Squirrels in the attic!

Patrice Lemée

Patrice Lemée

Joined
Aug 13, 2002
Messages
5,703
Noticed a bent soffit yesterday when I was cleaning some snow off of the roof.



Only thing I can think of doing this around here are squirrels. I hate squirrels. :mad:
So first thing first I cut part of the cedars that are the only access points to the roof.



Went about 3 feet from the roof. I know squirrels can jump like crazy but usually down to something right? I am hoping that this will be enough to convince them to move. If not I have to move to either electronic deterrent or a cage to catch them. Did I mention I hate squirrels. :mad:

What do you guys think?

Pat
 
When I had squirrels in the attic they were quite a noisy nuisance... especially in the kitchen. It was unnerving. My wife and I could think of nothing but the fact that feces were piling up in the ceiling above where we prepared food. Mind you, at the time we thought they were rats...but there is very little difference between squirrels and rats when they are in your home.

We ended up putting rat traps baited with peanut butter in the attic. It worked. Turned out there were two (probably a breeding pair, though we didn't check the sexes of the carcasses).

Yes, like you I also took the precautionary step of trimming back ALL the trees that granted rodent access to the roof. So far we haven't had any rodents in the rafters since then. But I will say you definitely don't want to just hope they will go away. That, my friend, would be a very costly mistake.
 
Humane traps are awesome, if you want to go that route. I caught 40 squirrels one summer (in my yard, not attic) with one of these traps. Then relocate the squirrels to the wooded area of your choice. Warning: depriving them of their freedom will make them grumpy. Or combine their cast iron pan drippings with flour, milk, salt and pepper for some awesome squirrel gravy.
 
Relocate ?? Mostly a myth as they usually return unless taken FAR away.
 
I thought it was funny. When I told the woman running the store that sold rodent extermination supplies that I had killed two squirrels, she turned pale and squeamish. You'd think I told her I killed her pet poodle.
 
mete said:
Mostly a myth as they usually return unless taken FAR away.
Click to expand...

You've tagged and tracked them to confirm this? I may be a squirrel-racist for saying this, but they all look alike to me.

Maybe the squirrels that are "returning" are just adjacent populations moving in to fill the void. "In mathematics, the Poincaré recurrence theorem states that certain systems will, after a sufficiently long but finite time, return to a state very close to the initial state." Link.

Squirrels and advanced mathematical theory. Who knew.

funny-fighting-squirrels-01_zps6154ae3e.jpg

Which one "returned" and which one is new? You be the judge.
 
The one on the right has shifty eyes. I don't trust him. Where's my peanut butter...

By the way, they don't all look alike. Around here native squirrels are small and brown. Gray squirrels are pushing out the native population. Anything I can do to reduce the number of grays is okay by me.
 
They can cause trouble! Around here we have Fox, Gray, and Red (pine) squirrels.
Seems like few Fox squirrels anymore, a lot of Grays, and few Reds. The Reds are
as bad as weasels and wreak havoc on songbirds. The grays are some of the best
eating on the planet. Oh yeah they they don't come on pink or yellow plastic from
the grocery store.
Ken.
 
You don't want them in your house, not only will they pee and poop, but they pose a fire hazard by chewing on electrical wires and they will destroy the insulation. They were getting in here and I controlled them with the .22 and rat traps for years. It got worse as the wooden siding aged and last year I had the contractor install new vinyl siding, hard board insulation and aluminum soffits and facia. The problem is gone and so are the mouse issues. The squirrels made a mess by building nests up in the soffits and the contractor removed wheelbarrow loads of nesting materials. Gone is the odd smell that was coming from the nests that were removed.

It was interesting observing the evicted squirrels sitting close by on the trees while the contractors worked on the house. They held still and had a look of shock, with time they moved on. Problem solved.
 
The only place they should be "relocated" to is a frying pan or stew pot.

I hate squirrels. Kill them with fire!

Wait... on second thought, traps may be a better idea.
 
I forgot to mention, the rodents in our house (squirrels) also did destroy the under floor insulation. Cost thousands to get that cleaned up and to have the exclusion work done on those spaces. I have no way of knowing what they did above the kitchen. That space is all but inaccessible. I'd have to cut a hole in the light fixture recess to get into that area.
 
Thanks guys, I will investigate more aggressively then. Don't have a .22 and even if I did I could not shoot it here. Relocating might be the only option.
I don't think raccoons Stacy since I don't see them around here during winter.
 
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Before doing anything aggressive, you might want to find out what type of squirrel you are dealing with and check your states conservation laws.
In some areas certain types of squirrel are on the endangered list and you might cause yourself legal issues if you kill them.
 
Karda, I did not use aggressive in the way of killing the buggers. Forget legal issues, I'd be in much more trouble with something even worse, The One Who Must Be Obeyed. ;) But I appreciate the heads up though.

I just took a look up there and I don't have easy access to where they possibly entered but there is an opening and I can't hear anything. Not sure if I would. The chase continues!
 
I'm a little relieved, when I read the title I thought your were referencing your mental state again.:D

Just remember Squirrels are just rats with better wardrobes, dang good with dupmlings and gravy.

Stan
 
The first one of ya's trying to get outa here to warn that squirrel gets his hide blown off. Say yer prayers, varmint, cuz I'm comin' in after ya.
 
We too have a critter living in our ceiling! Probably a squirrel, or perhaps a rat. It is between the main and second floor, seems like it only has access to one joist bay... Still haven't found where it is getting in :confused: We hear it running around up there above our kitchen, the thing sounds huge! I will be investigating further this weekend.


Have you actually heard or seen the critters patrice? Like you said squirrels are extremely good climbers and jumpers, if they want to get on your roof they will. Even if you cut your trees all the way down I think they would find a way to get up. Only option is probably to trap them and then close up to hole.

good luck!

-mike
 
Just get a dachsund and let him live in the attic. They are great for controlling rat populations so why not squirrels.
rat%2Bdog.jpg


Or maybe a Rat Terrier
205_0555.JPG


Just be careful that things don't get out of hand or you could end up with a bunch of these in your attic.
at-some-point-a-dog-and-squirrel-have-done-something-very-wrong--1.jpg
 
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Raccoons don't need trees to get in your attic. This was outside my house one night, took me a year to get rid of them all.

BTW I live in the woods, we don't relocate varmints, 'less we relocate them to a cast iron skillet. ;):)


2007_07130047a.jpg
 
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