Suggestions for getting rid of squirrel(s) in garage?

[Homerboy]

After a couple of weeks of knowing something was living in our garage rafters, I set up a motion cam to capture what it was and, based on what I see, it appears to be a squirrel. damn thing has clawed it's way through the service door! (you can see that in the pictures as well). Any suggestions on getting rid of the bastard? This is a 70 year old, detached garage. Cinderblock construction.

He appears to be holed up in the furthest corner.

 

[Paperdoc]

First thing to do is replace the door. Then check for any other possible openings it could use. Then inspect the garage to be sure there are no potential food sources in there to attract the critter. Even without foods it WILL try to return for nesting purposes, so that's why you need to close up all openings.

My mother-in-law has had this problem a couple times. Entry in each case was through wooden soffit pieces around the roof edge. At any slightly rotted area they could knaw away to enlarge the opening. On a couple of occations I went along on a ladder with aluminum flashing strips and used tinsnips to cut and shape patches over those holes, then fastened them in place with screws and painted to match the roofing. They could not re-knaw holes in the metal, and it kept them out.

 

[zinfamous]

One really effective way to deter small mammals from nesting where you don't want them (your garage, attic, whatever), is to remove the benefits of that particular habitat that they prefer.

--leave a shop light on in that space, 24/7 (go with an LED so it isn't expensive)
--dump a bunch of cayenne pepper around their nesting area and egress areas. Also: bleach or, especially, ammonia
--remove any potential food source and chewable potential nesting material.

Usually, light is pretty damn effective enough. Just like us humans, all animals (even insects) have really tight circadian rhythms that, when interrupted, totally screw with their behavior and natural life cycle. If they determine the area as unsafe or uninhabitable, they will leave. Try to force yourself to stay in a lit room for 2 days straight, or simply no good opportunity to sleep and/or invent some darkness over a couple of days and see how you respond.

 

[MagnusTheBrewer]

You need some freakin ferret freedom fighters!

 

[Homerboy]

One really effective way to deter small mammals from nesting where you don't want them (your garage, attic, whatever), is to remove the benefits of that particular habitat that they prefer.

--leave a shop light on in that space, 24/7 (go with an LED so it isn't expensive)
--dump a bunch of cayenne pepper around their nesting area and egress areas. Also: bleach or, especially, ammonia
--remove any potential food source and chewable potential nesting material.

Usually, light is pretty damn effective enough. Just like us humans, all animals (even insects) have really tight circadian rhythms that, when interrupted, totally screw with their behavior and natural life cycle. If they determine the area as unsafe or uninhabitable, they will leave. Try to force yourself to stay in a lit room for 2 days straight, or simply no good opportunity to sleep and/or invent some darkness over a couple of days and see how you respond.

Yeah he's WAY back in the corner. I'd need to rig something up to get a bright light up there.
2 weeks ago or so I tossed a couple of bags of mothballs up there - to no avail. Though my garage does smell like my grandma's house now

 

[zinfamous]

Yeah he's WAY back in the corner. I'd need to rig something up to get a bright light up there.
2 weeks ago or so I tossed a couple of bags of mothballs up there - to no avail. Though my garage does smell like my grandma's house now

also, a nice rat snake always works. They won't bother anyone and just be happy living where they are, as long as they get a nice meal every 3 or 4 months. Just tell your wife that it is now a part of the community and its name is Murray.

 

[Homerboy]

also, a nice rat snake always works. They won't bother anyone and just be happy living where they are, as long as they get a nice meal every 3 or 4 months. Just tell your wife that it is now a part of the community and its name is Murray.

Well, I'm not sure she's ever set foot in the garage now that I think about it. Not sure if the snake will enjoy the WI winters though. Hell, we're slated for 3" of snow this Saturday still

 

[zinfamous]

Well, I'm not sure she's ever set foot in the garage now that I think about it. Not sure if the snake will enjoy the WI winters though. Hell, we're slated for 3" of snow this Saturday still

oh, it will easily find something to curl under and wait out any kind of winter, especially in a garage. All it needs is a decent water supply and it can last all those months.

 

[Homerboy]

heh just got another image sent
That fucker is active

 

[NutBucket]

dish of coolant

 

[pcgeek11]

Dude you need a new door anyway, that thing looks like a POS. Get a new metal jacketed door. Seal up all other openings and get rid of any food material. If that don't do it get a pellet gun and shoot him. What you don't want is to poison him and have him expire in a location you can't get to.

 

[IndyColtsFan]

Squirrels, chipmunks, and their ilk are super easy to capture. Here are the steps if you want to take him alive and relocate him:

1. Buy a trap like this one: https://www.amazon.com/Havahart-One...rds=havaheart&qid=1556286423&s=gateway&sr=8-3. You can also make one if you have the material, but squirrels aren't going to claw through a metal cage.
2. Put some peanut butter on a cracker and bait the trap.
3. You'll capture him within a day. Drive a few miles into the country and relocate him.
4. Fix that door!

I use a trap similar to the one in the link and usually capture lots of chipmunks (and some squirrels!) every year. You can also use poison and just kill it, but if it gets somewhere hard to reach and decays, that won't be a fun cleanup job.

 

[Rifter]

let you cat at it, problem solved.

 

[LurchFrinky]

That would have to be a pretty ballsy cat to go after an adult squirrel.
But get yourself a terrier or maybe a beagle.

 

[Rifter]

That would have to be a pretty ballsy cat to go after an adult squirrel.
But get yourself a terrier or maybe a beagle.

My male cat loved hunting them, he is a big boy though at 20lbs, now hes an indoor cat mostly. Was funny too because he never showed much interest in hunting anything but he hated squirrels and was very good at laying in wait and then getting them with a single pounce.

 

[mxnerd]

Man, you really need a new door. The squirrel can easily squeeze itself through that rotten corner of the door easily.

 

[mindless1]

Cat, trap, poison food or seal it up.

 

[mindless1]

That would have to be a pretty ballsy cat to go after an adult squirrel.
But get yourself a terrier or maybe a beagle.

Not at all, there are many cats around here that go after squirrels, but have a very hard time catching them because the squirrels stay close to trees and call out when they see cats, sort of a chirping noise you might mistake for a bird if you didn't realize what was making it.