Killing Ways Of Flying Squirrels – Humane Wildlife Removal

Different Ways to Kill Flying Squirrels

Flying squirrels, just like any other rodent species, can enter the home and make it their own. Once in the home, getting rid of them often requires the use of lethal traps. Just like other rodents, flying squirrels are fast breeders, and they can also damage a home if left to their own devices. The little rodents can chew through insulation and wiring, and like many mammals, they might carry disease-carrying insects that can spread. Thus, removing them is imperative if they are in the house.

Brief Overview of Flying Squirrels

Consisting of about 50 different species, flying squirrels prefer to stay amongst the trees. They live in a variety of habitats, and, as the inside of the attic area of a home is around tree height, flying squirrels sometimes make their nests in attics instead of in trees. From there, they can cause the same damage as regular rodents, as noted before. Thus, getting rid of them is paramount to protect the health and safety of the home.

There are a lot of different traps available, and all are effective to some degree or another. Different types of traps are also more useful than others, so knowing what traps work best will not only remove the rodent issues quicker, but can also do so much more safely.

Poison

Probably one of the least useful traps is poison-based. It’s not that the poison doesn’t work, because it is generally pretty effective. The trick with these sorts of traps is two-fold. One, it depends on the squirrel wanting to eat the poison over more appetizing material like nuts and fruit. Two, it doesn’t kill instantly, so once the flying squirrel eats the poison, it could end up dying somewhere random within the attic, or even the house itself. Many people have noted rodents dying inside the walls of their houses. Obviously, a dead animal festering in the attic or walls is not ideal, as it can allow for the spread of insects and might even attract other animals.

Snap Traps

Snap traps are generally considered the most effective type of traps. As with any trap, proper placing along the walls, corners, or near a likely nesting site will help ensure better chances of success. There are a variety of snap traps on the market, from old fashioned traps like what you’d see in cartoons, to more advanced enclosed affairs. The more advanced traps are usually enclosed for easier disposal, and some of the really advanced traps contain sensors that activate once the trap has been used.

Regardless of the type of trap, but especially with simpler kinds of snap traps, do not use your bare hands when disposing of the body, the reasons for which should be obvious.

Relocation Traps

Not all enclosed traps kill, and it is worth mentioning the ones that capture the rodent alive so you can relocate them. If you go this route, make sure you place the flying squirrel a reasonable distance from the house where there are a fair number of trees and plenty of food for them. Otherwise, there’s a good chance they’ll come back to your attic.

The Importance of Prevention

Regardless of the type of trap you decide to use to remove your flying squirrel problem, make sure that once they are dealt with, your attic is patched up so more don’t move into your home in their place. Sealing up holes and cracks in the attic and trimming tree branches are both good ways to keep flying squirrels from inside your home. Making sure more don’t show up will help ensure you don’t have to set up more traps.