How to Get Rid of Round-Tailed Ground Squirrels

Here is a family of round-tailed ground squirrels.

Round-tailed ground squirrels are found in desert regions of Arizona, California and Mexico. They are small, scrawny looking squirrels with a thin non-bushy tail. They feed off of seeds, leaves, grasses, fruits, vegetables, nuts and shrubs, as well as an occasional insect. They live underground in burrows and are most active in when it is hot. Round-tailed ground squirrels live in groups, so if you see one in your yard, you will most likely have an entire family. These squirrels can be pesky and do damage to your lawn and garden. Getting rid of round-tailed ground squirrels is possible, but prevention is important as well.

Things You'll Need

• Traps
• Peanut butter
• Seeds
• Repellant
• Cayenne pepper
• Fence
• Rat poison

Instructions

1. Lure the round-tailed ground squirrels into traps with food. Squirrel traps are available at home supply stores and sometimes on loan through your local game and fish department. Place some nuts or peanut butter on a stick inside the cage and let the squirrel enter. The cage should have a trap door that will shut when it takes the food. Take the squirrel and release it at least five miles from any homes.

2. Clean up your yard to keep ground squirrels out. Squirrels will come into your yard for an easy food supply such as fallen fruit, edible trash, dog food, birdseed, nuts or vegetable gardens. Clean up your yard and block entrances to gardens and fruit trees to keep the squirrels away. When the squirrels realize there is no food available to eat, they will not make residence in your yard.

3. Use a repellant to keep squirrels out of your yard. Squirrels do not like peppers and will avoid them, so plant them in your garden. Make a squirrel repellent by sprinkling your plants with red pepper or cayenne pepper everyday. Professionally formulated squirrel repellant made of predator urine is available through pest control stores.

4. Build fences around your gardens to keep the squirrels out. Make sure the fence is underground about 10 inches so they won't burrow under it. Trim the branches off any trees that hang over the fence. Remove bushes near the outside of the fence or they will climb in.

5. Purchase rat poison at a home supply store, but only as a last resort. The problem with using a poison is that the squirrel will eat it and then get sick and become easy prey for birds such as owls and hawks. When these animals feed on the poisoned squirrel they could die as well. Cats, dogs, and children may also come into contact with the poison. Only put out poison if you are able to ensure pets and children can't get a hold of it and you can watch for sick or dead squirrels lying in the area.

References

• Digital Desert: Mojave Round-tailed Ground Squirrel
• Fire Fly Forest: Round-tailed Ground Squirrel
• Critter Control: Getting Rid of Ground Squirrels
• Rodent Killer: Get Rid of Problem Ground Squirrels