What kind of trap are you using? I've had a lot of luck with the hav-a-hart traps but you have to try and adjust the trigger right out to the end of the spring so that any movement or activity triggers it. I use mine for chipmunks that dig along my foundation. Good luck.:thumbsup:

 

I have a live trap that was designed to catch animals like skunks, racoons etc.
Like you, my problem was with squirrels!
My solution was to fasten a cedar shake to the trigger grid, extending it out like a diving board.
This gave more leverage to the trigger. I sprayed silicon lube on all the moving, contact points, so as to have a minimum of friction and allow the trap parts to move freely!

 

Sorry, tried to post a pic of my traps I used. I will try again.

 

One bought trap (bottom) and two home-made traps. I later made another one with a one-way door (repeater) that I attached to the soffett in which I caught one coming out of the attic.

Two of the ones shown have the triggering mechanism on the floor and work very well.

 

I think the squirrel might be smarter then you think.
Be careful what you eat.

 

Correction

The top trap in the pic has no trigger mechanism, just a one-way door. Round wire tube with square ends and a door/flap. My grandson and I made it on a whim one day. Never caught anything with it.

 

Put the bait on the bottom of the trip plate. Make him work for it. Sometimes I even put the bait on the ground and then set the trap on top of it.

 

I make a sheet metal shroud on the bait end of my traps to keep little paws from reaching in and stealing the bait from the outside. It's amazing how clever those little critters are.

I also make a bait tray from a small tin can and wire it up high enough inside the trap that the critter has to stand on the trip-plate in order to reach the bait. The animals are very curious so you can even use dry cat food and if it's out of reach they will try to get it just to see what it tastes like.

 

I'm using the kind of trap that snaps shut on both sides - I think the other type would work better. What is really gross is that I've caught two mice! I hope it isn't a bunch of mice eating the peanut butter off the squirrel trap.

So damn gross - least I got lots of traps and peanut butter.

 

Leave one of the doors latched and place the bait inside near that door, that way the squirrel has to walk over the trip plate in order to get to the bait. We've caught a dozen squirrels this past year doing it that way.

 

Where do you think you have a squirrel? Place a trap with a one-way door on it at the entrance/exit.

When I had my squirrel problem, I read that they would not go near a trap in an attic. I don't know how true that is, but I do know I had 3 or 4 traps, leg trap, gopher trap, and live traps in the attic for a while with no luck. I closed all entrances and exits that I could find and attached a home-made trap with a one-way door at the one entrance/exit I left. I did catch one in that trap. I caught the rest in the yard in live traps. Even caught one possum. Those are some ugly rascals!

What makes you think you have a squirrel problem?

 

Not to be "off-topic" -
My boss had squirrel problems in the attic of one of his houses -
We found where they were getting in -
Went into the attic and "beat the bushes": to make sure any
squirrels were out (or, so we thought!)
Sealed up their entrance with .019 aluminum trim coil.
Problem solved!
So we thought - Ha,ha,ha!!
We sealed a squirrel in the attic - they "knawed" through the
aluminum; and made a nice hole.!!
Upgraded to galvanized steel (heavy gauge) -
End of problem!!
(No squirrels were harmed in this post!)

RF

 

I have seen signs of gnawing on new siding in what appears to be an attempt to get back in my attic.

 

boman47k
If I hadn't seen it with my own eyes/experience -
I would not have believed it!!
I've seen them climb up things and jump - I would have thought
Impossible!!

rossfingal
(Climb up a vinyl coated, outside, corner-post - and climb over a 2 foot overhang -
and 5 - K gutter and get on a roof! - made it look easy!!)

 

No doubt they are pretty much all-terrain critters.

 

"All-terrain critters" -
Yeah - they are!
My boss went out to try and repair a chimney (brick) -
Major damage (deterioration, lightning, wind? - some or all of the above)
12/12 slope.
He get's up there (roof-hooks, "chicken ladders", etc...)
Looks in the chimney (what's left of it) -
Wham!! - out comes a squirrel!!
(Scared my boss as much as the squirrel!! - he almost went off!!)
The squirrel took off across the ridge (full-tilt, "boogey" - they're fast!!)
The ridge on that house is 2-1/2 to 3 stories up - no trees close by -
jumped off the ridge - landed on the grass - ran across the street and
up a tree!!
As if it was a "walk in the park"!!
Squirrels are interesting!
I was re-siding a house (with my brother - Kane County, Ill.) -
We're sitting on the front stoop - taking a break - eating peanuts -
drinking "Pop" - a squirrel comes down out of a tree - walks over;
and puts it's paws on my boot!
We gave it a bunch of peanuts!
Interesting!!

rossfingal

 

Why have you guys made it that big an issue....Take it easy(It's not about a dragon, is it?)

 

They cause fires, Jack and will gnaw drywall ceilings and leave holes in them. They will also have babies in the attic and leave droppings all over the place. This, along with urine, can create quite an odor.

 

Some might find this interesting:

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