How To Avoid Squirrels

Avoiding squirrels—whether in your garden, attic, or around your home—requires a mix of deterrents, exclusion methods, and prevention strategies. Here’s how to keep these persistent critters at bay:

🪴 1. Protect Your Garden

✅ Use Physical Barriers:

Fencing: Install wire mesh fencing (e.g., ¼” hardware cloth) around raised beds.
Cages or cloches: Cover young plants or bulbs individually.
Netting: Use bird netting over fruit trees or berry bushes.

🌿 Use Repellents:

Sprinkle cayenne pepper, garlic powder, or blood meal around plants.
Use commercial squirrel repellents (spray or granules) containing capsaicin.

Reapply after rain or watering.

🏡 2. Seal Entry Points to Your Home

Squirrels love attics, chimneys, and crawl spaces.

🔍 Inspect your home for:

Gaps near eaves or vents
Loose siding or soffits
Chimney openings

🔧 Exclude them:

Seal holes with steel mesh, caulk, or hardware cloth.
Install a chimney cap.
Cover vents with heavy-duty screen.

Only seal after you’re sure no squirrels are inside, or you risk trapping them.

🧹 3. Remove Attractants

Keep bird feeders squirrel-proof or remove them completely.
Pick up fallen fruits, nuts, and seeds.
Store trash and pet food in secure containers.

🪤 4. Use Humane Traps (as a last resort)

Use live traps baited with peanut butter or nuts.
Check local laws—some areas restrict trapping and relocation.

🔊 5. Try Noise or Motion Deterrents

Use ultrasonic repellents or motion-activated sprinklers/lights in gardens.
Hang shiny objects (CDs, aluminum foil, pinwheels) to scare them off temporarily.

🌳 6. Trim Trees Near Your Home

Cut back branches at least 6–8 feet from the house to prevent roof access.
Remove dense ivy or vines where squirrels may hide or nest.

🚫 7. Avoid Feeding Them

Don’t intentionally or unintentionally feed squirrels.
Once they associate your yard with food, they’ll keep coming back.

🧪 8. Use Squirrel-Proof Feeders (If You Want to Keep Feeding Birds)

Get a baffle (dome-shaped guard) for bird feeders.
Use weight-sensitive feeders that shut when a squirrel lands.

📝 Summary: Squirrel Control Checklist

Method	Target Area	Notes
Fencing & netting	Garden	Most effective physically
Sealing gaps	Home/attic	Prevents indoor nesting
Repellents	Garden/home area	Needs reapplying
Remove food sources	Everywhere	Best long-term deterrent
Traps	Last resort	Check local regulations