have found that it is such a big problem in the last few years that we developed, sell and fit a special loft monitoring system for squirrels now as part of our work. We are squirrel removal specialists but we are in Derbyshire Great Britain, having said that, our advice is always free, just ask, good luck.
Your advise was greatly appreciated. We are in Michigan so obviously won’t be doing business together. I am starting with the traps and hopefully will have the same success as you with the monkey nuts!!!
Would environmental health be able to help
I have removed 10 squirrels from my attic and release them on the other side of the lake a few miles away. Is it possible they are finding their way back or is it probably different. Squirrels? Thanks.
My father trapped tons of them. At first he thought the same ones were returning so he spray painted a tail blue. Sure enough, the guy came back! You have to take them 10 miles or so, away.
My brother did the same with mice and sure enough the same buggers came back from relocating a few miles away.
yes it is. I was told that they are good at making their way back even from further than a few miles
Or release them in the lake!
I figured keeping them in the cage and releasing the cage into the lake was the way to do it . I’m not wasting gas to drive for 20 miles , possible risking it damaging my house again costing me more money making me purchase more materials to repairs ? It’s not an endangered species ffs it’s a rat with a fuzzy tail so we have to be more compassionate ? Do we care when the trap snaps the rats neck ? Shoot them drowned them . It’s more green than re-releasing this repeat offeneder . When someone keeps committing crimes we lock them up or kill them . So now you want me to pay for jails ? Ok so now we have to hire someone to feed them. What are you going to resort to strobe lights ….The Waterboarding of squirrel tourture ? I don’t care what Bush and Cheney said : inhanced removal technics ….it’s tourture and its wrong .
If you trap them, kill them. This will make sure they dont come back. Grab a pellet gun. Boom, done. No worries about it coming back. Hang that sucker by its tail as a message for the others.
Squirrels can return from a drop point as far away as 10 miles….to be safe take them 20 miles away….or on the other side of a bridge.
I have had good luck with a product called the Evictor Strobe Light. I live in a twin home and squirrels were coming through the wall from the abandoned home next door. I have (3) 10K units in the attic crawl space…..been squirrel free for 10 years……I swear by this product.
How about off the bridge!
Shoot them then dump them off bridge 10 miles away
I’ve got a better idea. Make them lunch. For yourself.
But seriously, last year I got rid of them by putting a stinking pissy dog bed up there. Just noticed they are back this year, tonight! Just put another fresh nasty damp-with-pee dog bed up there. Should soon do the trick again. I have an old dog.
I put my cats in the attic in the evenings. They take care of the squirrels. 100 percent cure.
Really, Wow I need to find me a cat. I have a family of those things in my attic. They sound like grown men walking and running around up there.
My cat is terrified when I’ve put him up there and will now fight tooth and nail NOT to be taken up there. Must get a really bold (and probably large) cat.
thanks for the info but I do not think I will resort to getting a cat to get those squirrels out, working on covering their entry ways….thx again!
Oh no! Squirrels will tear up your cat and you will have a badly mauled pussy and huge vet bills.
Ah! If I only had a cat! (Sigh)
I want to poison the bastards. Will rad poison work?
yes
If you use poison then they can die in your attic, leaving a bad oder for weeks
My attic is finished I have many of them in between the walls (no access to it, unless i make a hole thru the dry wall). I think they are moving even further from the front of the house inside in between the floors and ceilings of the different levels of the house. They are just driving me crazy. I have tried rags with ammonia thru holes on the dry walls. I am ready to use tons of rodent poison in between the walls.
Unless I get here a good suggestion on what to do and make them leave my house
Thanks.
I have successfully completed many squirrel jobs, under similar circumstances, where the place they inhabit (like the inside of a wall) is not easily accessible.
This is my method:
I find the holes. (Usually there are two…..a main entrance and an emergency exit.) I block all the holes, except one, preferably their main access hole. With this remaining hole, I coat the rim of the hole, lightly at first, with a product called 4-the-Birds gel. This stuff is incredibly sticky……squirrels absolutely hate anything that sticks to them. It is important to coat the hole lightly, at first…..I let the squirrels come and go as them please……every two to three days, I increase the 4-the-Birds coating around the rim of the hole. Unwittingly, the squirrels are tracking the sticky gel everywhere they go and especially back to the nest. After about a week in a half, you will hear less and less noise……the squirrels catch on that where they go inside the walls has become one big sticky mess, but it’s TOO LATE….they have already ruined their home. (the inside of your walls)
I have used the method successfully many, many times. It works good as long as the spaces they inhabit are small, and if they appear to travel the same routes every day. As a added bonus, if you evict squirrels professionally, you will easily be able to size up the severity of the squirrel problem, by the amount of fur that sticks to the edges of the hole.
Seems like a double assault of the gel and a pepper extract would make the little critters completely insane.
Hello MPERSELL,
Keep in mind that when using the 4-The-Birds gel method, the idea is not to drive them out of their minds. I use their intelligence and persistence to my advantage. By letting the squirrels come and go as they please and steadily increasing the gel around the edge of the hole, the squirrels unwittingly track the gel back to the nest. Slowly and steadily they make their habitat (inside of your wall) an uninhabitable place.
If you use this method, try to increase the gel around the hole at a steady, but not excessive rate. You want them to use this same hole and not start another.
When I first started to use this method about 10 years ago, I discovered the results of using to much gel.
When I returned to a home, the mother squirrel had placed a gooey dead baby squirrel on the roof for me to see…..as if she was saying, “see what you did, you killed my baby.”
So, go easy on the gel application. The mother, who has been tracking the gel back to the nest needs time to build a new nest and relocate the babies.
Usually takes about a week or two for the squirrels to vacate your walls. Remember this method only works if the squirrels repeatedly travel in a confined place and are using the hole that you are applying gel to.
Also, you may find out (as I have found out in the past) which squirrels have been entering your home. Sometimes they do some lively gyrations running up and down trees trying to get the gel out of their fur.
Workedf like a charm Bill. Thanks!
Really, Wow I need to find me a cat. I have a family of those things in my attic. They sound like grown men walking and running around up there.
Try some coyote or wolf scent. You can get such stuff at hunting shops online.
Get the poison that causes thirst. They will leave to drink and die out side of the attic!!
I have asked around and rat traps with peanut butter or D-Con with some peanut butter on the edge of the tray is the way to go. You are going to have to figure out how to get the poison in the walls or perhaps poison them in the yard when they go out to eat. A rat trap nailed to a tree makes a good way to get them too.
Thanks for the info Bill. It may come in handy some day.
I’m following up. Not only did my cats get rid of the problem squirrels (permanently) but all of the other squirrels are staying off the roof. Trees overhang my house and both the cats and squirrels used to coexist there. Not anymore.
For anyone wondering, the cats dispatch squirrels quickly and bloodlessly. My city cats instinctively took care of business but lost interest when the squirrels stopped moving, which took less than a minute.
Cats are great. (if they are unfed outside cats) They will reduce the rodent population thus keeping the copper heads from finding an interest in my yard.
We have just accommodated one in our loft
I need it gone asap
Any local companies in the Midlands area
Try getting coyote scent at a hunting shop online.
Try the Evictor Strobe Light. It’s available from Amazon.com. Within 2 days the squirrel will be gone.
a lot of good suggestions, will try some of them, especially the strobe light. thanks!
Just read many of the comments in amazon for the Evictor Strobe Light. It seemed close to 50% said it worked and 50% said it was an expensive waste of money. Think it through that it may work as a deterrent only at certain times in the species of squirrels reproductive and life cycle. If they have already created and selected a nest, stored lots of acorns for winter, the temperature is too cold or there is snow on the ground so it would be difficult to find another winter home, or they just had babies that are too young to move, then a strobe light will be tolerated as a nuisance. BUT if you catch the squirrels when they are in the process of selecting a mate or a nest, then a strobe light or bad odor or high frequency sound may be enough of a nuisance for them to look for a more hospitable home. Also, if the babies grew up where these deterrents existed, they may now ignore them as they did before. So if you have timed your placement of deterrents right and your attic is squirrel free, that is the time to seal up the holes with metal or whatever material that they cannot chew or claw through, cut down nearby trees or branches, etc. So, we or someone needs to research this to determine this optimum time. Also, you might want to then put up metal on possible places that they might try to open up in the future like the corners of the roof eaves. Do you think this plan makes sense and may work more reliably?
Joel,
You have made some good points. I have personally installed (literally hundreds) of Evictor Strobe Lights over a ten year period… many different times of the year….many different weather conditions. You are right, the optimum time to evict the squirrels (with or without) the strobe lights is early on, before they are firmly established in your attic. Then, (if the holes have been found) they can simply be closed. Job finished, problem over.
But, I solve the very worst squirrel problems out there. The ones that everyone else has walked away from, the ones that have defied a solution for 30 or 40 years, the ones where squirrel damage gets progressively worse and the home owners so discouraged, they have simply given up on finding a solution. That being said, I know that I would not, and could not have had success at getting rid of their squirrels without the use of Evictor Strobe Lights.
Think of the Evictor as a training tool. The squirrels want to come in……Evictor Strobes changes their attitude from WANTING……to NOT WANTING. This is important. This prevents future damage. When a squirrel really wants to come, they ARE coming in. They are going to chew (and I have pictures to illustrate extreme squirrel damage) straight through good shingles and good wood.
Yes, in the dead of winter it may take a couple days longer for them to vacate the attic. (It takes time for them to ready a new nest.) But, if the correct number are used and installed properly, Evictor Strobe Lights always evict attic squirrels. The squirrels cannot build up a resistance….the Strobes are simply to powerful and intolerable.
Sometimes I am really amazed that they are so effective……makes my job a heck of a lot easier.
Hi Bill Earl,
Thanks for your response.
Why do some of the Evictor users claim that it didn’t work for them? Do you have better instructions on how to use Evictor Strobe Light more effectively? Or are they not being truthful?
Would using cheaper LED strobe lights be as effective as using the Evictor Strobe Light?
If the mother squirrel hasn’t weaned her babies, would she still move out of the attic in reaction to the Evictor Strobe Light?
Thanks,
Joel
I think it is a combination. Some claim that it didn’t work for them, so they can get their money back (and then have used the product successfully for free.) Others do not buy enough lights to cover the attic area and/or have a cluttered attic that hinders the effectiveness of the strobes. Squirrels will still come and go with the strobes operating…..they will run past a strobe light and build a nest in a dark part of the attic. This is why enough lights to cover the area must be purchased. Some homeowner (to cut cost) get creative and move the lights to different areas and also some have installed mirrors.
What makes the Evictor Strobe Light so effective (when used per enclosed instructions of course) is that an animal’s eye’s cannot adjust to the contrast of extreme brightness (175,000 candlepower) and total darkness. I admit that I have been in the attic with the Evictor Strobes blinking away and within a couple minutes you start to feel sick in your stomach…..like a motion sickness.
The mother squirrels always take her babies with her. Sometimes, if it really cold outside, I will put a squirrel box up in a tree outside the house to ease and speed their transition. Sometimes, some homeowners turn off the strobes for short periods of time until the mother has got the babies out.
Something that should be mentioned is that: in a situation where the squirrels have occupied an attic almost continuously for 35 years… after an Evictor installation…. for the first night, the squirrels (not used to something they cannot control) get incredibly noisy. Then, after one or two nights of noise, they leave. My customers think it is nothing short of a miracle.
Bill
We have tried Cameras , we just can’t find the entry point . Had professionals here and no luck , poison and traps in loft but still can’t stop it . Had rats which have been caught now squirrels, had no rats for ages now this , how do we find the entry point, fully checked and no luck
Darren,
Do you know what kind of squirrels you are dealing with?
I saw one once one the side of the house and it was a grey squirrel , so I’m guessing it’s that , there aren’t any opening around the house so are they getting in from underground ?
In general, grey squirrels do not use an opening lower than the first floor roof. But, recently, I have been on jobs where squirrels entered through a bathroom exhaust vent and even a dryer vent on a first floor wall. (check for chew marks on the vent cover and install a screen… to be safe)
Normal places to check:
Attic vent fans….look to see if the screen is made of steel, is fitted correctly and no distortion.
Louvered aluminum gable vents…..check for damage to inside screen.(outside may show very little damage)
At a dormer location, where the aluminum sofits meets the roof…..squirrels use like a trap door (either lifting up or squeezing under)… area may show very little distortion or damage.
The inside of a chimney….unusual, but twice I have been on a job where the squirrels gained access to the attic by climbing down into an unlined chimney and pushing aside a loose brick. (All chimneys should be capped anyway to prevent a squirrel from falling in at a later date)
I take for granted that you have already checked
all the roof lines. (I carry binoculars on the truck for that purpose)
Darren, the easiest way to find the general location of the entrance hole is to stand some distance from your home at dusk and dawn and observe the activity. (particularly a dusk, since if it is cold outside…..they are anxious to return to their home…your attic) Make sure you leave your house at random times, preferably using different doors, to observe your house. Try not to make it obvious you are looking for them. They are aware of who you are…they are watching you… watching them. (sounds strange, I know) but they are very intelligent and don’t want give away their entrance location.
This advice is for grey squirrels….with flying squirrels the advice is different.
If my roofer has closed holes and there is a squirrel still in the walls how long will it take before he ‘kicks’ ?..do I have to have him come back and open up the hole to try to get him out?
Hello AB,
It is in your best interest to have the roofer come back in a couple days and open the hole back up, for two reasons. First, a dead squirrel in your wall can give off an ungodly odor and may eventually draw a host of maggots and flies. Second, though it’s strength may be reduced for lack of food and water, it may start to chew through the wall, if the wall is made of dry wall. (I have never seen a seen a squirrel chew through plaster and lathe.)
A trapped squirrel can last for about 3 days. I found out (by accident) that a squirrel trapped in a wall for 2 days and then allowed to escape, is reluctant to return to it’s old home ( inside of your wall). So, trapping a squirrel for a limited amount of time can be an effective home avoidance squirrel training tool.
In general, it seems best to let a trapped squirrel escape as soon as possible. A dead squirrel in the wall emits a kind of smell that you really don’t want to experience.
We have had squirrels for some months in our attic and it spoiled the wires and pipes at there . I tried to trap them through different ways but failed. But we soon got rid of them through Remove the wild , animal and bird specialist.They are licensed pest and bird and animal /wildlife control here in Toronto.
Help!!!
Im in Detroit MI in an area heavily populated with trees and squirrels!! I bought my home 3years ago and have been battling with squirrels since I’ve bought their property. Had 2 professionals come in with traps and both cost too much money and were unsuccessful (traps are still empty behind loft wall)! Hired 2 different companies to seal up entry holes from roofline and it worked for a few days but sure enough, they return and Im out of my money again and frightened by the noise I hear over my head and the thought of an encounter with them! Does anyone have a Company with success at ridding squirrels in this area?
Hello Monique,
I don’t know any Pest Control Companies in your area, but I have solved many difficult squirrel jobs over the phone.
would a rat terrier work on squirrels. some people don’t like cats. Rat Terriers are small dogs and could be put in the attic.
Thats funny Tony. I was thinking about putting my terrier up there as well! Happy trapping!
We tried traps, strobes, smelly stuff and nothing worked.
We called a pest control company that wanted lots of $ with little/no guarantee.
So we bought a Ruger air rifle. Every once in awhile we have a squirrel issue, but it sure is fun popping those little darlings and addressing the problem on our own terms!
I placed cayenne pepper, crushed red pepper and paprika inside several Clorox cleaning wipes and tied off the tops. I then placed them around in the attic while my squirrel Tenants were out in the yard. It has proven to be very successful to get rid of them all!
Brittany I believe your idea sounds great! Is it a permanent solution once they have left the attic or do they or new ones come back? How long did it take for them leave? Did you use commercial spices, fresh or homegrown and dried peppers?
I just had a conversation with The man who my landlord hired to get the squirrel and 2 Black birds out of the attic . He has been rude And I told him of all the research I did, on the Internet, Which I might add were with reputable web sites. He states Its too soon ( March 11) for the grey squirrel to have young (off-spring) yet?? Is this correct? Also he put the trap unstop of the roof, not at the entry location. Is this the right way . How do we know if it’s the same grey squirrel if in fact he does catch one. I need some feedback if you please.
I also wanted to ask you, I’ve been noticing a musk like smell in my living room space (right below where the squirrels are in my attic. I hear the noise around 530am I live in Connectcut. The trapper my landlady hired states he never heard of such a odor and I have found out that this is common . He supposed to have been in the business for over 10 years. Is he pulling my leg ? I now have birds and squirrels who must be cohabitation get in the same space, Is this possible . I’m almost certain this grey squirrel has young ones in the opening up in the attic Because there has been a lot of noise for just one squirrels.Please help me out with some info. That’s a small d. Thank-you
Hello Karen Del Bianco,
I am not sure to whom you are addressing your question….. but I can provide some information relevant to your problem.
The trapper guy is right about birds and squirrels not cohabiting the same attic, at the same time. From my experience I have also found this to be true.
However, with 40 years of experience troubleshooting roof leaks (caused by squirrels) and gutter problems (caused by squirrels nesting in gutters under gutter guards) I have found that the time of year that squirrels have a litter can vary greatly. I once removed a squirrel’s nest (with babies) from a gutter in mid July. I also once removed (two) separate squirrel nest from a single (Styrofoam) window ornament where the babies, because of a huge difference in size were obviously not conceived at the same time.
You have mentioned an important distinction between a squirrel problem and a bird problem. Grey squirrels are not at all quiet, especially in the early morning hours. Their running and jumping is very distinguishable. Another verification is the sound of a low grade gnawing, wood grinding noise. This is the sound of a parent squirrel making a secondary hole…..sometimes necessary for the baby squirrels to make an easy exit from the attic.
I have a squirell babies living in my roof vent where I already had chicken wire. They have nested with pine straw on the chicken wire inside the vent. Will a strobe light help make them leave the vent?
I’ve had it. Scratch scratch scratch right over my head in my bedroom. Wakes me up in middle of night. Put Decon up there. Did not work. I think one is in front of house as well. Heard some horrible squealing sound. I think the squirrels got in a fight. Bought a live trap cage. Baited it with crackers with peanut butter. Didn’t work first night. Expect to go up there are and the crackers will be gone. On day light saving day when I’m already losing an hour of sleep what I think is a squirrel had the nerve to wake me up at 3am scratching in the attic over my head where I’m sleeping and it has to be super loud since I sleep with the fan on. Banging on wall makes them stop for a few minutes. Turning on attic light helps a bit. Maybe I should let my cat up there. He would be in heaven. No clue where they are coming in from. Guess I should hire someone. Anyone know how much it costs to trap and relocate plus patch up holes they are coming in?
You may not want to watch this squirrel eviction seminar video……..watch it anyway.
Yes, Joe, I have encountered this situation many times and the Evictor Strobe works well to solve your problem. This is the sequence:
First, unfasten the chicken wire. The nest may or may not have baby squirrels. If no baby squirrels, simply trash the pine straw. (Larger baby squirrels will immediately vacate the nest as soon as you work on the chicken wire.) If (small immobile) babies are present, use heavy gloves and place the babies (with the nest) in a small cardboard box and place the box in the backyard a short distance from the house…..the mother will find the babies.
The next step is to refasten the chicken wire and mount an Evictor Strobe Light about 2 feet directly below the vent. Leave the Evictor running continuously, 24/7. Depending on the severity of the squirrel problem…..I leave the strobe running for a month, 6 months, or a year.
Use damage to your roof shingles as a barometer on how bad your squirrel problem is. If you have a lot of shingle damage, leave the Evictor on for an extended period of time as a reminder that the fan area is a bad place to be.
It’s likely that you have an electric powered attic vent fan. The Evictor web site shows how to fashion 1/2 inch steel hardware clothe on the outside of a new fan. I suggest you put off the outside repair for about a month. You want the squirrels to have easy access to view the strobe and think “I don’t think so” and develop the habit of NOT wanting to be there. I virtually have a success rate of 100 % with this type of Evictor Strobe Light application.
Thanks bill earl. WE caught A squirrel in the trap above the exit area ..We put the trap on TOP of the roof with peanuts, and sure enough after 3 days he went for it!! Funny thing it was pouring raining out doors, so maybe he took a chance to eat the stuff inside the cage, because he didn’t want to go outside in the rain in 40 degree weather to go and venture for other types of food they consume… Who is to to say… Since we caught this one particular squirrel, I have not heard any more noise in my attic….. I’m praying he was the only one!! Also the trapper guy stated that it was a female and she was pretty plump. He said he released her many miles away. I think she was getting ready to have her young. IF SHE Didn’t ALREADY IN MY ATTIC??? BILL How do you know if they are pregnant when you catch them or have recently given birth? Do they have nipples after giving birth???? A SMALL d….
Hello Karen,
I do not trap squirrels. I do, however, solve advanced attic squirrel problems when trapping does not work and house damage is extreme.
You might want to check out a booklet I wrote. It pops up on the internet and is called:
How to Evict Squirrels, the Safe and Harmless Way
My son and I just watched a grey squirrel go thru a hole in my facia behind my gutter that is sagging because of an ice damn. My attic has blown in insulation so im not sure the strobe will work, wouldnt they nest in the insulation?
Hello Pete,
Grey squirrels tend to nest on top of the insulation and form it in the shape of a bowl. Instructions for the Evictor mention that enough strobes should be purchased to cover the entire attic.
BUT, if you have deep piles of insulation, the insulation itself may tend to block the annoying effect of the strobe light and it doesn’t matter how many strobes you hang. When I have encountered such a situation with deep insulation, I noticed that the squirrels had gone one step further and actually built a kind of insulation wall around the nest to block the light.
What I did was hang an Evictor Strobe Light directly above the nest. They got the idea, and moved out. (they could have created a new nest in another part of the attic, but they did not) If you want to give it a try, this is the first place I would put an Evictor Strobe Light…..directly above the nest.
I live in Texas where the summer temperatures can top 100 F outside. The attic gets unbearably hot then, and I am wondering if the squirrels will evacuate as the summer comes on. I started hearing them a few months ago in the cool weather and this has been the first time in 30 years we’ve had a problem. Would they just be using the house for a temporary breeding facility? It would be nice if they leave on their own so I can block all the entrances and cut back the tree limbs around the house.
Yes, as a rule, squirrels will vacate the nest when the attic temperature gets unbearably high.
Yet, there are significant disadvantages in letting the squirrels occupy the attic for a complete cycle, unchallenged. The whole time the babies are growing up, before they leave, they are urinating in your attic, marking the attic as a future nesting site, increasing the likely hood that they will return in the fall.
The trees can be cut back immediately…..squirrels are very resourceful and the mother will find a way back to the attic nest. If you find a nest and there are babies……put the nest (and the babies) in a cardboard box and place on the ground close to the house….the mother will find them. If you are concerned that the mother will not have a place to raise the babies, buy a Duncraft Squirrel Box and screw the box to a nearby tree. Place some peanut butter on a peanut butter cracker inside the box, so the mother will find it. I have used this method many times…..works well for homeowners who really don’t want to harm the squirrels, but still anxious for the squirrels to relocate to the outside, ASAP. Other hints can be found in a booklet I wrote, that pops up on the internet:
“How to Evict Squirrels, the Safe and Harmless Way”
DO NOT buy the Evictor Strobe Light. I’m not sure who is having success with this product but ammonia on a rag works better as a deterrent. Save your money and you can even get products at Home Depot. Good luck to all. We are in the process of getting squirrels out of the attic that were not deterred by the Evictor Strobe Light.
Charles, you might try reading an article that appeared in Pest Management Professional, entitled: “Light Makes Right” by Heather Gooch.
It is about Massey Services in Florida (5th largest Pest Control Company in the USA) and their success with Evictor Strobe Lights.
If you can get it, direct word of mouth from people you know is the best referral. On the Internet, people will go through great lengths just to sell their product. It’s such a turnoff. Good products sell themselves, because your real live neighbors and friends will be talking.
This is exactly why Amazon has been so successful. Reviews, both positive and negative (which cannot be controlled by the seller) provide a unique insight into the use and value of each product they sell.
What about using the Ultrasonic sonar pest controls that you plug into an outlet. Will those work?
Bill,
We bought a house this past fall and have quickly come to realize it is infested with squirrels. I hear them from the attic, my husband saw them run down through the eaves (when he was up there looking around) and into a back part of my closet right below, I hear them in the ceiling throughout first floor and the basement; I feel like they are EVERYWHERE and I’m so frustrated. I’m interested in trying the Evictor lights and I’ll be sure to get enough… Our attic is completely empty so nothing to obstruct the lights, but do the squirrels make nests anywhere but in the attic? Why do they go all throughout the ceilings? When I bang on the ceilings with a broom handle I hear nuts rolling around everywhere. When my husband was up in the attic the last time the squirrel ran at him and then one jumped on him so I’m skittish about looking for their entry points and poking around because I don’t want attacked. They’re red squirrels, we live in Ohio in a wooded area. I’m just needing a plan of attack because I’m so overwhelmed by this problem but it needs addressed asap. Thank you!
Hello K Copley,
Squirrel problems can be overwhelming, especially the ones where the squirrels have intermittently occupied a home for an extending period of time…..a stash of nuts in the ceiling is an indication that the squirrel problem probably existed long before you bought the house.
First, a few safety tips. Try to go into the attic between 10AM and 2PM when the squirrels are usually outside. BEFORE entering your attic, make a lot of noise. If there is an attic drop staircase, pull it down a little bit, then slap it up against the ceiling a few times. Shine a high powered flashlight into all the corners. Squirrels can read your body language. If you are skittish, they know. Try to act with authority….be loud with everything you do. I have been in hundreds of attics and have never been attacked…..not even once.
Your first question is going to be: Since the squirrels inhabit other parts of the house, other than the attic……will putting Evictor Strobe Lights in the attic effectively rid my entire house of squirrels? Yes and no…..depends on where the holes are. Obviously, if the access holes are below the attic, in the sides of the house, squirrels can still be a problem. But, most times squirrels access a home in the attic area and in general, after an Evictor installation in the attic, the squirrels vacate the attic within a day or two. I always try to error on the side of having to many strobes then not enough. The effect is quite dramatic.
I’d like to cover the concept of a squirrel’s territory (which is currently your attic) versus your territory (your bedroom, living room, kitchen, etc.)
I solved squirrel problems in a townhouse community where everyone (except one particular woman) was having an attic squirrel problem. I wanted to see her attic and understand why she did not have the problem. I found that her attic was unfinished and identical to all the other attics. There was one important difference. She had a home business and was using the attic for storage and was in and out of the attic at least twice a day. Her activity defined the attic as HER TERRITORY.
I believe Evictor Strobe Lights work in similar fashion….after an Evictor installation, an attic is now re-established as the homeowner’s territory.
We have a pesky squirrel that has been chewing the wood shingles on our house. He had squeezed in to our soffit and continually was scratching. We banged on the wall and he ran. All the entry and exit areas have been blocked. I soaked one area of shingles that I could reach with ammonia which seems to repel him (maybe her) for the time being. Now he is at the other end of the house. Hate to use poison, but may not have a choice at this point. Does anyone know how long ammonia will repel them? Ready to soak the whole side of the house with ammonia at this point.
On squirrel jobs, where the squirrels are chewing up asphalt or cedar shake shingles, I found that Ropel (liquid in a spray bottle) works well to thwart their activity.
What about peppermint spray?
Squirrels are eating my hardie plank siding and Trex deck to file down their teeth. I have tried cayenne pepper, placing small sections of hardie plank away from the house and putting peanut butter on them in an effort to relocate them further back in the yard, throwing out a product I bought that they don’t like the smell of which actually works but I have to reapply every time it rains and I have been knocking their nests out of the trees. I’m exhausted! If I hire a pro to trap them and take them 40 miles away, how do I stop other squirrels from coming and starting the cycle all over again? I have kept them out of my attic thus far. They just jump from tree to tree to get to the siding and my deck. Trees are trimmed back and none overhang my house. They are fearless jumpers.
Pricing I have gotten is very expensive to have them removed. None of my neighbors are having this problem and I live in a very dense neighborhood.
Yeah I’m thinking the pellet gun will be it for me.
I hate squirrels. They are rats with a bushy tails. I’ve had them because of rotten places on the boxing of my house they have chewed through. I think I have driven them out by making a lot of noise in the attack in the early part of the day. I have patched the holes and I have also purchase a high powered pellet gun. I killed 4 yesterday early in the morning. That is my new hobby. I plan to kill every one I see from now one. I hope they will eventually get the message.
Joe, sadly I kind of like your idea a lot! These critters are fierce and totally annoying!!!
We have been dealing with a pine squirrel (at least I think), for almost three years and have tried everything. Our house is surrounded by walnut trees and this sucker is FAST, so a pellet gun is probably not an option. Every hole my husband plugs is chewed through immediately. It chewed through 2×6 planks in the garage and is now in the walls so I’m not sure the strobe light will work either since it is not in an open space. It has chewed through the 2x4s in the walls too and runs the length of the wall behind the garage in our sunroom. When this first happened, we tore out the whole room (it needed a remodeling anyway, it just became a priority) and we blocked off all of the entry points. It kept finding new ways in. So we got new siding and blocked it off AGAIN. It chewed through the weather stripping on the garage door. We tried traps. That was a joke. I’m concerned about the safety of our family but we can’t keep putting money into something that isn’t working. We can’t even get it to come out with noise or banging. I just want to cry. I really don’t want to poison it but we are desperate! 🙁 Please help!
Hello Dontwantbadkarma,
I have solved many squirrel problems with conditions similar to yours. Please scroll back up this page to the comment I made for Luis on Oct 19, 2015…..and then a follow up comment for MPersall on Jan 26, 2016.
I have used this method successfully, many, many times.
I had somebody seal all their entryways with rabbit cage wire mesh, so far so good. I’ve heard them trying to open new holes on the roof. My next step will be to change the roof to metal, since I have to have the work done anyway. It will be more expensive, but they won’t be able to run around on it, that’s what I hope anyways.
Do ultra sonic pest deterrents work?
.22 rimfire rifle works a treat.
I hear pitter patter of little feet overhead. Saw a squirrel twice now in my yard. The problem is I can’t find a place it’s coming and going. Can they squeeze through tiny places I can’t see or find. Is there a particular place I should begin my search?
Russ asked if ultra sonic pest deterrents work but I didn’t see an answer. I’m curious also.
I bought a high powered sonic pest deterrent, put it in my attic and it did not work. My attic has many heating/Ac pipes in it so that may be why. Then I bought several boxes of natural repellent, that didn’t work either.
Ok, Bill at your suggestion I’m buying the Evictor Strobe light. My house is squarish so if I put it in the middle it should reach all corners. I haven’t been able to find the holes but they are partying up there! I have squirrels and rats too. In Cedar Park, TX.
I am currently renting from my landlord and for the past 6 months our attic has had squirrel issues. My landlord sent someone over to fix the holes, but since the wood is deteriorating the squirrels keep chewing their way in and creating a new hole. I have tried: trapping, poisoning, squirrel repellent, ammonia and a sound emitter device to drive them out. All have failed. I am going slightly crazy. I am looking into a strobe light, moth balls and fox urine, but am running out of ideas. Would anyone have more suggestions on what to do? Any help would be appreciated.
Patiently and diligently stand guard, take aim and fire with a high powered pellet rifle. Works every time.
Why does Bill Earl not commit concerning ultra sonic pest deterrents?
I tried them and ultra sonic pest deterrents simply do not work.
Ammonia does not work had 6 towels soaked in Ammonia , the squirrels were back in 12 hours .
Rat traps and a BB gun have been the only permanent solution for me. Everything else has failed. And there is still one trying to chew it’s way back in.
TRIED 2 ULTRASONIC YARD SENTINEL IN MY ATTIC. DON’T WASTE YOUR $$. THEY DO NOT WORK! NEITHER DOES MOTHBALLS, AMONIA OR STROBE LIGHTS. BOUGHT ME AN AIR RIFLE……..
Allow them to become family members & support their lifestyle. Itl be fun.