Using A Squirrel Trap

There are many good reasons to use a squirrel trap. Squirrels, while they might look cute, can become a real nuisance in your yard or home. The longer they linger, the more trouble they cause and the harder they are to get rid of. They may congregate around bird feeders; get into your walls, attic, or crawl space. Once inside they can chew on electrical wires, wreaking all sorts of havoc. They will leave their droppings behind, which will spread disease. Poisons are not the answer because often times these will only make the squirrel sick and it may find an isolated place (like inside a wall) to die and it could be very difficult to locate and remove. Closing up holes with wood doesn't work either as squirrels are great and chewing or will gnaw through it. Squirrel trapping is definitely the easiest and best way to take care of this type of problem.

There are numerous types of squirrels in the United States that can be obstinate and cause considerable damage. The most common invader of homes is the Eastern Gray Squirrel (Sciurus carolinensis). They can be very persistent and using squirrel traps are the most effective way to get rid of them.

Other types of squirrels are the Western Gray Squirrel (Sciurus griseus), the Douglas Squirrel (Tamiasciurus douglasii), the American Red Squirrel (Tamiasciurus hudsonicus), the Fox Squirrel (Sciurus niger), and Flying Squirrels.

You can make a homemade squirrel trap with little difficulty but most people prefer to purchase one. The best store bought one available is manufactured by HavaHart. These are available at many stores, such as Home Depot, Ace Hardware, and Cabelas. If you can not find one in a retailer near you, you can always order one online from Amazon.com or directly from HavaHart.com. This trap is durable, safe for the critters and easy to use. It comes in a variety of sizes and in single or double door options. Bigger is probably better for catching the ones with the extra long tails and the cost for the larger is not that much. These squirrel cage traps will work for all the species mentioned above. It may take some patience and persistence, but put some peanut butter in the trap and set it up properly and you will be catching these pests in no time.

Try to set up the trap in their pathways and points of entry into your home or garage. Continue trapping them until you are sure you have them all and then cover any holes with metal mesh stapled to the surrounding wood. Do not try to block the holes with boards as the squirrels will chew right through them.

The price range for these traps varies from around $17.00 for the smallest ones on up to around $60.00 for the larger ones. There are many models priced in between as well, depending on your needs.

If you have an infestation problem, please do not use poisons, use a high quality squirrel trap and take care of it the efficient and humane way. This is truly the best method for both the squirrels and the people having to deal with them.