Pest Squirrel Trapping

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squirrel_getter

squirrel_getter

Member
Dec 11, 2021
177
18
Alabama, United States
I have had members PM me about trapping pest squirrels. Trapping is certainly not for everyone but can be an additional management tool in the battle with pest squirrels. Here are some thoughts and strategies I have used:



Pest Squirrel Trapping

Live cage traps can be used to capture squirrels alive. They should be placed strategically around the yard where squirrels are known to frequent. The best bait is whole peanuts. A word of caution, if you don't shoot the squirrels in the life traps but instead desire to relocate them, be certain to take them several miles away for release or they may come back!!

I have used #110 conibear/body grip weasel traps for trapping squirrels with very good results. The 110 body grip trap (commonly called a 110 conibear) is a small, single spring body gripping trap that typically measures about 4.5″ square. 110’s are used for trapping small animals like the muskrat, mink, weasel and squirrel. Check the internet for purchase and use. They are very affordable. I would again use whole peanuts for bait in the back of the trap box and just behind the trap. Just strategically place the sets around the yard where squirrels are known to frequent and far enough above the ground to keep out of reach of children and pets. The videos below instead of conibear traps use rat traps inside the box. I prefer the double trap with one on each end. The rat traps are certainly less expensive than conibear traps and more readily available. I have used both conibear and rat trap boxes but prefer conibear trap boxes. Use caution when setting the traps!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vbGALOrkkZs

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9IWz4ywZu1U

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NpiaunWZ0ds

There are many variations of the rat trap box designs that will work. These traps can even be placed on the ground. Do not place weasel conibear traps on the ground if pets or children may be present. That is a no no!

Although hunting by itself is effective, ideally trapping should at least be used initially in conjunction with hunting to severely and more quickly reduce the pest squirrel population. The simultaneous use of both live cage traps and conibear weasel body trap sets are advisable. Traps may have to be relocated as you reduce the population in certain areas or squirrels become trap wise. After successful population reduction, hunting may be the only method needed to keep the squirrel pest population under control. Sometimes trapping is the only squirrel pest control method available to a property owner. The ultimate goal should be ZERO squirrels. That will never happen because squirrels will continue to move in from adjacent property as you remove them.

It is probably best to not spread the word around about squirrel controls or let neighbors see any of the aforementioned squirrel control measures because some people are treehuggers. etc. if you get my drift. High privacy fences make good neighbors. Wink. Wink.

Because of the dangers of toxic poisons to pets and children I prefer to use conibear weasel traps instead of poisons. If anyone is interested in using poison for squirrel pest control, PM me.

I hope this helps those who are dealing with pesky squirrels Good luck!.
 
My neighbor spent thousands on pest control people that’s used everything under the sun from poison, live traps to conibear body traps and NOTHING!!!! Mean while I’ve gotten well over 30 squirrels, his literal words were you are the ONLY thing that worked. These days I’ll be lucky to even catch glimpse of a squirrel around my house.
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It is hard to beat lead. I consider traps just as an additional tool. You have to learn & use some strategy for traps to be successful. I advise the use of guns and traps when both are available and feasible. But you have to learn trapping to be successful at it. Live cage traps are a little more forgiving. I have also incorporated live cage traps into armadillo control.

LOL by controlling the pest squirrel population in your yard you will be controlling your neighbor's problem also provided they are near you. Maybe you should bill your neighbor ha! ha!
 
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@Squirrel_getter Lead works great for squirrels. If you can bait them and shoot them, why worry about poison or traps? Let me know what you have for moles. I can’t figure a way to locate them, let alone shoot em. They’ve been horrendous this year.
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Same here. They make mole traps and repellents. I have never tried them. I stomp the tunnels down. At least I feel better.
 
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It is hard to beat lead. I consider traps just as an additional tool. You have to learn & use some strategy for traps to be successful. I advise the use of guns and traps when both are available and feasible. But you have to learn trapping to be successful at it. Live cage traps are a little more forgiving. I have also incorporated live cage traps into armadillo control.

LOL by controlling the pest squirrel population in your yard you will be controlling your neighbor's problem also provided they are near you. Maybe you should bill your neighbor ha! ha!
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I totally agree that it's another tool in the box and can be left unattended but for some reason the squirrels around here simply won't touch any trap. You think someone would know how to setup a trap out of at least half a dozen pest control people he hire, he told me he tried everyone in the area. 

I thought about billing my neighbor but he is totally cool with me shooting in my backyard, in fact he encourages it. Unfortunately he sold the house so I am on ultra stealth mode these days, apparently my new neighbor love squirrels. LOL!!!
 
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the problem here is the contractor that owned this place trapped squirrels at his other sites and released them here, since this place is way out ... they wouldnt go near a trap and it was squirrel fricken cejtral around here let me tell ya... trapping isnt an option for a serious air gunner anyway lol .. wtf
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I posted this mostly because of the calls I get about pest squirrels and people are desperate to get rid of them. Actually most don't even have access to shooting them or it is not an option, etc. Trapping is not for everyone and certainly not the faint of heart but it is an option.

I too opted to just use my PCP's to control them at my house. I am retired and could devote the time to get rid of the squirrels. If they come I will accommodate them with a lead eviction notice.That is not an option for someone who is still working. LOL the squirrels will tote the house away while they are at work. You can't shoot em while at work. The task can be accomplished for people still working but it will take longer. Also some people don't have pellet guns or there is an issue prohibiting their use. Traps may thus be the only option or additional option. Not so for us retired lead slingers. I agree if slinging lead is an option that it is the most effective choice and traps are just an additional tool and may not be necessary. However, traps are effective if designed/set correctly, placed in a good location, good bait, sufficient number of traps used, etc. It is imperative to set the traps where the squirrels are. Squirrels will certainly become trap wise and over a period of time traps may be less effective or ineffective. That is certainly a disadvantage of repeated trapping in one spot/location.. Moving them to different parts of the property helps somewhat because it exposes different squirrels to the traps.
 
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If you have Squirrels in the attic a simple very effective way to get them out is 100% pure peppermint oil , not food store cake flavoring .

wear rubber gloves and put on cotton balls around the attic . 6 or 8 cotton balls should do . 

It irritates the eyes as you will find out . lasts for months .
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Scent and ultrasound deterrents are not effective. Ultrasonic sound pest control is even pushed for mice.
 
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Concerning squirrels in the attic or wall:

The truth is that I've been to many houses in which various scent deterrents and ultrasonic sound deterrent devices have been used, and none of them help at all, because a squirrel's survival instinct is so strong that it won't leave the attic just because of a scent and ultrasonic devices don't work as a deterrent. I have seen literally a dozen or more scent deterrents used by home owners or suggested because they read about it on the internet. Squirrels usually always live near the edge of the attic anyway, near the well-ventilated soffit, and the scent odors just don't help because of this. In addition an attic is too well ventilated using ridge vents, etc.. Research has confirmed the ineffectiveness of scent deterrents and ultrasonic devices.

There are actually a number of methods that you could turn to when it comes to removing squirrels from your attic, but not all of them are going to be effective, cost-effective, or worth your while. The best thing to do once the squirrels are confirmed or suspected to be in the attic is first locate the entrance hole.

Let's say this one more time and get this one out of the way nice and early...squirrel repellents and deterrents very rarely work. They certainly don't work to evict an animal that has already moved in...you will need to make sure your home or building is sealed for that. Without appropriate sealing, you are letting not only squirrels get in again, but other wild animals too.

Once the entrance hole is discovered an exclusion device can be used temporarily to seal the hole.This exclusion door can be bought commercially or made. They are just a one way door that will allow the squirrels to come out of the attic but not go back in. You should then gain entrance into your attic and survey for damage especially gnawed electrical wiring. Any damage should be repaired per international electrical code ASAP! The survey should include nest removal and if baby squirrels are present they should be disposed of in a humane way...more on that below.

Once you have gotten the squirrel(s) out of your attic/building, you must do everything that you can to keep them out. This will involve removing the temporary exclusion door and properly sealing up your home and protecting it to ensure other squirrels or wild critters can’t get back in, alongside making modifications to your actual property — front and back yard to include removal of limbs giving access to the roof or house and adding flashing etc. where and if needed. Stopping access to the house is imperative for current and future squirrel pest control! Note some people don't consider exclusion door devices suitable for female squirrels with a nest of young, unless they are old enough to leave the nest too. Otherwise, you’ll just have a nest full of baby squirrels on the inside which will die if the mother squirrel on the outside can’t get back in and they will starve to death. I stated above I advocate their removal and humane disposal to prevent this. In my opinion you can't do otherwise and allow the female squirrel to have attic access to nurse/wean the babies because you risk the gnawing of wiring and the real possibility of a subsequent house fire! So...

Ensure that you aren't attracting the animals by mistake. Food is usually the biggest attractant, therefore bird feeders should not be used near the house or preferably not at all. They only serve to attract the squirrels You might be surprised to learn that feeders are not the only attractant. Many natural foods are attractive to a squirrel but it is infeasible to go about their removal.

Now begin your squirrel eradication in the yard. Shoot and/or trap em all! If you desire to use a squirrel feeder to concentrate the squirrels in an area to safely shoot them, be sure to locate it as far as possible from the house and to remove the feeder ASAP. Don't continue it's use for the aforementioned reason. This part of the process to eradicate the squirrels usually takes months to accomplish. This is a frustrating experience. Good luck.

If you don't already have a squirrel issue in your house consider the appropriate preventative measures alluded to above. It is best to prevent this headache from happening
 
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For squirrels I've been using the Goodnature A18. 

What I like about it, is I don't have to pay much attention to it. With my squirrel population well under control, it makes a kill roughly once every 2-3 days. It usually has enough bait so that I only need to rebait it once a week, and recharge the CO2 cartridge once every 6 months or so. 

If you have a lot of squirrels you'll probably have to do more maintenance than that.

My dog brings all the corpses to me. 

https://youtu.be/TL1HvJfID-4


 
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I have not caught a bird yet, as far as I know. My dog is pretty good about bringing all the kills to the back door, since she knows she gets a pat on the head if she does. 

You'd have to be a small bird to get inside the unit, and the inside is completely slick, i.e. there's nothing for a bird to hold onto. They would need to have gecko feet. The plastic is one of those super-slippery glass-impregnated types -- I don't know plastic terminology. It's pretty well designed.

So far the only "unintended use" I suspect is happening is raccoons putting their hands in, to mine out the bait. 

Making a PCP version would be nice idea. I suppose you could arrange for the A18 to be a PCP unit. You'd need to install a port the size of the CO2 cartridge onto a PCP bottle, i.e. a bottle with a separate port. It would have to be a pretty small bottle -- would probably put too much stress on the unit to hang a 300cc air bottle off the trap. Are there any tiny 20cc PCP bottles out there? Perhaps you'd have to make it yourself, out of aluminum. 
 
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I am surprised it hasn't gotten a Carolina wren. Those little buggers are into everything. I noticed a pair gathering nesting material the last few days. They are getting an early start on spring.
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We don't have any of those birds around here. We've been getting lots of new species showing up from the south over the past decade, but not that one. I'm on the west coast, as well. Those wrens seem to be more of an east coast thing. 

I think the only flying animals that'd have a chance of getting at the bait and triggering the trap would be swallows or bats. They'd have to be exceptionally agile and fly in. If a bird is going to walk into the trap it would need talons, strong and sharp enough to gouge the plastic. I'm baiting the trap with peanut butter, and I don't think swallows or bats are interested in that. 
 
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