Flying Squirrel Removal From Attic – Humane Wildlife Removal

How to Get Rid of a Flying Squirrel in Your Attic?

Finding a flying squirrel in your attic can be unnerving, but it’s not uncommon. They usually reside in attics during the winter as temperatures drop because of the warmth it provides. This specie of squirrel is twice as small as Gray squirrels, making it easier for them to get in through small holes. Moreover, they are very social creatures and live in large numbers. All this makes it especially difficult to get rid of them.

However, they are notorious for the damage they cause in attics by chewing through wood, cutting away insulation materials, and even gnawing through electrical wires. If you suspect flying squirrels are living in your attic, what can you do about it?

Confirm Your Suspicion

Attics can serve as shelters to a wide variety of animals, including raccoons, rats, opossums, bats, birds, regular squirrels, and so on. That’s why you have to first confirm you’re dealing with flying squirrels.

Put on your protective clothing and get into the attic. Try to see if you can locate them. If not, try to examine the scent, tracks, and droppings.

A flying squirrel’s droppings look likelittle pellets, and they’re typically black or brown. Once you’re certain you have a flying squirrel infestation, move on to the next step.

Identify All Entry Holes

You now need to identify all potential entry holes these nuisance creatures are getting in through. They can fit through small holes so make sure to inspect everywhere. Potential entry holes include holes in your gutter, roof, walls, and downspouts. Also, the chimney might be a viable entry point.

Getting Rid of Them

Once you’ve identified how they’re getting in, it’s time to get rid of them. There are two effective means of getting rid of flying squirrels and they include:

The Use of Exclusion Devices

To exclude flying squirrels from your attic, the first step is to seal up all potential entry holes you’ve identified, but leave one open. For a better result, leave the main entry hole open while you seal all secondary holes. Thereafter, place a one-way door or any other type of exclusion device at that entrance.

An exclusion device allows animals to leave the attic but it prevents them from getting back in. As the flying squirrels leave the attic in search of food over the next couple of days, they are unable to get back in. Once you confirm that they’ve all been evicted, seal up the last hole.

Trapping and Relocating

Another effective way of dealing with flying squirrels is to trap them. However, confirm that it is legal to trap and relocate flying squirrels in your area before you proceed.

Because flying squirrels live in large numbers, the use of conventional traps is ineffective because they can only catch one at a time. This means you have to set multiple traps to catch most of them.

On the other hand, a repeater trap is better suited because it can catch multiple flying squirrels in one go. The process is almost identical to the use of exclusion devices. Seal up all entry holes, except the main entrance. But instead of fixing an exclusion device there, put a repeater trap in near that hole. Make sure the trap is made of strong wire so that the squirrels will not be able to chew it and escape.

Also, make sure you check the trap regularly so no squirrel is left in there for too long. Thereafter, you can release them to a woodland area. Just make sure it is, at least, 5 to 7 miles away from your home so they don’t find their way back.