Here at Smith ’s Pest Management , we serve homeowners in California keep these blighter away for good .
In this web log , we share our professional ground squirrel control condition tips so you could chop-chop regenerate your yard .
earth squirrels can be incredibly destructive to yards and gardens with their constant digging . The muddle and pitcher’s mound they create are not only unsightly , but serious tripping hazards . Their burrowing can also undermine the foundations of buildings , terrace and decks . Getting these pesky rodents to stop excavating your outdoor space can be challenging , but there are some effective strategies and repellant you could try on .
Why Do Ground Squirrels Dig?
Ground squirrels are olympian digger because they manufacture elaborate underground burrow organisation where they live , sleep , store food , and raise untried . The burrow offer shelter from marauder and harsh weather . Their dig up habits are natural behaviors that ca n’t be completely cease . But there are ways to admonish ground squirrels from tunneling in sphere you do n’t want them to disturb .
Effective Ways to Deter Ground Squirrels from Digging
Remove Food Sources
Ground squirrel are opportunistic feeders that consume a broad variety of flora , seeds , nuts , fruit , and even bury table scrap Eliminating promptly uncommitted food sources can make your railway yard less attractive
nibble up fallen tree fruit like apples day by day .
Remove veggie gardens and nut trees that provide a squirrel snack counter .
Take down doll feeders that they might raid
Keep compost bins sealed to turn back food for thought barren .
Modify Landscaping
sure eccentric of landscaping invite basis squirrels looking for places to tunnel
fend off flowerbeds or shrubbery up against the house , as they offer shelter .
supercede priming coat level mulch beds with crushed rock , pavers or concrete to remove diggable grime .
Cut grass myopic to reject funny cover .
withdraw brushwood and rock bundle they may nest under .
Harass with Sprinklers
gesture - activated sprinklers can startle priming coat squirrels and keep them off lawn . Set sprinkler to spray job area and tunnel entrances . The sudden outburst of water will check them to avoid those zones .
Apply Repellents
Smelly or spicy repellents make an area inhospitable for primer squirrels . enforce them anywhere you notice evidence of turn over . Reapply after heavy rain .
Castor oil and chili powder mixtures
Ammonia soaked rags placed in burrows
red pepper pepper spray
Predator urine like coyote , fox or bobcat
Scent repellent with coyote , Allium sativum or batch oil
Install Physical Barriers
Barriers make it surd for ground squirrels to gain entree to areas to labor . Use them around garden , yards , or between properties .
Hardware fabric or chicken wire fencing , buried at least 12 column inch deep
Wire mesh baskets around plants
Paving stones around foundations to remove soil
puzzle walkways in trouble spots
Scare Tactics
reach your thousand an uncomfortable place will send out footing squirrel looking for a quieter home .
Set up owl statues , scary decoy , or mylar tape on wager to fright them .
put in supersonic pestis repellers that give out mellow frequency vocalise .
Play talk radio or set up up mirrors to make unresolved areas seem unsafe .
Limit Water Sources
Eliminating easy urine entree force solid ground squirrels to dig deeper tunnels to find wet underground .
deck humble cosmetic pool or bird baths .
Fix leaky hose , spigot and sprinklers that make pool .
Move piss sources like fountains away from grasp hot place .
Use Traps Humanely
Live cakehole let you remove and relocate ground squirrels unharmed . Bait with monkey nut butter and countersink near burrows . mark off traps twice daily and turn at least 5 miles away . Be sure it ’s effectual to relocate squirrel in your area first .
When to Call in a Professional Exterminator
For severe ground squirrel infestations , it may be necessary to contact a professional pestis ascendancy company . They have access to fast - acting rodenticides and fumigants that are more effective for large population . However , always opt for humanist exclusion and deterrence methods before poisons .
Signs you require professional help include :
Squirrels have tunneled under initiation or concrete .
Multiple litters of youthful squirrels observed each time of year .
Holes appear day by day despite your efforts .
tunnel too extensive to be bring off DIY .
You are overwhelmed and unable to tackle the issue .
A professional can appraise your property , identify all the burrow , and implement a discussion programme tailored to your state of affairs . This often take a combination of exception , habitat modification , repellents and elimination tactics . With their help , your yard can be background - squirrel free .
Prevention Tips to Keep Ground Squirrels from Returning
After successfully send ground squirrels packing , take proactive steps to keep them from burrowing in your yard again :
Walk the perimeter day by day checking for fresh holes and immediately filling them in .
preserve fencing , mesh and other roadblock to prevent access .
persist in applying smelly repellents around the property border regularly .
Monitor for signs of reinfestation like claw marks on plant .
vertical owl decoys and mylar tape on stakes to deter picket .
Avoid piles of structure rubble or junk that could provide protection .
varnish outside vent and openings in shed , garages , etc . to block entering .
Keep flora trim and lawn areas heart-to-heart and sunny .
quick rectify any piss leaks or malfunctioning irrigation .
Consider solar - powered supersonic interest if land provide .
When Ground Squirrel Tunnels Aren’t a Problem
Not all land squirrel burrows postulate to be stopped . squirrel aerate and mix the deep grunge with their panoptic digging , which is good in lifelike , unmanaged areas .
Leave their tunnel be in locations like :
Open battleground aside from construction and infrastructure .
Forests and nature preserves where you do n’t walk .
Orchards and garden where their forage may be desirable .
Large rural property where golf hole are n’t a hazard .
Unless they are have direct way out , such as under patios or around build foundations , enjoy find out the joke of these comical critter . Their tunnels confirm other coinage like tunnel owls who take over abandoned burrows . With some creative landscaping and deterrent , you may peacefully co - exist with ground squirrels .
Frequently Asked Questions about Stopping Ground Squirrel Digging
What is the most effective way to get rid of ground squirrels in your yard?
A combining of exclusion , removing solid food source and harborage , deterrent , and universe step-down is most effective . Start with expulsion like fencing material , then modify landscaping . Use repellents and harassing devices , along with entrap or professional extermination if needed .
What scent will keep ground squirrels away?
secure scents that natural predators develop are good squirrel repellent . Some options are coyote , fox or bobcat pee , ammonia , garlic , mint , and citrus . Alpha Geminorum crude and pepper spray mixtures also discourage squirrels with their sinewy perfume and taste . Reapply smelly repellents oft .
What is the best bait to trap ground squirrels?
Good baits for trap ground squirrel include peanut butter , crank , seed , fruit like berry and melon vine , and whole grains like oats , wheat and popcorn . Meat lure are not as in force for these vegetarian rodents . apply little amounts just to entice them into the sand trap .
Will mothballs keep ground squirrels away?
Despite widespread impression that mothball ( naphthalene ) repel burrowing pests like ground squirrels , they are not an in force or effectual repellent . The strong fumes can disperse into soil and flora , contaminate them . camphor ball are also toxic to pets and beneficial wildlife .
What home remedy will get rid of ground squirrels?
A homemade atomizer of cayenne capsicum , garlic pulverization , dish liquid ecstasy , and pee can be put on to deter ground squirrels from digging in areas . Castor oil and chili powder mixtures also work when sprayed into burrow and tunnel . These irritants must be reapplied frequently to stay on effectual .
How do you kill a ground squirrel naturally?
There are no really natural way to down ground squirrel . While predators like hawks , fox and coyotes hunt squirrel , relocate them to your yard is not legal . Poison baits also down haphazardly . Trapping and euthanizing humanely is the most natural deadly method , but agree local law first .
land squirrel can for sure be a nuisance , but with persistence and a multifaceted approach , you’re able to recover your yard and garden . compound deterrents , ejection and remotion tactics will win over these diggers to move their burrows elsewhere so you’re able to enjoy your outdoor space again .
Ground Squirrel Exclusion
We do not offer soil squirrel exception at Smith ’s Pest Management , but we will let you live if we think it would be a good idea for your holding .
We want to make your property less likable to earth squirrels while making it as peaceable and endearing for you as possible .
Ground squirrel-repellent plants
Some hoi polloi recommend implant barrier of ground - squirrel - repellant plants like narcissus , Alpha Geminorum dome , or coronate imperial plant . Unfortunately , that wo n’t work to keep these cuss out of your grounds . Because they are so flexible , solid ground squirrel will figure out how to avoid or get into sure areas from below .
People mean they ’ll shoot ground squirrels with a shot gun or 22 . Some think throwing repellant down their holes form . Some people think that they can get disembarrass of ground squirrels by postulate the exhaust pipe from their car and putting it into their tunnels .
regrettably , none of these thing work out .
There are metre when primer coat squirrel populations are so braggy that treating a few burrows in any way wo n’t make a difference .
In fact , doing so will create a vacuum effect . You ’ll allow for just enough empty burrows for ground squirrel from nearby to move in and start have babe , which will make your problem bad in the long political campaign .
Here ’s what we ’ve constitute to be lawful in our field experience :
When you have rodents that live in large groups and dig hole , like ground squirrels , you need to design how you will get rid of all of them within a football field ’s worth of pace around your property , or about 100 yards in each focusing .
You ’ll waste a lot of time and money on ascendancy methods that do n’t work if you ca n’t deal with the trouble on that scale .
We do n’t want friends to consume money on bad things , so we ’re go to severalize you the trueness : killing ground squirrels one by one is not a good way to keep them under control .
or else , you should use a tantalise broadcast and make certain there is enough food ( 1/4 lb per beast is a full start point ) . have that lure platform run for an entire summer or two to control your undercoat squirrel .
If you ’re going to essay trapping solid ground squirrel , verify you have a good euthanization programme available . According to California legal philosophy , if you get a ground squirrel , it must either be euthanized ( overwhelm is not an acceptable method ) or set free in the same area where it was caught .
So the myth - busting here is as trace :
Eliminate the population effectively and quickly , whether with bait or wide trapping . If someone evidence you that treating a few burrow is enough , do n’t believe them . Also , do n’t waste your time relying only on hazing , noisemakers , or repellent .
