Squirrels in Attic Vent

[HaroldWho]

Even after cutting down trees near my house, I've got a squirrel building a nest in an attic vent on the roof. The little devil just climbs up the stucco chimney!

The vent has screen mesh at the bottom, so they don't get into the attic itself, but I'm stumped for a control method. Trap at the base of the chimney? Poison? I hate to put squirrel goodies so near the house and attract yet more of the pests.

Ideas?

HW

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[Joseph Meehan]

I would suggest trap near by. They may not be in now, but in the spring when they want more room for the family, they are likely to chew their way in.

[Phisherman]

When I had squirrels in the attic I used rat poison and put hardware cloth over the openings. The squirrels had chewed through the side vents, did some serious damage to the vent, and partied in the attic. They destroyed leather golf covers and golf bag.

[Lar]

Probably go with the live traps at the base of the chimney to try to reduce the local population. Peanut butter or the dried corn on the cob works well. might prebait with the trap set not to close for a day or two to let them feed unharassed. Some models of the traps have a small hole on the trigger panel, or you can drill one yourself where you can run a wood screw through the hole and screw on the cob piece where the extra effort in the cage will trigger the trap.

Lar

[hallerb]

you must drive them out and armor the vent so they cant get back in.

poision sounds fine till they climb in their nest and die, smelling up your home bad.

the key is preventing their entry

[HeyBub]

Be aware that, legally, squirrels are "game animals" and come under the protection of your state game and fish and wildlife department. That means you need a licence to "hunt" them and may only use certain approved methods during certain times of the year ("squirrel season").

It's not all bad, though. Damage by squirrels should be covered by your homeowners insurance inasmuch as they are not "nusiance rodents," but "game animals."

[Steve]

I knew someone once that had squirrels in their attic.

Eventually, they were committed to a psychiatric facility.

On Sat, 13 Jan 2007 17:50:16 -0500, "Joseph Meehan" =

put together some random words that came up with:

[Malcolm Hoar]

There are psychiatric facilities for squirrels?

I think you're nuts!

[Andy & Carol]

Get some rat traps, yes they have to go! They ate my wiring in the attic, and almost burned my house down! Thank God the breaker tripped! Bait the trap with peanut butter..they like Jif. I caught 3 in 2 hrs.

[Lar]

It can probably differ in other states but in Texas, hunting is the only legal means one can kill a squirrel so laws governing fire arm usage in cities/towns come to play so the home owner has to either contact the mayor's office if in a town or the county judge in rural areas, they in turn have to contact the wild life department to have the situation looked at and then they send out someone to determine if lethal means is in order. All that said I have yet to talk to a wildlife official or animal control personnel that has a problem of a homeowner doing away with any problem squirrel.

the insurance industry classifies squirrel damage as from "bothersome rodents" ... don't think I can recall anyone being covered for structural damage other than having a clause covering specific damage caused by the rodents

Lar

[jackson]

Try the squirrel overpopulation control device found here: