Squirrels are rodents, meaning that along with the rest of the ancestral heritage, they got a knack for getting into warm spaces, especially if they can smell food. If one of them gets in your attic, there are a couple of thing you must check first.
First, on the list, you must figure out how the squirrel got in your attic in the first place. Once you do that, the entrance must be repaired or blocked to prevent another entry – when removing the entrance, remember that even a one-inch hole can be enough for a persistent squirrel. Most of the time, squirrels will get into your attic if they can find or smell food nearby – making themselves a home closer to the food source.
Your next step should be finding and removing all possible food sources (such as nearby bird feeders, barbeques, even garbage cans – these should be moved far away from the house and kept as clean as possible). Another inviting factor may include fruit-bearing trees – if that is the case, you have no choice but to engage the whole tree.
As the squirrel in your attic still must eat, they will leave to find more food – all you need to do is prevent them from returning and your problems are solved. The use of pepper spray or squirrel repellents (spray or sound) may work for a while, but the first two may hurt squirrels and other animals, and the squirrels will eventually get used to the sound repellents – there goes your money. A good deterrent is “moth balls”. As squirrels are larger than moths, encasing the balls in something metal and attaching them to solid objects is recommended – otherwise, the squirrel might just remove the obstacle. The balls must also be exchanged every few days to keep them working.
If you have repaired the “squirrel entrance” and find that you left some squirrels inside, you are left with one practical way to get rid of them – trapping and relocating them. If your only solution is to trap and remove them, you should first check with your local authority as you might need to obtain a permit. If you feel you aren’t fit for the job, a professional squirrel removal Guelph may be the best option.
That about covers the basic procedure of getting rid of squirrels in your attic if the problem persists, call a professional.
