How to Get Rid of a Squirrel in My Porch Roof
Squirrels, members of the rodent family, regularly wreak havoc on homes by chewing through wood and electrical wires. Squirrels can also affect your health, as they carry and transmit diseases. Porch roofs are dark and cozy and can attract squirrels looking for a place to nest or find extra food. Learning how to get rid of squirrels humanely and permanently is a must if you want your home to stay as sturdy, safe and clean as possible. Does this Spark an idea?
Other People Are Reading
Things You'll Need
- Live traps
- Peanut butter
- Steel mesh wire
- Caulking
- Strobe Lights
Please enter your 10 digit phone number only.
A link to this article has been sent to the phone number provided.
Instructions
-
-
1
Place live traps on or in your porch roof to capture squirrels. You can purchase these live traps at most hardware stores. Put the live traps near all entrances and exits.
-
2
Use peanut butter as bait. According to MSU General Pest Management, traps should be left open and unset for a few days, surrounded by bait, so that the squirrels get used to them.
-
-
3
Check the live traps at dawn and dusk, when squirrels are most active.
-
4
Squirrels are wild animals, so once you catch one, wear gloves and use caution when handling the live trap and releasing the squirrel back into the wild.
-
5
Seal all small holes and openings on your porch roof with caulking or steel mesh wire to prevent squirrels from re-entering your porch roof. Squirrels can also enter your roof through the interior of your home, so seal all small holes and openings on the ground level. You can purchase steel mesh wire and caulking at hardware stores.
-
1
Tips & Warnings
Squirrels regularly enter porch roofs by trees. Trim all branches located near your porch roof to keep squirrels from accessing your roof this way.
Install strobe lights, a repellent that emits a high intensity, short-duration light to repel squirrels, on gutters, ledges and windowsills to help keep squirrels at bay.
Never use harmful poisons to get rid of squirrels, as children or pets could be injured in the process.
References
- Photo Credit squirrel image by pcphotos from Fotolia.com
