While squirrels are adorable and fun to watch jump about the trees, they can also cause some real headaches. Stop squirrels from coming into your yard and prevent a destroyed garden, demolished bird feeder, and other chaos on your property.
In this blog by Covenant Wildlife, we share the top eight tips to stop squirrels from wreaking havoc in your yard. Continue reading to put the squirrel madness to an end in the safest and most effective ways possible.
Why Should You Stop Squirrels from Coming into Your Yard?
While squirrels are exciting and fun to watch, think twice about allowing them into your yard. It’s very common for these little rodents to live among humans. However, they often cause significant damage and can be quite a pain for homeowners.
Have you wondered if pesky squirrels caused mysterious damage to your property? Maybe you’ve noticed small holes dug into the lawn or flower beds, missing or gnawed-at fruits and flowers, or destroyed bird feeders. In that case, you likely have some rambunctious squirrels taking over your yard.
Are Squirrels Dangerous?
In a general sense, squirrels are not considered a threat to humans. But they are certainly a nuisance on our properties. Furthermore, they may become defensively aggressive when provoked. In most cases, though, squirrels are skittish and will dash at the sight of a human.
Additionally, some squirrels may carry harmful diseases that can be transmitted to humans. While not all squirrels have a disease, some individuals may spread ringworm, tularemia, or rabbit fever to us when there is direct contact with the animal or its waste.
One of the peskiest things about the common squirrel is that it almost always carries parasites like fleas and ticks. These insects depend on human or animal blood and can spread awful illnesses through their bites.
Other than potential diseases and aggression, the most significant challenge with squirrels in your yard is the damage and destruction they cause, like:
- Digging up gardens and flower beds.
- Destroying bird feeders to get to the seeds.
- Tearing up well-groomed lawns.
- Damaging to established root systems.
- Chewing electrical wires, potentially leading to house fires.
- Tearing through the insulation to make their indoor nests.
How to Keep the Squirrels Away
Luckily, you can try several easy methods to stop squirrels from coming to your yard. Using these eight tips, keep the squirrels out to protect your family and property.
1 | Never Feed Squirrels.
The fastest way to get rid of squirrels is to stop providing for their needs. Unknowingly, many homeowners are feeding the entire neighborhood of squirrels. These pesky critters are notorious for stealing seeds out of bird feeders. You may think you’re attracting stunning local birds to your property. But you’re likely inviting more squirrels than birds.
Furthermore, anyone with a backyard garden of fruits, vegetables, or flowers is also luring in squirrels. Keep the squirrels out by using bird feeders that are squirrel safe. Also, pay close attention to any fruiting trees or plants. You want to harvest them promptly before they attract the neighborhood squirrels. And
Finally, keep your composting scraps in sealed containers and keep sealed lids on your outdoor trash bins. Squirrels aren’t afraid to consume our trash, especially if other food sources are limited.
2 | Remove Squirrel Attractants.
On a similar note, remove all things that may attract squirrels to your yard. Like any creature, all squirrels need food, water, and shelter to feel at home. Eliminate potential food sources by picking up fallen fruit, nuts, seeds, and other tasty morsels. To get rid of suitable shelters, rake regularly and thoroughly inspect your outdoor space for piles of debris.
Lastly, avoid having open water sources out and available for squirrels. This may include bird baths, pools, small ponds, and uncovered freshwater wells.
3 | Scare Them Away.
One of the most efficient ways to deter squirrels from your yard is to get a pet that likes to hang out in the backyard. A dog or cat can greatly threaten squirrels and other unwanted wildlife. After a while, the squirrels will learn they are no longer welcome in that yard.
If you can’t get a new pet right now, there is also commercially available predator urine that you can spray around the perimeter of your yard. This will tell the squirrels it isn’t safe, and they will avoid the space. Or you can even buy predator decoys, like hawks or foxes.
4 | Use the Super Soaker Method.
Another harmless and effective way to stop squirrels from coming to your yard is to set up motion-detection sprinklers. When a squirrel or other critter comes by, the water will turn on, and the spray will frighten them without hurting them.
5 | Prohibit Their Entry.
Block the entry of squirrels by placing piping around exposed wires. They will no longer be able to grip the wire, so they won’t be able to get in. Additionally, repair any holes or damages on your fencing to eliminate easy entry points.
If you’re concerned about squirrels invading your home, getting into the attic, or hiding away in the crawlspace, you should also inspect the home’s exterior walls and structures for damages. Even the smallest of holes and cracks can be an easy way for squirrels to squeeze their way inside.
6 | Deter Their Entry.
If you’re having trouble keeping the squirrels out of your yard, you can at least keep them away from your plants and trees with squirrel baffles. These metal collars surround your trees and garden to guard against the squirrels.
You can also place netting or fencing around your plants to protect them as well.
7 | Use Plants to Repel Squirrels.
There are certain types of flowers that squirrels aren’t fond of. Daffodils have a toxin that makes them inedible, so you can expect them to remain untouched by most critters.
Squirrels also don’t like the taste of hyacinth, allium, or snowdrops. Consider planting these spring bulbs around your garden to deter the squirrels from exploring further.
8 | Call in the Pros.
If nothing seems to stop the squirrels from wreaking havoc in your yard, you might have a bigger problem. The squirrels might already have nested in your home or yard. Without the proper knowledge and experience, it can be challenging and even dangerous to try to remove an established squirrel nest.
It’s best to contact a professional team of squirrel control experts to inspect the property. They’ll be able to identify the problem areas and eliminate the infestation. Even better, they’ll give you the top tips and tricks to keep the squirrels from returning.
Call Covenant Wildlife Removal Today
Only when you have experienced the impact of pesky squirrels, do you really understand why you should keep them away from your yard? Nobody wants to deal with the damages they cause, the diseases they may spread, and the ticks and fleas that come with them.
The professional team of squirrel removal experts at Covenant Wildlife will have your property squirrel-free quickly. Contact us today and schedule an appointment for a free inspection.
