Squirrel Control
Peder Hoyum
Identification
Squirrels range in size from 10 grams to 8 kilograms and come in a large variety of colors including brown, rusty red, gray, white, and black. They are easily identifiable with their unique, prone body style and big fluffy tail.
Gray Squirrel
Red Squirrel
Fox Squirrel
Squirrels—what a crazy bunch of animals. So innocent looking with their fluffy tails and their feats of derring-do above our heads in the trees. They can be very destructive and annoying little rodents, especially when it comes to our bird feeders, gardens, and the roofs of our houses. Most common in North America is the grey squirrel (Sciurus carolinensis), the fox squirrel (Sciurus niger), the red squirrel (Tamiasciurus hudsonicus), and lastly, the chipmunk (Tamias striatus). The most rare—and least annoying—is definitely the nocturnal flying squirrel (Glaucomys sabrinus), which I actually have never seen in person. Often the only sign that they live in an area is the uneaten tail remnants left by a family cat on a back porch.
Controlling Squirrels
Use bird feeders wisely. I don't think I am going out on a limb in saying that the main reason squirrels have flourished in urban settings is our propensity for feeding birds. There are several bird feeders that have been designed with controlling squirrels in mind. Make sure the feeder is 15 to 20 feet from trees and buildings and also be sure to install a baffle to prevent a squirrel from climbing up the post. Another thing, birds are messy. A squirrel can usually find ample food underneath a feeder. Solution: clean it up! You don't want that stuff sitting there anyway, it can sprout in your lawn or mold over, possibly poisoning the very birds you were trying to attract.
Don't store food outside. Leaving things like pet food, bird seed, grains, or livestock feed outside in their original paper or plastic bags is a sure way to invite squirrels or other pests into your lives. They will chew right through that bag and gorge themselves, leaving you with a huge mess and fat squirrels. Buy a metal garbage can with a lid and keep the feed inside—a very simple, very common sense control—but people always seem to make this mistake. The same goes for home waste: I have seen squirrels chew a hole through the thick plastic on city dumpster lids to get to the nutritious prize within. Please make sure your garbage canister is chew proof, and that you empty it regularly.
Plug holes in your house. If you have squirrels in your house, they are getting in there somehow. You need to find that hole and plug it up. I suggest a metal screen with sharp edges, and then a layer of wood to plug the hole. You might also consider metal flashing—if it doesn't affect things too much, aesthetically speaking. The thing to think about is why they are going through the trouble of chewing their way into your house. Is there food inside? Is it just a good option for the winter months (in other words, maybe they like the warmth)? If it is something you can control, removing the attractant is going to be the most effective option.
Trapping squirrels is easy. Live traps are a safe and effective way to deal with problem squirrels. However, when you start live trapping, it tends to never end. First of all, once you have a squirrel, you need to decide what to do with it. You can take it upon yourself to relocate it to a rural area, park, or something like that. But know that another squirrel will just take its place; by removing a squirrel from an ecosystem, you are leaving a hole that will be filled eventually. I have found that we could set up a rat trap in the squirrel's natural pathway and trap one squirrel after another. They will often come within minutes of each other—it's that easy!
You can kill squirrels with guns. This is a control method for those of us who don't have neighbors looking at us across a small yard. First off, guns are really dangerous; everybody knows that, right? You need to consider where your bullets are going to go when they exit the squirrel. Aim for the head. If there is a building or any sign of human occupancy behind the squirrel, don't shoot! If there is a hard surface, like concrete or pavement or a tree, don't shoot! If you find you are aiming upwards, and not into your lawn, don't shoot! This is basic gun safety. If you don't know this already, you shouldn't have a gun.
Squirrel Poisons
Here's the deal: they work. Poisons will kill a squirrel dead lickety-split, but I would never suggest using them nor would I ever use them myself. The risks are just too many for me to justify such an action. For one thing, I have big, curious, snuffling dogs who pick up every object that they come across in their huge drooling maws. If they come across the dead squirrel, which will likely smell like rotting meat, my dogs are going think they have found the greatest prize in the world. How are they to know that eating said corpse will make them sick? Speaking of corpses: do you really want a squirrel dying somewhere inaccessible, like the soffits of your roof, or your attic? It might put a damper on having house guests any time soon. I think the worst thing about poisons is that they have the potential for a lot of collateral damage; they are going to kill or sicken whatever eats them. That includes your beloved cat or dog—or child.
Natural Squirrel Control
Motion detector/strobe lights. Strobe lights are freaky, man. Now imagine if you had a brain the size of a pea and no knowledge of electricity. If you have a problem with squirrels breaking into your attic, put a strobe light with a motion detector up there, and they will probably leave in a hurry. This will also keep out snoopy house guests, though it may attract ravers.
A pack of powerful peppers. Chili peppers don't seem to affect birds in the same way they affect mammals, which is what makes it a useful natural deterrent for squirrels. You can mix hot pepper flakes in with your bird seed, and with time the squirrel is going to lose interest. You can also sprinkle it around garden areas where squirrels have been digging things up.
Powdered predator pee. It's a simple idea really—if a squirrel smells the scent of a natural predator, it will probably stay away. Visit the gardening section of your local hardware or home supply store to find this product. It is also widely available online. One problem with this product is that you need to keep spreading it around, as it loses its potency with time. Also, any kind of precipitation or lawn care will likely necessitate another application.