Squirrels in attic

[brokenknee]

Any advice on removing a red squirrel from the attic.

The wife heard something in the attic the other night, I went up to investigate and did see a small red squirrel up there. It is most likely the one that was in the chicken coop earlier this fall.

I do have a live trap set up with peanut butter for bait, but so far no luck (it has been less that 24 hours). I am thinking about buying some rat traps and see if that will work. I think/hope it is only the one squirrel up there.

I did search the net and have seen different ideas, funny thing is one person swears by this, were another says don't waste your time/money trying it. Hoping to hear what others on here have tried that has worked.

 

[Rustyferrious]

I had to catch a squirrel in our attic before. Used a live trap and peanut butter. Took a few days. There's a lot of nuts out there this fall so they are not real hungry. They can cause a lot of damage.

Magic takes care of them now.....

 

[brokenknee]

I had to catch a squirrel in our attic before. Used a live trap and peanut butter. Took a few days. There's a lot of nuts out there this fall so they are not real hungry. They can cause a lot of damage.

Magic takes care of them now.....

View attachment 446629

And Magic is your dog? We just have a little yapper dog, I am sure it would take car of the squirrels, but unfortunately it would also take care of our chickens if left outside not on his leash.

Yes I am concerned out the damage, especially to the electrical wires.

 

[Rustyferrious]

And Magic is your dog? We just have a little yapper dog, I am sure it would take car of the squirrels, but unfortunately it would also take care of our chickens if left outside not on his leash.

Yes I am concerned out the damage, especially to the electrical wires.

Magic is the red-headed tri fluffy on the left. Dragon is the red & white on the right. Magic is the fastest corgi on four little short legs that I have ever seen. Dragon is an excellent chicken herder. He takes that job very seriously. Magic is not the best chicken herder, but he's great at keeping down the squirrel and chipmunk population.

 

[95XL883]

You need to do two things. First get it out. Second seal where it got in. For getting it out, a live trap with peanut butter as bait, moth balls throughout the attic, or "feed" it "Just One Bite" bars. There is a small chance it will die in the attic from the JOB, but I have used a lot of it in the past and only once found a dead one in the yard. Note, the JOB is not an option if you have a cat or dog, especially dogs. The active poison in it will cause a dog too bleed to death internally unless medicated with prescription Vitamin K-1.

I have a lot of squirrels in the yard and if I don't periodically reduce their numbers they will get into the house. the JOB is the most effective solution I have found but it has a risk. in my experience, live traps go through stages where they work well then don't. If you are not willing to kill the squirrel or take it far away, (I used 5 miles as a minimum. Supposedly they find their way back if they aren't taken far away. I wasn't going to take a chance.) be prepared for a long battle. I have only seen mothballs used once but it was very effective.

Okay, story time. #1 I was having a great run of trapping, sometimes catching two or three a day, then disaster struck. A soft hearted neighbor let one squirrel go. It took a year before the trap worked again. The neighbor and I had a few words but they were totally unsympathetic to the damage. It was during this year, that I found the JOB. (I get it through Amazon now as few stores carry it locally and charge a lot more than Amazon.)

#2. Once when releasing a squirrel, it bounded out five feet and turned to "yell" at me. It continued until I yelled at it.

More later.
Good luck.

 

[check]

Those old Victor wooden rat traps are not that sensitive, so tie an unshelled peanut to it with a thread. Works great!

 

[brokenknee]

I am pretty sure I sealed off were it was getting in, I used some old sheet metal I had lying around and screwed it over the hole it chewed to get in. I think I will get another live trap and put it out along with the rat traps. I need to get it out before it does any/anymore damage. Not sure if it has damaged anything yet or not, hope not.

When I sealed off the hole I was hoping it had already left for the day looking for food, but no such luck. I thought about taking off the sheet metal but didn't want him/her bringing any of his buddies in to party.

 

[brokenknee]

You need to do two things. First get it out. Second seal where it got in. For getting it out, a live trap with peanut butter as bait, moth balls throughout the attic, or "feed" it "Just One Bite" bars. There is a small chance it will die in the attic from the JOB, but I have used a lot of it in the past and only once found a dead one in the yard. Note, the JOB is not an option if you have a cat or dog, especially dogs. The active poison in it will cause a dog too bleed to death internally unless medicated with prescription Vitamin K-1.

I have a lot of squirrels in the yard and if I don't periodically reduce their numbers they will get into the house. the JOB is the most effective solution I have found but it has a risk. in my experience, live traps go through stages where they work well then don't. If you are not willing to kill the squirrel or take it far away, (I used 5 miles as a minimum. Supposedly they find their way back if they aren't taken far away. I wasn't going to take a chance.) be prepared for a long battle. I have only seen mothballs used once but it was very effective.

Okay, story time. #1 I was having a great run of trapping, sometimes catching two or three a day, then disaster struck. A soft hearted neighbor let one squirrel go. It took a year before the trap worked again. The neighbor and I had a few words but they were totally unsympathetic to the damage. It was during this year, that I found the JOB. (I get it through Amazon now as few stores carry it locally and charge a lot more than Amazon.)

#2. Once when releasing a squirrel, it bounded out five feet and turned to "yell" at me. It continued until I yelled at it.

More later.
Good luck.

I don't think I would want the thing dying in my attic then stinking up the place. I don't worry about the dog as we keep him tied up when outside. I do think however the chickens would peck at him if they found him. I let my chickens free range.

I have no intention of releasing the squirrel, I plan to give it a "bath" in the pond or possibly a little lead from a 22.

 

[check]

I am pretty sure I sealed off were it was getting in, I used some old sheet metal I had lying around and screwed it over the hole it chewed to get in. I think I will get another live trap and put it out along with the rat traps. I need to get it out before it does any/anymore damage. Not sure if it has damaged anything yet or not, hope not. When I sealed off the hole I was hoping it had already left for the day looking for food, but no such luck. I thought about taking off the sheet metal but didn't want him/her bringing any of his buddies in to party.

I had a whole family in my attic, and I was able to trap the two parents, and then I sealed up the hole where they got in. The little ones immediately began trying to chew their way out, so I let them go at it for a little while, and then I made a little small opening again, and they all immediately escaped. Then, I sealed up the whole again, and have not seen anything since!

 

[Garycw]

The live trap should catch it eventually. Maybe up the anti with some popcorn. They can do lots of damage. When one gets in and has babies, it's a family affair after the babies grow up and come back to raise there families too. Just be glad it's not a raccoon. They will pry themselves out of the tsc live traps easily. I had one spring the trial 6 times and got away quick, before I could run up the stairs