Squirrels - DFW Wildlife Organization

If the noise is during the daylight, you probably have a squirrel. During February through May and August through October, there are babies.Trapping is not recommended for many reasons:

1. Often the homeowner is unaware of babies, until they have already trapped/relocated the mother squirrel.
2. An inexperienced or stressed mother may (when trapped) eat her babies.
3. The squirrel is a single mother.
4. Stress of relocation or lack of mobility of the young may cause the mother to abandon her young.
5. Allowing the mother to relocate her babies prevents the homeowner from having additional cost associated with cutting into walls to retrieve fallen babies left behind.

Patience is recommended for the babies to reach 6-8 weeks as they can then travel with mom out of your attic. Wait and observe. When the family leaves, make the necessary repair to prevent re-entry. Or you can install a one-way door allowing the squirrels to leave, however prevents reentry. See our “PRODUCTS PAGE” located in the upper right menu bar.If you cannot wait, an eviction is a simple solution. Requires no relocation. Family will remain intact. The use of deterrents encourages the squirrel to vacate by disrupting the quiet, dark nest. Eviction is the most humane solution and squirrel babies stay with their mother.FIRST, Identify entry points. Look around the eaves, plumbing vents on your roof, or air vents for the attic. Look for holes, even small ones, sometimes there will be fur around the edges. If the noises are coming from your chimney, and you can safely check, look to see if the chimney cap is intact. If you do not have a chimney cap, you will want to schedule an installation as soon as possible as squirrels, raccoons and chimney sweeps may find your chimney a desirable home. Once you have identified the entry point, check for the nest which is usually located by the entry. Proceed with an eviction.An eviction must be deployed during the day for a squirrel. This is when the mother becomes active and leaves the nest to forage. Upon leaving the nest, if she feels a threat to her young family, she will begin relocating. This may be immediately if the mother has an alternative nest. If she must find or build a new nest it will take more time.A special note, if there are adverse weather conditions that may limit the mother’s activity, wait to begin the eviction as you do not want the mother to become accustom to the deterrents.Deterrents target the senses: sight, smell, and sound. The deterrents (light, radio, and Apple Cider vinegar) are turned on at daybreak and off at dusk. Do not leave on during the night, as the mother will get accustom and determine there is not a threat.

1. Day one at daybreak, provide light to the nest.  Depending on the location, you may need to use additional lighting such as a utility light with a clamp (extension cord, if needed) to flood the nest site with light.
2. Add a portable radio on a 24-hour Rap music or Talk station at the nest, creates an additional threat to the family, as the preference is to have a quiet den.
3. Place Apple Cider vinegar on some rags around the nest.
4. Turn deterrents off at dusk. If you are unsure that the family moved, repeat deterrents at daybreak for day two.
5. On the morning of day two or three (depending on when you believe the family departed) seal the entry with newspaper, plastic garbage bag taped to the edges, or other barrier that can be easily removed by the mother if she is still in the nest. The purpose is not to trap. The goal is to determine if the mother is still using the nest. Monitor for activity for 24-48 hours. Listen for babies as the mother can’t be at both nest locations. She may have partially relocated the family.
6. If after 24-48 hours the opening is still sealed as you left it, proceed with permanent repair to prevent another squirrel or wild neighbor from taking up residency.

A minimum repair would entail hardware cloth applied to the opening and secured with a 1-inch sturdy staple. For a chimney install/reinstall a chimney cap.Please feel free to contact the DFW Wildlife Coalition hotline at 972-234-9453 to discuss your eviction if you are having trouble or are unsure.If you want to hire a professional, call the hotline so we can refer you to a company that will humanely evict and guarantee the job. Be an informed consumer as some wildlife removal companies are not humane.