Are you fed up of Squirrels? We have got some simple and easy methods to get rid of squirrels. That noise of continuous buzzing of bells coming from your backyard or garden is nothing else but the evidence that squirrel guests have arrived for a long stay. These small rodents alike fussy animals may seem very cute and furry but, can create a mess all over your place if their activities are not controlled as soon as you evidence their presence. America is a home for various species of squirrels and the main is the suburb-savvy gray squirrels that give gardeners and bird feeders a great grief. This is the reason gardeners always fetch for various ways and methods that can help them to get rid of squirrels and scaring them away from their houses.
Know More About Squirrels:
Weighing from an average of 16-24 ounces and 8-11 inches in length, these common gray squirrels are the one’s causing damage to your house, garden or backyards. Their color varies from gray, tan or light to darker shades of brown. The tail also measures same as the body of about 8-10 inches and make sounds like CRRKCRRK similar to the buzzing bells. They are expert climbers, run all over your garden and on the trees or can also be encountered in the backyard in search of food. Squirrels make small burrows in the landscape yards and store foods and other items that are sneaked in from your own cupboard or maybe wardrobe. This is their underground pantry, to store food and their winter warehouse as well. Squirrels are mostly active during autumns and do not hibernate during winters but may lie low during the cold spells. Because of these frenzied activities, they make your place a personal hotspot for their unwanted messes and can even drive you nuts.
Squirrels have a very strong sense of smell which is responsible for the pilfering of bulbs in your garden. They often dig freshly planted bulbs either to feed on them or just for fun. Sometimes they even use the bulb hole as their food pantry. Squirrels also use their strong senses to fetch food for themselves that includes hidden nuts and berries. Being very persistent in nature, they do not stop fussing until they accomplish the desired task and almost chew up everything that comes in their way. This includes cables and wires, wooden furniture, cushions, pillows, bed covers and even mattresses. Squirrels are experts in stealing food from your house and yanking on window boxes. Plucking cherry tomatoes from the vines and stripping apples from the trees like professional pickers is on their daily to-do list under your nose. They scamper all over the electric cables and sometimes electrocute and die.
Similar to rats and rodents, even squirrels have to say goodbye as soon as possible before they get you into some big trouble. Since squirrels spend most of their time in gathering food in order to survive the day and to store it for future so the best way to trap them is food.
Methods to Get Rid of Squirrels
1.) Remove All Squirrel Attractions
The sights of fallen seeds, fruits, and scattered nuts lure the squirrels to attack your garden and feed on them. So, frequent cleaning of your garden is very much necessary to avoid these unwanted visitors. Also, make sure that the trash cans are tightly sealed to avoid squirrels finding treats in the garbage. As a result of which there will be nothing left for them to get attracted and you will easily get rid of them.
2.) Use Squirrel Repellents
You can use natural squirrel repellents like capsicum oil, cayenne pepper oil, peppermint oil and vinegar. These are some of the ingredients that do not cause any harm to the fuzzy animals and at the same time discourage their entry at your place. Therefore, helping you to get rid of squirrels.
- You can spray these ingredients to the places where squirrels gather the most.
- Use spray bottles, but, do not spray on the fruits and vegetables that you consume.
- Re-apply the sprays to the sites as many times as needed or after every rain showers for effective results.
- Many gardeners have reported success using these natural ingredients brews.
3.) Feed Them Intentionally
You can also distract Squirrels from attacking your edible crops and planting beds by setting up a food station especially for them. Gather some fruits, nuts, and other squirrel luring baits to a place far away from the places where you do not want squirrel invasion.
Other unwanted visitors are also attracted by this method so be cautious before they plunge on.
4.) Squirrel Chasers
Pets in your house can help you with this by scaring away squirrels to enter your garden or inside the house. You can train your pets to chase these pesky critters and scare them away. If you don’t have a pet, then you can get one for your house. Your pets can easily scare them away and help to get rid of squirrels.
You can also to buy the vials of predators pee like wolves or tigers. Place them in your backyard or gardens as the smell terrifies squirrels and other animals like deer and rabbits and this avoids them settle at your place and create a mess.
Re-apply the chosen method after every rain shower so that it does not get any less effective in scaring the away these animals.
5.) Keep the Place Noisy
No one is present 24*7 in the garden area or backyards to keep a check on the squirrels from entering the area. So it is better to keep the place noisy even without your presence. This will easily scare them away without any fuss and will eventually help you to get rid of squirrels.
- You can also insert pinwheels or hang old CD’s. Recycled aluminum tin cans can also work well to keep the place noisy and these pesky animals at bay.
- It will help until the small bulbs and plants have grown up into mature trees. Eventually making the squirrels lose interest and won’t trespass the area anymore.
6.) Fencing the Area to Get Rid of Squirrels
- You can also put a fence around the area that you need to protect from squirrels and other pesky animals. Netting the area also gives better results as it provides full coverage, allowing no possible places to escape.
- Alternatively, you can also prepare a Greenhouse for such plants that you want to protect from pesky animals.
DIY Trap to Get Rid of Squirrels
Step 1. Things That You May Need
- 3 pieces of PVC plastic drainage pipes with 4 inches each in diameter, 2 feet each in length.
- 1 PVC 45 degree elbow, 4 inches in diameter.
- 1 piece clean-out the plug, 4 inches in diameter.
- A PVC Adapter fitting, 4 inches in diameter, (threaded on one end).
- 1 PVC Coupling Fitting, 4 inches in diameter.
- 1 PVC pipe cap, 4 inches in diameter.
- 2 machine screws, zinc or stainless steel, a 1/4th inch in diameter and 1-inch length and 4 nuts for the screws.
- 2 wing nuts for the above screws.
- An adjustable 2-foot bungee cord.
- A can of spray cooking oil.
- Squirrel baits like nuts, fruits, cherry tomatoes, peanut butter, etc. (any one or two items are enough not all).
Step 2. Making Holes in the Pipes
- Take one of the 2-foot pipes and using a power drilling machine, make multiple holes of 1/4th diameter each.
- Puncture the holes in a straight line on one side of the chosen pipe.
- This will be the base of the trap.
- Now take the second 2 foot pipe and drill two holes of a 1/4th inch in diameter placed directly facing each other (which means on the opposite sides) at the distance of 2 inches from the end of the pipe.
- This will be the top of the trap.
Step 3. Assemble the Base
- Now, attach the adapter fitted to one side of the base pipe and screw the clean out the plug to the threaded side of the adapter.
- Attach the 45-degree elbow to the other end of the pipe. Remember to avoid using any glue or adhesives for the pipes.
Step 4. Assemble the Top
- Tight the screw carefully to the holes in the pipe that is the top part of your trap. The threaded sides of the screw facing outside the pipe that inserts the screw from the inside of the pipe.
- Now, screw 2 nuts on the threaded sides of the screw followed by the wing screws on each side.
- Attach the coupling fitting to the other part of the top which doesn’t have any holes.
Step 5. Assemble the Trap and Place the Bait
- Smear some peanut butter or place the baits inside the base pipe.
- Now, enter one end of the top pipe to the coupling attachment and fix it.
- Insert the remaining end into the elbow attached to the base pipe.
- Spray some cooking oil inside the top pipe to keep the squirrels from escaping once they enter the base of the trap.
Step 6. Installing the Trap
- Select a place, possibly near a tree if you have one.
- Now, place the trap next to the tree with the base on the ground looking similar to a hockey stick.
- Secure the top pipe to the trunk using a bungee cord to keep it from falling.
- Place bricks beside the base pipe to keep it from moving or displacing.
- Wait for the squirrel to sniff the bait and get inside. Once it is inside, seal the top with tape or simply place your hand as the oil will keep the squirrel from reaching the top.
- Take it to some other place, away from your area. Release the plug for the squirrel to come out.
- Therefore making this trap an effective remedy to help you get rid of squirrels easily.