Steelharp
Member
Ok... not exactly hunting, but... a squirrel has managed to get into my attic. I can't blow a hole in the house... what kind of a poison would you recommend to waste the furry little bas----?
Mikey D...
Mikey D...
Advice, PLEASE!
- Thread starter Steelharp
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P95Carry
Moderator Emeritus
Can you get up there and actually see the critter?? If so .. pellet rifle .... way to go IMO.
ACP230
Member
When we had the same problem we put mothballs all over the attic.
I read somewhere that squirrels hate mothballs.
It seemed to work.
I read somewhere that squirrels hate mothballs.
It seemed to work.
Steelharp
Member
I can't see him... just hear him chewing and scratching. The house is an old farmhouse, built over a 50 or so year period from the 1860's to 1920. There is no real pattern or layout to the "attic;" it goes all over the place.
Mothballs, eh? Seems worth a try... thanks...
Mikey D...
Mothballs, eh? Seems worth a try... thanks...
Mikey D...
Preacherman
Member
I thought you had to load the mothballs into a 12ga. shell and shoot them???
P95Carry
Moderator Emeritus
Hmmm .. could be one very unhappy moth ... whilst squirrel goes laughing back to his corner!
Art Eatman
Moderator In Memoriam
Mothballs don't last forever; they evaporate. But, they're effective while they last. Just scatter a dozen or so around the attic; repeat as necessary.
Repair hole in attic.
Art
Repair hole in attic.
Art
Bruz
Member
Get a big snake...re-post if you need help getting rid of the snake.
Steelharp
Member
The big snake lives in the basement; I don't wanna try to transfer him! He does a good job down there...
... and no, that's not a joke.
Mikey D...
... and no, that's not a joke.
Mikey D...
smokemaker
Member
I don't recommend the mothballs in the shotgun thing...seen it done with poor results. Rocksalt, though, that's another thing.
Have you thought about a cat? Even if it won't kill a squirrel, it certainly will move them out. Mine takes care of all critter problems in the house, (except the box-elder beetles, who are in the midst of infestation in the area... I throw them in the wood stove to give 'em a fighting chance.)
Have you thought about a cat? Even if it won't kill a squirrel, it certainly will move them out. Mine takes care of all critter problems in the house, (except the box-elder beetles, who are in the midst of infestation in the area... I throw them in the wood stove to give 'em a fighting chance.)
Smokey Joe
Member
- Joined
- Jan 2, 2003
- Messages
- 2,617
Kitty, kitty, kitty. . .
My cat gets rid of everything mouse-to-rabbit size in my house. He loves his work, is on duty 24/7, would resent being asked to take a vacation. Makes no noise, is litterbox trained, and as a bonus, you get a warm lapful of purrrrrr whenever you sit down to read the newspaper.
Treat him nice and he's yours forever. Don't get me wrong, it's not like a human/dog relationship, but the cat does realize on which side his bread is buttered. The 2 thing cats have over dogs as a pet is the ease of litterbox training, and that you can leave them home alone for a couple daysÑwith food, water, and litterboxÑand they don't wreck the place.
Show 'em an acceptable place or 2 to scratch and theyÑmostlyÑdon't scratch elsewhere. Declawing is an option but a hunting cat needs all its tools.
Got mine @ the local humane society. You want a young (not set in his ways) male (friendlier) neutered (if he never learns to spray to mark his territory he'll never be a problem) shorthair (less shedding). The local humane soc. always will have more cats/kittens than they can get homes for and so are eager for you to have them.
Don't let on to the humane soc. people that you will encourage its natural hunting instinctsÑthey want to be humane to pests too. They can't have it both ways but they won't/can't see that, and if you get 'em upset enough they won't give you a kitty. Just don't bring up the mousing/squirrelling item at allÑYou want a nice kitty to give a home to, who will purr on your lap while watching TV/reading the paper. You'll have to promise to get it neutered and have it vetted regularly, but you should do both anyway.
They will want a donation and it seems to me that's fair.
When it's all over everyone is happy. The humane people got a deserving cat a nice home. The cat gets a home, a job, and a person to share affection with. You get a pet and your house de-squirrelled. I fail to see a downside.
My cat gets rid of everything mouse-to-rabbit size in my house. He loves his work, is on duty 24/7, would resent being asked to take a vacation. Makes no noise, is litterbox trained, and as a bonus, you get a warm lapful of purrrrrr whenever you sit down to read the newspaper.
Treat him nice and he's yours forever. Don't get me wrong, it's not like a human/dog relationship, but the cat does realize on which side his bread is buttered. The 2 thing cats have over dogs as a pet is the ease of litterbox training, and that you can leave them home alone for a couple daysÑwith food, water, and litterboxÑand they don't wreck the place.
Show 'em an acceptable place or 2 to scratch and theyÑmostlyÑdon't scratch elsewhere. Declawing is an option but a hunting cat needs all its tools.
Got mine @ the local humane society. You want a young (not set in his ways) male (friendlier) neutered (if he never learns to spray to mark his territory he'll never be a problem) shorthair (less shedding). The local humane soc. always will have more cats/kittens than they can get homes for and so are eager for you to have them.
Don't let on to the humane soc. people that you will encourage its natural hunting instinctsÑthey want to be humane to pests too. They can't have it both ways but they won't/can't see that, and if you get 'em upset enough they won't give you a kitty. Just don't bring up the mousing/squirrelling item at allÑYou want a nice kitty to give a home to, who will purr on your lap while watching TV/reading the paper. You'll have to promise to get it neutered and have it vetted regularly, but you should do both anyway.
They will want a donation and it seems to me that's fair.
When it's all over everyone is happy. The humane people got a deserving cat a nice home. The cat gets a home, a job, and a person to share affection with. You get a pet and your house de-squirrelled. I fail to see a downside.
Steelharp
Member
The only downside to the cat is that I have two daughters that would have an asthmatic reaction from Hades to one (I've seen it, it ain't pretty)... so far, tossed (not shot) mothballs seems like the best suggestion...
Mikey D...
Mikey D...
Smokey Joe
Member
- Joined
- Jan 2, 2003
- Messages
- 2,617
No Kitty, kitty, kitty ...
Allergic reactions, yeah, they're he** all right. My sympathies to your offspring. Mine are nicely controlled by Claritin (God bless the makers of non-stupidity-making allergy drugs) but that's me, and it took 50 years of searching for the right combination.
You MUST get rid of the squirrels in attic some way, even if it means paying a professional to come in and do it. Squirrels chew wiring, which is usually fatal to the perpetrator (good), but often causes a house fire (very, very bad). I don't know why wire manufacturere haven't come up with a non-tasty covering for their wire, but AFAK they haven't. Mice are known to chew the wiring in cars, too.
One final thought on the cat idea: There ARE hairless cats (with therefore no cat dander to aggravate allergies) but you won't get one from a humane soc; they are expensive. They just don't look like cats, and while they like being petted same as any cat, it just doesn't feel right to pat one. And they are sensitive to cold (obviously). So that probably isn't such a good idea anyhow.
Allergic reactions, yeah, they're he** all right. My sympathies to your offspring. Mine are nicely controlled by Claritin (God bless the makers of non-stupidity-making allergy drugs) but that's me, and it took 50 years of searching for the right combination.
You MUST get rid of the squirrels in attic some way, even if it means paying a professional to come in and do it. Squirrels chew wiring, which is usually fatal to the perpetrator (good), but often causes a house fire (very, very bad). I don't know why wire manufacturere haven't come up with a non-tasty covering for their wire, but AFAK they haven't. Mice are known to chew the wiring in cars, too.
One final thought on the cat idea: There ARE hairless cats (with therefore no cat dander to aggravate allergies) but you won't get one from a humane soc; they are expensive. They just don't look like cats, and while they like being petted same as any cat, it just doesn't feel right to pat one. And they are sensitive to cold (obviously). So that probably isn't such a good idea anyhow.
Sunray
Member
You'd best call one of the wildlife management/removal companies. Dead things stink really badly. Then you'll know how the tree rat gets in and you can seal up the hole. And you'll likely find that putting out poison is illegal.
Carlos Cabeza
Member
I had the same problem a couple of years ago. An entire family of tree rats decided to take up residence in my attic. About ten lived and played during all hours of the day. It took a few weeks to find the hole that they used for access to the attic. I waited until a crisp spring afternoon when I would see them out in the yard doin' what squirrels do then I patched the hole. Upon inspection I found two that had died in the attic. I also had to replace many yards of 12/3 romex wire that the little buggers had eaten. 
After you rid your home, have an electrician come and inspect your attic crawlspace.
then I patched the hole. Upon inspection I found two that had died in the attic. I also had to replace many yards of 12/3 romex wire that the little buggers had eaten. After you rid your home, have an electrician come and inspect your attic crawlspace.
Bottom Gun
Member
I had a squirel problem when I had my cabin in Northern Wisconsin because it sat vacant for long periods of time.
Mothballs didn't work but I found some large green colored gopher bars at Ace Hardware. They are made from a green compound which is impregnated with seeds and molded into bars.
I placed some of the bars inside and left them. It wasn't long before I noticed that something had been gnawing them and I began to see less and less evidence of squirrels. Soon it was rodent free.
Mothballs didn't work but I found some large green colored gopher bars at Ace Hardware. They are made from a green compound which is impregnated with seeds and molded into bars.
I placed some of the bars inside and left them. It wasn't long before I noticed that something had been gnawing them and I began to see less and less evidence of squirrels. Soon it was rodent free.
Ol' Badger
Member
How do you harvest Moth Balls? Arn't they kind of small!
Mike Irwin
Member
Had squirrels get in the attic of my parent's house.
I used a .22 and shot capsules to kill several.
I used a .22 and shot capsules to kill several.
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