Squirrels inside home!

[joolie123]

Hey all,
Facing a small problem. There are lot of squirrels inside my home and it's running all over inside my home day and night. I really don’t have any idea how I would remove these squirrels. I shared my problem with one of my friend and she suggested me to hire a humane wildlife removal expert Humane Wildlife Removal & Control Services | A-1 Checkmate , so that it would be easier to remove all the squirrels. But the problem is, since I have not hired them before, need more suggestions about this company?

[C-Bag]

I have to say that's a weird one.

I guess I have too much farmer stock in me because I'd never think of hiring a company when a good dog or cat would do the trick. More than likely all it would take is them getting scared off once or twice by the pets and you'd never see them again. We had raccoons and after they got a sniff of my big old goofy half Ridgeback/Staffie markings not only no more raccoons here but none of my surrounding neighbors. He never confronted one (luckily for him and them) but I'm sure they could tell his turf and they didn't want anything to do with him.

[Frank S]

I have to agree with C-Bag on this one for sure but sometimes just having a dog is not enough. Also the size and breed of dog is relevant. If you live in an area where owning a large breed may cause other issues then a good terrier mix could be the answer as long as it is not a constant yapper. Any dog that barks incessantly will be taxing on your sanity as well as any neighbors you may have. Also it does very little good to own a dog that is going to be a house dog that is only let outside to do their business or be taken for walks Dogs and cats for that matter IMHO belong outside with a shelter of their very own.
Now for another method of ridding your house of unwanted guests.First off you need to determine how and where they are entering. This is most likely done from a hole in the soffit or a loose piece of siding possibly a missing vent screen or an attic fan. There may be several entry points if so they need to be reduced to as few as possible those gravity closed attic vent louvers are a favorite among animals since all they have to do is scratch them open to gain entry. Placing a metal wire mesh on the inside stops this. Next Lets make a one way exit for the guests by using wire mesh form int into a funnel shape by rolling it to resemble that of a fish trap, leave the edge loose then secure the large end of the funnel to the point of entry now when they exit they will not be able to reenter. You might even consider making a feeder to hang in a nearby tree fill it with cracked corn, suit, bird seed or whatever, once they learn of a food source they are going to have a go at it. YOu may even want to construct a habitat enclosure for them and mount it as high as possible up in a tree along with the feeder. that way if you have kids and don't live in a neighborhood overrun with ASPCA whackos Some states also have squirrel hunting restrictions. Teach your kids the finer points and hunting safety get them a good quality air riffle NOT one of those stupid air soft toys. Teach them how to field dress their kill and how to stretch the hides for tanning. At certain times of the years particularly the winter months squirrel meat is good eating there are many ways to prepare a meal with it

[PJs]

I've lived in the sticks for almost 2 decades now and have developed my own methods for deterring these vegetarian rats and a few other critters that we don't want to share our home with. For the squirrels the most important thing to realize is, they are Squirrels. They have chewed the siding and decking and gotten into our storage space we call the Hobbit Hole. By plugging all the entry points with heavy wire mesh it will usually keep them at bay, however field rats are much more difficult to contend with but similar in nature...they are Rats.

The biggest problem I had was them getting into my barbecue and chewing everything including the cover and hoses. The simplest thing I found was a wireless driveway alarm from HFT. They are battery operated and will last about 6mo. on a pair. I mounted the sensor and the alarm under the barbecue so the sensor would pick up any movement within the cover. The noise this thing makes will scare the sneakiness right out of them and probably irritate the closer neighbors. If you have multiple entry points you will need several.

The real problem is that they have gained access to the interior and probably created some damage which you will probably want to check and repair if necessary. Squirrels will eat just about anything from wood to metal flashing, mainly to sharpen and wear down their ever growing teeth. I've had many generations grow up around here and about every second generation needs training. Worst case I have had to do is to blow bark in their face with my 22 cal Benjamin pellet gun. This along with some stern L@@Ks and strong threats to have them for supper. Critters get it and just by standing your ground with them will eventually learn that it is Your Territory and they are not welcome to live in it too. If you chase them and scream at them it becomes a battle of wills and will go on for a long time, as they are stubborn little twits.

I have to agree with Frank that Squirrel meat is pretty good and had a fair amount back in the day but I would rather come to a mutual agreement with them around the property...Don't get in my barbecue and I won't grill and eat you.

Hope this helps as I would only hire someone if I couldn't take care of it with a bit of ingenuity and some clarity to their nature and them of mine.

PS I am much less forgiving of the field rats and use big "Tom Cat" traps with Peanut butter. After 4-6 they seem to get the message for a while.

~PJ