How to Kill Grey Squirrels in Your Attic

Squirrels roam around throughout the year, though they're more active during the warmer months because the animals nest in trees during the colder months. Grey squirrels are a common household nuisance as these animals tend to nest in different areas of the house, including the attic. If you want to kill grey squirrels in your attic, find out how they got inside.

Things You'll Need

• Hardware cloth
• Nail gun
• Screws
• One quart water
• Tabasco/hot sauce
• Squirrel traps

Instructions

1. Determine how the squirrels are getting inside your house and the exact entry point for the animals. This is crucial, but not as easy as you might think because the holes need only be the size of their head. Look for any signs of light, which may indicate a hole.

2. Look through your attic to find nests the squirrels build to take care of babies. These nests are most evident during the spring and the fall, which are the two times of year when squirrels give birth. Check the upper parts of the attic, particularly around the eaves or studs.

3. Close off all entry points for the squirrels, but wait until a warm day when the squirrels are typically out looking for food. Cover the holes with hardware cloth and use a nail gun to hold the cloth in place. Then use small screws to further reinforce the covering.

4. Combine one quart of water with a few dashes of Tabasco sauce or any type of hot sauce. Apply this solution to areas around the nests and along the coverings. This repels the squirrels outside the house and blocks them from entering and also repels any squirrels still left in your attic.

5. Install squirrel traps in your attic to trap and kill squirrels still living in the area. Living traps keep the squirrels inside a small box, which you need to dispose of. Kill traps are typically mechanical and instantly kill the squirrel once it steps on the trap. There are other types of traps available, but you need to decide which type to use and then install the traps in your attic.

Tips & Warnings

• Check exhaust fans and other items in your house that reach the outside. Squirrels not only enter through these areas, but also build nests in the areas.

• Don't try to kill squirrels if you find that babies are in the nests. Squirrels are often territorial and may attack if the animals feel that you're threatening the babies.

References

• You Want to Kill Squirrels?
• Squirrels in Attic

Resources

• Read this Article in Spanish