| Author |
Message |
    
dOd
Citizen
Username: Dod
Post Number: 6
Registered: 5-2004
| | Posted on Monday, December 6, 2004 - 3:20 pm: | 
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Hi,
cutting away the branches of a large tree that touched one of my upper windows, I noticed a hole, which coincided with the sounds of a couple of squirrels inside my walls and attic.
Obviously I can't patch the hole until the little umm... guests are out, so I'm looking for any advice on how to send them packing.
Would loud noise (radio) in the attic be enough to drive them away?
Should I set a mongoose loose in the crawlspace?
Or just try and make peace, get them drunk and sell them some swampland in Florida?
I like this house and don't wish to abandon it quite yet.
All advice will be considered including depth charges.
Thanks,
dOd |
Michael K. Mc Kell
Citizen
Username: Greenerose
Post Number: 471
Registered: 9-2003
| | Posted on Monday, December 6, 2004 - 5:41 pm: |
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My advice is to start drinking heavily.
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greenetree
Supporter
Username: Greenetree
Post Number: 3479
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Monday, December 6, 2004 - 5:53 pm: |
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1. Do what Michael says.
2. Don't go into the attic that often until you are ready to chase them out. I learned that, the first few times, they will get scared and run away (if you are lucky, they'll head for the outside). Once they get used to you & realize that you can't get to them, they basically flip you off.
We had some in a "cage" that enclosed the house fan. Built themselves quite the nest. They got used to us coming in the attic & pretty much waved at us; we could see each other. Our contractor used a very scientific method last Spring (we let them stay the winter):
One guy went into the attic and banged on the cage. Another guy stayed nearby, but safely out of range near the outside. When the squirrels ran away, Outside Guy closed up the fan space (they removed the fan) while a 3rd guy made lots of noise & acted threatening so that the squirrels wouldn't come back and attack the guy while he was boarding up the space.
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Morrisa da Silva
Citizen
Username: Mod
Post Number: 114
Registered: 12-2003
| | Posted on Monday, December 6, 2004 - 8:58 pm: |
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you can get hav-a-heart traps and catch them when they are out and about during the day. We use cracker with peanut butter to lure into the traps and then we release them in the reservation or a town we don't like or even the Livingston Mall parking lot! Once you have relocated them you will need to close off the hole
hope this helps. |
dOd
Citizen
Username: Dod
Post Number: 7
Registered: 5-2004
| | Posted on Monday, December 6, 2004 - 9:03 pm: |
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So lacing the attic with molotov cocktails won't do it, Michael?
Is there a humane trap approach that could work? Inside or out?
Some noxious odour?
Any local experts?
I would rather they winter someplace else.
dOd |
dOd
Citizen
Username: Dod
Post Number: 8
Registered: 5-2004
| | Posted on Monday, December 6, 2004 - 9:05 pm: |
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Thanks, Morissa. Just saw your post. Where did you get the traps? Does the village rent them?
dOd |
Jgberkeley
Citizen
Username: Jgberkeley
Post Number: 4141
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Monday, December 6, 2004 - 11:00 pm: |
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Home Depot sells them.
Once trapped you must take them far away. 3-4 miles or they will come back.
Do not close the hole until you have all of them out, and the nest is gone, else they will just chew another hole into the walls.
I had a family of 5. Trapped 3, and had to shop-vac the last two out as they were trap wise.
It is a pain.
Good luck,
George |
Tom Reingold
Citizen
Username: Noglider
Post Number: 4653
Registered: 1-2003
| | Posted on Monday, December 6, 2004 - 11:32 pm: |
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Our exterminator installed some steel netting that let our raccoons out but didn't let them back in. Then we sealed up the holes. |
compsy
Citizen
Username: Compsy
Post Number: 155
Registered: 1-2002
| | Posted on Tuesday, December 7, 2004 - 6:44 am: |
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We had this problem a few years ago, and it got quite serious, with lots of gnawing and chewing going on, doing damage to stored cartons and more seriously, to wire insulation.
They're very territorial, and young ones will come back to nest where they were born. Google "squirrels" to learn more about how they live and interact with human space.
We tried camphor (it supposedly gives them headaches), and eventually called All Jersey Pest Control (I can get number if you need it). They built one-way tunnels out of attic at places where the critters were getting in, sealed off other weak places, and then put traps both in attic and around house, in yard. One of their guys, a rather small, wiley-seeming creature himself, eventually went through the attic crawl space and came out with a frisby full of new-born squirrels who looked like baby rats....
I don't know what was done with this litter, but after the next seal-up of all holes, our squirrels were gone.
It took about three weeks of effort, and cost about $1200 to $1500.
The only caveat is that the main guy (owner, maybe) at All Jersey Pest Control had a temper tantrum at one point when my wife and he disagreed about one of the terms of our agreement. It took a steady mind and a clear memory, with notes, to prove our case, and he ultimately relented about the $400 dollars in question. But it wasn't a pleasant interaction.
They did do the job, however, and I noticed several squirrels hanging around the house for weeks after that (maybe I was just sensitized to them), trying unsuccessfully to get back in.
The key is once you get rid of them, leave no openings for return entry.
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Iwant2 KeepMyJob
Citizen
Username: Fastfusion
Post Number: 4
Registered: 12-2004
| | Posted on Saturday, December 18, 2004 - 6:03 pm: |
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Call Ernie Tarney at Tarney Exterminating 973-672-1616. He is an expert at this. Very reasonably priced.
Or....use rags soaked with ammonia. the will run out and then you need to repair the way they are comming in.
But I would call Tarney Exteminating. They have been in business for seventy yrs. |
papayagirl
Citizen
Username: Papayagirl
Post Number: 277
Registered: 6-2002
| | Posted on Monday, December 20, 2004 - 11:37 am: |
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We used All Jersey Pest Control as well when we replaced our roof. They put in 4 one-way tunnels, we left them in for about a week until we didn't hear any critters running around anymore (apparently we had a racoon as well as squirrels), and then they came back and removed the tunnels/sealed the holes. It was expensive - about $200-250/hole, but it worked. I wouldn't have felt comfortable using some of the other techniques mentioned above, because i'd probably wonder whether or not the squirrels were really gone before we put in the effort of sealing the holes.
And for the record, All Jersey was the only company that i could find that did this service at the time, and several other people recommended them to us. They did a great job. |
dgm
Citizen
Username: Dgm
Post Number: 200
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Monday, December 20, 2004 - 12:34 pm: |
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Set hav-a-hart traps and deport the squirrels. It is true the kids will come back unless you deport them too. There are lots of nice places to deport them to in Union County. |
houseodeb
Citizen
Username: Houseodeb
Post Number: 27
Registered: 6-2001
| | Posted on Monday, December 20, 2004 - 9:53 pm: |
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When we moved here we had the same problem.
You need to get traps. Set them in the attic,
in the front of your house and catch the animals. Then you need to let them go in the reservation
far away from your house. they will return if you
do not do that. Then they nest. Get an exterminator- But this is what we did and it worked. |
houseodeb
Citizen
Username: Houseodeb
Post Number: 28
Registered: 6-2001
| | Posted on Monday, December 20, 2004 - 9:56 pm: |
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When we moved here we had the same problem.
You need to get traps. Set them in the attic,
in the front of your house and catch the animals. Then you need to let them go in the reservation
far away from your house. they will return if you
do not do that. Then they nest. Get an exterminator- But this is what we did and it worked. |
dgm
Citizen
Username: Dgm
Post Number: 203
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Tuesday, December 21, 2004 - 11:38 am: |
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Go somewhere far away and across a natural barrier, such as Rt. 78. It is worth the trip. They can cover miles to return and it is rumored that they return with their lawyers in tow. Also, I have found that the exterminators don't mind rigging up barriers, but forget about any follow ups. |
Kk4i
Citizen
Username: Kk4i
Post Number: 46
Registered: 3-2004
| | Posted on Tuesday, December 21, 2004 - 5:45 pm: |
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if you go the mongoose route, you'll just have to release snakes or a hawk up there to get rid of the mongoose! |
jjkatz
Citizen
Username: Jjkatz
Post Number: 481
Registered: 12-2003
| | Posted on Tuesday, December 28, 2004 - 9:53 am: |
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We're having a similar problem. Will the squirrels even come outside during the winter? Or will we have to wait until the spring to set outdoor traps? |
sk8mom
Citizen
Username: Sk8mom
Post Number: 48
Registered: 11-2003
| | Posted on Tuesday, December 28, 2004 - 10:52 am: |
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They go outside to forage for food. They come in and out. You can really hear them at first light (take it from me, who had them in my bedroom wall, right near the head of my bed! Talk about Hitchcockian).
I don't remember this part well, but I think I was told they have their babies in early spring so you want to try to evict them before they multiply.
We used Bowco Pest Control (in phone book). They're reliable and nice. Their technique is to set traps on the roof which they figure is on the entry route. They trap some squirrels, and when you stop hearing the noise they figure they've got the whole family and the job is done (it was $250 flat rate). They do not appear to be interested in finding or patching the hole.
They told us squirrels are very territorial and I think they have to be dropped at least 20? miles away or they'll return.
If you can figure out where they're coming in, you might try a roofer or exterior painter to patch the hole. (important not to patch the hole til you're sure they're all out; otherwise you're left with hungry, angry rodents)
I'm not sure this is the best way to go, but it got rid of them a couple of times for us.
We finally cut down a tree right next to our house which was functioning as a squirrel ladder.
Good luck! Let us know how it works out. |
jjkatz
Citizen
Username: Jjkatz
Post Number: 484
Registered: 12-2003
| | Posted on Tuesday, December 28, 2004 - 12:54 pm: |
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We found a hole, called our roofer and he cleared out the squirrels' nest and replaced the siding where they'd gnawed the hole. A few days later they gnawed a new hole in the same spot.
We also called the town and had them prune the tree in front of our house, but now the squirrels jump from the tree to the power lines and use those to get to the house.
Taking a bunch of squirrels for a 20-mile ride. Hoo boy. This is getting more interesting by the day. |
dgm
Citizen
Username: Dgm
Post Number: 204
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Thursday, December 30, 2004 - 3:24 pm: |
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Take them for the ride. It is the most humane way to do it, although you may not feel that way at the time. We deported about 15 of them, but they have not come back this year. Just lay paper under the cage in the car. They are gross animals. |
dgm
Citizen
Username: Dgm
Post Number: 205
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Thursday, December 30, 2004 - 3:27 pm: |
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Take them for the ride. It is the most humane way to do it, although you may not feel that way at the time. We deported about 15 of them, but they have not come back this year. Just lay paper under the cage in the car. They are gross animals. |
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