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Original poster

Serious suggestions for squirrel invasion!?

43 replies

Bloodysquirellls · 08/09/2026 20:13

How am I going to get the squirrel out of my house. Ongoing saga now for months. It has defied both private and council pest control capture. Also many personal efforts.

It’s eating my electrics!

I have tried everything I can think of.

The only thing I can think of which I can’t afford is rigging the whole house with thermal imaging camera.

HELP 🙏

OP posts:
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Sunbringer · 13/09/2026 22:35

Get pots of minced garlic and leave them open near the entry. They hate the smell.

Greenismyfavouritecolournow · 13/09/2026 22:34

Trap and kill or get someone to shoot it.

Sam1000 · 13/09/2026 22:28

Get a cat?

CatsFromSpace · 13/09/2026 21:42

I feel your pain, we had one in the loft. A tile had come loose on the edge of the roof and it was getting in that way. We got it fixed, and the fucker was hanging on the side of the house trying to rip up the soffit board to get back in.

we had a trap baited with peanut butter which it eventually went in. It got taken away and dispatched of.

the noise it made running around was absolutely insane. And it was stealing chunks of our insulation and taking it back to the nest, we would find it in the garden

Cairneyes · 13/09/2026 21:11

I will lend you my cairn terrier, he loves chasing squirrels

Serious suggestions for squirrel invasion!?
Plmnki · 13/09/2026 20:51

I’m very sorry to say this but you need a proper trap baited with peanut butter. Why on earth didn’t you get a certified pest control company involved straight up?

that particular squirrel needs to be removed from your area so it doesn’t start bringing others in.

we had the same issue with one breaking into our roof. We called out a pest control company quick smartf. It took about a week for it to take the bait which resolved the issue, and thankfully no other squirrel has worked out how that one got in and we’ve had no trouble since.

as you’ve discovered they are extremely destructive so you need to act quickly. I’m gobsmacked you’re messing around with peanut butter spray. Fgs, this creature is going to short circuit your electrics,

icouldholditwithacobweb · 13/09/2026 20:24

Find someone with terrier-type dogs that love to chase and hunt squirrels, and have them in your house for a few days. The squirrel will scarper. Having their very own resident squirrel to terrorise would be the stuff of dreams for my two!

Sheep85 · 13/09/2026 20:07

They’re usually posting as pest control in farming or poultry Facebook groups.
They usually get them in a night. Very good quality scopes on their air rifles.

NolanChanceJustLikeTheWeatherNSoul · 09/09/2026 22:55

Invasion suggested multiple Squirrels
I had visions of 30 +
That's why I said Tommy Robinson
He's all about the invasions.
Is there animal charity you could get real advice from?

Changeisstillpossible · 09/09/2026 22:51

I'm not sure. But they must procreate so...

Original poster
Bloodysquirellls · 09/09/2026 22:46

Changeisstillpossible · 09/09/2026 22:43

Are you sure there's only one?

I don’t know! Are they solitary or group animals!!

OP posts:
Changeisstillpossible · 09/09/2026 22:43

Are you sure there's only one?

Original poster
Bloodysquirellls · 09/09/2026 22:41

Re. The traps. The ceiling is vaulted so the pest men can’t put in the giant guillotine ones.

We purchased a small tube one but it’s too clever for that.

OP posts:
NolanChanceJustLikeTheWeatherNSoul · 09/09/2026 22:40

Bloodysquirellls · 09/09/2026 22:39

Where do I find these people and do I really want to invite them to my house for potentially weeks?!?

Show quote history

Probably not.

Original poster
Bloodysquirellls · 09/09/2026 22:39

Sheep85 · 09/09/2026 22:21

Air rifle with sights and a lot of patience. There are people who will come and shoot it for you often for free.
Squirrels can be nasty when they’re cornered. You could eat it for dinner

Where do I find these people and do I really want to invite them to my house for potentially weeks?!?

OP posts:
Original poster
Bloodysquirellls · 09/09/2026 22:37

NolanChanceJustLikeTheWeatherNSoul · 09/09/2026 22:32

Tommy robinson..sorry couldn't resist

lol what 😂

If my previous comment isn’t clear… my thought track is do squirrels eat lunch and by feeding them at a set time can I schedule this marksman?

OP posts:
NolanChanceJustLikeTheWeatherNSoul · 09/09/2026 22:32

Tommy robinson..sorry couldn't resist

Original poster
Bloodysquirellls · 09/09/2026 22:31

Do I start feeding it to lure it in and learn it’s pattern?

OP posts:
Sheep85 · 09/09/2026 22:21

Air rifle with sights and a lot of patience. There are people who will come and shoot it for you often for free.
Squirrels can be nasty when they’re cornered. You could eat it for dinner

GreenShady · 09/09/2026 21:55

KaitlynFairchild · 09/09/2026 00:57

I admire your attempt to use humane solutions, but as grey squirrels can't legally be released (assuming you are in the UK) once trapped it will be put down.

Given that it will die if trapping works, is having it humanely shot an option?

I paid someone to set the trap and then humanely nix the squirrel - there really is no alternative. It was tough but the only option.

Original poster
Bloodysquirellls · 09/09/2026 11:50

What if I hit my cat!

I used to shoot when younger so I am not a bad shot. But that’s lying down in a range. No idea how I can stand and shoot a squirrel with the size of our garden. it’s about 5m wide of which the rifle and I are taking best part of 1m

Honestly not sure about this!

OP posts:
Original poster
Bloodysquirellls · 09/09/2026 11:46

How much are air rifles?! I am going to end up on a list if I google that aren’t I 😂

OP posts:
TheNoonBell · 09/09/2026 07:25

Get an air rifle or pistol and shoot them. I shoot about a dozen a year to keep the numbers in our little bit of woodland down otherwise they eat all the bird eggs.

Mollymaid64 · 09/09/2026 04:51

You can own an air rifle without a licence. My dh used to have one and is considering getting one again.
Grey squirrels are considered a pest. If you manage to trap it, the only thing you can do is kill it humanely with a single shot. It's illegal to release them back into the wild. Have you looked at buying your own air rifle? It would hopefully be on hand then ready to kill the little pest.
I sound harsh but the damage they do so much damage to property.

FairKoala · 09/09/2026 03:20

Friend had a dog who chewed everything. She painted everything with Tabasco sauce

We had squirrels in our garden growing up.we put a ladder up to the kitchen window and handed the biscuits whenever we saw them at the top of the ladder

Just a thought but do they have babies in the house and that’s why they are getting in.

Alternative could handing them a biscuit and tell them to stay outside not as ridiculous as it sounds) or make them a tree shelter/their own house