Flying squirrels, common residents of wooded areas, become pests when they invade human dwellings, seeking warm, enclosed spaces, especially during colder months, to establish nests. Removing them requires a careful approach compliant with local wildlife laws. This article focuses on practical, humane, and legal methods for trapping and permanently excluding these small mammals from your home.
Identifying Flying Squirrels and Assessing the Problem
Confirming the nuisance animal is specifically a flying squirrel is the first step, as their habits differ from those of regular gray squirrels. The most reliable indicator is strictly nocturnal activity, as they are entirely active between dusk and dawn. Homeowners frequently report hearing quiet scampering, light thumping from gliding movements, or high-pitched chirping sounds coming from the attic or walls at night.
Visual evidence, such as droppings, further distinguishes them from other rodents. Droppings are small, dark, and pellet-shaped, often more rounded or oblong than the pointed droppings of a mouse. Flying squirrels tend to create communal “latrines,” resulting in distinct, concentrated piles of feces in the attic. Entry points may be tiny and located high on the structure, such as in the soffits or fascia.
Legal and Safe Live Trapping Techniques
Live trapping is the recommended method for capturing flying squirrels, due to the ethical preference for humane removal. Traps should be small, single-door or multiple-catch cage traps designed for small mammals, ensuring the mesh is fine enough to safely contain the animal without injury. Small traps, approximately 18 inches long, are appropriate for the size of a flying squirrel.
Flying squirrels are attracted to high-calorie foods like nuts, seeds, and fruit. Recommended baits include unsalted peanuts, sunflower seeds, or a smear of peanut butter on a piece of bread. Creating a trail of seeds leading into the trap, with the main bait placed beyond the trigger plate, encourages the squirrel to fully enter the cage and activate the mechanism.
Traps should be placed in high-traffic areas, usually along the walls in the attic or directly near suspected entry points. The trap must be monitored frequently, ideally multiple times a day, to prevent suffering. Since flying squirrels often live in large colonies, multiple traps may be necessary, and frequent checking prevents the captured animal from experiencing dehydration or stress.
Post-Removal: Release Protocols and Exclusion
Relocation must be handled carefully and in accordance with local regulations, as trapping and releasing wildlife is illegal for unlicensed individuals in many jurisdictions. If permitted, the trapped animal should be released in a suitable, wooded area away from homes. The recommended minimum distance for release is at least 3 to 5 miles away from the capture site to prevent the squirrel from finding its way back.
The release should ideally be timed for dusk, which is the beginning of the squirrel’s natural active cycle, giving it the best chance to find immediate shelter and food. After the squirrel is confirmed removed, the long-term solution is implementing exclusion techniques to prevent re-entry. This involves meticulously sealing all potential and existing entry points.
Use durable, gnaw-proof materials like heavy-gauge hardware cloth, metal flashing, or quality sealants to close all gaps, especially where the roof meets the fascia and soffits. A common professional method is to use a one-way exclusion door over the primary entry point, allowing any remaining squirrels inside to exit but blocking their return. After several days of confirmed inactivity, this final one-way door can then be permanently sealed to secure the home completely.