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Squirrels in the Attic


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Ah, the joys of homeownership! I have just been informed of a squirrel infestation in the second-story attic, which will be inaccessible until I get the roof done. If I plug up the hole, then the squirrel family will perish, but only after they've exhausted their cache of food and crapped all over the place...and then they'll decompose in the house. If I shoot at them, then I might eat well that night, but also face a fair chance of getting arrested, as this house is visible from both streets. There is literally no back yard from which to discretely take my shots.

Whatever shall I do? All suggestions will be entertained (and most, I suspect will be entertaining >:) ).

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My girlfriend has bats in the belfry, and I haven't a clue as to how to get rid of them.

Given your geographic location, I'd suspect that they're mexican freetails, in which case, you should be aware that the best way too kill them off according to Wikipedia is human disturbance and vandalism of their caves. I'd take this strain of twisted humor a bit further, but Editor might digitally slap me (again).

Let's stick to squirrel extermination, shall we?

Get you a cereal bowl and fill it with Coca-Cola. Place it in the area where they are. They will drink it, get bloated and die. They cannot burp so the gas from the coke will literally tear them apart from the inside.

And where will they die?

And do you know what happens to rotting animals that have a lot of retained gastrointestinal pressure? Not only would they have a lot of CO2, but they'd then have a lot of sugar on which bacteria would feed, releasing more pressurized gas into the carcass.

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Given your geographic location, I'd suspect that they're mexican freetails, in which case, you should be aware that the best way too kill them off according to Wikipedia is human disturbance and vandalism of their caves. I'd take this strain of twisted humor a bit further, but Editor might digitally slap me (again).

Let's stick to squirrel extermination, shall we?

And where will they die?

And do you know what happens to rotting animals that have a lot of retained gastrointestinal pressure? Not only would they have a lot of CO2, but they'd then have a lot of sugar on which bacteria would feed, releasing more pressurized gas into the carcass.

Is your concern getting rid of them or is it what happens to them after they die?

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Have you seen them? I only ask, becuase if you can hear them at night, it's RATS, not squirells.

It is legal to hunt and shoot squirell in Harris County as long as it is on your property.

Is there some kind of City of Houston ordiance that prevents shooting a gun in city limits?

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They have electronic means to run out pests. When i was younger my parents had some hi frequency transmitters in the attic which was supposed to run out the squirrels. I was the one who couldn't sleep cause I could hear the sound.

There is bait you can use which the squirrels open and eat. It dehydrates them and they leave the attic to search for water where they subsequently die.

I believe it was called Talon-G. says it is for rats/mice/rodents.

Edited by musicman
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Have you seen them? I only ask, becuase if you can hear them at night, it's RATS, not squirells.

It is legal to hunt and shoot squirell in Harris County as long as it is on your property.

Is there some kind of City of Houston ordiance that prevents shooting a gun in city limits?

They are squirrels, not rats.

It's good to know that bit about Harris County law, but even if the City allows squirrels to be shot, bear in mind that I'm talking about doing this in a high-traffic area. I'd be seen. And although this is the East End, and not West U, I don't imagine that the neighbors or passers-by pushing strollers would take too kindly to a guy sitting on the sidewalk of a major thoroughfare with a semi-automatic .22, occaisionally taking shots in the air (in the general direction of downtown Houston).

So far, trapping is sounding like the best option.

There is bait you can use which the squirrels open and eat. It dehydrates them and they leave the attic to search for water where they subsequently die.

I believe it was called Talon-G. says it is for rats/mice/rodents.

Perfect! Thanks. I'll look for it.

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It's good to know that bit about Harris County law, but even if the City allows squirrels to be shot, bear in mind that I'm talking about doing this in a high-traffic area. I'd be seen. And although this is the East End, and not West U, I don't imagine that the neighbors or passers-by pushing strollers would take too kindly to a guy sitting on the sidewalk of a major thoroughfare with a semi-automatic .22, occaisionally taking shots in the air (in the general direction of downtown Houston).

If you use a gun, just use a pellet gun. It works well. My parents have many pecan trees and well squirrels aren't their favorite animal.

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We had the problem and bought the following:

http://www.sharperimage.com/us/en/catalog/...t/sku__SI310TNM

My thought was no way would this work, but shortly after putting in my attic, the noises disappeared and I was able to repair the entry hole with a wire screen that the squirrels couldn't chew thru without worry of them dying up there.

It worked for us and maybe slightly more reliable than the coke suggestion - although not as humorous.

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We had the problem and bought the following:

http://www.sharperimage.com/us/en/catalog/...t/sku__SI310TNM

My thought was no way would this work, but shortly after putting in my attic, the noises disappeared and I was able to repair the entry hole with a wire screen that the squirrels couldn't chew thru without worry of them dying up there.

It worked for us and maybe slightly more reliable than the coke suggestion - although not as humorous.

$50 per unit vs. a fraction of a cent per pellet? I think I'll stick with the shooting method. Besides, squirrel is good meat.

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  • 2 months later...
Guest Marty

I just spent the last couple of days tearing Sheetrock out of my Garage because a squirrel died in between my walls I say kill them and then you clean up afterwords 15 minutes. trust me you don't wont to be in my sneakers.

The squirrels got in through the vinyl junk above the brick exterior I'm tearing that out around my house and putting in wood.

Edited by Marty
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