Rodents in the rafters

[Ken Bates]

A distant relative of mine, living in Maryland, has a family of squirrels in his crawl space attic.

He says the attic is not accessible (but of course is to the squirrels)

Are there any ways to safely ("Smoke em out," a la George Bush) chase them out once the pups are old enough to climb down from the roof access used to enter the attic space. (2 storey, wood framed end row house from the 80's)

I thought up a way to try to prevent reentry using a plexiglass one way door with a spring adjusted to the strength and weight of a squirrel. This would be attached at the current entry hole (which I have not seen).

It is my understanding that high frequency sound emitters are not effective for varmints and other biota.

Thanks in advance for any advice.

My relative said professional pest guys would remove them for $500.

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[wayne soper]

Squirrels have to be trapped. HAVAHART traps. Then you have to take them to the wealth side of town and drop them off, where they will be much better fed.
They will leave in the spring but will return in the fall. If you seal all the holes they can't get back in right?
I heard blasting the attic with Rap music also works well. Unless you see them wearing their pants around their knees.
That's a sure sign that you live in the the wrong part of town.

[Corn Walker]

I heard blasting the attic with Rap music also works well. Unless you see them wearing their pants around their knees.
That's a sure sign that you live in the the wrong part of town.

You know, you're not that far from Bridgeport. Perhaps I can arrange for a meeting with the rap music blasting, pants around their knees types I know there so you can explain your views to them in person.

[Jake Guerrero]

I used fox urine to get rid of them in my attic. I doused several rags with it and threw them around the attic. After that I waited a few days making sure I no longer heard anything in the attic. Then I sealed area they were getting into. No more squirrels.

[Nick Ostrowski]

I've been getting the little #@%*$ in our attic for years now. I've given up on trying to be humane with them or releasing them after catching them in my Havaheart cage trap. They've destroyed the fiberglass insulation I put up there, chewed through recessed wiring for the ceiling lights, and generally polluted the attic space by using it as their toilet. They only way I've been able to keep them out is to make sure the ones I catch can't come back.

[Billy Stephens]

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Perhaps I can arrange for a meeting with the rap music blasting, pants around their knees types I know there so you can explain your views to them in person.

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Can I Come as Well?
Wayne,
* I got plenty of spares.
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[Ken Bates]

Thanks Jake for your useful input.

I think I will recommend Fox urine.

I was considering recommending it.

I have captured several squirrels with havaheart traps and moved them to a forest with lots of oak trees.

One of my cats brought home an infant squirrel and I raised it to maturity.
I had guidance from a nearby pet store owner who also had a pet squirrel for many years until he met and married "She who must be obeyed"

I was certain my squirrel was a male but I was wrong when she produced 3 pups. She was domesticated but loved to climb up your clothes to have eye to eye contact. (This freaked out many people) I had fantasies of training my squirrel to waterski and touring the country with an inflatible pool. (someone actually did train a squirrel to waterski)

So how do I trap a fox and get a urine sample??

Just kidding--My local hardware sells Fox urine.

Having a Maple and Oak tree in my back yard supports many squirrels but for some reason they prefer my neighbors attic and not mine.

I have a bird feeder that is squirrel proof.

[Nick Ostrowski]

I tried the powdered fox urine in my attic and had no luck with it. I've never seen a fox in my area or neighborhood so I don't know that squirrels could even make a connection with the smell.

[wayne soper]

Cornwhat?

[Billy Stephens]

Cornwhat?

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[Rick Hurst]

Have been in the PC business for years and I've had a lot of experience dealing with squirells.

My best luck has been using Havahart traps baited with fresh pecans with a bit of peanut butter smeared on them. I've even used apple slices again with the peanut butter. The peanut butter stays moist and is a great attractant.

Fox urine has never done anything but smell up a few shirts of mine after the bottle "leaked" in my pocket.

Moth balls don't work either and are very toxic to scatter around an attic.

Keeping tree limbs cut back from the structure is the best approach and informing the homeowner not to be placing birdseed out if they are having a squirell problem as they are attracted highly to these feeders.

Once a opening is gnawed into the roof structure, they will continue to use it till that opening is sealed off with some heavy duty mesh wiring or other solid material.

rick

[wayne soper]

So that's what comes up when you google _ss hole huh. I figured they would have a picture of me

[Billy Stephens]

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_ss hole huh. I figured they would have a picture of me

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Yep,
* but just one of them.
.

[Steven Udelle]

Hey Rick,

You've given me a great idea for my next party tray!


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