Help! Squirrel in the House

[Toodles524]

No, he's not running around the house, he's inside the walls! But he has dug a hole out of the drywall in the spare bedroom. And he has a nest there. I don't know what to do. I have been trying to get a trap, but I can't locate one.
For two days I have been trying to call animal control in our city and they don't answer. I have left messages, but they don't call me back. If I can get one, I'm thinking I could make the hole a little larger so he can get out, and then bait the trap and maybe, just maybe he'll come out and I can relocate him a good distance away! Am I going about this the right way? And what would be the best thing to bait the trap with (if I ever locate one)? Or should I just call Critter Control and get them to handle him. How much do those type of outfits charge? Anyone have any experience with this. I love wildlife, but not as houseguests!
Thanks

 

[ducklite]

Go to your local Home Depot or Lowes and get a Have a Heart trap. They are fairly inexpensive, only about $25 for a small one--and that's all you'll need size wise. Bait it with peanuts. The squirrel will be alive, maybe a little ornary, and definitely scared when he's caught. take the trap outside and release him, best if it's at least a half a mile from your house.

Your bigger problem is finding how he got in. You need to check everywhere, the attic, the basement, the dryer vent. Anyplace there is a potential hole you need to cover with squirrel proof wire mesh.

Good luck!

Anne

 

[Toodles524]

AAAGGGHHHH! I was just there this morning and didn't even think about checking for a trap at Lowes. (Oh yeah, and the kitchen sink drain decided to blow a gasket and now drains through the floor into the basement! lol When it rains, it pours!)
I'll go back tomorrow and check for one!
Thanks, Ducklite!

 

[floridafam]

Just be careful. The squirrel will probably be angry if you trap him.

Let us know what happens.

 

[bumcat]

and after you catch him, get your frying pan ready

 

[damo]

Make sure your family hides their nuts

 

[DisneyMim]

We had them in our first house, in the walls of a huge 100 year old Victorian House we owned. Hubby trapped them and released them in a park. I would NOT advise this unless you know what you're doing. The animal control officer is a good idea and I can't figure out why he won't get back to you, but another option (and this would cost you $$$) is to call a pest control company. Whatever you do be VERY careful. If they get into your homw they can do a lot of damage. This happened to a friend once and it was a nightmare.

Good Luck and BE CAREFUL!!

 

[DisneyMim]

Oh and another thing, sorry I can't seem to add to my old post, make sure you find where they are coming in and patch it up good so others won't find their way into your walls again.

 

[Toodles524]

Thanks so much for all the replies. I did find a trap at Lowes. It is designed for squirrels. It was only $20! My kind of price. It is set up for safely releasing the little guy. And I have some really good gloves. I had to trap a wild cat once, so I know what you mean about angry. Plus I have an ex-husband who's always up for a job like that! He's coming over tomorrow evening to help with the kitchen drain. (Normally, I would fix that myself, but I'm temporarily disabled with a problem in my right shoulder!) So hopefully, I'll have the critter in the trap by then. The terminix guy says he can see a tiny hole at the chimney where it looks like the flashing has been pulled a bit. Of course, that's 3 stories high at that point, and my roof has an unbelievable pitch on it. (Can you say, Nope, not me bubba! ) I'm not crawling up there. So I'll have to call someone to come look at repairing that. I guess a roofing company. Then there's the wall.........Oh well.......at least life's not boring! I'll let ya'll know if I get him. Thanks again.

 

[Pat]

If you trap the critter, don't let him loose anywhere near the house or it will just be back again. Make sure you let him go a long way from home.

 

[darlene9947]

We had squirrels in our attic that just about drove my youngest daughter nuts. You could hear them running around at night. We sealed up all the openings around the house, even the vent above our garage. I saw the little buggers getting right back in. Someone told us to put out some moth balls in the attic. My DH kinda went overboard with the moth balls. The house stunk to high heaven for a couple of weeks. But those little pests are outta here!!

 

[TEENEE]

I second the moth ball idea. I've had them in my attic. I put moth balls up there a couple weeks ago and haven't heard them since. I also went overboard with the moth balls. I can smell them in my bedroom and really smell them outside of the house. The smell is still better than the listening to the squirrels.

 

[bclydia]

Sounds like you have a good handle on all of this! I just wanted to add that you might want to check the wall these beasties are in to make sure they haven't chewed through any wiring!! That could be a fire hazard.
Best of luck with them!!!
Lydia

 

[Toodles524]

Well, I've had the trap baited for a few days now, and Mr. Spunky doesn't want to leave his comfy little nest. I guess he doesn't like the smorsgaboard I've left out for him! So I guess I'll have to call in the professionals Monday, before he does more damage than he has already done. Thankfully he has picked the only wall in the house with no wiring in it. I'm sure I'll have to have them check and see if he has accessed any other walls. I might try the mothballs though. I haven't tried that yet!
Thanks again for all the help!

 

[Figment22]

We had a squirrel in our attic several years ago. My husband baited the trap not with peanuts, but with peanut butter. He was in the trap within half an hour. Hope this works for you.

By the way, the person who mentioned the squirrels chewing through the wiring was all too correct. We had been getting lots of static on our telephone and then one day--nothing. Turned out squirrels had chewed right through the telephone wires!

 

[luvmarypoppins]

I posted another thread for this a while back, maybe you could do a search. I got some interesting answers. Well dh and I had a difference of opinion how to get rid of the creature. It ended up he got rat traps, rat poison and a have a heart trap (To please me), Havent heard it lately and its not in ANY of the traps, so I dont know where he or they went. It got to the point where I would say every night, good night chip, good night dale, my DH said heah they are chipmunks and we have a squairrel.

 

[airhead]

....bait hav-a-heart traps with peanutbutter and you should cartch them. you probably have more than one......
I had a family of 6!!!!!

 

[Antonia]

I have learned so much from the DIS!! I never knew have-a-heart traps existed and now I know what to bait them with. Let us know if peanut butter works for you.

 

[Toodles524]

Nope peanut butter hasn't enticed him. I tried that first, then cheese, then apples, then peanut butter and chocolate (I know, sounds crazy, but a friend said they had a squirrel that loved it when he was younger! and I'm desparate!). I've also tried a "honey stick", which I bought at the pet store. So I'm going to call the pro's tomorrow and see how much they are going to charge me! I haven't heard much from him lately either, so I'll have to check on him. I've been trying to stay out of his room to encourage him to come out! Oh well!