Squirrel just jumped on balcony now. How can I discourage them fast?

[Jchonline]

Knock the pillar over, burn down the house.

 

[Carl_NH]

We have a lot of gray squirrels around and for 30 years haven't had a problem with them, but for some reason their smaller cousins, the red squirrels have chewed holes in walls trying to get in and have been more of a problem.

We had a family of them in a dormer where the siding trim meets the roof there was a small gap that they chewed a hole and got to the ceiling - trapped them all and relocated them. Another time one got into the garage ceiling and didn't want to leave - took a while to find the hole - plugged it up and put a sticky trap above the dropped ceiling - in two weeks I smelled him and removed.

The reds seem to be more territorial and want me to provide a roof over their heads

 

[MossRoad]

Anyone know what environmental benefits squirrels provide? Are they just food for other animals?

They can (and do) lots of damage to homes and sheds.

My dog chased them around day and night. Never caught one. The dog would sit at the base of the tree and bark for 15 minutes with the squirrel just looking down.

Then he’d move to the next tree and repeat.

Poor dog. Just once I wished he’d been successful.

MoKelly

They play a major role in forest regeneration, as well as being a part of the food chain.

Here's a nice little write up from an exterminator-centered website.

The Role of Squirrels in the Ecosystem – Exterminator Near Me

www.exterminatornearme.com

 

[MossRoad]

We have 5 species of tree squirrels here. Fox, grey, red, black and flying. Since I won't have large trees near my house, they mostly stay back near the woods. Once in a while they'll come up to the house and nose around, get the neighbor's dogs cranked up, and make some excitement for our cats watching them out the window. They'll climb the small ornamental trees near the house, and run across the roof once in a while. Then they head back to the woods.

 

[joecoin]

I replaced the cedar face boards on my house last year, since they were full of holes from squirrels and peckers. I put metal siding on the backs of the boards. Cedar is not cheap.

Now the flying squirrels have chewed through the siding just under the face boards.

Live trapping program (or is it pogrom?) begins in 3,2,1.

 

[2LaneCruzer]

Anyone know what environmental benefits squirrels provide? Are they just food for other animals?

They can (and do) lots of damage to homes and sheds.

My dog chased them around day and night. Never caught one. The dog would sit at the base of the tree and bark for 15 minutes with the squirrel just looking down.

Then he’d move to the next tree and repeat.

Poor dog. Just once I wished he’d been successful.

MoKelly

They can, and will, bite a dog...and can do a lot of damage. The varmints and I have an agreement; stay away from my stuff and you will be ok. Try to make a nest in my attic, and you're dead meat. My little air rifle will do the trick.

I grew up on wild game; squirrel included. I have killed a wagon load...as my Dad used to say...and Mom fried them up really great. Secret was to get the yearlings; the old sows and boars were too tough unless you wanted to pressure cook them. But growing up country, we never looked at varmints as pets, only pests or as meat on the table.

 

[RalphVa]

Pellet or shot gun.

 

[bcp]

We had squirrels in the attic once about 10 years ago. I left the access cover open, put a long board ramp up to it, and let the cat go in. After several days of this no more squirrels wanted in, then I sealed their hole.

The squirrels must have spread the story as none have bothered to get in since then.

Bruce

 

[bigtiller]

If I remember correctly, there was a TBN member that had a gurgling problem with his plumbing in the house. He spent a lot of time trying to improve the drainage problem with no success until he found a dead squirrel in the vent pipe.

The squirrel had fallen in the vent from the roof.

 

[MossRoad]

We had squirrels in the attic once about 10 years ago. I left the access cover open, put a long board ramp up to it, and let the cat go in. After several days of this no more squirrels wanted in, then I sealed their hole.

The squirrels must have spread the story as none have bothered to get in since then.

Bruce

Hahaha, reminds me of growing up, my dad would hear mice in the attics and he'd put a ladder up and let that killer cat in there. Seemed like only 5 minutes later we'd hear a scuffle and the cat would be standing at the ladder making that unique meow they do when they want their kittens to eat. Blech!