Getting rid a squirrel in my attic

H

happy

CAGiversary!
Does anyone have any experience with removing animals? We hear what sounds like it is probably a squirrel and all the exterminators want $500 to get rid of it.

Nobody has been in the attic for probably 20 years by the way.

Any advice for removing this thing slightly cheaper? I'm thinking I may try getting a trap at home depot and wearing a helmet of some sort while I throw it up there.
 
Just remember that squirrels are more scared of you then you are of it.

What you should do is get some chicken wire like stuff and bend it into a funnel where the smaller end is facing the outside and make sure that there are some spikey things on the outside. Find the hole the squirrels used to get in (if it is a hole) and place this funnel thing there. If done correctly, the squirrels can leave, but they cannot come back inside.
 
[quote name='ananag112']Just remember that squirrels are more scared of you then you are of it.

What you should do is get some chicken wire like stuff and bend it into a funnel where the smaller end is facing the outside and make sure that there are some spikey things on the outside. Find the hole the squirrels used to get in (if it is a hole) and place this funnel thing there. If done correctly, the squirrels can leave, but they cannot come back inside.[/quote]

I'm primarily interested in just getting this one out first, then I can think of how it got in and patch the hole, but getting up there without it coming down is a major issue (I don't want to know what kind of mess it would make in the house, and the attic opens into my room so that would be destroyed first)
 
I had this problem last year - around 2 a.m. I heard what sounded like a bird rattling around in my attic (the same day we had central air installed and the contractors were poking holes in the house). I opened the door to the stairs (we have a finished walk up attic) to take a look and a baby squirrel jumped down and headed for the first floor. I got a shoebox from my closet as fast as I could and in one motion I threw it like a frisbee and it landed perfectly on top of the squirrel on one of the last steps - it was a miracle throw. Then I just carefully slid the lid of the shoebox underneath (after flattening it), flipped the box upside down with the squirrel in it and released it outside. It was awesome...

I don't know what to tell you other than maybe set a humane trap and check on it every once in a while - I would think that would work...
 
Look for one of these and bait it with something that works (seed, crackers, etc.). Works almost every time. I'm not sure where you can get one cheap though, my dad just has had one my whole life that we use.
 
Holy shit Jav! Thats awesome.

OP I suggest dynomite, you really need to use a lot though, lest the squirrell get the best of you. Either that or a wrecking ball. A nice sized hoard of africanized killer bees may take the squirrel down as well. If all else fails, smoke it out.
 
I'll second the trap above. Had the same problem last year and it worked really well. We had 3 of those fuzzy rats with tails in our attic.
 
[quote name='tgk2044']Look for one of these and bait it with something that works (seed, crackers, etc.). Works almost every time. I'm not sure where you can get one cheap though, my dad just has had one my whole life that we use.[/quote]

It looks like home depot sells those so I think that's what I'll get. What time of day should I put it up there and should I make noise or something (shine a bring flashlight?) when I'm doing it so it doesn't come down when I open the attic door?

I'd rather not need to test my shoebox throwing skills which I suspect are rather poor.
 
[quote name='javeryh']I had this problem last year - around 2 a.m. I heard what sounded like a bird rattling around in my attic (the same day we had central air installed and the contractors were poking holes in the house). I opened the door to the stairs (we have a finished walk up attic) to take a look and a baby squirrel jumped down and headed for the first floor. I got a shoebox from my closet as fast as I could and in one motion I threw it like a frisbee and it landed perfectly on top of the squirrel on one of the last steps - it was a miracle throw. Then I just carefully slid the lid of the shoebox underneath (after flattening it), flipped the box upside down with the squirrel in it and released it outside. It was awesome...

I don't know what to tell you other than maybe set a humane trap and check on it every once in a while - I would think that would work...[/QUOTE]

You're like Kung Lao with shoeboxes..
 
Be warned that squirrels can bite through dry wall and wires etc and really screw things up in your house, so it really is a good idea that you get rid of it ASAP.
 
[quote name='javeryh']I had this problem last year - around 2 a.m. I heard what sounded like a bird rattling around in my attic (the same day we had central air installed and the contractors were poking holes in the house). I opened the door to the stairs (we have a finished walk up attic) to take a look and a baby squirrel jumped down and headed for the first floor. I got a shoebox from my closet as fast as I could and in one motion I threw it like a frisbee and it landed perfectly on top of the squirrel on one of the last steps - it was a miracle throw. Then I just carefully slid the lid of the shoebox underneath (after flattening it), flipped the box upside down with the squirrel in it and released it outside. It was awesome...

I don't know what to tell you other than maybe set a humane trap and check on it every once in a while - I would think that would work...[/quote]

i wouldve paid money to see that! :)

you sure it's a squirrel and not something else? (the undead maybe?)
 
Dude it could be other vermin - rats/rodents, pigeons or other fowl. Where are you located?

Odds are you already have a full blown infestation with mounds of droppings/feces piled up and ready to come crashing through the ceiling. Your only option at this point, realistically, is to torch the house and start fresh.
 
Yeah, we have the same issue right now, so I have to get some traps.

You can get the traps at hardware stores. The problem is, are the humane ones really humane? Studies show that over 75% of the squirrles caught and then released miles from where they were living (your house) die. Most either get hit by cars or starve to death when they don't adjust to the outdoors. Most of the survivors get into someone elses house.

I've been putting this off, since I'm dreading it overall. Really, if they would just run around up there and not chew anything, I'd let them stay. The noise really isn't that bad, but I don't want to deal with all the other issues.
 
[quote name='lordxixor101']You can get the traps at hardware stores. The problem is, are the humane ones really humane? Studies show that over 75% of the squirrles caught and then released miles from where they were living (your house) die. Most either get hit by cars or starve to death when they don't adjust to the outdoors. Most of the survivors get into someone elses house.[/quote]

My old roommate's stepdad came up with a really novel solution to this. What he'd do is capture the rodents in the humane traps and then take them to the lake behind the house and drown them in the cages.
 
I'm not that concerned with it not dying. I mean I won't kill it myself, but I'm of the philosophy that if a bug enters my house it should be expecting to die, so I suppose the same can be said of slightly larger animals (if I stick my hand in a beehive I won't be mad at them for stinging me for example).

I just bought one of the havaheart traps at home depot, I'm going to wait till I have some backup then stick it up there.
 
Ditto everybody who mentioned Havahart traps. I have first-hand knowledge on this topic. Bait it with peanut butter. They usually take the bait within a couple of hours. Then just take the trap outside and release the animal.
 
[quote name='syberherc']No "show him your nuts" jokes???

What's this place coming to?[/quote]

Show him your nuts. When he latches on, walk outside and have someone waiting to knock it off with a baseball bat.
 
[quote name='DirtRoadSport']Ditto everybody who mentioned Havahart traps. I have first-hand knowledge on this topic. Bait it with peanut butter. They usually take the bait within a couple of hours. Then just take the trap outside and release the animal.[/QUOTE]

I wouldn't release him right outside the house, odds are he'll find his way back in there, because (for the time being), it was a safe haven. But as for the time to do it, I really don't think it matters, but if I had to guess, anytime during the day. And I also second the peanut butter bait, I forgot that's what my dad used in my grandfathers house to get rid of them.
 
We had a squirrel in our attic. He died after scattering like a mad animal for almost a week. We figured something was up when we didn't hear knocking and slamming at 3am any given day. Then we got a nasty infestation of flies that lingered for nearly 2 weeks following the squirrel's demise. Truly annoying.

From what I've gathered in other incidents among friends and family, squirrels can't resist peanut butter smeared inside a plastic cup.

Edit: Another good way to get rid of a squirrel in an attic is to introduce a predator in the attic, like a hawk or snake! Then you have that conundrum of finding predators to prey on their predecessors.
 
Could have been worse.... it could have been a SKUNK in your attic!!

100_7931.jpg
 
Well to update everyone I set the trap this morning after a long night.

I never realized that squirrels can make sounds but this thing (maybe it isnt really a squirrel) started going crazy making some high pitched scream at 4 in the morning coming straight from my closet area.

I'll need to get updates from my mom since I go back to school today and hopefully she'll get me a picture of it (the camera battery was dead earlier so no picture of me in squirrel protection gear)
 
[quote name='Warner1281']Show him your nuts. When he latches on, walk outside and have someone waiting to knock it off with a baseball bat.[/quote]



He's got his own nuts to deal with!
 
[quote name='happy'] ...so no picture of me in squirrel protection gear[/QUOTE]

That made me laugh - one time I had to get a bat out of the house and I rigged up a whole anti-bat suit - I gotta see if I can find the picture of it...
 
21H74KACX9L._AA280_.jpg


It puts out eyes and puts down squirrels.


Or just spray the damn thing with a dose of carb cleaner. He'll never go near you again.

That or lace some food with cyanide or other poison (I like this idea the most).
 
[quote name='dastly75']min yo attic eatin yuz wiyas[/quote]

your avatar is perfect for this thread. I imagine a squirell typing away on a laptop
 
[quote name='DirtRoadSport']That made me laugh - one time I had to get a bat out of the house and I rigged up a whole anti-bat suit - I gotta see if I can find the picture of it...[/quote]

HAHAHA reminds me of the time my dad had to remove a giant beehive that had developed in the garage...he looked like freaking Doctor Doom...damn I wish I had taken some pics of that...
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
bread's done
Back
Top