Squirrel In A House

[Geckolady]

There is a second house on my property that is vacant. Or it was, until the squirrel moved in. At first it was getting inside through the wood stove pipe, then I shut the door to that, and if somehow found another way in. It knocks stuff over, it drives my dogs crazy, and it refuses to leave.

I set down sticky traps. It leaves fur in them and keeps right on going. I tried rat sized snap traps, about a dozen of them. It sets them off without getting caught. I tried mixing flour with plaster of paris and adding dehydrated chicken soup powder. That’s supposed to kill rodents by hardening up in their insides but not kill chickens or pet animals that might eat them later. It upset all three containers of the powder and left squirrel tracks all over the place. I set a wire live capture trap weeks ago, and it kept setting it off without getting caught. I thought maybe the trap was just too small. I set up a larger one, but it doesn’t seem interested in going after the bait inside. I baited it with good quality peanut butter smeared across the trip plate. Any ideas for getting it to leave? Every time I see it it’s either running along the ledge of the house or inside, so using a 2A item is not a solution. This rodent is insane. I have no idea how it's getting inside.

 

[azygous]

I've done more frustrating battle with squirrels than bears and bobcats. They are very sneaky and clever. Humans are no match against squirrels by just trying to outwit them. You need to set yourself up in a comfortable chair, drinks, food, plan on a stakeout.

When I did this, just hung out and watched the darned bushy tailed pest, I saw where it was getting into my garden fortress. The squirrel ran around and around my garden fence, poking its nose into every apparent nook and cranny that might allow access. Until the squirrel found it. It was a tiny crack in the chicken wire at a corner post, and it was inside.

Squirrels are not afraid of humans. They will brazenly conduct their activities as if you weren't even there. If you can devote an hour to just sitting and observing, the squirrel will divulge its secrets. Then BAM! You've won. But you probably won't be able to trap it since it's too smart. But you can seal up its private entrance to the house.

 

[samanthaoverton]

Wait till it's in the wood stove pipe...then have a fire?

 

[springvalley123]

Ugh! I had a groundhog tunnel under the slab foundation and get into the opening for the bathtub drain. I had a pro come and put some redenticide in the wall so the pest could have a meal without leaving his den under my bathtub. It worked! A squirrel can do a lot of damage inside the walls of a house--having access to wiring, insulation, etc.

 

[Geckolady]

Wait till it's in the wood stove pipe...then have a fire?

Please don't tempt me! With my luck, he'd cause even more damage on the way out.