There are different types of repellents you can find in the store when you look for something that will help you get rid of squirrels that have inhabited your home.



These repellents can generally be placed in following categories:

• chemical and natural repellants
• noise repellants
• light repellants

Chemical and natural repellants use substances that are either synthetic or include some natural substances that squirrels find offensive, and in some cases they will go away to move from the scent. The majority of these repellants use predator urine as a major substance with the idea that the scent of a squirrel predator will scare them away. In order to have any effect at all, it is necessary to generously spray the area of your home where squirrels live and move often so that they can get in touch with the scent and feel threatened. Of course, it is important to understand that a mother squirrel with small babies will not leave her babies under any circumstances, even where there is the threat of a predator. In this case, it is very evident that a chemical repellent will have no effect.

Other chemical repellents include mothballs or ammonia, which can be more offensive for humans than for squirrels. Mothballs contain chemicals that can actually be harmful for people and cause dizziness, nausea and eye irritation. Ammonia can also cause negative consequences for the lungs and throat. When you consider these facts, it is evident that you don't really want to try out these repellents.

When it comes to noise and light repellents, they work on a simple principle: scare away squirrels with lots of light and lots of noise. This might have an effect at first, but this effect will most likely not be lasting. This will especially stand true if this squirrel is the mother of small babies. She will not be scared away when she knows that her babies are in the nest, waiting for her to feed them.

When you consider all these facts, it is evident that repellents of all types don't have much effect and that any effect they might have is short-lasting. If you really want to get rid of squirrels permanently, it is much better to think about trapping them or hiring a professional wildlife rehabilitator to handle this issue for you. Professionals know how to catch squirrels and how to safely move them away from your home for good.

Go back to the Squirrels in the Attic home page.