How to get rid of squirrels in Chicago
Squirrels get access to your home through a vulnerable area such as an attic and eaves. They gnaw wood and can enter your home behind roof vents by pushing the screen.
How to get rid of squirrels once they are inside, they ruin insulation with their faeces and urine. They can cause fire by chewing through the wire as the wire looks like the grass that they use to build their nests.
Why and how do squirrels get into your house?
In summer, squirrels live in a leafy nest called a drey. When the weather starts getting colder, squirrels move to live in a tree cavity. The home attic is the great substitution of tree cavities for the squirrels as they have sharp teeth to gnaw their way inside. Squirrels can infest any home, but they prefer older homes constructed with wood and surrounded by large trees and forested areas. They look for shelter and warmth. They can get into your home by chewing through siding, wood and drywall. But if there is already a hole to go through, they will take the easier route.
How to get rid of Squirrels
For some people, squirrels are cute little critters, but they are a nuisance for others. You know how much damage a squirrel can cause. They use their sharp teeth to chew up flowers, roof shingles, siding, patio furniture, electrical wiring in your home and anything they can put their little paws and teeth onto it.
It’s not easy to get rid of squirrels, but you can try a lot of different methods to keep them away from your house.
A squirrel will leave your attic on its own to go in search of food. Wait for them to leave and look for the entry point, and block the entry point as quickly as possible so that it can not get back inside. We are going to go over some of the ways that you can try to get rid of squirrels:
If the Squirrel is trapped accidentally in your house
If the Squirrel has not made its home inside your attic, but it has accidentally been trapped in your house, you can use the following methods:
- Confine the Squirrel in a single room and do not let it go to another part of the house. Open only those Windows and doors that lead to the outside.
- Leave the room for some time in which the Squirrel is trapped. Let it feel safe enough to make its way to escape. Squirrels do not want to live in houses, and they will leave if they think they can do it safely.
- You can also use a humane capture trap, bait it with some peanut butter and capture the Squirrel. Live the captured Squirrel outside of your house in a forested area.
Use these methods with great caution and ensure that all the pets are out of the Squirrel’s way. Squirrels spread diseases that could be passed on to your pets.
People also capture squirrels with heavy blankets and sneak upon them. But this is not the proper way to catch them. This way, they may get hurt or even lose their lives.
How to keep squirrels out of your garden –
Squirrels in your garden can be highly annoying, and what’s more annoying is their habit of taking one bite out of your vegetable and leaving the rest as waste.
Here is how you can keep the Squirrel out of your garden:
- Scatter the dogs and human hairs around the garden. Squirrels do not like humans’ smell and have a fear of dogs. Sprinkle some right on top of problem areas.
- Use citrus fruit peel to keep them away from your garden. Bury the rind of citrus fruit on the top of the soil. It will discourage the squirrels.
- Spices such as garlic powder and cayenne pepper keep squirrels away. Sprinkle these spices in the areas where you do not want squirrels to invade.
- You can also use squirrel repellents to remove the squirrels from any spot. Initially, squirrel repellent works, but squirrels might gradually build up a tolerance.
Squirrels have their place in nature but not in your home. Try the method mentioned above to keep them away. Once they leave your house, cover the hole with solid material so that they can not gnaw it again. To avoid the damage caused by the squirrels in your garden, you need to take action immediately. Keep the Squirrel out of your garden by following the above-discussed methods.
Also, Read “How to get rid of mice“
