squirrels- not in attic yet

[Bonnie Jean]

Good morning everyone

I have a few squirrels trying to build a nest in a nook on the outside of my home, at attic level. So far they have been unsuccessful although they have done a bit of damage to one of my American Holly trees. Their attempts have blown down thus far, and it appears they have not gotten inside my attic. I am sure that if they wanted to get inside the attic, the could. I noticed this morning that there is a nest about 20 feet from the house in another Holly tree.

So my question is, should I do anything, or really, could I do anything about this?

In a related question, there is some damage to a soffit vent made by squirrels a few years ago. Who would have the expertise to fix or replace the vent? In other words, what would I look up in the Yellow pages, or local paper, to find a person to fix it?

Thanks, Bonnie

[tbasc]

As far as the squirrels, there's not much one can do but keep an eye out for damage to the house. I'm interested to know what damage you think they have done to your tree.

A carpenter could probably fix the damage to your soffit vent. Make sure you have recommendations and check them. Before work starts, have a written description of the work and a price. If the carpenter won't write down what's to be done, you write it and have him sign it.

TB

[trader4]

If there's a easy way to temporarily put something in the area they are trying to build a nest in, I would do that. Something like chicken wire might work in a nook. Also, if you see them in that area, use the garden hose on them. This is like warfare, you want to stop the invasion whent they are trying to land on the beaches, not when they are in your house!

[newsgroups01REMOVEME]

IMHO:

Having squirrels that close to your house, and not inside, is kinda good for deterring other squirrels from moving in. Squirrels are mildly territorial, and might chase off any other nest-builders in the immediate area.

So, don't mess with them.

later,

tom @

[Joseph Meehan]

If they have a nest 20 foot away, that is good, for now. It means they have a nest. The bigger problem is what may happen in the spring when they are looking for a place for the little ones. You attic may look better to them then.

I don't know what you can do until they start trying to get in the attic. One suggestion is to make sure there are no trees or limbs close enough to your house that they can jump to the roof.

Just about anyone with a ladder can handle the fix, but you want one who has paid up worker's comp insurance. A roofing company that is not doing too much right now and might offer you a good price especially if you tell them they can come anytime in the next few months so they can just do it when they are in the area. I find it is a good idea to find them working on a job close by and I often get a job like that done cheap. The last one was done for a couple cans of cold pop.

[f/256]

:-)

[Norminn]

Soffit vents can be a very easy job for homeowners, depending on how high up you can/want to go and how accessible it is. Go down to a box store and shop around to familiarize yourself with materials and find a good, general DIY repair book. Even with someone else doing the work, you should be familiar with materials and methods.

As far as damage to a tree goes, what have they done? If they are chewing bark, there is little you can do. A limb that can be damaged by a squirrel is not likely to be important to the tree.

Look, also, for small openings around eaves, roof, gables, etc, and consider closing them up securely with hardware cloth.

Soffit vents are most commonly strips of aluminum or plastic nailed under the overhand - easy to pull off and replace.

[Eric Tonks]

Squirrels are not that smart to recognize that an open attic is on the other side of solid material. However, they are smart enough to recognize a small opening that they can chew larger to gain access to a possible nest hole. If there is a large space on the other side that they gain access to it is a squirrel bonus.

The problem now that they know what is on the other side, they will make repeated attempts to gain access, even after you have sealed it up. So the real trick/problem is to not let them learn about your attic and soffit spaces. Don't let them find a way that invites them in and they will stay outside. Once they are in, they will want to be in, don't give them a chance.

[Marina]

What kind of squirrels are they? We have a lot of gray squirrels in my yard. They make their nests in the trees and never try to get in the house.

[Joseph Meehan]

Tell that to the gray squirrels around, and on occasion in, my home.

[Bonnie Jean]

Soffit vents are most commonly strips of aluminum or plastic nailed under the overhand - easy to pull off and replace. ______________________

OK, I think I know someone who can do this work.

And to answer a question posed to me, there is an abundance of holly twigs ranging from 4" to a foot, complete with attached leaves, on the ground below this little nook. That's how I know they are using the tree for materials. The damage is minor but if they were considerate, they'd use dead twigs. :-)

The nook appears to be vulnerable to wind, as a couple nesting attempts have blown down...or maybe just knocked down by these fluffy varmints. It's not possible for me to get up in that area to put up hardware cloth.

I appreciate all the advice.

[Camilo]

I'll have to disagree. If you search on my name, you'll find my post on the subject in another recent thread on squirrels. I've just had so much trouble with squirrels (red) over the years, I've come to view them as the same as mice and rats. I don't say this flippantly - but in my experience, at my houses, they end up being destructive pests. So I treat them the same as I would unwanted mice and rats - I simply erradicate them as easily as I can (I shoot them - air gun or whatever). Again, I don't mean to be flip or bloodthirsty, but in my experience, if they're around, they will eventually cause destruction and problems and they just have to be taken care of.

Cam

[newsgroups01REMOVEME]

You were scared by a stuff animal as a child?

:-P

Seriously, not experienced with red squirrels, but the grey here are comical. We have a pair in a tree less than 20 feet in our front yard. If a 'stray' squirel comes around, he's run out of dodge by them.

They help keep my attic free of squirrels.

later,

tom @

[Lar]

:) Good morning everyone :) :) I have a few squirrels trying to build a nest in a nook on the outside of my :) home, at attic level. So far they have been unsuccessful although they have :) done a bit of damage to one of my American Holly trees. Their attempts have :) blown down thus far, and it appears they have not gotten inside my attic. I :) am sure that if they wanted to get inside the attic, the could. I noticed :) this morning that there is a nest about 20 feet from the house in another :) Holly tree. There are bird and squirrel repellants thay you should be able to find at the home depot type stores that you can apply where they are hanging out. It will be applied with a caulk gun, but it can get messy when the temperature gets hot outside so it needs to placed where if it runs it won't be a mess.

:) So my question is, should I do anything, or really, could I do anything :) about this? :) :) In a related question, there is some damage to a soffit vent made by :) squirrels a few years ago. Who would have the expertise to fix or replace :) the vent? In other words, what would I look up in the Yellow pages, or local :) paper, to find a person to fix it? Any handy man or many pest control control companies that do "rodent control" should be able to handle it.

Lar. (to e-mail, get rid of the BUGS!!

Dancing dog is back!