How to Catch a Ground Squirrel in Your House 
There are three main ways to catch a ground squirrel in your home: Glue boards, Snap traps, and Vibration plates. While these methods may seem aggressive, they are not necessarily harmful. If you use them properly, the ground squirrel will leave the room within minutes. In a pinch, you can use traps with glue or snaps, which will be more effective at catching the ground squirrel than trapping the squirrel in the first place.
Traps for catching ground squirrels
One of the most effective ways to catch ground squirrels in your house is with traps. The best traps are designed to release the captured critter into a safe location several miles away, so that it cannot find its way back. While trapping is one of the most effective methods to eliminate ground squirrels, it may not always be the most humane. Often, the captured critter dies after being relocated. If you’re concerned about your pet’s well-being, consider contacting a wildlife rehabilitator to assist you with the process.
Live traps are the most popular traps to use. They attract the ground squirrel with food and then entice it into the trap. Once inside, the door will trigger shut, and the squirrel will be trapped. Other types of traps, like repeater traps, can also be set up to catch multiple ground squirrels at once. These traps also have one-way doors for the squirrel to escape without being trapped.
Glue boards
If you’ve been having trouble catching a ground squirrel in your house, you may be wondering whether or not glue boards are safe for use around your house. They are traps that are made of cardboard, wood, or plastic coated with adhesive. When a rodent steps on them, its limbs get stuck in the glue. Although these types of traps are relatively safe, they can also be highly appealing to children and pets.
Glue boards may seem like a simple solution for pest control problems, but they are not. Not only are they dangerous for ground squirrels, but they are also very dangerous for pets and other animals. While small glue boards may be easy to pull off, larger animals will be trapped on them and likely lose their skin and fur. Additionally, large glue boards can entrap medium-sized animals. Glue boards may cause serious harm to cats, so they should not be used for wildlife control.
Snap traps
If you think you’ve caught a ground squirrel in your home, you can set snap traps to lure it into a trap. These traps are relatively easy to set and use, but it’s important to keep the animals far away from human settlements. To make sure your traps will work, make sure you set them in the most logical places. Listed below are some useful tips to use to catch squirrels in your home.
When selecting a squirrel trap, it’s important to determine what species of ground squirrel you’re dealing with. While squirrels are all rodents, their sizes can make them harder to trap. A larger squirrel may not fit in a small cage, and a smaller one might power through a larger wire mesh. In addition, a smaller squirrel might be able to escape a larger trap with less force.
Vibration plates
If you’ve been having problems with ground squirrels, it may be time to invest in a home squirrel exclusion system. Vibration plates make noise that ground squirrels can’t ignore. These devices can emit sound waves as high as 20,000 Hz, which can scare away ground squirrels. While the sound does not last forever, a sound repellent is effective for about a month.
To use a vibration plate to attract ground squirrels, you first need to know where they are entering your home. Ground squirrels will enter your home through your garden and will gnaw on any plastic irrigation lines. They will also eat the eggs of ground nesting birds. This is a great way to get rid of these pesky rodents. Before you buy a ground squirrel exclusion system, you will need a power drill and a two-foot PVC pipe for the base of the trap.
Music
If you have a ground squirrel in your house, you might think it’s impossible to get rid of it with traditional traps. However, using music can scare off the squirrel. The sound of music will scare off the squirrel, and it will likely leave your home sooner. If your squirrel is still living in your house, try turning on a radio talk show. While you may not hear the music, the human voice can scare the squirrel. It can take up to three days to get rid of a squirrel, so be persistent and try different methods.
To get rid of a ground squirrel in your house, first determine its behavior. Most squirrels have a distinctive warning call. This warning sound can be a chirping noise or a buzzing noise that comes from the nostrils. Squirrels make both warning and mating calls. When a predator is approaching, the squirrel will give off these sounds in order to attract attention.
Banging
While you may be tempted to smash the squirrel’s home with a hammer, the truth is that the animal is just as frightened of humans as we are. The animal’s anxiety response mirrors that of humans, and it will likely lash out and attack if it thinks that you’re a threat to its safety. By remaining calm and calmly attempting to remove the threat, you will help to prevent the animal from reacting in an aggressive manner.
Some methods that work best are noises in the walls. For example, if you’re hearing noises in the attic, you can bang on the rafters to scare the animal away. If this doesn’t work, try using a humane trap. You can purchase these traps from most hardware stores or general retailers. If you’ve tried banging on walls and haven’t been successful, it’s time to call a professional exterminator.
How do you know if there is a ground squirrel in your house?
You may hear scratching noises in your walls or attic see chewed holes in your walls or find droppings in your home.
How can ground squirrels enter your house?
Ground squirrels can enter your house through openings that are 1/2 inch or larger such as holes chewed by mice cracks in the foundation or vents.
What kind of damage can ground squirrels cause in your house?
Ground squirrels can damage your home by chewing on wires eating insulation and nesting in your attic or walls.
What should you do if you find a ground squirrel in your house?
If you find a ground squirrel in your house you should contact a wildlife control expert to remove it.
How can you prevent ground squirrels from entering your house?
You can prevent ground squirrels from entering your house by sealing up holes and cracks in your foundation and walls and by repairing or replacing damaged vents.
What should you do if you see a ground squirrel outside your house?
If you see a ground squirrel outside your house you should take steps to prevent it from getting inside such as sealing up holes and cracks in your foundation and walls and repairing or replacing damaged vents.
How can you tell if a ground squirrel is dead?
You can tell if a ground squirrel is dead if it is not moving and does not respond to touch or noise.
What should you do with a dead ground squirrel?
You should dispose of a dead ground squirrel in a trash bag and place it in a garbage can.
How can you keep ground squirrels away from your house?
You can keep ground squirrels away from your house by trimming trees and shrubs away from your house removing piles of wood and debris and keeping your lawn mowed.
What kind of trap should you use to catch a ground squirrel?
You should use a live trap to catch a ground squirrel.
How do you baited a trap to catch a ground squirrel?
You can bait a trap to catch a ground squirrel with peanut butter sunflower seeds or oats.
How do you set a trap to catch a ground squirrel?
You can set a trap to catch a ground squirrel by placing it in an area where you have seen the squirrel such as along a wall or in a hole.
How often should you check a trap that is set to catch a ground squirrel?
You should check a trap that is set to catch a ground squirrel every day.
What should you do if you catch a ground squirrel in a trap?
If you catch a ground squirrel in a trap you should contact a wildlife control expert to remove it.
What should you do with a ground squirrel after it has been removed from your property?
After a ground squirrel has been removed from your property you should release it in a wooded area away from your home.
Jessica Watson is a PHD holder from the University of Washington. She studied behavior and interaction between squirrels and has presented her research in several wildlife conferences including TWS Annual Conference in Winnipeg.
