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How to Control Squirrels
Since squirrels usually jump from a tree to access your roof and attic, trim back trees at least 10 feet from the roof. If that's not possible, put sheet metal or aluminum bands around the trunks of the trees they are climbing on. The bands should be 2 feet wide and 6 to 8 feet from the ground. You can use the sheet metal bands around pecan trees or any other trees where they are eating the crop, as long as the tree cannot be accessed from the neighboring tree canopy. Squirrels will gnaw their way into the attic, so check for holes that need to be plugged around vents or light fixtures. Since squirrels will usually leave the nests early in the morning to forage, try to get up there and patch the holes while they are gone so you won't trap them inside. If you are thinking about poisoning them, forget it; they're classified as a game animal, and there are no toxicants or fumigants registered in Texas for their control. It is legal to cage trap them in areas where they are causing damage or creating a nuisance. Good baits are fruit, peanut butter, nuts, seeds, dried corncobs, or vanilla extract. Some folks put mousetraps around their tomato plants or other small vegetable crop plantings to deter a squirrel attack. You probably won't catch any that way, but it sure irritates them and may keep them away for a while. If you are a landowner wishing to relocate a number of squirrels, you will need to contact the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department.
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Many homeowners go crazy each year trying to control wild four-legged creatures around the home and garden. One that can quickly become a pest is the Squirrel. All three types of squirrels native to Texas live in our area. The type we see most commonly is the Fox Squirrel, which has a brownish-gray tail with orange underneath. The Gray squirrel or "Cat Squirrel" is slightly smaller with a gray tail, and the Flying Squirrel is much smaller, and is becoming as rare as a screech owl. I had one nesting in a birdhouse last spring and was thrilled that it was there. Squirrels can live up to ten years, so they can become wise to human activity and can learn every nook and cranny of a neighborhood, and that includes the attics that are easiest to access and where they can find the well-stocked bird feeders. They usually have a litter in the spring and another in the fall with an average of three per litter. If you hear little feet scurrying around your walls or attic in the daytime, you've got squirrels in there, if it's at night that you hear the noises, it's a rat problem. But just like rats, squirrels can destroy insulation and chew on electrical wires. They can also leave behind droppings that dry out, turn to dust, and can cause serious health problems if inhaled. Anytime you are working in an area that contains a lot of old rat or squirrel droppings, like an attic or barn, you should wear protection over your nose and mouth. I don't even need to add that squirrels can damage fruit and nut crops, and even tear bark off young trees, because most people who garden or farm already know what they can do to a crop. Drip lines and other irrigation equipment can get hundreds of tiny holes from squirrels trying to access the water.
