Squirrels in attic have gotten the best of me, so far!

[Ken]

I have not used the method I am going to suggest, but it sounds like it MIGHT work.

I read once that placing a shallow pan (or pans) with sides in the attic and pouring ammonia in it will drive varmints from the attic. The idea is to make the surface area large enough to fill the attic with ammonia fumes so that they must exit. Once they leave, you must seal the entry points so that when all the ammonia evaporates they don't return.

[noonenparticular]

Drowning an animal caught in a 'have a heart' trap. That's funny, though I'm guessing the animal will miss the irony.

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[yellowbirddog]

1. Get a new, non-rusty cage trap ( at hardware store) and put sunflower seeds on the trigger plate, not an apple. Place the trap outside. Drown them in a plastic bin of water and dump them in a plastic bag and discard, or just bury them. Squirrels are easy to trap. You can decimate the neighborhood squirrel population in a few weeks. It's by far the easiest way to go. Put dish soap in the water to keep mosquitos from laying eggs. You might also place a rat trap w/ peanut butter in the attic just in case you're hearing rats.
2. I've heard that squirrels tend to be resistant to poisoning because food goes through them too fast.
3. Block attic entries when you get the vermin out. Ammonia vapors will drive most critters out, but take precautions (gloves, eye protection, etc.)

[yellowbirddog]

P.S. Use the cheap, unshelled sunflower seeds.

[Rob]

We had this in our summer house attic once and my dad and our dog did the trick. The dog cornered them and my dad just wore thick gloves and grabbed them and put them back outside. He joked that the babies, after he put them down on the ground ran back to his glove. Anyway, after he thought he got rid of them in the attic, he put moth balls up there just in case and that was a BAD idea. The smell eventually got into the house and that wasn't good.

I think you must close the access hole(s) first or they will keep going back and forth. And when you close the hole(s), use some other type of material than the orig material or they may just chew thru it again especially if they have babies in the attic. If I recall, they tend to be more alive at nite. Probably traps will be best because you don't want them to die just anywhere in the attic. If that happens they may die and you won't find them and the smell may get into the house.

[Ross Richardson]

My dad lived in Arkansas and had a terrible time with squirrels. His home was red wood sided and they chewed right through to gain access. He tired everything to deter them from getting in, chemicals, cats, wire mesh. Nothing worked. He would even sit in the back yard and pick them off with a .22 short rifle. (no comments about Arkansas and rifles). He finally had to put siding on the house when one squirrel ate right through the dry wall in the house.

Ross

Rob wrote:

[Stormin Mormon]

Trapping squirrels in the attic is like trying to bail the ocean by moving buckets of water from one side of the boat to the other.