Anyone who has ever had a squirrel family infiltrate their attic knows one thing for sure – they can be noisy neighbors. The racket that squirrels make as they scurry to and fro can be deafening. Squirrels are voracious chewers, chewing on anything and everything to wear down their teeth and, therefore, those cute little creatures with a bushy tail turn into destructive rodents in your attic.
Before you panic and pick up the phone to call an exterminator, there are several things that you can attempt to do yourself to evict them from your home. A good place to begin the process would be to contact the nearest Cooperative Extension Office.
The United States Department of Agriculture has Cooperative Extensions located all across America. You can visit them on the Internet here: CSREES to locate the nearest facility closest to your community. They have the expertise to provide you with the solutions designed to meet your community regulations with regard to relocation or termination of the squirrels that have invaded your space.
The Cooperative Extensions exist as a nationwide network of offices designed to provide expert advice on a wide variety of concerns to homeowners, small businesses, consumers and youth in rural areas and communities all across America. They offer specialized information to the specific region within your community.
In the interim, there are several options to get you started in the process of ridding the rodents from your attic:
Contents
Relocate them.
Squirrels will not move out by themselves and you will need to purchase a trap and place it near the entry in your attic. Once you have caught the intruder, relocate them far enough from your home that they will not return.
Caution: You may want to check with your governing authorities before relocating the squirrels. Some states have regulations that prohibit moving wildlife and insist that the “nuisance animals be destroyed” rather than relocated.
Inspect the exterior of the attic.
Locate the entryway that the squirrels are using to get into the attic. Before you block off the entry, make sure that the squirrels have left the premises. You do not want to trap them indoors. If there are squirrels inside, proceed to the next step.
Prevent their Re-entry.
You can install a one-way door in the location that the squirrels are using that will allow exiting but not re-entry. Remember that squirrels are chewers, if your home is constructed of wood, this may not be your best option as they will relentlessly try to return to the nest inside of your attic.
Clean the attic.
Squirrels leave a scent that will, over time, attract other squirrels. The squirrels will also leave their droppings and urinate in the attic and that can pose potential health risks to you and your family. Cleaning up the attic is a must to insure that you will remove all attractions once you get them out of there.
There is always the option to hire a professional to do the job. Check your directory for a local wildlife exterminator or pest control specialist. The pros know how to squirrel-proof your attic to protect against further infestation and block off entryways. It could be well worth the extra effort and money to fortify your domain against these relentless intruders.
<>
