How to Get Squirrels Out of Your House

Squirrels are known for their cunning and stubborn nature. All fences, sprays and traps will not cure this species. However, you can make your yard and garden less attractive to squirrels by limiting their food sources and hiding places.

Table of Contents

Prevent Harassment from Squirrels

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Find squirrel burrows in the storage shed. Old garages and sheds, especially those close to trees, are ideal places for squirrels to hide. Please fill these caves as soon as possible.

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Hire roofers to fill holes in roofs and attics. If your roof is on the verge of deterioration, chances are that squirrels will break into the house through the holes. Squirrels entering the home can pose a risk of electric shock because they often like to chew on electrical wires.

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Prune tree branches in your garden regularly. Make sure all branches are within 2 meters of your garage, roof, and house. For large trees with many large branches, you should ask for a professional tree pruning service. ^{[1] X Research Source}

Most squirrels prefer to live in trees rather than storage sheds. ^{[2] X Research Source}

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Don’t leave bird food in areas where you don’t want to see squirrels. Squirrels like to eat fruits and seeds, so they are very stubborn to get food. Invest in bird food containers that squirrels can’t get, and hang them away from trees or roofs.

If you don’t want to sacrifice your bird food containers, you can try buying a safflower seed mix. Many squirrels do not like this type of food. Some other options are proso millet, and nyjer thistle. ^{[3] X Trusted Source The Humane Society of the United States Go to Source}

Chasing Squirrels That Have Entered Your Yard

Check to see if there are squirrels lurking in your barn or house. Try filling the cave with newspaper. If the next day you find the newspaper has been removed, it means they are there. ^{[4] X Research Sources}

If you spot a squirrel hiding place, call your local wildlife agency or pet management business. Priority should be given to organizations that trap squirrels and then release them back into the wild.

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Make sure the trapped squirrel is released at least 3 miles (4.8 km) away from where you live, preferably with a lake between your home and their new home.

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Create metal rings around trees when you spot tree-dwelling squirrels in your area. Buy the metal piece and attach it to the metal spring. The metal ring must be at least 2 m high to deter daring climbers. ^{[5] X Research Sources}

Small trees can be protected with a wire mesh ring.

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If you see squirrels chewing on the bark, cover the stump with a wire mesh.

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Make sure you’ve covered all the plants in your yard and wire with metal rings. The squirrels will probably move to another house that’s easier to climb.

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Fence the yard and leave the dog in the outside area. Squirrels can be more cunning than dogs, but they often choose a safe place free of dangerous animals rather than a yard with a guard dog. Most dogs have an instinct to hunt and kill squirrels.

A dog can make squirrels stay in a tree, rather than near your garden or home.

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If you combine this method with pruning and using tree rings, the squirrels will stay away from your house. ^{[6] X Research Sources}

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Place heavy loads on the onions in the garden until the ground starts to get wet. If you can’t find water tanks to do this, you can also cover the ground with a thick layer of leaves. The squirrels can still dig through the leaves, but they don’t like that very much.

Learn about the types of onions that might attract squirrels and those that don’t. Try growing plants that squirrels are allergic to.

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Squirrels love saffron, dogwood, tulips and gladiolus with their bulbous shape. They like to eat the grain in the garden.

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They do not like to eat tubers of the lily family, narcissus, daffodils, red lilies, Spanish bellflowers, and hyacinths. ^{[7] X Research Sources}

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Cover electrical wires leading into your home. Buy plastic pipes with a diameter of 5 to 7 cm and cut them lengthwise from top to bottom. Plastic pipes will knock down stubborn squirrels walking on power lines between trees and houses. ^{[8] X Research Sources}

Stop Squirrels with the Chemical Capsaicin

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Mix 1 bottle of chili sauce (300 ml) with 4 liters of water. Pour the mixture over tree stumps or other areas where squirrels often gnaw.

Animal experts say it’s a last resort. It can be dangerous for people and pets, and it’s also less humane than simply showing squirrels that your home isn’t a hospitable place.

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Learn about the flowers and plants in your garden. If they are not too sensitive, you can chemically sprinkle capsaicin on these plants to prevent squirrels from eating them. ^{[9] X Research Source}

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Mix paprika with a small amount of bird food seeds. This can prevent the squirrels from eating the mix without affecting the birds. ^{[10] X Research Source}

Things You Need

Tree Trimmer
Roofers
Metal panel
Grille
Metal springs
Fence
Newspapers
Safflower seed food for birds
Chili sauce
Water
Liquid storage tank
Paprika

Steps

Prevent Harassment from Squirrels

Chasing Squirrels That Have Entered Your Yard

Stop Squirrels with the Chemical Capsaicin

Things You Need

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