Do-it-yourself solutions can be expensive and generally have a very poor success rate. The critters have come inside looking for a place to nest. The younglings die from starvation and exposure which is far from humane. Use a Squirrel Repellant. Check after a day or two. Squirrels basically chew holes in to the walls, these are a sure shot indication that animals are coming in. Many animals are likely to get into your attic during the winter, but one distinguishing factor is squirrels are active during the day when most animals tend to be nocturnal. After setting up a live-catch trap, check the contraption twice daily and be prepared relocate it to somewhere at least 3 miles away should it prove successful. Install a one-way door so that once the squirrels leave the attic, they can’t get back inside. Even a hole in the soffit to let a pipe through can leave enough of a gap for a squirrel to get in. I can't figure out how they are getting in the attic. If you have a garden, consider planting daffodils around your home’s foundation, since they’re a natural deterrent. Keep a radio that’s tuned to a talk station switched on close to the den entrance; a human voice is threatening to squirrels. Search carefully for all the entry points and for any evidence of nesting; squirrels make nests and tunnels in the insulation. Leave it there for … Look out for signs of squirrel droppings and nesting debris such as kindling, leaves and sticks near the entryway. Once a squirrel is caught, check with your local authorities to make sure you safely and correctly release it. Thoroughly inspect the inside of the attic to find the opening (s). Most squirrel tracks look like small feet and are around 1 to 1 ½ inches long. Leave only the main entry/exit while you seal. There are also strict wildlife laws in Ontario that govern how you can get rid of squirrels, what you can do and can’t do with them and so on. Case Study: Rat Infestation and Squirrel Intrusion in Ajax, Squirrel Removal From Roof Vent in Etobicoke, Case Study: Squirrel Removed and Attic Renovated in The Beaches, Case Study: Multiple Squirrels Invade Attic in Scarborough, Case Study: Squirrels and Raccoons Break into Attic in Brampton, Case Study: Squirrel Removal with Mouse Twist in Scarborough, Case Study: Squirrel and Bat Removal from Roof in Toronto, Chewing, scratching, and rustling sounds coming from your walls or attic. Human urine, a rag soaked in ammonia or pine scented cleaner diluted with a gallon of water will suffice. Both these substances smell like a predator and will deter the mother squirrel from nesting in the attic. Part of how squirrels can navigate back to your attic is in their odor. This is a spring-loaded door that installs flash on the entrance. There are better forms of squirrel repellents that are less hazardous and potent than mothballs. Look for scattered droppings in and around your attic and roof. Trapping a mother separates it from its young who are unable to fend for themselves. However, using this remedy needs extreme care. If you are sure you have squirrels in your attic, you need to find ways of getting rid of them immediately. You also need to replace your insulation if the animals have been using it to make their nests or contaminated it with their nest, feces or urine. If you do have at least one squirrel confirmed in your attic, you can almost guarantee that eventually there will be more. In case you frequently hear these sounds, you could easily have a squirrel problem in your attic. Wait for at least three weeks so as to make sure that the whole population is gone and then go ahead and seal permanently all the holes, openings and their entry points with steel wire or copper wool. Wait a day or two and inspect the holes. The first line of action is to determine their entry points. If the strange sounds have occurred between the months of March and October, it might even be that a mother came to nurse her newborn squirrels in the attic and out of the elements. Squirrels can carry parasites, such as fleas, ticks, and worms, all of which may carry diseases that could affect your family or pets. Scratching and scampering? However, if you are determined to remove them by yourself, here are steps you can take. Place traps along travelling routes and in the insulation nests. Squirrels are known to dig up holes in your property, eating plants and barks. This entry point should be relatively easy to identify. Any food that the squirrels were eating also needs to be removed, or the squirrels will return. Fighting squirrels in your attic. #5- Squirrel Droppings. Squirrels love the warmth and safety of your attic, so they are unlikely to leave on their own. Above all, check every inch of the walls and ceiling for potential access holes. That material will rot, harbor pests, and could present a fire hazard. In addition, with certain species such as raccoons and squirrels, you must find the nest of baby animals. The first step to getting rid of the squirrels in your attic is to figure out how they are getting access into the home in the first place. Evicting them, assuming that the litter can follow their mother through the exclusion door, may be condemning them to starvation or death by freezing. Generally, squirrels are active during the day, so noises in the evening hours are more likely to come from nocturnal animals like rats and mice. The squirrel family will leave the den and disperse. This may signal other, possibly smaller pests, that your attic is an ideal nesting place. You could also get DIY chemicals from your local hardware shop. Clean the area thoroughly with a disinfectant. Q: I keep hearing noise coming from upstairs and am fairly sure that a family of squirrels has taken up residence in my house. Getting rid of squirrels from the attic is a matter of urgency but can be complicated especially for novices. The chance that the squirrels will find warm shelter and alternative sources of food in time to survive the winter is minimal. Eventually, squirrels can also become a very serious fire hazard if they chew the electric wires. The squirrels can’t chew through this kind of materials. If you have a chimney, invest in a squirrel-proof chimney cap. Disclosure: BobVila.com participates in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for publishers to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. At these times, they are constantly looking for shelter to build their nests. Mothballs are an alternative method used to get rid of squirrels in your home. If the foam or newspaper is disturbed, it’s a sign that you have found the primary access hole. If you can get rid of the squirrels before they make a nest, it will be easier to make sure that you don’t have little ones left when the parents leave to find food. For example, if squirrels get into your attic and chew through the water pipes so that water leaks through the ceiling and damages the carpets and furniture in the room below, then the insurance company should pay up. Please note that these chemicals could be harmful to your family if applied carelessly or mixed incorrectly. However, insurance does usually cover sudden or unexpected damage. Simply spray around the attic and the squirrels will move out, hating the scent. Return to your property to remove the door once the squirrels have gone. Squirrels are rodents, and, like all rodents, they love to chew. Don’t be surprised if you find a squirrel darting around the attic. Once the squirrel babies reach four months of age, they are independent. Most often squirrels will have a … However, you could try to deter squirrels humanely by taking a few simple steps. Squirrels are not dangerous, as long as they are left to their own devices. That said, the inspector’s professional liability insurance might compensate you for any repairs that are necessary. The first thing to understand is that you should not try to catch the squirrels. Many times, if squirrels have been living in your attic or walls for a while, there will be droppings and urine to clean up, wires to repair and walls … Once you have noticed squirrel activity in your attic, you do not want to let them leave on their own. In Ontario, wildlife, including squirrels, is protected. Trapping squirrels may be considered as torture because it distresses the animal and exposes it to predators and the elements. At these points, you could install one-way exclusion doors, so that, when they exit your attic, they can’t get back in. There’s a very real danger that fleas could enter your property by hitching a ride on the squirrels in your attic, and before you know it, you have an infestation throughout your home. An exclusion will be necessary after any squirrel or wildlife inhabitation to prevent this situation from happening again. Sure it may have just gotten old, but we find many cases where animals are the cause. More significantly, is the damage they can cause to the exterior of your attic. You could also contact your local pest control service. After you have trapped and successfully removed squirrels from your attic, the dirty work of repairs, exclusion and clean-up will have to be done. So, the easiest way to get squirrels out of your attic is by making it an unfriendly environment for them: Be patient, and try all of the above for three days and nights. Often, squirrels will cause damage to your attic insulation or will chew through your cabling and electrical wires. However, if you attempt to catch or handle a squirrel, you may receive a very nasty bite. There are other pests such as rats or raccoons that might be the issue. If you have squirrels in your attic, always call a wildlife professional to remove these undesirable four-legged squatters safely. Outdoor signs of a squirrel infestation include; Have you heard chewing, pitter patter or rustling in your attic? For one, it is difficult to tell whether the squirrel you excluded has younglings. By reining in their food supply, you’ll eventually send these freeloaders off in search of a more comfortable crash pad. So, although it can be entertaining to watch squirrels’ antics as they scurry around your backyard and leap from branch to branch in your trees, you should never try to catch one, and you certainly don’t want them inside your house. To test if the squirrel has gone, plug the den entrance with a ball of rolled-up newspaper. Always hire a specialist wildlife pest removal contractor to do the work for you. A lot of people use rat traps to trap and kill squirrels, and while it may be effective in … Just because you haven’t seen the litter doesn’t mean it is not there. Although you might try to save money by taking the DIY approach to removing squirrels from your attic, it’s highly recommended that you call a professional wildlife removal firm to do the job. Locate the squirrel nest —If you have a family of squirrels in your attic, look for a nest made of materials like cardboard, leaves, and insulation. Although you are sure that the squirrels are in your ceiling or the attic, yet, … Give them a few days to evacuate before you repair any holes they got through in order to infest the house. Prevent squirrels from entering your attic … You can capture paw prints with the help of a pantry item or two. Likewise, if you have a tree branch that hangs over your roof (or within 8 to 10 feet of it—remember, these little guys are talented jumpers! Spray the repellent around these key locations and all entry points to the room. Check inside — … Squirrels are constantly chewing, and since their teeth are always growing, they have a desire to chomp at hard objects to maintain their sharp and trim. Squirrel feces and urine is considered toxic material and is home to plenty of parasites, bacteria and viruses some of which can be inhaled. You may be able to hear this when you are in the house on the floor below. The commercial live trap is another option; however, it only holds one creature at a time. This is because the smell of the mothballs over time fades and the squirrels will get back. The squirrels are lighter and smaller so there is greater possibility that they will escape from the substandard economy traps. A desperate female squirrel can cause severe damage attempting to break into the attic to reunite with its litter. Common entry points include roof vents, chimneys, dormers, ventilation pipes and soffits. They will be sleeping in their nests which will be tucked away in some dark part of your attic. Once you catch the squirrels, cover the traps with a towel and then drive it at least a few miles away from your home and release them. Lastly, relocating squirrels means that the animals have to find water, food and shelter in an unfamiliar territory. Wear protective clothing including a face mask, rubber gloves, disposable jumpsuit and plastic over your shoes. And if you have a bird feeder in your yard, stop stocking it with squirrel favorites like corn, sunflower seeds, and nuts. Immediately you discover that you have squirrels in your attic, it is essential to get rid of them soon enough. Mothballs are normally placed in the attic to chase squirrels away. Squirrel droppings are a sure sign of a squirrel infestation in your home. If squirrels are frequently running around your fence, utility lines or roof, you could have squirrels in your attic. Send the visitors a strong message by spraying a liquid taste-based repellent on your lawn, soil, and trees to make the yard less inviting, and double down by sprinkling a granular version around the perimeter of your yard to light up the proverbial “No Vacancy” sign. So, if the squirrels entered the attic through no fault of yours, you should seek legal advice about how you can get compensation for the damage. Squirrels very commonly exploit roof intersects to get into a home's attic. Unfortunately, if you have a squirrel infestation in your attic you need to call squirrel removal Toronto immediately because they are likely to chew on anything that they can get a hold of. Learn how to get rid of squirrels in the attic with traps.Traps are a very effective weapon in the war against squirrels in the attic. Mothballs are made of naphthalene and work to remove squirrels from your attic. You agree that BobVila.com may process your data in the manner described by our Privacy Policy. The expert knows where to look for the litter and how to handle it safely so they will be reunited with their mother. Squirrels may seem like cute and cuddly outdoor critters, but these fuzzy little guys can pose serious hazards to homes and buildings. For example, squirrels can gnaw through the insulation around the pipes and chew through Romex plastic coatings down to the bare electrical wires. Place a bright, fire-safe light at the entrance to the den, either inside or outside. Find the point of entry. Over the course of a breeding season, a family of squirrels will generate a huge amount of feces and urine, soaking your insulation and creating a foul odor that will eventually permeate the rooms below. Seal all the holes, gaps and cervices with galvanized steel mesh or metal flashing. They could also get into your attic by chewing trim corners or weak areas that will grant them access into your attic. In California, for example, it’s illegal to trap gray squirrels without a permit. Take steps to plug any holes so that the squirrels can’t return in the future. Also, check for any stains and droppings on the floor of the attic to locate the travelling paths of these critters. A: They might make cuddly cartoon characters and leave your backyard feeling like a magical forest, but squirrels that move into your house are a little less whimsical. Secured to the home’s exterior, these additions can catch squirrels on the way out of the attic for food or, in the case of funnels, allow them to leave but prevent return through the same hole. This includes your electrical wiring, wooden beams and anything else in their vicinity. If it’s February through May or August through October, it’s likely that there are baby squirrels present. Note that wildlife is protected in Ontario and it is illegal to kill, torture, harm or transport wildlife (including squirrels) for more than a kilometre.