$5 homemade squirrel exclusion device works much better than $175 one I bought
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- Опубликовано: 15 окт 2024
- amzn.to/2L4nhzP ←Click this Amazon link to buy the correct 1/4 inch Mesh 24 inch Tall x 5 feet Long Hardware Cloth
The steel mesh is called "hardware cloth".
Suddenly this summer, squirrels were having a free-for-all in my attic.
The hyper-expensive trap I bought completely sucked.
I also bought two "Havahart" no-harm traps and used them on the ground near my garage, and I did manage to capture two squirrels with them.
I relocated them about 5 miles away.
But still, I could hear several more squirrels partying like it was 1999 in my garage attic.
Necessity is the mother of invention. ...so I threw something together.
It worked incredibly well, and completely eliminated the squirrels (permanently) in just one afternoon.
Complete success!
I was restored as King of my castle.
It was a great feeling getting those crappin' little bastards out of there.
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The steel mesh I used is a common item sold at hardware stores under the term "hardware cloth". I used the lightest/cheapest type (1/4-in mesh openings, 23 gauge wire) and the smallest roll available, which was still way more than I needed. I found it at a local hardware store, but you can click the Amazon link below to buy the correct 1/4 Inch Mesh 24 Inch Tall x 5 Feet Long Hardware Cloth
→ amzn.to/2L4nhzP ←
I cut three small pieces off the long single wire that bundles the whole sheet of hardware cloth tightly in a roll, to make the three hinges at the top.
The optional bottom (furthest from camera) grid layer was only for bonus lock-out protection. My goal was to expand the overall area being protected by the metal grid, because I thought they might react to being locked out by trying to chew a new entrance somewhere very near to their old familiar entrance. The outermost (top/closest to camera) hinged "door" grid panel was marked by me with a black Sharpie marker, that's why it looks weird, ...or kinda like it has a hole in it. But it's only an illusion caused by the black 'circle' I drew on it with the marker. I pressed that door grid against the building and traced the exact shape of their chewed hole onto the top middle part of it, to start things off. Then I used it as a handy template to create two more grid panels that were used as the base, actually cutting an entrance hole in those two. I'd estimate that all three grid panels are about 9x9 inches. The whole idea is for the door to be big enough that they are guaranteed to be standing on it (thereby making it impossible to open) whenever they come to investigate the entrance. So when in doubt, too big will probably work better than too small.
The green plastic discs are the "cap" of a type of standard roofing nail. The green cap might even denote the exact size/type (not sure). I used them "unmodified" in some cases, where the wood was strong enough to take the hammering. But mostly, I replaced the nails (keeping the very useful green caps) with tiny screws. Basically the little screws were just long enough to bite into the wood for a few full turns, burying some tooth into it. But with all of them together, and with the plastic caps to more broadly distribute pressure across the grid, the whole system was sturdy enough to hold up to anything a squirrel would throw at it.
This late modification was key!→ I used a lemon drop sized fishing weight (use a nut, small bolt, whatever) hanging from about 2 feet of fishing line, to help close the door better. Tie line on bottom of movable door grid, then thread line through bottom of static base grid, then attach weight and let it dangle about 2 feet down. Now the door should close instantly and securely. Without the door-closing weight, they might have quickly learned how the door works. But with the weight the door closes instantly, with no bouncing. There's no chance/time for the squirrels to learn anything.
amzn.to/2L4nhzP ←Click this Amazon link to buy the correct 1/4 inch Mesh 24 inch Tall x 5 feet Long Hardware Cloth
The steel mesh is called "hardware cloth". I used the cheapest roll available, which was still way more than I needed.
Some construction tips can be found in the video description. Click "SHOW MORE" under the video.
I want to thank this inventor from the bottom of my heart. I was in despair at how to get the squirrels out of my attic, listening to them rummaging through my walls and shuddering at the damage they might be doing. I replicated the device and now they are gone. PARTY'S OVER! Thank you! One thing I did slightly different for my situation is attach a small pulley to the house under the trap and run the string with the small weight through that to close the outer door of the trap a little more securely after a squirrel's exit. I was a little concerned it might make it too hard for the varmints to get out but it didn't. For the weight, I used a large nut. Ironic, huh? No, not the kind the FOOLS eat, but the kind that goes on a bolt.
This worked like a charm. 9 squirrels out of my home and the hole patched now. Thank you for posting this.
Love to hear that. Thanks so much for commenting back.
@@ViralTuber very cool! How do you know how many squirrels, mice etc that you have and when you’ve gotten them all out?
Nope, I also got a one way out for an additional hole I had. This worked even better
What stops them from making a new hole?
@@WorldDroneTours Bitter Spray on surfaces
I watched this like it was a box office hit! Way more exciting than your average tiktok video when faced with the same dilemma. Thanks for sharing.
I made a trap similar to this after getting a quote from a pest control company for nearly $4000! Much less expensive to make a trap like this with scraps I had laying around my house. Worked like a charm.
I got a quote for 1200 and that's still a lot, so here I am
@@DAMfoxygrampa What did that quote include?
@@e79422 My house has a plastic mesh around the bottom overhang of the roof, the guy wanted to replace the whole mesh for 1200. Not worth it at all
How to make it .... use welded wire hardware fabric purchased at HD or Lowes and secure the first layer over the hole so the little pricks can't find a way back in and cut a hole the size of the opening they are coming in and out of.
The nails you see are roofing nails with a plastic washer also purchased in a 1lb box at HD.
Second cut a 2nd piece of the hardware fabric making it flat and at least from the video probably 12"x12" .... hinge it at the top with some thin wire ties but do it loose so it swings like a door and lays flat against the piece you nailed to the house (important).
After the critters are gone you can use a smaller piece of the same material to block the hole or replace with siding.
This is a great video OP!
Very accurate description of the design. Thanks for detailing it for everyone!
First comment I’ve seen actually explaining what to do. w/o this the video is no help for some of us slower folks
Thank you for the video and thank you for description!
Thanks. This is super clear. BTW, I found this at HD Everbilt-1-4-in-x-2-ft-x-5-ft-23-Gauge-Galvanized-Steel-Hardware-Cloth .... Hope this works as described. Can't wait to try this out tomorrow :)
What an amazing invention! We had squirrels BETWEEN FLOORS driving us crazy where there is no way to get at them. We scanned the internet for help and only got pitiful, discouraging advice such as individually trapping each squirrel, hiring expensive pest control svcs etc. I built a rig like this but had to use magnets to get the cage door to shut flush. The magnets were not strong enough to prevent the squirrels from exiting. After 4 days the last holdouts left the attic and none could return. Humane efficient elegant and cheap solution to daunting problem. You should patent it!
Mark Berry, yup! It works. They problem is, as you can see from the hole they’re exiting in this video, they chew a hole in the wood to make a entrance. They aren’t using a hole that was built into the house. So you install an exclusion door over the hole, and later, they’ll chew another one when it gets too cold outside or they want to give birth.
Mark Berry d
If you can get into the attic, then use air-blower to scare and get them out. I was successful to get them out some years ago. Then, I did it again a few months ago. Block the hole with a piece of metal.
@@totallyfrozen True.
@@HsingSun they chew through the metal too!! I can not get rid of them!! I cut all my trees down as well. My son came over killed a few and all there relatives came back about a month later. I can now see at least 3 entrees. I used to think squirrels were so cute! Not any more!!
One of the best, most inventive and hilarious commentary yet! "The party's over, fool!"
No it isn't, it's just stupid.
Thanks for an excellent video for a simple and effective exclusion device. As others have said, you now have four squirrel on the outside all eager and angry enough to chew another entrance to get back in. Getting them out and blocking that entrance isn't a complete cure. You MUST either totally relocate the squirrels to at least 2 miles or more away or you must kill them. As long as they remain alive and at your property, they will work tirelessly to get back in your attic. Generally, killing them is the best option as relocation merely takes your problem critters and puts them on someone else's property. In many places, there are laws against relocating nuisance animals onto some other property.
Having said that, once you have killed them you can watch my videos showing how to clean and prepare them for cooking. Four squirrels will give you a nice sized batch of Squirrel Dumplings which I guarantee you will eat with gusto.
Yes, you were "restored as King of your castle." Great idea and execution! All the detailed notes in the video description were the most helpful, and I'm saving this video in case I get the same problem. Gracias, mi amigo!
What genius came up with this? I can not wait to try this! I am so darn sick of these bushy tailed garden/wire destroyers and this looks full proof on a budget! Thank So Much and my hat goes off to the wonderful person that came up with this inexpensive brilliant idea!
Good job! I used air-blower to get them out from inside the attic. Then, I blocked the hole with a piece of metal. No more squirrel noise
Thank you so much for the great idea, went to Lowes, got the wire mesh, put it up on Sunday, while the mom squirrel was out (haha!), and by Monday the two offsprings were pushing out from hunger, as the mom could not get in again, and was running like crazy!
Worked like a charm, thanks again.
So, how's the smell from the dead offsprings?
The frustrated look the squirrel has at the end when they realize they've been duped and can't get back in
Brilliant ! Had the same experience. Watched video, copied it to a "T", worked. Thanks Man!
If you'd simply blocked the hole they might have chewed your cables in the loft just trying to stay alive. Your method is a win-win for both of you - great idea.
Great easy and cheap, keep in mind if there’s babies in there they’re going to chew another hole to get to them. Stay diligent.
You are a saint for telling us (in detail) how you did it, too!! I don't have a squirrel problem, but have a Great Dane, maybe that is why. My Mom lives in NM and has them outside, partying like it's 1999 too, hence the binge-watching squirrel videos.
.hmmm. I never heard a word about how he did it…..please explain.
@@cyhomer It's in the description box, just keep scrolling towards the end.
This is exactly what I need to do. I've been fighting squirrels all summer in my detached garage. They have chewed 2 holes so far and I thought I had them out but they ripped my "patch" clean off, making bigger holes. Thank you so much for sharing this.
I had the same problem. They chewed through aluminum siding on an overhang soffit. I place two courses of aluminum and they started chewing through that. I then spread axle grease around the soffit (where they had to sit in order to chew). It worked like a charm, squirrels just don't like sitting in axil grease.
Wow very smart fix. My national brand pest control asked me $1,100! Thanks to you I was able to resolve the issue with $5.00. Thanks for sharing! If you have not filed a patent maybe the brands already working on it:-) thanks again.
freehold, oh yeah! Pest control pros are necessary for some jobs but not most. They have to make a living so they love to get on RUclips and post comments telling everyone to “call a professional”. Most of the time you can do your own pest control. Funny thing is, the big national pest control franchises (e.g. Orkin) post videos on RUclips showing you how to do exactly what they do and what they use. LOL!
Yes, understanding insect behavior and life cycles and rodent behavior and life cycles is scientific and there are scientists with doctorate degrees in those fields who come up with the poisons and a lot of the methods, but at the technician level “it ain’t rocket science”. You seldom need to hire a pro if you are willing to do some research, put in the effort yourself, and spend a little money on supplies.
Brilliant. 4 freeloaders evicted. I love the video and the commentary! Now, it's my turn to try this.
Ive been dealing with squirrels in my garage for years. Its amazing how much theyve destroyed. I dont want to kill them. I want them gone. Thanks for posting.
having any wild critters living in your attic is not a good thing. those squirrels are not so cute when they chew the wiring and start a fire.
Just found the cause of the short in one of my garage circuits. 75% of the insulation on all the wiring in the attic was eaten away. Need to replace ALL the wiring, hundreds of feet. And it's 100 degrees in the attic. Just this simple preventive would have minimized the damage.
They made a mess of the insulation in my ceiling's and walls, stink bad and chewed holes for runways.
My parents had about 50 bats in their attic, made a stanky mess, had to replace all the insulation in the Attic and fill all the holes.
very good idea... I kept waiting for the angry bee to nail one of the squirrels... lol!
LOL, I just love people like you who take the time to come up with a creative solution that doesn't hurt the animals. Great job. I've got an issue with roof rats right now and actually have a roll of hardware cloth in my Amazon cart at this moment. Was trying to think of a way to create a one way exclusion door that I can mount under the soffit. Little bastards chewed right through the screen and sound like they're having a party in the attic.
Just built one on my parents house today, great video!
Thank you so much for your great idea! Heading to Lowe now to get everything and I can’t wait for them all to be gone!!!! Had been in our attic for a while now and they for sure are getting more annoying! Thanks again and wish me good luck!
This was extremely satisfying... trying it to evict these bums!
I appreciate and understand how satisfying it is to beat these things
That galvanized wire mesh works great! I've lined my porch garden with it. Virtually unchewable, and heavy.
Winter is coming! The attic is a nice and cool places for squirrels to stay. Pay more attention!
It’s nice that you found a big, obvious hole on a flat surface. My house hasn’t been so lucky. They’ve entered my attic through hard to reach crevices between the walls and the eves. Nice video!
I think the door would still work on my house. I could build a wire box below the soffit and hang the door across the outer wall. It would definitely take up a lot of wire mesh but the wire mesh I already have.
Pellet gun may be your best bet?
12ga small game load works awesome too.
I made my design 😊….. it’s a hard to reach spot but I found the entry point ! Thank you
Thank you this is great. I thought the first few were pretty cute! Then that last one was sort of an angry jerk! I kind of wanted that Wasp to sting him! Haha, well, they are cute but I want mine out of my roof/attic too.
godfatherNYC, yeah for some odd reason squirrels and rats are attracted to the electromagnetic field around electrical wiring and they like to chew on your wiring. Rats and squirrels can burn your house to the ground. Gotta get them out of the attic!
There is nothing cute about this thing.
Thank you for not only being intelligent but for also being kind. there's really no need to kill animals and we should learn to live with them. You did just that and you did it cheap. Mad props to you.
Thanks!
LOL! Me and my friend Both laughed at the end.
"Now go tell your buddies the party is over, Fool." 😂😁👍
Damn, a whole family. I've been fighting ground squirrels in the yard. Can't believe the damage they can do to the yard. At least they aren't in my house yet.
you are blessed they are not in your house!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
My neighbor used rat poison and peanut butter. Not a squirrel left in the neighborhood. Haven't seen many birds or cats either.
Brilliant! I built a similar today based on your idea. Just had to change a little because of the shape of my soffit. Hope it works.
Fantastic solution
I just gave this url to my handyman so I can get a decent night's sleep. I wonder if I lifted the attic hatch and gave them a blast of a boat horn if they would leave?
I heard strobe lights work! I trying to see what else i can do. would love good night sleep
@@shersartwork : YES! I have 2 Roxant strobe lights. They last a long time (years) and work well. I purchased the 2nd one because it's brighter. I have an extension cord that I plug in at night and leave on until dawn.
Looks like you might have dodged a bullet by preventing a wasp nest, too. Good job.
Very clever!!! Great job.
Beware that a litter of squirrel pups is left in the attic. Phewwww!
Thanks for not hurting them 💕
You just saved me a couple Benjamins! Trying the design tomorrow!
Great job! Thanks. Just purchased the supplies from home depot.
Great tip on how to keep them out.
Don't ever underestimate the ingenuity of the squirrel. Check out daylight robbery for some surprising antics.
I use a couple feet or so of pvc pipe stuck in the hole at about a 60% angle with spray vegetable oil in the pipe . Works on birds and bats but without the oil
Thanks to you I have just nailed down the solution to my attic squirrel problem. My eave "entrances" are a bit different but the concept is there and I'm fairly handy and probably have all the mtrls. in my barn already to do this immediately, which I WILL ! I have been listening to them sporadically for over a month, that's enough. I was ticked enough yesterday to dig out the "Ol Blue" bb gun and go up and shoot something, I think I hit one and felt bad instantly, different strokes for different folks I guess, I just don't want to kill them. My only issue is how much I trust the door not allowing them back in even with the weights, like just enough weight to allow them (babies also) out, but not too weak to allow them to screw with it to get back in, and I'm guessing that they will try. Wicked nice writing on your part and very much appreciated !!!!!!!!!!
im also thinking of 'how muach fly paper would it take to surround the 'door'...? For humane replamecemtny (of course)
Love it. They are running wild in my attic not any more after seeing this thanks
Looks like you may have a bee hive in there too
hope there are no babies left alone inside the roof it's easy to install the quickest and cheapest way to get them out without having to kill them thanks 4 sharing : )
My squirrel was particularly genius. He would place his feet and hands and lift up to get back in what do you think of that? I can't watch all the time that's basically what has to be done so the minute the last one leaves i had to climb back up and close the entrance way with mesh wood sealant and so forth.
Most exhausting three weeks of my life. That was 5 years ago. Now they are back and I think I know where they're getting in but man it's a high point I have to get a different ladder and I'm five years older. Wish me luck
A squirrel is nothing but a rat with good Public Relations. I love the line where you tell the squirrel that he is not smart enough.
That's nice - only one worry is if a mother squirrel leaves immature baby squirrels in the attic they will starve and rot. I read somewhere on the net that if a squirrel looks like it is going crazy trying to get back in then it might such a situation and it is better to let that squirrel in and out until all the young ones are able to get out on their own. Or sometimes the mother will try to move the babies. Or you can get into the attic yourself and check for babies.
thats what i was thinking i was looking through this to see if any one would notice... power to women even if there not human!!!
god.. tern that in to a essay and you got an A+
H Craig Get them early, when they are chewing the hole, and you won't have the pup issue.
Done!
Just don't shoot them January or Feb., in the south anyway.
Awesome! I am totally doing this today!! (Or maybe tomorrow....)
Thank you.
Totally awesome!
Looks like you were gonna replace one pest with another [the wasps or hornets flying near the hole!]. lol
Keep a lookout for more holes into the attic because once they get inside they like it. I had to seal three holes one after the other. Finally I had enough of the damage and declared open season on them. It’s the only way to stop them from coming in. An exterminator told me to forget trapping them in a have a heart trap and taking them for a ride. They will come back.
I think if you drop a squirrel off 1000 miles away it won't come back. So your wildlife guy and I disagree on that point. I relocated some 5 miles away and got no indication they ever returned, meaning no more holes have ever been found. Havahart traps worked for me, so I recommend them. But if I owned a wildlife removal service I'd probably claim Havahart traps are worthless. I agree that if the squirrel is not removed from the area, it's likely he'll try again. I disagree that squirrels are like homing pigeons with no limit to their range. People post back saying this $5 device worked for them. Professional trappers swear it coudn't possibly.
how about setting up the 1 sided door then releasing oh say, a house forger (like a bug spray)? That may rush the verments out and leave a sent that's a 'no-go' to their noses..
Sadly, this video is not for relocation, but more for evection. I'm a shotgunner and would really like to tsee more squirrls 'out in the open'
This is a terrific solution! Thank you for sharing!!!
The bee wanted back in too .
So how did you make it? I mean it is cool and seems to work but you don’t share how you set it up because it looks like it has a small door but yet there’s not I am a little confused on what’s going on as far as how it is made
Thanks for watching and commenting! A lot of information regarding construction is in the description under the video. Click "SHOW MORE" under the video to see the full description.
I'll give the guy credit for ingenuity as an engineer, but as a blue collar tradesman; I would have set rat traps in the attic with peanuts glued to the trigger and replaced that piece of wood ASAP!
I think the last one knew the score.
squirrels are yummy. skin comes off easy. cook in pressure cooker. cool. fry up in flour and egg batter.
Lol the babies strave to death
Outstanding!!!!!! Bravo
Hahaha!! Randomly found this. Funny commentary 👍🏻😂
Awesome gonna try this method, thanks
My neighbor got rid of his squirrels from the attic with 2 hungry bull snakes.
how'd he get rid of the snakes in his attic
skatterack they ate the neighbor and took over the home
trashy10
Funny stuff. :-)
@@skatterack why would you want to evict two stellar employees?
Now to deal with the wasps,lol
Hell yeah. That worked wonderfully!
To get rid of the problem you must eliminate the problem
Wow.thanks for the tip
Brilliant ! Thank you for sharing.
Paint your fascia before it’s too late. Oh the humanity
Nice 1 way door
Oh boy, you sure told that squirrel off good when you called it a "fool"!!!
Nice one.
This method works if there isn't any baby squirrels nesting in the house.They will get left behind and will die/rot.
That's why I recommend doing surveillance to learn/understand the babies' routine, like I did. I set up 24-hour video surveillance (camera recording from inside a dry barn) and waited until I confirmed the babies were leaving in the daytime every day, before installing my lock-out device. Being mid-summer, I had no ethical concerns about locking them all out at that point. Causing slow painful death and/or leaving rotting corpses in your attic (or in any structure) is both unethical _and very impractical._
People with a big heart don't want that outcome. Just like people with no heart at all don't want that outcome.
Squirrel: Hey fellas they made us a doggy door!
Was outside in front of the cabin while talking to neighbors. I was aware there was squirrel working in my attic. The squirrel just happened to come out and leaped over to a tree and perched about 25 ft up on a branch to eat a acorn. I excused myself from the conversation and drew my 9mm ,aimed it to go right up through the branch where he was sitting. Down came the branch and the squirrel nearly cut in half. My neighbors thought I was John Wayne after that. A week or so later I installed a steel roof and boxed in the eaves with steel soffit also. No more squirrels in the attic since. The rule with critters is you give them a fraction of an inch and they’ll make it a foot in no time.
Haaa! I love it! Only I need to find a way to make a spring on my trap door, because they made a hole on the bottom side of the soffit underneath the facia board
OMG! Us too!
Very clever! 👍
2 hours later.... squirrels chew through new hole
That would be my luck too. :(
@@psalm37v4 I went through it. 2 years of hell
simple solution. Perhaps use a bungee cord instead of the weight? The bungee will snap shut the door reliably
The problem is that the squirrels just chew a new hole nearby and you have twice the damage to repair. Once they get in the first time it's game on.
Trap the squirrels outside your attic with a Havahart trap and relocate them 5 miles or more from the area. I relocated a few of those squirrels and there's been no sign of squirrels in my buildings ever since I excluded them as seen in the video. This video was years ago.
ViralTuber
Be sure to check you state and local laws. Here in Texas, it’s illegal to live trap and relocate animals unless you are a wildlife officer.
Can you post a video on making this? I don’t really see how you did it.
Well done good video very simple and informative going to give it a try wish me luck stay safe happy season
Did you have damage inside your attic from them? Could you head them in your house? How did you you keep them out? Mine chewed through the metal.
some questions - why the need for the 3rd grill (the one that stretches on the back)?
does the superficial grill (the one they are moving) - have a cut along the hole also (as does the one on top of the hole)? Is there brown tape on the superficial grill? What are the measurements of the grill?
Hi. Sorry it took so long to respond. The third grill layer was only for bonus lock-out protection. My goal was to expand the overall area being protected by the metal mesh, because I thought they might react to being locked out by trying to chew a new entrance somewhere very near to their old familiar entrance.
The outermost hinged "door" grid panel was marked by me with a black Sharpie marker, that's why it looks weird, ...or kinda like it has a hole in it. But it's only an illusion caused by the black 'circle' I drew on it with the marker. I pressed the door grid against the building and traced the exact shape of their chewed hole onto the top middle part of it, to start things off. Then I took that piece of door grid and used it as a handy template to create two more grid panels that were used as the base, actually cutting an entrance hole in those two.
I'd estimate that all three grid panels are about ten inches by ten inches. ...maybe 11x11? The whole idea is for the door to be big enough that they are guaranteed to be standing on it (thereby making it impossible to open) whenever they come to investigate the entrance. So when in doubt, too big would probably work better than too small.
Very well done! Clever device.
What u did not know was that, it was the same squirrel going out 4 times because it have another entry! hahaha
Did it work out well?.
Do you have any tips on how to get rid of them off an Apartment Balcony? 7th Floor. Ate Christmas Lights. Found out today, Because the Cord was moved in the early morning, So I saw the Damage. It was probably biting them when they were under a Chair. Which will be moved.
www.amazon.com/s/?_encoding=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&field-keywords=fake%20owl&linkCode=ur2&tag=gareughow-20&url=search-alias%3Daps
Worked like a charm! Thanks!
OMG HILARIOUS!!!!! I simply LOVED this clever solution and your text additions had me howling in gleeful mirth!! *high five* I am currently battling a family of jerks determined to destroy my two gardens. Husband shoots them but he can only be around when the jerks are out on the weekends so I am looking for another solution. This won't work for me, but it was wildly entertaining!! Congratulations on getting rid of the little A-holes! :D
Will it work for my tenants?