Squirrels

These fellows can be a big problem whenever they get into your house or out buildings. If the problem squirrels are gray, fox, or red squirrels, you normally will only need to get rid of two or three. Flying squirrels on the other hand are social animals which means that when one finds it's way into your home others will follow. In some of the homes I've worked on, there were as many as 80 flying squirrels living in the structure.

The biggest problem, in my mind, is that these are rodents and their teeth never stop growing. Which means they are constantly chewing to keep their from becoming too long for their mouth. And what do the prefer to chew on, something soft and pliable like the wiring in your home. Picture this; the news reporter on television is reporting a house fire that destroyed somebody's home, was caused by an electric problem. What wasn't said, because they didn't know, was that the electric problem started with a squirrel that chewed through the wiring. In chewing the wire the squirrel hits the black power wire and his body acts as a ground, causing a short. Sparks are produced by the short, setting the squirrels very dry hair and fur on fire. This in turn causes a larger short in the wiring and a hotter fire ensues, completely destroying the body of the squirrel, bones and all. Hence, the report of an electric fire. 

By the way, if the fire doesn't happen, you get into the second set of problems, fleas and odor. I've seen homes that the attic and second floor were infested with fleas because of a squirrel problem. I've also been in homes that smelled like a stale urinal in a run down flop house. The odor is caused by the squirrels marking their territory and using one or more areas as a bathroom.

If you decide to use poison to get rid of the squirrels, you will probably end up with a bigger odor problem, so don't even consider it. The method that I used for years very successfully, can be located on my website under the title "No Returns". If you use my method, follow the directions and do everything correctly, you to will be successful. 

I've had lots of people ask me how to keep squirrels out of their bird feeders.   That depends on where the bird feeder is.  Lets say it's on a post, away from trees, and the squirrels are climbing up the post and eating the birdfeed.  Remove the feeder from the post and if it's a pipe or metal post 1" (inch) or less in diameter, cut a hole in the center of the bottom of 2 two liter soda bottles.  Next slide a 1" piece of hose down the post until it is about 3' (foot) from the ground and apply a hose clamp.  Now slide the bottles down on top of the hose and re-mount the feeder.  PROBLEM SOLVED!  If the post is wooden cut the top off of a 5 gallon plastic bucket just below where the handle is attached.  This leaves you with a smooth sided bucket, nothing for the squirrels to hold onto.  Remove the feeder and set the bucket down over the post and re-mount the feeder.  Problem solved!   If the feeder is hanging from a tree limb, you need to get a post.   If you must feed the squirrels, make sure it's far away from your birdfeeder or they will take it as an invitation to lunch or bird feed.