How to Keep Squirrels away from your attic, bird feeder, and more | Mantis Pest Solutions (2024)

Squirrels, if you have them, are pesky critters. The problem with squirrels is they can get into about everything from your attic, potted plants, garden, and even some of the most creative bird feeders. Although we at Mantis Pest Solutions don’t cover squirrels in our rodent control package, we have asked an expert squirrel remove to share some tips on how to keep squirrels away from all of the places they like to get into. AAA Affordable Wildlife Control is a squirrel removal company from the Brampton area.

How to prevent squirrels from visiting your yard.

The best way to ensure squirrels are not frequent visitors is to ensure no food is easily accessible to them. Squirrels like to eat bark, fruit, corn, and of course, nuts and seeds.

Removing these food sources can be challenging if you live in forestry areas with mature trees that leave lots of nuts and seeds. Other people who tend to find squirrels are residents with fruit trees, gardens, and one of their favorite calling cards, bird feeders. All of these items are things that attract squirrels and other rodents and wildlife.

The Three main best things to get rid of Squirrels

Although there are many DIY and natural ways to get rid of squirrels, here are the three most effective ways we recommend getting rid of them.

  • Predators
  • Traps
  • Repellent

Predators: If a squirrel does not feel safe, it won’t matter how good the food source is; they won’t go for it. Man’s best friend is not only a great companion but, depending on the breed, can be loud and big enough to keep squirrels away from your yard.

If you don’t have a dog and aren’t looking for that much responsibility imitating a predator is the next best thing.

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Repellent: like most animals, there are a variety of smells and sounds like we mentioned above that deter squirrels from areas. There are certain types of repellents that you can add to your garden, potted plants, or around your home to keep them away. It is essential to look at the different repellents as squirrels will eat bark; you will want something for your food sources on the ground, and up in any mature tree you have in your yard.

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Squirrels are afraid of owls, and having an owl statue in your yard can be very effective. The tactic mentioned is the same idea farmers used when they put scarecrows in their fields to keep birds away from their crops. The more lifelike it is, the better. Some even move their heads to imitate movement, so even an adventurous squirrel won’t take a chance. Others can even make ultrasonic sounds that deter squirrels but won’t bother you or your neighbors.

Traps:Squirrels, like most critters, are very food motivated. There are a variety of traps you can put some food so you can catch them. It is essential to look at getting humane traps, and if you can connect with a local wildlife company like AAA Affordable Wildlife Control to take care of your critter once they are caught.

Although traps are effective, they attract critters, and your house may become attractive to other rodents that currently aren’t a problem. Lures are best for squirrel removal instead of as a deterrent.

How to Keep Squirrels away from bird feeders.

To our friends who love feeding the birds, know you are probably feeding the squirrels too. When using repellent, you could deter the birds you want to attract. If attracting birds is a big hobby for you, we recommend investing in a quality birdfeeder they can’t get into.

It is also essential to try and keep your bird feeders away from your home so squirrels can’t find a way into your house from a small hold in the patio or roof. You will also want to keep the seeds cleaned up as much as possible as some birds are very messy eaters.

Here are some Squirrel Proof Birdfeeders we recommend

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How to Keep Squirrels Away from Your Attic and House

Having removed food sources from your yard is a big first step. The problem comes when it starts getting cold, and they aren’t just looking for food but shelter. If you have big trees making sure branches are far enough away so squirrels can not easily get to your roof will be a significant deterrent. You should also inspect the exterior of your home by the roof and the foundation and seal any holes they could enter through. You can be proactive and add repellent around these areas.

If you have a squirrel in your home and are unsure how it got into your home, it is best to call a squirrel removal expert.

Get Expert Help

Although we have mentioned various DIY squirrel removal solutions, it is generally best to contact a local wildlife company to remove the squirrels. In fact, some methods for getting rid of squirrels may be illegal. However, the ones we mentioned here should be legal in most areas.

About the Author: AAA Affordable Wildlife

Control is your go-to expert for squirrel removal in Brampton. They have several years in business and can help you get rid of other common wildlife pests like raccoons.

Squirrel Removal Products Mentioned in this Article.

SeekBit Squirrel Repellent

I Must Garden Squirrel Repellent

Plastic Owl Scarecrow sculpture with Rotating Head

Heavy-duty Squirrel Trap

Squirrel Proof Baffle Pole

Squirrel Proof Wild Bird Feeder

How to Keep Squirrels away from your attic, bird feeder, and more | Mantis Pest Solutions (2024)

FAQs

How to Keep Squirrels away from your attic, bird feeder, and more | Mantis Pest Solutions? ›

Natural squirrel repellents—such as apple cider vinegar, black pepper, garlic, and peppermint— can repel squirrels from your attic and discourage them from returning.

What can I spray in my attic to get rid of squirrels? ›

Natural squirrel repellents—such as apple cider vinegar, black pepper, garlic, and peppermint— can repel squirrels from your attic and discourage them from returning.

What is the most effective squirrel deterrent? ›

Use Strong Odors

Scents like white pepper, black pepper, and garlic are naturally unpleasant to a squirrel. The same goes for sweet smells such as peppermint. Try spraying your plants and flowers with water and then sprinkling on pepper or peppermint oil to deter squirrels.

What smell do squirrels hate the most? ›

Cinnamon and Spice

Squirrels distance themselves from hot pepper smells, like jalapeño, cayenne, and black pepper. Because of the spicy nature of cinnamon, you can also use this to repel squirrels from your home! To use pepper as a deterrent, mix three spoonfuls with a half-gallon of water.

What can I put around my bird feeder to deter squirrels? ›

Apply a pepper-based repellent product, such as Critter Ridder® spray, directly to your feeders to keep them away from your offerings. Squirrels hate the taste and smell, but birds don't notice it. Cover poles: Adding layers of plastic tubing around poles may sometimes deter squirrels.

What gets rid of squirrels permanently? ›

Whatever your reason, here are some ideas on how to get rid of them:
  • Remove Food Source. One way to deter squirrels is by removing easily accessible food sources such as fallen seeds and nuts. ...
  • Seal Trash Cans. ...
  • Trap and Relocate. ...
  • Let Your Dog Out. ...
  • Apply Odors. ...
  • Maintain Your Yard. ...
  • Improve Fencing and Barriers.
Mar 15, 2024

What is the best pest control for squirrels? ›

‟Live-trapping gray squirrels, using metal box traps at least two feet long is often the most effective way to remove them. Place traps, baited with apple chunks, peanut butter, or various nuts, in heavily travelled [sic] routes or on rooftops, along porch railings, or within the attic.

What is the best homemade squirrel repellent? ›

Cinnamon: A generous amount of ground cinnamon or cinnamon oil mixed with cayenne extract or peppermint oil and warm water must be applied to affected areas to ward squirrels away. And as elements such as rain can wash away the scent, reapply the perimeters at least once a week or as needed to get the best results.

What are squirrels afraid of the most? ›

Squirrels are primarily scared of predators such as hawks, foxes, and snakes. They also have a natural fear of loud noises, sudden movements, and unfamiliar objects. Understanding what scares squirrels can help prevent them from becoming distressed and ensure their safety in their environment.

Do dryer sheets keep squirrels away? ›

Dryer sheets are often used to make clothes smell fresh and clean. They also work great for repelling squirrels! The strong scent of dryer sheets will keep squirrels away. You can place them around your property or add them to a bag and hang them in areas where squirrels are active.

Does Irish Spring soap keep squirrels away? ›

Yes, Irish Spring soap can help to keep squirrels away. The scent of the soap is unpleasant for the animals and will prevent them from entering your home or yard. You can use either a liquid soap solution or shave bars of Irish Spring and sprinkle it around areas that squirrels are known to frequent.

How do farmers keep squirrels away? ›

Mint and other aromatic plants

A lot of animals are repelled by the scent of mint and squirrels are one of them. You could try planting some mint under your fruit trees or make a spray similar to the hot pepper spray using peppermint or spearmint essential oils and water.

How to squirrel proof bird feeder DIY? ›

Hang a slinky on the pole so the squirrel can't get a grip while climbing. Birds don't mind it (in fact sometimes they even use it as a perch). It's an inelegant but effective way to keep squirrels off your feeder pole.

Can you put too much cayenne pepper in birdseed? ›

No, it won't. Birds don't have the same taste receptors in their mouths that mammals have and thus can't detect the heat. Birds can eat all the hot peppers they want and never feel a thing.

What is the best thing to keep squirrels away? ›

Use repellents.

Chili peppers and mint are common home remedies for keeping squirrels at bay, since they detest the taste and smell of both. You can whip up a spray concoction using one of the many recipes found online.

How do you disinfect an attic after squirrels? ›

We use a product called DSV for this important step. DSV is a Disinfectant, Sanitizer, and Virucide. When sprayed or fogged in your attic, it kills the odors left behind from the urine, feces, and afterbirth of rats, mice, squirrels, and bats. The small rodents who used to call your attic “home”.

Do mothballs work on squirrels in attic? ›

Mothballs are very harmful to wildlife. Instead of repelling squirrels from your property, you could end up killing them and leaving their carcass to rot and decompose in your walls or attic. Mothballs commonly contain fumigant chemicals naphthalene or paradichlorobenzene.

What is the best bait for squirrels in the attic? ›

Fruit. If you face a scurry of squirrels (more than one), you need to catch and relocate the group quickly to prevent damage to your home. Double the temptation with the next best bait for squirrel traps: fruit. Second to nuts, grains, and seeds, citrus and apples are the most effective.

How long will squirrels stay in attic? ›

If a squirrel can come and go from your attic freely, they will stay until their young until they are old enough to fend for themselves, which is about two months. If you discover you have attic squirrels, don't seal up entry points while the mother forages outside during the day.

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