Squirrels in the attic.

[efhmc]

Plug up the holes but they still gnaw their way in yearly when it starts to get cold. I really hate them. They almost impossible to trap. They leave a mess and chew on the plastic storage containers. Any ides? I would chop down the 10 or so pecans trees on my property but I love the shade they provide. Have tried to train my kitty to attack but she just looks at me and walks over to her food bowl. Any suggestions?

[Corgigal]

1. Two young female cats

from the pound. I have one who would get it done for you. Make sure the squirrels can smell the litter box. They might just nope it and go to another house.

[efhmc]

10. That litter box is in the downstairs back porch and the attic

is two stories above it but I might put some of it in an extra box and take it upstairs. I'll try it all.

[Demovictory9]

24. put a little in a baggie and some cat fur

[avebury]

2. You need a dog like a

Jack Russell Terrier.

My JRT/Chiuahua mix took out a few squirrels in his days.

[efhmc]

8. Too much traveling for a dog but might borrow one. I threw

pieces of fallen tree limbs I was picking up at one yesterday. The squirrel just emitted that weird noise they make and ran around and up the tree.

[avebury]

14. It is funny, one time I was getting ready to let Toby out

and before I opened the door I kept asking him if he was going to get the squirrel (and of course got him amped up). I opened the door, the flew out ..... and got the squirrel. I could not believe it. But Jack Russells are incredibly fast.

[efhmc]

17. Very effective and cute.

Tons of very tall trees. I actually seldom see them on the ground. They even take the pecans right off the tree, take a bite and throw them on the ground when they are still green.

[samnsara]

3. do those rodent sound things you plug into walls work?

..I think it makes a vibration in the walls the rodents dont like.

[thinkingagain]

5. I think they do

Some people say no. Never tried it for squirrels. But rarely have spiders or mice inside (unless the cat brings them in for me to show me see what I got)
Anyhow they supposedly emit a sound that most people and pets can’t hear the squirrel ones may be different for pets but check some place like amazon they explain it well I have been considering one for outside pests like bats.

[efhmc]

7. There is a difference of opinion about this working,

but I can try it.

[thinkingagain]

9. Yes you are right on opinions

But they do say give it some time and at first it may get worse I’m not sure why on that but as it bothers their nervous system they leave it doesn’t kill them so neighbors may get the increase of the cute little nibblers. Hopefully if it works for you they head over to any neighbors you don’t like.

[LeftInTX]

35. No!

[Phoenix61]

4. Make squirrel boxes and mount them to the trees

Insulate them with foam from an ice chest. It never gets that cold here so I don't have any personal experience with that problem.

[efhmc]

6. These are lazy Texas squirrels and if I tried to "aid" them,

they would just scoff and head to the warm and spacey attic. But I appreciate your help.

[fleur-de-lisa]

13. "Lazy Texas squirrels" . . . LOL!

[pdxflyboy]

11. Are you sure they aren't roof rats?

We thought we had squirrels in the attic. We would hear them at night, after dark. Rats are nocturnal. I don't think squirrels are. An exterminator solved our problem.

[efhmc]

15. No, I see them all about my trees where they use

the tree limbs to hop onto my eaves and go inside every crack they can find. I actually I think rats would be easier to get rid of. I also find caches of pecans all over the place.

[LeftInTX]

36. I have pecan trees and I've had rats in the attic - roof rats are very common in South Texas.

Squirrels don't mind our winters and are happier outside, unless you live in a really cold part of the state.

I've got plenty of squirrels, but they have never made it inside the attic. The squirrels sit in the trees eating pecans and can actually become aggressive - LOL!

You need to get all holes plugged up. We've used sheet metal and caulked it on. You can also staple hardware cloth (it's a type of metal) along any gaps where they can get in. Where the soffit and roofing meet. (Tiny gap) We also have an addition where the roofing is weird. A rat can get inside the tiniest crack.

Are you finding pecans inside your attic?

The fact that they're eating plastic sounds like a rat thing. Rats will eat anything. They went after my plastic. They eat chemicals, fertilizer, pesticides etc.

[efhmc]

38. Twice, they have come into my closet from the duct work and I have had to chase

them outside. Also, I just pulled down the ladder into the attic and a pecan rolled out. This is a very tall 113 year old house. Think three stories with a walk around attic as the top floor. I looked for obvious holes. I think there are some rotten soffits. A man is coming tomorrow about some other work and I will ask his advice. Thanks.

[handmade34]

12. live traps work

I have trapped quite a few squirrels

[efhmc]

16. I have never been able to get one yet. What is your secret?

nt

[7wo7rees]

28. We live in North Texas, maintenance men where we lived

used peanut butter. Always worked. They trapped them and then carried them to a park and released them along river. Just plain Peanut Butter.

[efhmc]

37. I'll try it.

nt

[efhmc]

20. Found this on line:

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

18. You might have to call in a professional exterminator.

Last year I had a problem with squirrels chewing up some soffits and getting inside the walls, and I didn't know what to do about it so I called a wildlife control outfit. First they set out traps and after several visits they caught some squirrels; then, once they were sure there were no more squirrels inside the walls, they blocked all the holes with a wire mesh that couldn't be chewed. So far there haven't been any more invasions.

[efhmc]

19. Blocked all the holes and it stopped them for a while

but this house is over one hundred years old and I think the gggggggggggggggggggggggggrand squirrels of the original ones know all the hidden cracks and chew through them and live on.

[onethatcares]

21. buy a boa constrictor

Last edited Sat Nov 10, 2018, 09:12 AM - Edit history (1)

or something similar.

Release into the attic.

Problem solved.



no need to thank me.

[efhmc]

22. But I will thank you anyway,

I just fed my kitty and we took your suggestion under advisement. She voted , "No." and since all rodent control items are under her control, it is a no go.

[True Dough]

26. onethatcares

to give hilarious advice!

[onethatcares]

29. yeah, just wanted to lighten it up

n/t

[red dog 1]

23. Amazon.com has these two electronic "Rodent Zappers" that work for squirrels

1) "Electronic Humane Rodent Zapper" - Effective Trap Killer for Rats, Mice, Squirrels, & Chipmunks - No Poison Use - 7000 Volt Shock Instead
$41.94 + Shipping

2) "Eliminator Powerful Mouse Rodent Trap Killer" - Eliminate Mice, Rats, Chipmunks & Squirrels Humanely, Efficiently
$ 43.95 + shipping

(Google them)

[Marthe48]

25. For mice you can stuff steel wool in the cracks

I don't know if squirrels dislike it like mice do. I don't even know if it works to keep mice out, but I've heard it does. Good luck.
My neighbor had squirrels in her garage attic. She was having some work done and the contractor put metal screen over the trouble spot. It was very effective keeping the squirrels out.

[marigold20]

27. Call an expert

Two years ago we had squirrels running around in the attic. We captured about ten outside in live traps. We took the first one about five miles away and let it go. We were happy, thought the problem was solved. Wrong! Finally we realized that there were probably a hundred squirrels in the park across the street. They just kept making more! A professional came over and checked out the attic. He advised us to seal the vents with metal mesh and to seal off the unused chimney. It worked! Now we hear mice up there but a little dcon takes care of them.

[hay rick]

30. Heavy wire mesh.

One year squirrels gnawed through my gable vent. I replaced the vent and added heavier mesh and that worked. On the other side of the ledger, I tried about 50 different ways to squirrel-proof bird feeders and the squirrels beat me every time.

[Wolf Frankula]

31. We have an attic fan.

Squirrels got in. We put a screen over the inside and it stopped them.. But it could be worse. You could have moose in the attic. And in I'm not surprised cats won't attack squirrels. Squirrels have fluffy tails. Some cats have fluffy tails. We don't bite anything that has fluffy tails. And you have pecan trees. Pecans have nuts. Squirrels eat nuts.

Wolf

[pansypoo53219]

32. metal + an expert.

had one removed. live trapped. covered hole w/ wood. i said it was not enough, but nobody listened.

[smirkymonkey]

33. I remember we had them in our home when when I was growing up.

It was a very old house and the squirrels would start rolling around nuts in the attic at night. Eventually, we got used to it but it was kind of annoying. I still think they are very cute, but they can be a bother.

[yellowdogintexas]

34. we had a handyman seal all the cracks with metal flashing. It worked.

The pest control person I talked to told me to wait until spring when they stay outside all the time and have the repair work done. Once it gets to be nest building and baby time, they move into the attic.

So that is what we did; sealed it all up with metal flashing all around the various cracks and solved the problem

[HeiressofBickworth]

39. Squirrels in the attic

I thought this thread was going to be about Trump.

[lastlib]

40. That would be bats in the belfry.........

Couldn't be hamsters---tRump's jumped the wheel....