A trapped squirrel in a garage can quickly become a serious issue, leading to property damage and contamination. Squirrels chew on materials like wood, wires, and plastic, creating repair concerns and fire hazards. Immediate, safe, and humane action is necessary to encourage the animal’s departure and prevent it from establishing a permanent residence. The removal process involves passive methods first, followed by active removal if necessary, and finally, comprehensive sealing to prevent future entry.
Encouraging a Quick Exit
The first step is to create an environment that encourages the squirrel to leave voluntarily. Open the main garage door completely, along with any side doors or windows, to establish a clear escape route. This provides the squirrel with an obvious path to the outdoors, which is often enough for it to vacate the area.
Squirrels are naturally inclined toward dark, secluded spaces, viewing them as safe nesting locations. To disrupt this preference, turn on all available garage lights and introduce moderate, consistent noise, such as a radio tuned to a talk station. The introduction of light and unfamiliar sounds makes the garage feel exposed and insecure, motivating the squirrel to seek a more suitable hiding place outside. Monitor the situation from a distance, ensuring that children and pets are kept away to avoid startling the animal. Patience is required during this initial, non-confrontational stage.
When Simple Exit Strategies Fail
If the squirrel remains after a few hours, it may be hiding or nesting, requiring a more active approach. Check common hiding spots, including storage bins, behind stacked boxes, in rafters, or under workbenches. Identify the animal’s general location without cornering or stressing it, which could provoke a defensive reaction.
A humane live-capture trap, typically a wire cage, offers a safe alternative. Bait the trap with attractive foods, such as whole, unsalted peanuts, sunflower seeds, or peanut butter. Place a small amount of bait outside the entrance and a larger portion behind the trigger plate to encourage the squirrel to fully enter.
Once captured, immediate action is necessary because prolonged confinement causes stress and dehydration. Before attempting relocation, check local and state wildlife regulations, as laws regarding the transport and release of trapped wildlife vary widely. Experts recommend relocating the animal a minimum of five to ten miles away from the capture site to prevent its return, choosing a wooded area with access to food and water. Calling a professional wildlife removal service is advisable if the squirrel shows aggressive behavior, if a suspected nest with young is present, or if local regulations prohibit private relocation.
Securing the Garage Against Future Entry
After confirming the squirrel is gone, the priority is to prevent recurrence through physical exclusion and sanitation. Inspect the garage’s perimeter carefully for potential entry points; squirrels can exploit small gaps and chew to widen openings. Focus on sealing cracks in the foundation, gaps around utility lines, and compromised seals around doors and windows.
Use durable materials squirrels cannot easily chew through, such as heavy-gauge steel mesh, hardware cloth, or copper mesh, to plug larger holes. Seal the edges with weather-resistant exterior caulk. The bottom edge of the garage door is a frequent entry point, often requiring the installation of a specialized bottom seal or weather stripping. Trimming tree branches that overhang or touch the garage roof can also eliminate a common access route.
Removing attractants and cleaning up the area eliminates the incentive for a squirrel to return. Clean up any spilled pet food, birdseed, or stored garden produce and secure them in airtight, hard plastic containers. Finally, clean up all traces of droppings and nesting materials using a disinfectant and appropriate protective equipment. This sanitation step eliminates scent markers that could attract other rodents to the vacant space.