Squirrels in Attic?

[John P]

Well this isn't exactly Fun and Recreation, but I 'm not sure it belongs anywhere else on the forums.

Here's the thing. I have at least a couple of squirrels in my attic. They've chewed a hole through some siding and, due to the architecture of my house, they are in a place that I cannot get to easily (or at all probably). So I've got a no-kill trap and was planning on trapping them with some peanut butter and then driving them out to a park and setting them free there.

In doing some reading this morning however, I found that it is not a good idea to take them somewhere else and set them free. First, it may be illegal to translocate animals like that, second, any diseases they have - and since they are rodents, they are bound to have some - will be spread with them, and third, they will likely not survive in the wild, and will either find another house to invade or die a slow death of starvation.

The "preferred" method of dealing with this is to trap them and then kill them yourself. Either by dunking the entire trap (with them in it) in a tub of water and drowning them, or by crushing them to death in your hand (I'm not kidding). I gotta say I'm not really comfortable with either of those options. And obviously, letting them stay in my attic is not an option either.

Has anyone ever dealt this situation before? Any advice here would be appreciated.

[Old Soul]

I hear your pain friend........... get a good houndog..........lol

I sick my dog on them....... after all no squirel is going to eat my tomatoes before I do... and they take bites out of my fall squash then they rot

I can loan you chi chi :-) our hound

[Dharma]

Take them out of your house and put them somewhere else. Then fix your house.

They are creatures of nature, they'll be provided for.

Or why not make them a little shelter in your back yard? Kind of like what people do for ferile cats.

[John P]

Originally Posted by Dharma

Take them out of your house and put them somewhere else. Then fix your house.

They are creatures of nature, they'll be provided for.

Or why not make them a little shelter in your back yard? Kind of like what people do for ferile cats.

Well, like I mentioned above, my first thought was to trap them and then take them somewhere else. But my reading on the subject has said that may be illegal (I haven't checked my county's code on this... I'll try and find that) and possibly dangerous for other people. I am going to do some more reading on this though. Despite all the problems people have raised, it still seems like the best resolution to me.

And I don't think a shelter in the back yard would work. It seems to me that if they were that close to the house, they would just chew a new hole open and get back into the attic. But I do appreciate your thoughts.

I can loan you chi chi :-) our hound

That'd be great =)

[WanderingOak]

If squirels are in season and you are an Omnivore, there is a third option to drowning or crushing. Never let good meat go to waste...

[Angela]

ugh to eating them. Squirrels are notorious carriers of the bubonic plague (the Black Death!) among other nasty diseases, so however you handle them, be careful not to be bitten (or to bite them, either!).

This morning I saw out my window two little squirrels having sex in the middle of the road. Along came a big truck, but the lovers were unwilling to part so they scampered across the road to the safety of the luxury hotel bushes, maintaining their connection the whole way. It was one of the funniest things I've ever seen.

[Lola]

*snort* Yeah - not much gets in the way of animal kingdom procreation.

I was out in the backyard one day and heard a ruckus in the tree above me. A couple of squirrel lovers were precariously perched on a too thin limb but oblivious in the "heat of the moment". Sure enough, they lost their footing and Whack! hit the patio 30 feet or so below. Right in front of me.

I was equal parts mortified and choked with laughter. They lay motionless for about 30 seconds. About the time I was processing the thought that I was going to have to deal with the carcasses - they jumped up, gave themselves a hard shake, looked at each other and took off. Scampered right back up in the tree to resume relations.

Energizer squirrels.

[Angela]

That made me laugh out loud, Lola!

I'm gonna have to warn Danger Man to hold on tight next time we're up in a tree!

[da1prophet]

As an owner of two Jack Russell Terriers that one's easy--just get ahold of a couple of JRT's, let 'em in the attic for a half hour or so and your squirrel problem will be dealt with.

[Lola]

Originally Posted by da1prophet

As an owner of two Jack Russell Terriers that one's easy--just get ahold of a couple of JRT's, let 'em in the attic for a half hour or so and your squirrel problem will be dealt with.

That is THE truth. I don't have any Jacks, but do have a Rat Terrier who believes her purpose in life is to rid the world of squirrels! Incredible focus and tenacity.

[Angela]

Oh, dear. Do the dogs EAT the squirrels? I hope they don't leave you with a bloody crime scene of carnage. Poor little vermin, trapped in a small room being chased around my vicious monsters intent on ripping you limb from limb. Laughing while they terrorize you. What a way to go.

[Lola]

I don't know about da1prophet's dogs but mine mainly just likes to stand guard (patiently alert for hours at the last known squirrel location) and then chase like hell when they make an appearance. I've never had cause to bring her into the house to hunt so I can't verify if carnage would ensue.

Out in the open the squirrels usually elude capture. At least around my house they do as there are lots of trees around that allow them to get out of reach pretty quickly. Although, on one occasion, Penny did manage to actually catch one. I think it caught her so by surprise she didn't know what to do. The crafty squirrel took advantage of her momentary hesitation and escaped.

[Matthew Shea]

If you trap them and set them free outside, how is that any different than what's happening now? Chances are they're just using the attic for shelter and are still outside a lot of the time gathering food and such. I'd go ahead and use the live trap. Set them free in some discrete location where they're not likely to reinfest your house and where you're not likely to attract attention. I know my area has plenty of places that would be suitable for that. I'd expect most places would be similar.

[Jennihul]

Ok, daddy had a time with squirrels that ate a hole into the dormers of our bedrooms and lived in the warm gaps between the dormers and the attic area.

First, he waited until they went out for food during the day and patched the hole with nice new wood. They chewed through the new wood in one day. He tried hardwood, same result.

So he had to cover the hole with plate steel, finally and that was the only way to keep them out. He then filled the empty space with blown foam insulation to keep other critters from sensing the warmth, that was obviously escaping anyway, and we never had the problem again.

They will leave during the day. I would suggest daddy's idea.

Jennifer