flash Posted January 8, 2006 Report Share Posted January 8, 2006 since we moved here nearly 2 years ago we have been plauged by squirrels and rats(in the compost bin) the rats were sought out after about two months with a rat trap in the bin and my airgun, in the end we got 34 big rats, at one point we were getting two in a day regularly. i thought i had sorted the squirels out after getting 17 in the hazelnut tree in my garden(they love it), they died down and i thought they were done, but then my neighbour across the cul de sac started getting them in their roof, there sun shot two with his airgun, and they placed traps in the roof and got one, they then cut back all the branches close enough to their roof for the squirels to reach it. there problem stopped and ours started again. we now here them running around in the attack during the day and at night, and it sends us and the dogs barking mad(pun intended ) i dont really want to use the air gun up there incase i lose a victim and it rots in the attic, we have a live squirrel trap but we have only used it for rats which it has done badly and only caught two, i was wandering what the best bait for squirels, and wether pistachios(fiery, m and s finest ) please help flash Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dunganick Posted January 8, 2006 Report Share Posted January 8, 2006 (edited) i would suggest getting them out asap, its not the noise which is the problem, its when they chew through wires and burn your house down that you will get really anoyed. we had a big problem with tree rats in the loft, and believe it or not the method of entry was a drain pipe. they did no stay in the loft, but did visit regually. we tried all sorts, rat poisen (nothing happened) rat traps (none set off) sticky pads (clumps of hair) eventually we took the rather nazi approach that everytime we heard one in the loft, at some point that day we would shoot a squirel (we have no problem with them apart from when they are in our loft) after about 3 squirels we must have got the correct one, as the little furry friend stopped visiting. Edited January 8, 2006 by dunganick Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flash Posted January 8, 2006 Author Report Share Posted January 8, 2006 we thought they were soughted but came back with a vengance flash Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ferret Master Posted January 9, 2006 Report Share Posted January 9, 2006 (edited) Hi, Get them out ASAP. Do anything. Even a .410 (if you don't mind a bit of damage :( ) is better then your house burning down. For bait we bait our traps with Walnuts but peanuts or peanut butter works fine, or so I'm told. At the end of the day it could be worth staking out the attic with your neighbours son and both shooting at the same time to avoid loosing one. (Twice the fire power). FM Edited January 9, 2006 by Ferret Master Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
waddy Posted January 9, 2006 Report Share Posted January 9, 2006 How about one of these..... http://www.g55.co.uk/acatalog/squirrels.html Worth a try maybe? You would only need one too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kip270 Posted January 9, 2006 Report Share Posted January 9, 2006 (edited) Get some fenn mk4 spring traps, make up a tunnel and bait it with maize from your local pet store. Make sure you secure the fenns to the tunnels in case you don't get one quite right. As everyone has has said get them A.S.A.P before they chew through some wires Edited January 9, 2006 by kip270 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fisherman Mike Posted January 9, 2006 Report Share Posted January 9, 2006 we now here them running around in the attack Nothing worse than Squirrels on the attack FM. They like eggs ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fert Posted January 9, 2006 Report Share Posted January 9, 2006 put some treacle/syrup on the trap before you bait it as the canny ******* just pick of the bait. i use milled corn or just corn on my fenns.im told they like nutella aswell Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
digga Posted January 9, 2006 Report Share Posted January 9, 2006 Flash, the best stuff is peanut butter its easier to catch em outside than in, try find out where the hole is where they are entering the roof, and try there, loads of peanut butter get em feeding on it,....youl catch em in no time, let us know how you get on Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mordeeb Posted January 9, 2006 Report Share Posted January 9, 2006 At a city dwelling( woodland park quite near.) ,a mate baited his squirrel trap with stuff he'd seen them eating ..Birdseed ,bread , hazlenuts,peanuts etc but the one thing in this particular instance that pulled in more than anything else was jammie dodgers :( ,yep biscuits,normal biscuits worked ,but when he used the jam ones always got a result . Critters have strange tastes sometimes Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marc M Posted January 9, 2006 Report Share Posted January 9, 2006 I had the same problem last year, except the ******* in my loft were bedding in for the winter, tore up a load of my roof insulation, along with bits of newspaper and foil they must've scavenged and had it fashioned in a big ball. Solved the problem as soon as I realised they were getting in due to a loose slate, my roofer mate soon fixed that and the squirrels were gone for good. Found 3 christmas tree baubles inside the "nest" too when I had a look inside, these squirrels were obviously well in to the festive spirit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fert Posted January 11, 2006 Report Share Posted January 11, 2006 At a city dwelling( woodland park quite near.) ,a mate baited his squirrel trap with stuff he'd seen them eating ..Birdseed ,bread , hazlenuts,peanuts etc but the one thing in this particular instance that pulled in more than anything else was jammie dodgers ,yep biscuits,normal biscuits worked ,but when he used the jam ones always got a result . Critters have strange tastes sometimes what would you go for if someone offered you a jammie dodger or a rich tea Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nildes Posted January 11, 2006 Report Share Posted January 11, 2006 If you try to trap inside the loft, you are going to have to appeal to their sense of smell cos they can't see as well as they can smell Apple works best inside but, you must check any trap twice daily. If you leave any animal to suffer, even a pest, the RSPCA will crucify you if they can. Better and more effective is to place a live catch trap outside, in view of the kitchen window, undisturbed by dogs and cats. Pre-bait the area so that they get used to looking for food there. Don't set the traps when your're out. Once they see one trapped the others wont go in. Better to let them take the bait for free and trap them when you're in and they're cocky. If you string bits of apple or peanuts up with a decent backstop, there're nothing to stop you keeping the airgun in the kitchen with the window on the latch and picking them off as they come. Again, they're not stupid, you don't get to be a successful pest by being stupid. Don't leave the bodies lying around for them to see. You have to keep the culling up until the next breeding season takes off. During that time, the squirrels in the surrounding territories will use the power vacuum in your house and garden to expand their territories so that your place ends up on the edge of several rather than near the centre of one. I hope this helps Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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