Small adorable animal for some, source of boredom for others, the squirrel sometimes leaves unpleasant traces of its passage.
To prevent this rodent from causing damage to your property or land, you can keep it away with:
- Natural repellents
- Plants
- Physical barriers
- Organic fertilizers
- Water or ultrasonic repellents
Find out in detail these few methods that will allow you to get rid of squirrels.
Know that you can always use a pest management company for this type of problem. Exterminators easily locate squirrel entry points into your home and will introduce you to the best technique to safely capture them.
The main species of squirrels in Quebec
In all, 7 species of squirrels coexist together in Quebec:
- The Grey Squirrel
- The Red Squirrel
- Striped chipmunks
- Chipmunk minor
- The Little Flying Squirrel
- The Great Flying Squirrel
- The groundhog
What about the black squirrel? In fact, the gray squirrel and the black squirrel are of the same species. It is only the color of the coat that changes. On the other hand, the red squirrel belongs to a completely different species. It prefers to live in coniferous forests unlike its cousins who are found in deciduous forests, urban parks and suburbs.
And the groundhog? Commonly called “whistler”, the animal is part of the family of squirrels, that is to say sciuridae.
Squirrel damage
The squirrel is as skilled as the mouse to sneak inside our homes. Since it does not hibernate, it looks for a place sheltered from the cold to nest and deposit its food reserves. It can damage the insulation of your home and even eat away at electrical wires which can represent a fire hazard.
During the summer, the presence of a squirrel can be very disturbing since it:
- Devours food from bird feeders
- Rummaging through garbage cans
- Unearths and eats seeds, bulbs, flowers and fruits from the garden
- Gnawing the bark of various shrubs and nibbling buds
The behavior of these rodents can therefore become very problematic.
Use natural, strong-smelling repellents
As the squirrel has a highly developed sense of smell, it is possible to benefit from it to our advantage. It is enough to put certain food products in the appropriate places to scare it away. For example, you could use, among other things:
- Pepper
- Garlic
- Strong mustard
- Lemon
To give you a concrete idea, take a spray bottle where you will apply a mixture of water and a few drops of lemon. Then, regularly spray the squirrel passage areas. Note that the operation must be repeated several times to obtain results.
Cayenne pepper
Cayenne pepper has nothing to do with traditional pepper. Indeed, it is rather ground hot pepper. This food with a powerful smell will certainly decamp squirrels that walk in your vegetable garden or garden.
Make a mixture of ground cayenne pepper and water, then spray it close to your plants.
A mixture of water and vinegar
Be sure to use apple vinegar and not regular vinegar or apple cider vinegar. Apply your water and apple vinegar mixture directly to surfaces such as the fence surrounding your garden or the bars of your patio.
The squirrel is having a blast in your vegetable garden? In this case, you can take apple cider vinegar to mix with water to sprinkle your plants.
Coffee grounds
Another way to chase squirrels off your property is to lay out the coffee grounds in your garden. The acidity and smell of coffee will disturb rodents in search of food.
In addition, coffee grounds remain an excellent natural fertilizer for your vegetables and plants. Don’t forget to spread some again after a rainy day.
Install physical barriers
For quick results, a surefire trick to get rid of squirrels is to install a fence all around your garden. It is certain that adding this kind of material to your outdoor yard can change the look. Then choose a transparent fence if you want it to be as visible as possible.
Chicken wire mesh for bulbs is also a good way to avoid squirrel damage. You can also use this technique for surfaces, but do not forget to bend the edges of the wire mesh to block the entry of squirrels from the sides.
Caulking openings
It is very important to check for cracks, holes or crevices, visible on the outside of the house. Each opening can be a potential entry for squirrels, which is why it is best to seal them well.
Make sure that a squirrel is not inside before starting your work, then caulk these openings. Use wire mesh, if necessary. Would you like professional advice? A qualified exterminator will be able to analyze your property, detect possible entrances for rodents and block them.
Growing certain types of plants
Did you know that particular plants or herbs can be used as repellents against squirrels ? Here are some examples:
- Narcissus
- Hyacinth
- Snowdrop
- Geranium
- Mint
- Rosemary
- Daffodil
- Thyme
- Lavender
Scatter this kind of plants on your land or within your vegetable garden to keep squirrels away.
Dispose of an organic fertilizer in the vegetable garden
Squirrels are more and more greedy and your crops disappear before your eyes? A natural fertilizer based on dehydrated chicken manure could save you!
Apply it directly to the soil of your garden or to the soil of your plants grown in containers. Do not bury the granules, leave them on the surface so that the smell can spread well in the air. This type of fertilizer is an essential ally to repel squirrels, in addition to promoting the growth of your food.
The repulsive effect lasts only a few weeks so you have to repeat the maneuver if necessary. Just be sure to follow the directions on the product label as it is a fertilizer.
Use water or ultrasonic repellents
One of the best scarers to install on your property for Scaring away squirrels remains the sprinkler equipped with a motion detector. Just find one that can adjust to the right height and you’ll quickly see how effective it is. No animal likes to be watered by surprise!
Ultrasonic repellers are also an interesting option since squirrels hate shrill noise. However, it can be difficult to select a good ultrasonic device, place it in a strategic location and especially to use it well.
You now have the knowledge to keep squirrels away from your living spaces. Be aware that a professional exterminator can help you inspect your home from basement to roof to identify potential entry points for squirrels. He will then take care of getting rid of these rodents in a safe and harmless way for the animal.
