Squirrel issues...

I was heading out the door to go to class yesterday, and as I closed the door I heard rustling on top of the broom closet, where we keep some baskets and stuff, in the back hall/stairwell area. I looked up toward the sound and what do I see but a SQUIRREL sitting in one of the baskets!! I busted out laughing and then immediately got the broom to try to chase the little bugger down the stairs and out the door to the outside. Unfortunately, he went upstairs instead and hid in the attic somewhere, so I wasn't able to chase him out that time. Then this morning I hear a sound out there again as I'm going about my business and sure enough, there he is. Once again I started after him but again he went and hid in the attic; I went up there but couldn't find him so I went back into the apartment and continued with my day. I also put a container of sunflower seeds on the landing in hopes of attracting him there so I would hear him and could chase him out the door. So later I opened the door to check, and there he was on the landing again. I grabbed the broom from where I left it by the door and went after him yet again; this time I did get him downstairs but then he ran up the wall and back upstairs; the process was repeated and he disappeared into a gap in the ceiling for the electrical wiring and I could then not find him. Then I came back inside and started writing this post; about that time my roommate (who is also the one who owns the building) came home and yelled for me to "come look at this, did that squirrel get in here again?" It turns out the darn squirrel had chewed the (brand new) window frames on the second and third floor landing. I didn't even notice this earlier as I was so busy chasing him and wasn't really looking at anything else. OK, now the situation isn't funny anymore. Obviously we need to plug up whatever hole there is in the attic or anywhere else where he got in; the question is what's the best and quickest way to remove the little bugger before he causes any more damage?

Hire a Rent-A-Cat. Preferably a girl cat. Boys don't hunt as much. That squirrel will leave in a hurry. Squirrels don't mind too much about a dog. But a cat is a different story.

When I was married, we owned a house next to a green belt filled with ground cover, a perfect place for all the field mice. The neighbors on both side were careful and never left the garage door open unattended. Yet they both had field mice move in and running up and down in the walls.

My house on the other, we regularly left the garage door open. We also had a kitty door from the utility room to the garage and the garage is where we kept the litter box. We never had any field mice inside the house except on rare occasions when my two wonderful kitties were proud to show me their catch, field mice, birds, and once a juvinile bunny :mad: Mice are not that dumb. They know where its safe and not. House with two kitties is definitly a no no no matter how easy it is for them to come into the house.

smilingcat

Borrow a Have-a-heart trap. Try the Humane Society, and animal/cat rescue group, or your local Animal Control people. set it up in the attic or wherever with some apple and peanut butter. You'll get him quick enough that way and you won't have to hurt him. Be sure to check it twice a day!
Read about them here:
http://www.for-the-love-of-cats.com/HAVAHEART.html

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Originally Posted by Lisa S.H.

Borrow a Have-a-heart trap. Try the Humane Society, and animal/cat rescue group, or your local Animal Control people. set it up in the attic or wherever with some apple and peanut butter. You'll get him quick enough that way and you won't have to hurt him. Be sure to check it twice a day!
Read about them here:
http://www.for-the-love-of-cats.com/HAVAHEART.html

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I think that's what we're going to end up using; I've been doing some checking and it sounds like that's the best way to go.

I know I would probably really dislike having squirrels as a pest, but from half a world away, a squirrel sounds like a cool visitor to have.

I remember watching a very cool prgramme about the problem-solving abilities of squirrels and the incredible obstacle courses set up for them to see if they could achieve the prize (something tasty to squirrels)

Good luck with discouraging the frame-chewing, and the live capture... but I have a feeling if it was me I'd be trying to "befriend" it...

Of course, I am standing at some distance, in squirrel free territory and with rode-tinted glasses on... :p

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Originally Posted by RoadRaven

I know I would probably really dislike having squirrels as a pest, but from half a world away, a squirrel sounds like a cool visitor to have.

I remember watching a very cool prgramme about the problem-solving abilities of squirrels and the incredible obstacle courses set up for them to see if they could achieve the prize (something tasty to squirrels)
:p

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funny - a friend just emailed me this link on Tues last week. Surprised I still had it but here ya go

http://www.maniacworld.com/squirrel-...le-course.html

Funny you'd suggest a cat to get rid of a squirrel. In my neighborhood, the cats and the squirrels have a gentleman's agreement. You can chase, but don't get too close.
if the cat gets too close to the squirrel, the squirrel turns around and tells the cat off.
good luck and thanks for the squirrel video.

My DH live-trapped several squirrels in the fall. One or two a day, until it started getting too cool out, and we were afraid we'd catch one in the morning and he'd have to sit in there until evening. Anyway, if you catch the little bugger, make sure to transport him a few miles, somewhere nice and woodsy and without houses. He'll come back if you just take him outside, and, clearly, he'd like to move into somebody else's house.

Right now we have red squirrels, big grey squirrels, and flying squirrels. I think the flying ones are the critters making scratching noises in our roof at night.:mad:

The squirrels are trying to stay warm and dry during the winter. So once you trap them, their access holes will need to be blocked (the chewed window frames). Might try nailing hardware cloth (heavy metal mesh) with lots of overlap over the holes.

And are you sure there's just one? Hopefully your squirrel buddy doesn't have a wife and kids up there. :eek:

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Originally Posted by bmccasland

The squirrels are trying to stay warm and dry during the winter. So once you trap them, their access holes will need to be blocked (the chewed window frames). Might try nailing hardware cloth (heavy metal mesh) with lots of overlap over the holes.

And are you sure there's just one? Hopefully your squirrel buddy doesn't have a wife and kids up there. :eek:

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The hardware cloth sounds like a good idea--someone else suggested that as well. As for there possibly being a squirrel family up there, hopefully not! Someone I talked to yesterday said this is their mating season and they could start having babies in a few weeks, so there probably wouldn't be any yet. We just need to get it out before that does happen!

I can't get the link to load here on my slow home connection.
You have given me one reason to look forward to going back to work on Monday (after my summer break)... to watch squirrel video :)

it will ride!!!