Pest control suggestions for squirrel activity?

Keith Quistorff · **Posted:** Wed Nov 18, 2009 11:45 am

I have what I'm sure must be a squirrel (I haven't seen him, just heard him) showing up on my roof above my bedroom most mornings at or before dawn, and the noise he's making is driving me crazy. He seems to be chewing and/or working on something, and the resulting noise is directly above my head.

I've tried opening the nearby bedroom window and banging on the shutters, shouting, even banging the rain gutter (within a couple feet of the noise) with a pole - these used to deter him temporarily but more recently haven't worked - he basically ignores me now and goes about his business. If I had a pellet gun, I'd try to shoot him, but even then I'd have to stand quite a long distance away on the ground to get a clear shot at that part of my roof, not sure I'm that good a shot.

I'm thinking my only reasonable option is to call in some type of pest control service, although this sounds like it's going to be expensive. Anyone have any other suggestions and/or recommendations for a good local (and reasonable cost) pest control service?

Chris Brown · **Posted:** Wed Nov 18, 2009 12:26 pm

dang, if you can hear a squirrel chewing, you are a damn light sleeper ;-)

.

seriously, not sure what pest control could do about it. if you were planning on shooting the little guy anyway, how about tossing some rat poison up on the roof.

if you want to go a little more PETA friendly, use moth balls but you'd have to figure out a way to keep'm from blowing away.

Vincent Keene · **Posted:** Wed Nov 18, 2009 12:39 pm

Chris Brown wrote:

dang, if you can hear a squirrel chewing, you are a damn light sleeper ;-)

.

I was thinking the same thing. Keith must have a bionic ear!

WalterHouston · **Posted:** Wed Nov 18, 2009 1:22 pm

You want to make sure they aren't getting into your attic to nest for the winter.
Personally, I'd shoot the little SOB, but I have a live trap that would let you catch him and relocate him to a nice wooded area.

It works for rabbits who every spring eat the shoots of the bulbs Helen planted.
Let me know if you want to borrow it.

Patrice Bousquet · **Posted:** Wed Nov 18, 2009 1:31 pm

Time for a good cat. Our Cat is chasing squirrel and rabbit, he got a few of both and that's beside the bird, mice and mole.

Frank Catena · **Joined:** Wed Aug 27, 2003 1:08 pm **Posts:** 418

Two years ago we had them in our attic. After they built their nest I boarded up the gable vent they used to gain access with cement board.
No problem, they gnawed through the wood and CBU to get back in.

Fox urine is supposed to keep them away, apparently works for some. I went to Dick's Sporting Goods looking for fox urine - they didn't have it but offered to sell me a shotgun :-)

They will leave the attic when it gets warm in the spring. Cover your vents with hardware cloth to help keep them away.

Frank

Stephen Westerfield · **Posted:** Wed Nov 18, 2009 1:44 pm

Try putting some rubber snakes on your roof.

Bernie Baake · **Posted:** Wed Nov 18, 2009 2:32 pm

Try a twelve gauge shotgun, much cheaper than pest control and it doesn't require you to be a good shot.

Carl Fisher · **Posted:** Wed Nov 18, 2009 2:40 pm

I second Walter's suggestion. If you hear them chewing on something, chances are good they're on your side of the shingles.

Whatever it is may have gotten up inside the eaves, into your attic, or even the space between your roof and ceiling. We had the latter situation, but found where they'd been getting in and I nailed a generously-sized piece of hardware cloth over the hole. It seems to have solved the problem.

I'm not a critter expert, but I'd guess that they won't have any babies in there this time of year, so if you can scare them out before covering the hole you shouldn't be creating a dead (or panicked) critter problem.

Carl Fisher · **Posted:** Wed Nov 18, 2009 2:43 pm

Bernie Baake wrote:

Try a twelve gauge shotgun, much cheaper than pest control and it doesn't require you to be a good shot.

If you use birdshot it's attic-safe, too. Voice of experience.

Keith Quistorff · **Posted:** Wed Nov 18, 2009 2:54 pm

Thanks for all the good info.

Crap! Sounds like they're probably getting inside then, considering I can hear them very clearly, like they're just on the other side of the bedroom drywall. The location couldn't be worse for human access - it's the highest corner of my house, which is 2 stories (with 9 ft. ceilings downstairs) - it's a long way off the ground. Since I'm not comfortable going up on my roof, guess I have no choice but to hire someone that can do this for me.

As for the "shotgun approach", no go on that as it would surely damage the house.* Also, I have an outdoor cat that kills lots of birds, rabbits, etc. - guess he's no match for squirrels, though.

The rat poison might be do'able, I'll have to check if I can somehow get it up on my roof from my bedroom window. Where can you buy rat poison?

*EDIT - just saw Carl's post about birdshot - thanks! Unfortunately, I don't have a shotgun.

DickRasmussen · **Posted:** Wed Nov 18, 2009 9:07 pm

We used Critter Control for some Bats in the loft of our shop. Not cheap but a lot cheaper than repairing damage to house or your body (falling).

Getting the critters out frequently is the easy part. Keeping them out is the hard part. Assuming the house itself is tight for bats the trick to keeping them out is sealing the gable vents with heavier wire mesh (aka hardware cloth with about 1/4 grid spacing). Probably similar solutions with squirrels, etc.

Are you sure you don't have raccoons? They also like houses. We used to get mice who would climb inside walls and run in the space between floors. Traps in accessible places would clear them out until the next one or group found the opening. Finally I found all the ways into the house and no problem since (crossed fingers).

Donnie Barnes · **Posted:** Wed Nov 18, 2009 9:20 pm

Critter Control is pretty good. Note that it's a franchise kind of thing, so a blanket recommendation *may* not be useful, however.

--Donnie

clinehall · **Posted:** Thu Nov 19, 2009 8:26 am

I've seen the snake decoys work really well before. You might also try an owl decoy. Those are the easiest to try.

Speaking of fox urine, I have a problem with Raccoons getting in my trash. Somebody said human urine would keep them away. I want to verify this before I start going out between my driveway and my elderly woman neighbors house and start peeing on a routine basis. I can see it now "But officer, I'm just trying to scare off raccoons." Thoughts?

Jason Mauldin · **Posted:** Thu Nov 19, 2009 8:36 am

Keith Quistorff wrote:

*EDIT - just saw Carl's post about birdshot - thanks! Unfortunately, I don't have a shotgun.

I have one you can borrow. Even have a box of birdshot that you can use up. Just remember the wood is birdshot safe, but any wiring likely will not be.

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Pest control suggestions for squirrel activity?

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