squirrels

[Rick Cantrell]

I have a rental with squirrels in the attic.
Tenant just moved in and is concerned.
Same house had them about a year ago.
Anyone have sugestions on how to get rid of them, again.
This house is in Atlanta, I'm not.

Thanks

[Rick Hurst]

I have caught numerous ones using a Havahart trap with fresh pecans or Little Debbie oatmeal cookies. Maybe add a litttle peanut butter on them as an attractant.

Of course, you have got to screen off the openings where they are coming into the attic space.

rick

[Jim Luttrall]

Anytime you have easy roof access squirrels are a problem sooner or later.

As I tell my clients a squirrel is just a rat with a better wardrobe and good P.R.:D

Trim the trees well away from the roof. Look for fences and such that provide easy access. Just like rats they can climb walls but are opportunistic and may go to the neighbors if it is more accessible.

[Rick Cantrell]

I told my tenant I would reimburse them for a trap.

After the squirrels are gone I check for holes.

Thanks

[John Goad]

Check the wiring too, they love to chew through the sheathing & insulation.

[Garry Sorrells]

From an old squirl fighter. Catch that squirl and take it for a road trip best 3 miles, else might come right back. Be careful that you don't trap one in when you cover openings with Hardware Cloth (welded wire mesh - rat wire).

Thought I had the buggers out of an attic, was wrong, it ate out 50% of a large wood gable end louver. Spent 2 days building a new louver and installing it.

depending on location and size of entrance. Cover the entry points (any opening like louvers) with wire. Where they are coming in at: 1) cover with wire, 2) cut hole in wire size of soft ball, 3) cut square piece of wire larger than hole, cut wire so that there are short pieces of wire extending around 3 sides, bend just a little back toward opening, 4) use square as a hindged door over hole, tie at top (wire ties work), 5) use heavey rubber bands attached on square at bottom each side, running back behind wire screening attaches to main screen. Idea is to make a one way trap door that they can exit from but if they try to back up while exiting the wire ends dig in and hurts so they keep going forward.

Had squirls hang on the wire like a monkey shaking and pulling at the wire trying to pull it off, chattering all the while. Once they find a place they like its hard to drive them off. Therefore road trip time.

Good luck

[Rich Goeken]

From an old squirl fighter. Catch that squirl and take it for a road trip best 3 miles, else might come right back. Be careful that you don't trap one in when you cover openings with Hardware Cloth (welded wire mesh - rat wire).

Thought I had the buggers out of an attic, was wrong, it ate out 50% of a large wood gable end louver. Spent 2 days building a new louver and installing it.

depending on location and size of entrance. Cover the entry points (any opening like louvers) with wire. Where they are coming in at: 1) cover with wire, 2) cut hole in wire size of soft ball, 3) cut square piece of wire larger than hole, cut wire so that there are short pieces of wire extending around 3 sides, bend just a little back toward opening, 4) use square as a hindged door over hole, tie at top (wire ties work), 5) use heavey rubber bands attached on square at bottom each side, running back behind wire screening attaches to main screen. Idea is to make a one way trap door that they can exit from but if they try to back up while exiting the wire ends dig in and hurts so they keep going forward.

Had squirls hang on the wire like a monkey shaking and pulling at the wire trying to pull it off, chattering all the while. Once they find a place they like its hard to drive them off. Therefore road trip time.

Good luck

Had the same experience. The trap door is an excellent idea---wish I had thought of it. I locked one inside too----what a racket. I used tin in place of the hardware cloth--it was trying to eat the tin to get out. You didn't mention that you have to get them out ASAP---otherwise, as someone said--they are like rats. Urine and droppings everywhere if you delay.

Rich

[Bill Wieczorek]

A pellet gun works best, be careful where your shooting.

[Rick Cantrell]

A pellet gun works best, be careful where your shooting.

You'll put you eye out Kid.

[bob smit]

I had a service call a few decades ago.....I think, therefore I forget:confused:
The homeowner had some electonus enteruptus in the housus.
A knee wall scuttle hole allowed me to 'walk in' to an attic area where some critter thought he'd found nuts on a string.
I can't recall all the J-boxes I had to use but I was in luck, a lazy pussy cat was sauntering by, so I threw em in, just for luck.
He returned with a small red squirrel and ran downstairs to show his owners.

The rest of the story got even more interesting (after the scream), but my long lost point here is that my experience has revealed that it is the old 'tar like covering' NM cable that is what they like to chew.

I haven't run across chewed NM of the newer variety. Anyone else?

[Rick Hurst]

Those squirrels will chew up alarm wiring in a heartbeat. I was told by alarm installer once that the wiring they use has soybean oil in the insulation wrap to make the wiring less suspect to cracking in the heat of the attic.

The rodents find it very attractive for chewing.

Sounded like a crock of *hit to me, but thats my story.

rick

[John Goad]

Yes, I have seen them chew through the newer romex type wiring. Well, I didn't actually see them chew through it, but did see the carnage left in their wake.

[Daniel Mummey]

Invite them out for dinner then close the entries before they return :D

[Bruce Breedlove]

I haven't run across chewed NM of the newer variety. Anyone else?

This is a relative's house in Georgia. I saw a squirrel enter the attic so I took a look around the attic. Good thing I did. I am certain a squirrel did this damage. They are also hell on duct insulation.

[bob smit]

Perhaps it's mouses in the houses.
Perhaps I've only caught the little red squirrels in an attic chewed, due to small access points.

What we need is someone to install a motion camera in their attic and then throw in a squirrel, red squirrel, mouse, and maybe a coon for good measure. Staple a few types of cable to a board.....we should have our answer by CMas.
Any one up for this experiment?

[John Kogel]

Perhaps it's mouses in the houses.
Perhaps I've only caught the little red squirrels in an attic chewed, due to small access points.

What we need is someone to install a motion camera in their attic and then throw in a squirrel, red squirrel, mouse, and maybe a coon for good measure. Staple a few types of cable to a board.....we should have our answer by CMas.
Any one up for this experiment?No need to go to those lengths. We just need pics of the droppings. Or bag the droppings and send them to Rick Hurst. :cool:
But if this was an inspection situation, I would just call it 'rodent' damage and call for pest control.

And repairs to the wiring by a qualified electrician.

[Bruce Breedlove]

Here ya go.

[Garry Sorrells]

Here ya go.


But what do they taste like??

We need all of the available information to be able to provide an informed response.

[bob smit]

Looks what my Wife put in my Cmas cookies....always makes some 'just 4 me'.

[Rick Hurst]

Bruce,

Squirrel droppings is what appears to be in your picture. They are hard to distinguish between the roof or norway rat. Usually they are shorter in length but are larger in diameter and have a rounder end.

Plus they have a much nuttier taste to them.:D

rick

[Don Hester]

My experience with squirrels is pretty extensive, trap, shoot, bait is the way to go but it will take time.

The problem with those buggers is once they have found your home as a nice place to be they almost never stop trying to get in. I have had them eating through 1" siding on there way in.

Unfortunately the best protecting is to never let them in in the first place.

I think this link pretty much sums it up.

How To Get Rid of Squirrels (http://www.aaanimalcontrol.com/professional-trapper/howtogetridofsquirrels.htm)

[James Duffin]

I inspected a new house a year or so ago and when I went in the attic I saw a squirrels tail going out the plumbing vent. When I looked closer I saw where the squirrel had chewed the side of the PVC so he could get inside.

It was raining at the time so water was running into the attic. The Realtor called the builder to let him know that it was raining in his new house. The builder send out one of his guys to take a look and I told him he needed to replace the vent with cast iron where it went out the roof but he put back PVC and by the next day the squirrel had chewed it up again. They do seem to come back to the same spot once that find one they like!

[Jim Hintz]

I have a rental with squirrels in the attic.
Tenant just moved in and is concerned.
Same house had them about a year ago.
Anyone have sugestions on how to get rid of them, again.
This house is in Atlanta, I'm not.

Thanks

Have the tenant get a roll of wire mesh from the local hardware store along with a staple gun / hammer-tacker and go over the bird/soffit vents at the soffits and check the screening on the inside of the gable vents if you have them. Telltale sign of a damaged / missing soffit screen is the bird poo around the opening. Also,of you have a hip roof, check the corners where the trusses / rafters overhang the exterior walls. Have the tenant send you copies of the receipts for reimbursement and give him a break on his rent for doing the grunt work - just a thought, Good Luck.