Hi folks,

I'm back in the business after a decade or so out. My first job is a gray squirrel job. Customer has at least one squirrel climbing up the side of his house, trying to nest near the chimney. I removed the nesting material (quite high up on a ladder). I set three cage traps on the ground baited with wild black walnuts and a commercial squirrel bait. The next morning two traps were tipped over, bait gone, and the second untouched. On the third day I pulled up in my truck and saw a squirrel literally with his paws up on the side of the trap, looking at the bait, but refusing to go in. I'm thinking of using a commercial tube trap or a conibear set vertically on the house siding. Tube trap would be easier as the squirrel would be concealed. But I don't own one. Conibear would need to be concealed in a box to hide the animal as the view is clear from the road. Wonder what people think of this approach. Thanks!

John H.

Is the squirrel making entry into the structure? If so a 110/120 over the hole is an offer they can't refuse.
As for visibility urbanites rarely look up from their phones. If an issue long drop on a slider to behind the shrubbery or a prepositioned trash can.

If not making an entry then what's the problem?

If the nesting material were still in place a #1 with zero pan tension tucked in would've solved it.

As for the knothead flipping traps. Rule out coons as they are bad to do that on squirrel cages. Next, always anchor cages of any size so they don't move. Be generous with the bait and scatter it where you want them, in front of the door and into the cage. Squirrels ain't that smart and eventually they'll follow the food. Also not a bad idea to restrict how they can see the bait, wrap the trap so to get a peek they got to be in the front door or looking in the back window. Looks clear all the way through so why not.

And a Koro rodent trap fits most gutters.

Urbanites on phone lol. Squirrel not making entry but i guess keeps trying to nest up there. Scratch marks on side of house. I forgot about securing traps so they dont tip over. Wont make that mistake again. Thanks. Ill give the cage traps another try. Want to finish this and move on. The drive is a bit far.

I've had good success with gray squirrels using Comstock's swing panel's, these to have to be well secured

if the squirrel is trying to nest up high why are you placing the traps down on the ground?

Never seen a educated squirrel
I have marked and re cage for research

Steep roof, wide brick chimney, on gable end, no way to attach trap easily unless screwed to cedar siding. On the ground near the claw marks seemed so much easier. I suggested the homeowner he learn to live with the squirrels so long as they weren't causing damage, vs. paying me to catch everyone in the neighborhood. He agreed.

Thanks, V. Good to know.

Soo squirrels are causing damage but you are worried about a screw hole

I'm not worried about a screw hole. Would you have screwed the trap to the house vs on the ground where they are climbing?

Yes. Right outside the hole.

yes right at the hole

Ok, thanks. There was no hole here. It was making a nest at the top of the fireplace chimney 2 stories up, and the HO wanted it gone. I removed the nest. Maybe should have left it at that.

I have another job where there is a hole. I'll try to find the nest tomorrow. Should I trap the female within the attic, as there is plenty of room and I'm already searching for the young, or climb a ladder and place it at the hole? Steps are easier than ladders, and she already has a carpenter who will do the patch.

Never set a baited trap in the attic for a grey.
Always set a baited trap in the attic for a flier
No reds here so I can't say.
Fox never go near a house here so can't say.

Reason, greys go out to eat.
Fliers bring food home to eat.

Of course rules are made to be broken but by adhering to the animals natural habits you up your odds.

The problem with just removing the nest is the squirrel sees the house as their home. They will come back. Trap the squirrel at the opening and and then fix the hole. Install a chimney cap on the chimney.

Setting traps inside is a horrible practice. The homeowner has to be home to check/remove them so scheduling difficulties can occur. Keep everything on the outside and you will never have this issue. Don’t deal with rentals either.

Thanks guys, much appreciated. I have one more question, because I want to do this right.

Do you 1) first locate the attic nest, if possible; 2) catch the female; 3) go back and collect the young -- or some other order? Does it matter? I can see the mother going nuts and being hard to catch if her young go missing. Then hard to reunite them if you don't catch her.

Catch mama, if young old enough they'll be caught in short order, if not go get them.

Be advised there is a narrow window where they are old enough to run but not old enough to venture out the hole.

The guru of greys Ron Jones aka Jonesie on here advises not even setting foot in the attic until after she is caught.

Personally I go no further into the attic than needed to confirm what I suspect based on the client's description. Never take the client's species ID at face value, always confirm.

When you catch the big nutted male the job is done if the trap is over the entry.

Catch mamma first. She’s not going to understand you going after her babies! Only one time was I able to remove babies from a nest and allow mamma to come get them, but it involved jabbing her in the head with a paint paint extension stick as I dug the nest out from under solar panels… from a ladder. It could have ended badly.

When you consider the amount of psi that the threaded end of a paint extension pole directs at the head of a squirrel, and she still won’t vacate the premises, you can see where she’s determined to get you off that ladder and away from her babies. She stopped her attack and shook her head a couple times, but she didn’t give up the fight.

I don’t think I’d do it the same way again.

I’ve found multiple big nutted males on a job depending on what phase the female is in. Squirrels can be such sluts. Catch the female and the issue usually goes away. Guys don’t stay at a bar if the ladies aren’t around.

I once sat through a presentation on squirrels where the presenter could tell the age of the babies by how the males in the area were acting.

I don’t take the time to watch the males, but check the nipples to tell if she’s about to nurse, is nursing, etc.

My experience if she has a litter in the attic she won't allow a male in. Catch her, then the pups and day or so later a male comes nosing around.

But this applies to a 110 over the only way in or out. Cages nearby may be different.