How to get rid of Squirrels
As we’ve discussed in the past, Grey Squirrels are a common intruder into our yard and homes. I wanted to go into a little more detail about the process of removing them and how to keep them from damaging your home again.
Squirrels are tenacious chewers, being part of the rodent family, they are gifted with teeth that never stop growing, up to 6 inches per year! They will chew through wood, asphalt shingles, brick and even soft metals like aluminum. This incredible (or not so incredible) ability makes squirrels perfectly adapted to accessing and living in our home.
So what can be done? Trapping is the only effective solution to remove squirrels. Once a squirrel establishes a nesting site there is no repellant or technique that will keep them away. Even if you repair the entry hole, they will just make a new one.
Multiple traps should be set on the roof and near food sources. Bait the trap with peanut butter. Once the squirrel is caught the most humane option is to euthanize it. Relocating Grey squirrels is legal, but is considered inhumane by the NC Wildlife Resource Commission. The mortality rate of relocated animals is almost 100%. If you chose to release the squirrel, it must be on private property with the property owners permission. If you do not release the squirrel far enough away it will likely return to your property.
When all of the squirrels have been removed it’s now time to seal the entry holes. The key part of this step is making sure that everything is fully sealed and no indication of animal activity remains. Animals reuse access holes and nesting areas, if any sign is left behind another squirrel will assume your home has a vacancy. Next trim any trees that overhang your roof so there is at least 6 feet of separation. And finally remove any wildlife or bird feeders that you have outside. These will continue to draw squirrels and other wildlife to your property which increases the chances of wildlife conflicts happening again.
If you have any questions about this process give us a call at (336) 915-7373 and we’d be happy to provide free consultation over the phone.
