Humane Squirrel Control

Squirrel control methods are often sought after by homeowners who have discovered that the little animals have nested in their attic or chimney. Not only are they noisily scampering around up there,...

Squirrel control methods are often sought after by homeowners who have discovered that the little animals have nested in their attic or chimney. Not only are they noisily scampering around up there, but they can cause health problems, house structural damage and safety risks.

Some homeowners think that poisoning the creatures would be an easy way to exterminate them, but this is not true. Poison is a bad idea for many reasons. It is cruel to the animal and is dangerous for household inhabitants, including pets. A decomposing critter is an extremely bad smelling process, as well. Getting rid of them can be achieved, however, in kinder ways. There抯 really no need to cause harm while accomplishing this eradication task.

Squirrels are not nocturnal like other attic and chimney invaders, such as bats, rats and mice, which are up at night. If homeowners hear rattling around between the ceiling and the roof during daylight hours, they most likely have a nest of squirrels up there. Health problems that these attic dwellers may cause include the spread of parasites and excrement which can carry disease. Not only that, but feces and urine smell bad wafting through the vents and into the home. Safety risks and structural issues include chewed on wires which can cause house fires and electrical outages. PVC plumbing pipes may also be chewed on which will cause water leaks and plumbing problems.

One way to humanely ease this situation is by repelling them in the first place. They are there to nest which means that the homeowner is most often dealing with a mother and her babies. An easy method of providing a repellant is by leaving the odor of other animals such as the family dog, or even hot chili peppers up there in the potential nest space. Noise will also be a deterrent, so a radio left on in the attic can keep out the mama and her offspring. Sealing all openings and holes that would allow access is a wonderful way to stop them from inhabiting in your home.

Trapping them is also a good plan. There are various types available, including the single animal live cage trap, the repeating trap, and the one way exclusion door. The single variety will catch one at a time which must be released before being set again. The repeating device can catch multiple animals before needing to be released and reset. In each of these methods, food would be the lure to draw them in.
Squirrel control is not for novices however. It is wise to employ a professional wildlife expert or naturalist in order to find the appropriate method for keeping your abode critter free.