How To Keep Squirrels Away, According To Experts

Squirrels are incredible little athletes, and their antics are fun to watch. But what’s not fun? When they gnaw on your bird feeder or take up residence in your attic. “You can’t keep squirrels completely away from your home and garden,” says Michael Mengak, PhD, Certified Wildlife Biologist and professor, Warnell School of Forestry & Natural Resources at the University of Georgia. “But you can take a few steps to reduce the damage they can cause.”

Of course, it’s annoying when they knock down your bird feeders, but they’re even bigger nuisances when they nest inside attics, wall voids, garages. and sheds. They also can chew wires, causing potential fire hazards. “Squirrels may find an entry hole or gap, or they can create their own holes by gnawing through the siding or the soffit,” says Sheldon Owen, PhD, wildlife extension specialist at West Virginia University. “Over time, urine and feces can accumulate, too, in places such as attic insulation.”

The most common types of squirrels that come indoors in the Southeast include the gray squirrel (Sciurus carolinensis) and the Southern flying squirrel (Glaucomys volans), says Mengak. While gray squirrels are solitary, flying squirrels may live in colonies of four to five squirrels. Both types also may find your house a nice, cozy place to raise their babies.

 Read on to learn what you can do to keep squirrels out of both your feeders and house:

How Can You Tell You Have Squirrels In Your House?

You may see squirrels coming and going, or you may spot brown, oily stains on the side of your house where they’re rubbing up against it as they enter. You’ll also hear a lot of rustling or scratching noises as they move around. Gray squirrels are active during the day, while flying squirrels are active at night, says Mengak.

If you discover a squirrel nesting in your home or shed, look for its entryway into the structure. Squirrels may come in under the eaves, gable vent, behind chimneys, where rooflines intersect, or between the soffit board and the rain gutter. “They’re good at finding soft rotted wood and exploiting that weakness,” says Mengak.

What To Do If You Have A Squirrel Your House

Make sure you have seen the squirrel exit your house, then seal up the hole. Otherwise, it will chew another hole to get out, or die in your attic, which will cause an odor and attract pests, such as flies, says Mengak. You’ll also want to be sure no babies are present before you exclude the parents.  

Use metal flashing or quarter or half-inch hardware cloth to block the entrance; avoid using something they can gnaw through, such as window screening. Replace any damaged wood and siding.

Also, make sure you reduce easy access to your house: Because squirrels can jump 4 feet vertically and twice that horizontally, keep tree limbs at least 8 feet from buildings to reduce easy access to your house.

Next, clean up the area where they were nesting. Wear disposable gloves and remove food debris. Replace soiled insulation. Clean the space by spraying down droppings with a bleach solution (1.5 cups of household bleach in 1 gallon of water) or a general disinfectant (make sure it says “disinfectant on the label). Let it sit for five minutes, wipe up the area with paper towels, and dispose. Wash your hands.

If you can’t reach the area where they’re entering because it’s too high or inaccessible to you–or you just don’t feel like handling it yourself—you may prefer to hire a nuisance wildlife removal company, says Owen.

How To Keep Squirrels Away From Bird Feeders

Nothing is foolproof because squirrels are tenacious, but Mengak and Owen suggest you try a few different tactics for keeping squirrels off your feeders:

· Use a baffle. This protective plastic or metal shield prevents squirrels from climbing up poles or onto the tops of feeders.

· Suspend feeders on a cable covered with sections of 2 to 3-inch diameter plastic pipe, which spins when they try to walk along it. Make sure the cable is placed out of their jumping range (about 8 feet from rooflines, decks, or trees).

· Choose a feeder that closes up when a squirrel sits on the perch. The weight of the squirrel—but not birds—will close the feeding holes. Another type of feeder has a weight-activated spinning perch that gently tosses squirrels off. “A squirrel may keep trying, but if he’s going to expend more energy than he’s gaining when foraging, he’s probably going to give up and go elsewhere,” says Mengak.

· Fill feeders with less desirable seeds such as safflower, millet and thistle. “These aren’t high on a squirrel’s list of favorites, though they will eat them if they’re hungry enough,” says Owen.

· Add some heat. Most mammals don’t like capsaicin, so you can try purchasing “hot” bird seed or adding hot sauce (you’ll have to reapply regularly and after rain). But remember that squirrels are individuals; some may be sensitive to it, but others may not care and will keep chowing down, says Mengak.

· Try setting up a “sacrificial feeder” loaded with squirrel favorites such as cracked corn or peanuts to lure them away from your other bird feeders. There’s no guarantee they’ll stop raiding the other feeders, but it’s worth a shot.

How To Stop Squirrels From Damaging Young Trees

One more common issue with squirrels is when they gnaw bark or tips of branches or chew around the base of young trees, which eventually can kill the tree. There’s not much you can do about it when they’re gnawing up high, says Mengak. But you may be able to protect the base of saplings by wrapping with commercial tree wrap or making a protective cage from ¼-inch hardware cloth.

What Doesn’t Work

Both Mengak and Owen say commercial repellents and essential oils are not effective for keeping squirrels away from your garden or home. And sonic devices have zero science behind them. Instead, make sure to seal holes into your home, and stick with low-tech methods, such as hanging bird feeders away from trees.