Ground squirrels primarily belong to the long bodied terrestrial rodents. They are active during the day in summers and hibernate during the winter season. Ground squirrels are small in size. Nevertheless, they can be harmful and dangerous as well. They tend to make underground shelters, which requires extensive digging of the soil. The extensive digging may lead to several problems within the properties and in crop fields as well. These ground squirrels can do a lot of damage because they tend to gnaw on the structure of the buildings and properties. The species also leaves extremely dangerous biological waste that can cause many problems if it is not cleaned properly. Moreover, people who love plants should make sure their plants and flowers are kept safe and secure from the ground squirrels. These tiny creatures tend to damage healthy lawns due to their habit of digging and affecting the growth of your plants.
Getting rid of ground squirrels is not an easy task mainly because they are very fast and it is quite difficult to catch them. Nasty ground squirrels have multiple entry points as they tend to dig tunnels underground. However, there are ways through which you can identify that your attic or any part of your household is occupied by ground squirrels. The species tend to leave large holes that are one of the clear indications that you have squirrels within your home. Time and again, ground squirrels tend to produce annoying noises, these weird noises can also help you identify whether you have these ground squirrel rodent type critters within your household or not.
【Read more about Getting Rid of Squirrels】
Table of Contents
6 Trapping skills
Many trapping skills or other lethal measures are used to get rid of the ground squirrels that are causing damage to your property. Many options can be used to get rid of these annoying creatures such as lethal traps, commonly referred to as the body grips. However, body grips are difficult to use, and hence you might have to go for other efficient and easy to use options that are available in the market. Many people take professional help. Many companies offer professional squirrel removal techniques to remove the ground squirrel-rodents completely. However, professional help might be expensive and only a few people might be able to afford it. Therefore we have prepared a list of ways that can be used to make sure that the ground squirrels do not cause any damage to your property.
1. Trapping
Trapping is the most commonly used method to catch rodents like squirrels, as it is quite cost effective and gives results within a few days. Squirrels just like mice are lured into it by placing a piece of food that attracts such rodents. As soon as they try to get the food the trap captures them. However, the trap size might not fit all kinds of squirrels as squirrels also vary in size. Many people who capture squirrels tend to use cage traps as well. Cage traps are mainly placed at the entrance area of your house from where the squirrels are most likely to enter. However, there is one drawback in setting up the trap, the traps might not work effectively, mainly because you need to make sure the traps are of a perfect size and must be placed near the central holes. All other holes within the household should be closed.
2. Fencing
Fencing is another method that can be used to get rid of nasty and annoying squirrels. Fencing is also referred to as the exclusion technique, which is designed to protect your flowerbeds and healthy lawns. The half-inch hardware cloth or sheet metal is used to create a fence around the area that people want to protect. However, fencing or exclusion technique might be very expensive, as the price of the sheet would vary depending on the area most likely to be covered. It is more suitable for small areas rather than large areas.
3. Gas
In order to get rid of squirrels many people often use gas to get them out of the place where they are hiding. Examine the place carefully and inject the gas into the soil. The quantity of gas required for injection varies from soil to soil depending on the soil’s plasticity and composition. Gas would penetrate the squirrels hiding in different tunnels. Hence they will start coming out of the holes. Gas causes difficulty in breathing so as a survival tactic the squirrels tend to come out of the holes to save their life.
4. Water and hose
Flushing out method involves the use of a hose. Insert it into the holes and open up the valve. Water will penetrate in the hideouts of squirrels and force them to pop out of the holes. Flushing technique can be used by anyone within the household, as it does not need any professional help. All you need is a hose that is connected to a water tap. As soon as you open the valve, all your squirrel treasure would start coming out.
5. Commercial repellents
In case none of those mentioned above techniques work, you may use different kinds of commercial repellents available in the market. The repellents are designed mainly to help you get rid of squirrels.
- FoxPee
FoxPee is the most cost effective commercial repellent used to get rid of ground squirrels. It is made up of the odors and urine of the predators of squirrels. Squirrels tend to recognize the smell of their predators hence spraying FoxPee within the household would ensure that all the ground squirrels stay away from the area as much as possible. Many people across the globe have used it to get rid of ground squirrels and ensuring their property is protected.
- Gel
Moreover, a lot of gels and creams have been designed to get rid of the ground squirrels. Gels and creams can be rubbed or applied on areas that are to be protected from these little creatures. These gels taste bitter so whenever the squirrels open their mouth to gnaw on the structure of the building or healthy lawns they leave it. Once the squirrels get an idea that an object tastes bitter, they will hate to gnaw or taste it again.
- Pest rid granules
These granules are also available in the market and tend to have a bad smell. If they were applied in areas where these rodents tend to hide then eventually they would move out of that place and would never return again. However, re-apply the lotion whenever you can as few squirrels might be hiding away under the soil. Pest Rid Granules ensure protection in the best way possible.
- Ortho B Gon All Purpose Animal Repellent
It is a ready-to-use commercial repellent and can protect your buildings and properties from squirrels.
- The giant destroyer
Many people tend to use giant destroyers, these are small smoke bombs which produce a gas when then they are dropped into the places where squirrels or other types of rodents are hiding thus killing them.
6. Fumigation
This is another standard method that is used by many people especially if pests infect their household. They tend to use this technique for burrows as well. In the process of fumigation, a gas cartridge is used. As fumigation involves a gas cartridge, you need to make sure whether your soil can hold in the gas or not. If the gas penetrates through the soil under the buildings, then it can cause problems like fire outages.
2 Lethal ways
Apart from all the trapping skills and ways mentioned above, other lethal measures can be used as well. Such lethal action involves shooting and poisoning the small ground squirrels.
1. Shooting
Shooting is considered as a way of controlling the large population of squirrels.
2. Poison
Another method is poisoning the squirrels, and it is considered as one of the most convenient and cheap methods of killing and getting rid of squirrels. All you have to do is to place poisonous medicines in different locations within your house. The squirrels would come and gnaw those medicines and dies. Poisoning the squirrels is regarded as the best option mainly during the severe infestation.
However, in most parts of the world, it is considered illegal to kill ground squirrels, as they are already endangered species of the world and killing them would ultimately result in extinction. If you capture a squirrel, you should make sure not to kill the animal with poison or any other lethal means. It is always better to find out about your local laws that mention details regarding how you should dispose of the captured squirrels. Killing them should not be considered as an option hence people who use giant destroyer smoke bombs should avoid using it. If you are unable to find any local laws that explain how to dispose of squirrels, then you should simply drive them away from your house in an open field rather than kill them. They are small and cute creatures that deserve to live their life without any torture. However, in many states, you need a license to kill animals so make sure you have that otherwise, you will find yourself in trouble. Moreover, in many places like North America, you might need a license to purchase poison that can be used to kill squirrels.
Any action that you might take against these creatures should be verified and checked to save your skin from any legal trouble. It is better to take preventive measures rather than killing them.