Squirrels in My Attic

Anyone have any methods other then traps(not working) to get squirrels out of the rafters in my house?I have a cathedral ceiling in my living room with about 6 to 8 inches between ceiling and roof.House has no soffits so I need to get them out before I put soffits up.
Any ideas?

spy on em.... can you find thier entry way? they love corn and seeds.....give them a better option....like a box of food outside with a .410 ga viewing periscope hole

I have heard of powdered ammonia to make it unpleasant for them.

http://www.squirrel-attic.com/poison.html

http://www.wildlife-removal.com/get-squirrels-out-attic.html

my mom had them, but had soffits, they chewed thru the wood and got into eves and wall and ceiling. The Squirrel guy put in 1 way gates, so once they left, they could not get back in. Then after about a month of no squirrels, they put sheet metal about 1-2' on either side of holes, and so far, she hasn't had them come back. They will try and chew back thru if you don't cover them up far enough.

Kinda scary when they get in above the lower ceiling and fall thru the plastic light panels into the kitchen!!!

This won't apply to small spaces, but there is a strobe light product you can put in larger open attics. I think it's called the Evictor. some swear by it, others say it doesn't work. The bright zenon strobe is supposed to annoy their eyes enough to drive them out.

Better bait in the traps.

What the hell is wrong with you mean old people? Even lil squirrels, need to get out of the weather! Best idea so far was the 410 ga.

It's pretty hard to keep them out. My house is old and has allot of gables. They find ways in believe it! They can squeeze into a very small space. Honestly, for me the only method that has worked on a consistent basis is a scoped Ruger 10/22. Some early mornings I'll hear a scampering and go out on my 2nd floor deck. If I can see one on the roof or gutters, I'll get him when he jumps inot the nearby trees. Trees close to the house are part of the problem too!
While I'm not crazy about shooting them, it's the only way that has worked very well. Taste like chicken too!

I know you said no traps, but rat traps with a ball of peanut butter in cheesecloth tied onto the trigger. Works everytime. Better than having them cause a lot of damage.

Can shoot them right in the attic with a Gamo pellet rifle. 1,200 fps.

Yep, I have a .177 that will knock them down pretty well. Pretty accurate too out to about 40-50 yrds.

I've been through this and remember it all too well. We had many mature black walnut trees on the property. We had absolutely no problems with grays but when the reds moved in, the grays moved on. The reds are just too aggressive. The house only had about a 2" soffet but it was solid, formed by a 2x10" top plate on a 2x4 wall. They chewed right through the 2x and the face board. Metal sheets were a waste of time. I just ended up with more plates and more holes. Sounded like marbles rolling around because they pulled walnuts into the attic, tore up the fiberglass insulation and chewed through the 2x8 ceiling joists where there was flooring in the Attic. Sounded like marbles rolling around on the sheet rock ceiling.

I tried the rat traps. It worked for a while but they learned it wasn't a free lunch and never touched them. Someone told me to try rat poison and that they'd go outside to die. Maybe they did but I can tell you one didn't Good thing I had no children at the time because I couldn't find the bugger and we moved into another bedroom until the remains dried out - about a year Moth balls, nothing more than marbles to them and more noise not to mention the stink - hate those things. Havahart traps ... nope, they learned them too. Lead poisoning at ~ 900 fps was the last resort and the only successfully method. 11 all told. 12 counting the one that got into the house and met the tribe of cats - cats left me a hind quarter and tail and were really happy to show me too Last one was smart an took me most of one year to get. I'd bang on the wall and ceiling, they'd head to the exits, I'd grab the 22 and pop the first one I saw. The smart one wouldn't stop and high-tailed it (literally!) about 250 feet to my brush pile where it would launch itself into the pile and not move a mussel. I can still see the expression on its face thru the scope when it made a mistake and stopped to see were I was. That was that. Grays moved back and life was in harmony again.

Now I'd try Critter Ridder as a repellent. Kept them off the bird feeders and out of the bulbs and plants by the mailbox garden. Smells like black pepper. I've tried quite a few of Havahart's products with success every time. Not cheep but when you think of how much you spend and never see a thing, it has added value

good yarn Peaburner, I have a few in my atic now, they ripped open my peak vent at the gable end, after I put an aluminum replacement hooded one on last summer.
I patched it up a week or so ago during a warm spell, and 2 days later they tore up the thin aluminum sides and got in (or out) again.

Next approach is to make up a ply temp cover for the rectangular opening with a homemade one-way square shaped wire mesh exit tube with oneway door, like I saw pictures of on the net.

I had some in the other end of my house (separate attic ), but after replacing the old louvered vent with the same kind of solid hooded one last year, they haven't returned to that attic.

I don't know if they are grey or red squirrels in side, but there are both in the yard,more greys than reds. If I have to shoot them with my pellet gun I'll have to do it when the wife is out or sleeping in, if you know what I mean.

As for out 22lb tom cat, he's useless hunting down squirrels, but is good at chipmunks.

They sure are a pest of late, I've lived here for 40 years and never had the trouble with them that I've had these last 5 years or so. There has to be a reason for that, but I can't come up with one.

I do blame the Democrats tho lol

My mother's house is about 250 years old and with a rubble foundation there are more places a squirrel can get in than you can shake a stick at.

A couple of months ago when I was about to feed my dog in the kitchen, I whistled and yelled "supper". My dog came wandering into the kitchen and the next thing I see is a gray squirrel zipping around the corner at full speed right between the dogs legs.

The squirrel skids to a stop about four feet away and looks at me like "I'm ready, where's MY supper?" My chicken dog looks at it and just goes on to eat her own supper.

The squirrel then scampers off, circles around the refrigerator and lands on top of the potato bucket. The lid on the bucket was open, the squirrel climbs inside and I shut the lid with him inside.

I then picked up the bucket (loaded with potatoes and squirrel) and shook the heck out of it. I then took the bucket outside, pulled the cover off and tipped the bucket on it's side. After a few seconds the squirrel staggered out and I swear the little bstrd gave me the finger before running full speed off into the woods.