20 Tips on How to Get Rid of Squirrels

Despite their cute aesthetics and fluffy tails, squirrels are capable of causing a lot of mischief in your garden. In this article, we’ll explain 20 tips on how to get rid of squirrels in your yard so that they won’t disrupt your best-laid plans.

Setup Chemical Repellents

The single best trick for how to keep squirrels away is to setup chemical repellents along the perimeter of your garden area. Chemical repellents smell bad to squirrels, so they won’t want to approach the area.

Deny Climbing Paths

If you want to get rid of squirrels, you need to deny gutters and nearby poles, which may allow them to circumvent your garden’s defenses. Denying climbing paths is just one of the best approaches for how to deter squirrels.

Motion-Activated Lights and Sounds

Motion-activated lights and sounds will frighten squirrels when they get detected. Unfortunately, they may also disrupt your sleep. Ultrasonic speakers may make your dog unhappy, but they will also discourage squirrels.

Lay Capture Traps

Setting live capture traps are one of the most effective ways for how to keep squirrels out of your yard. You will need to dump the captured squirrels at least five miles from your home, however.

Lay Killing Traps

Sometimes capture traps aren’t sufficient to reduce the numbers of squirrels in your yard. Killing traps are a more expedient solution, but be aware that dead squirrels may decay quickly. Remember that dead squirrels will also be covered in parasites.

Spray Strong-Scented Liquids

Strong-scented liquids like fox urine, pepper spray, and even Windex can be effective at keeping squirrels away from your yard. Because strong-scented liquids are often natural, they are very effective at how to keep squirrels out of your yard.

Use Poison

If you don’t have any qualms about killing squirrels and you don’t want to dispose of their bodies, poisoning them with an anticoagulant is very effective. Poison is typically the most effective method for how to get rid of squirrels in your yard.

Cover Vegetables with Nets

Covering vegetables with anti-squirrel netting can prevent squirrels from nibbling, but you may find that the nets are an eyesore.

Let the Dog Out

To your dog, the question of how can I get rid of squirrels in my yard is a challenge. Squirrels are very scared of dogs, even when those dogs are small. However, larger and more observant dogs may be able to be more effective deterrents.

Grow Mint or Basil Plants

Squirrels despise the strong scents of mint and basil plants, but you will probably enjoy eating the delicious herbs if they don’t. Mint is canonically the choice to deter squirrels, but other strongly-scented herbs will do the trick.

Remove Garbage Bins and Trash

Squirrels love to open garbage bins, so secure them and deny them the opportunity. Be sure to clean up any pieces of trash because trash is likely to smell like food to the squirrels.

Remove Tasty Tidbits Like Acorns

Rake up fallen acorns and other edible tidbits from your yard, and squirrels won’t want to go there. Fleshy fruits like apples are also worth removing.

Trim Tree Branches

How to get rid of squirrels in your yard is easier when you can rely on your yard’s perimeter defenses. Trim overhanging branches so the squirrels can’t jump over your defenses.

Shoot Them

Squirrels are fair game for small-caliber rifles, blowguns, and even some air guns — assuming that you have the right permits and the skills to use these weapons safely.

Setup Bait

Sometimes setting up a sanctioned area for squirrels to hang out is more effective than trying them to keep them away from an area. Setup bait in an area far from your garden in hopes of keeping them busy.

Lay Mulch

Squirrels love to dig burrows in the soft dirt of your garden. Laying mulch chips will make it much more difficult to burrow, so they won’t want to hang around.

Set Up a Sprinkler System

Nobody likes to be squirted with a sprinkler when they’re minding their own business, and squirrels are no exception. Sprinklers will also make sounds that will keep squirrels too terrified to approach your garden.

Get a New Bird Feeder

Anti-squirrel bird feeders will deny squirrels the low-effort snacking that they crave.

Encourage Birds of Prey to Nest Nearby

Birds of prey like hawks, owls, eagles, and ospreys love to dine on squirrels that they find in open areas like your garden. If you encourage them to roost nearby, squirrels will think twice about making a run for your vegetables, and a few of them might meet their demise.

Grow Hot Peppers On The Perimeter

Squirrels don’t like spicy foods, and the presence of hot peppers will dissuade them from forging deeper into your garden.

If none of these tips work for getting rid of squirrels, call professional pest control for effective and permanent results.