OT: Critters in the attic

Re: OT: Critters in the attic

Dick Coers

Best deterrent is to cut back the trees to remove easy access to the roof. They are great jumpers though! No experience with the sound generators.

Re: OT: Critters in the attic

Bill Tindall, E.Tn.

It has been about 10 years ago that I insulated with 6-8 additional inches of blown in insulation and it was a very few hundred dollars.

Re: OT: Critters in the attic

Barry Irby

Squirrels need a hole about the size of a fifty cent piece. They often get into the gutter and cut a hole through the facia above the back of the gutter. Once they are in they find they like it and are hard to convince to stay away.

As a Home Inspector I saw bunch of them over the years, along with rats, flying squirrels, bats, and raccoons. And mice. If you can find and seal there entry hole with metal flashing or heavy hardware cloth. You have to out a larger than expected patch on or they will just go beside it.

You didn't hear it from me but the best solution is to trap them and then they die of lead poisoning applied ballistically.

How many square feet in your attic? That sounds like a lot for 6" of blown in Insulation, but I have not bought any in a few years.

i just feed them

Keith Newton

“Just one bite” rat and mouse poison.

Red Flag Alert

David Yoho

Are these guys in the home pest and insect protection business or are they in the insulation business? Leave pest protection to the experts who only do that and insulation to the experts that only do that. Sounds fishy to me. Their plan does nothing to stop the invaders while soaking you for something that isn't needed or in their area of expertise.

I would locate where the entry point is and close it permanently. Seems like that should have been part of their service.

trees

Jack Guzman from Maine

I had squirrels driving me crazy so I cut all trees and branches that gave access to my roof. It was successful. I haven't had a squirrel in my attic in years.

Re: OT: Critters in the attic

Lee Schierer in McKean, PA

Those sonic noise makers to chase rodents (squirrels) only chase away the money in your bank account.

Your options:

1.Search for the entrance hole and cover it.

2. Seed the attic with poison for squirrels.

3. Bait rat traps with peanut butter ( tie some cloth to the trigger to hold the peanut butter).

4. Live trap them and relocate at least 5 miles away.

5. Assist them in developing lead poisoning (be careful of local ordinances and game laws).

Ammonia

Bill Howatt

From the AWLA Wildlife site:

In the attic

Ammonia works wonders. 1/3 of a cup in a shallow pan coupled with a loud radio and/or bright lights will prompt your furry guests to leave. If there are babies, give mom a few days to move them out, then find and seal the openings to keep new tenants from moving in.

Birds don’t have a good sense of smell but are very sensitive to noise. A loud radio will make nesting at your house very unpleasant.

Bill

Re: OT: Critters in the attic

Joe in a Cleveland suburb

Poison is a really bad idea.

Owls and other raptors eat the poisoned animal then die.

Bad idea.

Re: OT: Critters in the attic

Barry Irby

And if they die in your attic, they stink.

Flying squirrels? *LINK*

JL

I had southern flying squirrels in my attic. They were getting into the attic through the ridge vent.

Several attempts at trap and release failed. They had a nest and they were keeping it. I ended up cutting an access panel into our attic (which hadn't had one). I then stapled 1/4 hardware cloth over the ridge vent on the inside. I also spread moth balls in the attic. Rodent poison is an option.

I tried the ultrasonic/LED rodent repellers in our cars - they didn't work too well w/ whatever rodents were plaguing our cars - but they might work for your attic.


Loraffe ultrasonic repellent

Re: Flying squirrels?

Clint Searl

Friends hired a critter-gitter to get rid of the flying squirrels in their attic. He successfully blocked all their entrances, which were also their exits. During a dinner party one evening around dusk, the squirrels, now blocked from their regular exits, descended to the interior first floor including the dining room. The party erupted in pandemonium.