How to Get a Squirrel Out of Your House

You might be surprised to learn that squirrels can start fires by chewing through your house’s electrical wires. These bushy-tailed creatures may be tiny – just 8 to 20 inches long and under 2 pounds – but they can create most important problems once they get inside.

The sight of a squirrel in your house can catch you off guard and drive you crazy. These nimble rodents become active a few hours before dawn. That’s usually the time you’ll hear them moving around your attic or walls. These creatures can carry pathogens like salmonella, though they rarely pass it to humans. The sort of thing i love is that more than 350,000 people have looked for ways to deal with this exact same problem.

This piece will show you quick and humane ways to remove squirrels from your house. We’ll help you spot the signs and teach you to work traps that keep them away. North America has over 200 squirrel species, and gray squirrels rank among the top 100 invasive species according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature. Our practical tips will help you handle any of these unwanted guests.

Identify the Squirrel Problem

You need to know exactly what you’re dealing with before trying to remove a squirrel from your house. Early detection of signs will help you pick the right removal method and protect your property from damage.

Look for signs of a squirrel in the house

Strange noises are usually the first sign that points to a squirrel problem. You’ll hear scurrying, scratching, and chewing sounds, especially at dawn and dusk when squirrels are most active. These creatures make much louder noises than mice or rats because of their bigger size.

Visual evidence includes:

• Damage to your home’s structure, especially chewed insulation, wood, wiring, and duct work
• Nests built from insulation, leaves, twigs, and other materials
• Piles of acorns stored in your attic
• Exterior damage to shingles, eaves, soffits, and rooflines

A strong, unpleasant smell from urine, feces, or a dead squirrel might catch your attention. Squirrel waste can leak through walls and ceilings and leave stains that look like water damage.

Confirm it’s not another rodent

Squirrels belong to the rodent family along with rats and mice. You’ll need to watch carefully to tell them apart. Squirrel droppings are up to 0.5 inches long with rounded ends. Rat droppings are smaller (less than 0.25 inches) and have pointier ends.

The time of day gives you another clue. Squirrels are active during daylight, mostly at dawn and dusk. Rats come out at night. Eastern gray squirrels and fox squirrels move around during the day or twilight hours.

Waste patterns differ too. Rats leave urine pillars and grease marks along their paths. Squirrels tend to keep their droppings in one spot, near where they sleep or eat.

Understand squirrel behavior indoors

Squirrels come into homes to find food, shelter, and nesting spots. They love attics, wall cavities, and chimneys where they can use insulation to build nests. These animals will collect materials like insulation, cardboard, and fabric to make their homes.

Cold weather pushes squirrels to look for warm places. A squirrel that ends up in a living space like a room will try to escape quickly rather than settle in. This helps you plan the best way to get them out.

Female squirrels often choose houses to give birth. They breed in late summer and again in late winter. Baby squirrels might be present if you find an infestation during these times.

Learning these behaviors helps you choose the best way to safely remove squirrels while keeping stress levels low for everyone involved. Now you can move forward with effective and humane removal methods.

Prepare Your Home for Safe Removal

A squirrel has made your house its home. Now you need a solid plan to get it out safely and humanely. The right preparation will help you remove the squirrel while protecting both your property and the animal.

Close off all rooms except one exit

The quickest way to help a squirrel leave is to create a clear escape route. These animals want to leave your home – they just need help finding the way out.

1. Map out the shortest path from the squirrel’s location to an outside door or window
2. Close interior doors along hallways away from this path
3. Block access to rooms, closets, and tight spaces where it might hide
4. Clear the escape route of anything that could scare or disorient the squirrel

You can make your loft or attic less cosy by creating an uncomfortable space. Bright lights work well since squirrels prefer dark, quiet nesting spots. A radio with static noise placed nearby will push the squirrel to look for quieter areas. Regular trips upstairs to make noise will show the squirrel your home is not its safe space anymore.

Remove food and water sources

Squirrels come into homes looking for food, water, and shelter. Getting rid of these attractions is a vital step to encourage them to move out.

• Keep all food in sealed containers, including pet food
• Take down bird feeders near your house or use squirrel-proof models
• Use garbage bins with tight lids to stop foraging
• Clean spills and crumbs right away
• Keep fruits, vegetables, and nuts in pantries or fridges

Bird feeders are the sort of thing squirrels love. Move your feeding stations away from the house for now. Gray squirrels especially love bird tables and will keep coming back if they find food.

Keep pets and children away

Safety comes first during squirrel removal. You need to protect both your family and the squirrel throughout this process.

Let everyone at home know what’s happening. Kids might feel curious or scared, so tell them the squirrel feels more frightened than they do and needs space to leave.

Your pets need special care:

• Keep dogs and cats in a safe room or outside
• Move pet beds, toys, and food bowls away from squirrel-accessible areas
• Think about moving sensitive pets like birds somewhere else
• Cover pet cages with blankets to protect them and keep them calm if you can’t move them

Deterrents like ammonia-soaked cloths or commercial repellents can harm pets and children. Store these items where they can’t reach them.

Note that squirrels might attack if they feel trapped or scared. Wear protective gear like gloves and safety glasses when you work near possible squirrel areas.

These preparations set you up to start the actual removal process. You can now focus on humane methods that will encourage the squirrel to leave on its own.

Quick & Humane Ways to Get a Squirrel Out

Your home is ready, and now you need to encourage your unwanted guest to leave. With some patience and the right strategy, you can remove a squirrel safely without causing harm to either of you.

Use light and sound to encourage exit

Research shows mixed results about light’s effectiveness in squirrel removal. Setting up bright lights might help in some cases, especially when you’re dealing with a single squirrel rather than a mother with babies. You can set up temporary lighting, use a flashlight, or place a standing lamp in your attic or loft. Point it directly at the squirrel’s nest if you’ve found it.

Sound and light work better together. Put a small radio in the area and keep the volume at a moderate level—just enough to be heard throughout the space. Squirrels don’t like disturbances, so this combination might convince them to look for quieter places to live.

Note that many wildlife experts say bright lights and sound aren’t as effective as they used to be. One source puts it simply: “Squirrels have associated humans with food… The sound of humans no longer scares these animals”. These methods work best when combined with other approaches rather than using them alone.

Try scent deterrents like vinegar or predator urine

A squirrel’s powerful nose helps it avoid strong odors. Here are some effective scent deterrents:

• White vinegar: Create a 50-50 solution with water and spray it around entry points and active areas
• Peppermint oil: Place soaked cotton balls near entrances and common areas
• Cayenne pepper or chili powder: Sprinkle around possible entry points
• Garlic: Leave crushed garlic in small bags where squirrels appear
• Predator urine: Fox scent will scare squirrels away from treated areas

These scents need regular reapplication to work well, especially after rain or in humid weather. Vinegar and essential oils make better choices for indoor use since they won’t leave lasting unpleasant smells for humans.

Guide the squirrel toward an open window or door

After applying deterrents, create a clear path to freedom. In stark comparison to this common belief, a squirrel in an inhabited space wants to escape—not make itself comfortable.

Keep the escape route clear that you prepared earlier. Use a mix of deterrents to gently guide the squirrel toward the exit point. Move slowly and think over each step to avoid scaring the animal into hiding.

Put scent deterrents behind the squirrel and light sources near the exit to guide its movement. This process needs patience—rushing could make the squirrel panic and retreat deeper into your home.

Keep a safe distance from the squirrel throughout this process. These animals usually avoid confrontation, but they might defend themselves if they feel trapped or scared.

How to Catch a Squirrel if It Won’t Leave

Squirrels can be stubborn creatures that stick around even after you’ve tried every passive removal trick in the book. A humane live trap might be your best bet at this point. This approach lets you catch and move the squirrel safely without any harm.

Set a humane live trap with peanut butter

Success depends on picking the right trap and bait. Get a wire cage trap made just for squirrels—you’ll want one that’s 16-20 inches long with a spring-loaded door. These traps catch the squirrel without hurting it.

For the best results:

1. Put the trap next to walls or where squirrels often run
2. Make sure it sits on something flat and stable
3. Pick a spot where the squirrel feels safe (avoid open spaces)
4. Keep traps out of direct sunlight, especially during summer

Your choice of bait makes a huge difference. Peanut butter works like magic because squirrels can’t resist its strong smell. Just put a teaspoon on the trigger plate. You could also use nuts, seeds, or apple slices if needed.

Check the trap frequently

Keeping an eye on your trap is vital. Take a look at least twice a day—once in the morning and again at night. Regular checks help prevent trapped animals from getting too stressed and let you reset empty traps right away.

A trapped squirrel gets stressed out fast and can quickly become dehydrated in warm weather. They might not survive if left too long, particularly in direct sun or extreme temperatures.

Kids and pets should stay away from the traps. After you catch a squirrel, drape a light cloth over the trap to help keep it calm until release time.

Release the squirrel safely outside

Once you’ve caught the squirrel, plan to release it right away. Move the trap gently and quietly to avoid stressing out your catch. Pick a good spot at least 5 miles from your house to stop it from coming back—a wooded area with plenty of food and shelter works best.

Put on protective gloves before the release since scared squirrels might try to bite or scratch. Set the trap on level ground, stand behind it, and use a long stick to open the door if possible. Let the squirrel leave when it’s ready without forcing it out.

The job might be better left to experts if trapping doesn’t work out or if you don’t feel comfortable handling wildlife. Look for a professional wildlife removal service that uses humane methods.

Seal Entry Points and Prevent Future Visits

You’ve managed to get the squirrel out of your house. Now comes the crucial part – making sure these nimble climbers don’t make their way back in. Let’s look at some proven ways to keep them out for good.

Inspect for holes, vents, and cracks

Getting a full picture of your home’s exterior helps identify all possible entry points. Look carefully at:

• Roof gaps and damaged shingles
• Uncapped chimneys and unprotected vents
• Gaps in eaves, soffits, and fascia boards
• Foundation cracks and holes in siding
• Areas where cables or pipes enter your home

Note that squirrels can squeeze through tiny spaces, so even small openings need your attention.

Use mesh or caulk to seal gaps

The right materials make all the difference when sealing openings. Galvanized steel wire mesh (16 gage with no more than 25mm openings) works best for bigger gaps. Smaller openings need tightly wedged metal plates or quality caulk to keep squirrels out.

Make sure no squirrels are trapped inside before you seal any holes. These creatures pack surprising strength and determination—they’ll easily push out any materials that aren’t properly secured. To cite an instance, see how loose mesh becomes an easy target for squirrels to pull away.

Trim tree branches near the house

Your home becomes less accessible to squirrels when you create a physical barrier between trees and your house. Cut back branches that hang over your roof or come within 8 feet of your house. Squirrels won’t be able to jump onto your roof from this distance.

The space between neighboring trees needs attention too. This stops squirrels from moving through your yard’s canopy. Valuable trees might need close-fitting metal sleeves (at least 0.75m deep) with the bottom edge 1.5m from the ground.

Avoid feeding squirrels or leaving food outside

Your property becomes less inviting when you remove all potential food sources. Use trash bins with tight-fitting lids, clean up fallen fruit right away, and keep pet food inside. Bird feeders attract squirrels naturally—either take them down or switch to squirrel-proof models.

A properly sealed home without food sources sends a clear message to squirrels. They’ll likely move on to find shelter somewhere else.

Our Final Say!

Squirrel invasions need patience, understanding, and the right approach to handle. We’ve explored ways to safely remove these bushy-tailed visitors from your home without causing harm. These creatures enter our houses to find food, shelter, and nesting spaces—not to cause trouble.

Without doubt, prevention works best against future invasions. Once you’ve removed a squirrel, seal all potential entry points with durable materials like steel mesh right away. On top of that, it helps to trim tree branches that give easy access to your roof.

Start with gentle encouragement when you find a squirrel indoors. Move on to deterrents and then humane trapping if needed. The most crucial step is checking for babies before sealing entry points, especially during breeding seasons. Separating mother squirrels from their young leads to unnecessary suffering.

Wildlife situations can feel overwhelming. The methods we discussed are practical solutions that protect both your home and the squirrel’s wellbeing. So you can keep your home squirrel-free without harmful techniques or expensive professional services in most cases.

Regular home inspections help spot potential entry points before squirrels find them. This watchfulness saves substantial time, money, and stress. Check especially after storms or strong winds that might damage exterior surfaces. This approach, combined with removing food sources around your property, makes your home nowhere near as appealing to these persistent but fascinating creatures.

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