If you have ever spent time around squirrels, you know that they can be pesky creatures. They scurry around, raiding bird feeders and stockpiling nuts for the winter. These notorious creatures always seem to be one step ahead of us when it comes to finding food and eating everything edible. So what do squirrels hate the most?
Nothing seems to bother them. They’re agile, quick, and have sharp teeth that can easily destroy any type of container we put them in. However, there are a few things that could scare squirrels away. But what do squirrels hate the most? What Is The Best Way To Repel?
The Short Answer…
In short, squirrels hate to smell cinnamon oil or citronella oil, pepper, garlic, vinegar, predator scents especially multiple predators, peppermint plants, and oil. The best ways to get rid of squirrels are to remove all attractants, scare squirrels away, plant flowers squirrels hate to smell, install a motion sprinkler system and repel them with oil.

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What Smells Do Squirrels Hate The Most?
While squirrels may be cute, they can also be destructive, digging up plants and stealing bird seeds. If you’re looking for a way to keep squirrels away, you may be wondering what smells do squirrels hate the most?
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Cinnamon Oil or Citronella Oil
As anyone who has ever tried to keep squirrels out of their garden knows, these furry little rodents can be incredibly persistent. But what if there was a way to deter them without resorting to harmful chemicals or traps? Many people swear by the power of cinnamon oil or citronella to keep squirrels at bay.
Cinnamon oil is high in a compound called cinnamaldehyde, which gives the spice its characteristic odour. This same compound is also used in some commercial squirrel repellents. When applied to plants or around the perimeter of your property, it can help to keep squirrels away.
Some people find the smell of cinnamon oil to be unpleasant, but to squirrels, it is downright offensive. If you are looking for a natural way to deter these pesky pests, give cinnamon oil a try. You just might be surprised at how effective it can be.

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How to Use It?
If you’re looking to keep squirrels away from your property, you may want to try using citronella oil. This essential oil has a strong citrusy scent that is known to repel many animals, including squirrels. You can purchase citronella oil at most health food stores or online.
To use it, simply add a few drops to a cotton ball and place it near areas where you’ve seen squirrel activity. You can also add citronella oil to a diffuser or spray bottle and use it to create a perimeter around your property.
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Pepper
Surprisingly, one of the most effective squirrel repellents is something that is quite cheap is pepper. Peppers contain capsaicin, which is a compound that makes the spicy flavour. Capsaicin is also a natural repellent for many animals, including squirrels.
When squirrels smell capsaicin, it irritates their nose and throat, causing them to stay away. You can use white pepper, cayenne pepper, or Carolina Reaper which is the spiciest pepper in the world.

squirrel hate
How to Use It
You can use pepper in a few different ways to keep squirrels away from your property. You can sprinkle crushed pepper around the perimeter of your yard or garden, or you can make a pepper spray by mixing water and pepper essential oil. Just be sure to avoid getting the spray in your eyes, as it will irritate them as well!
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Garlic
If you’re looking for a natural way to keep squirrels away from your garden, garlic may be your best bet. Squirrels have an excellent sense of smell, and they’re known to be repelled by the strong odour of garlic. You can take advantage of this by chopping up some garlic cloves and sprinkling them around the perimeter of your garden.
You can also make a garlic-based spray by mixing chopped garlic with water and spraying it on your plants. Remember to reapply the spray every few days, or after it rains. If you keep up with this routine, you should be able to keep squirrels away from your garden without resorting to harmful chemicals.

squirrel hate
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Vinegar
Squirrels are one of the most common backyard pests, and they can be difficult to deter. However, there are a few smells that squirrels hate, and vinegar is one of them.
Vinegar is a common household item that can deter squirrels without harming them. When applied to areas where squirrels are known to congregate, vinegar can help to keep them away. The strong scent is unpleasant for squirrels, and it will also mask the smells of food that might otherwise attract them. In addition, vinegar is a natural repellent, so it won’t harm the environment or your plants. If you’re looking for a way to keep squirrels out of your yard, give vinegar a try. Its one of the things which what squirrels hate the most.
How to Use it
Simply mix equal parts vinegar and water in a spray bottle and apply it to the areas where you don’t want squirrels to go. The strong smell of vinegar will help to keep them away. You can also soak rice fruits or vegetables in vinegar and place them around your garden to deter squirrels.
If you have a bird feeder, try spraying it down with vinegar solution to keep squirrels from climbing up. With a little trial and error, you can find an effective way to keep squirrels away using vinegar.

squirrel hate
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Predator Scents
Squirrels are notorious for raiding bird feeders and plundering gardens. In fact, these pesky rodents will eat just about anything they can get their hands on. However, there are certain smells that squirrels hate the most. One of the most effective ways to deter squirrels is to use predator scents. The smell of a fox, coyote, or bobcat can be enough to send a squirrel running for the hills.
Studies have shown that squirrels are particularly sensitive to the scents of foxes, and bobcats, such as cats, dogs, owls and coyotes. When exposed to these smells, squirrels will often freeze in place or actively avoid the area. In some cases, they may even pretend to be dead in an attempt to escape detection.
Studies have shown that squirrels react with fear when exposed to the scent of predators. The good news for gardeners is that there are a number of products on the market that mimic the scent of predators. Spraying these products around your garden can help to keep squirrels away. Its really effective and among what do squirrels hate the most.
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Peppermint Plants & Oil
When it comes to deterring squirrels, there are a few smells that they really can’t stand. One of the most effective is to plant peppermint plants around the perimeter of the property. The strong scent of peppermint helps to keep squirrels away, and it can also help to refresh the air in your outdoor space. In addition to peppermint, there are a number of other plants that repel squirrels, daffodils, jonquils, geranium, paperwhites, and hyacinth. By planting these around your home, you can help to keep squirrels at bay.
If you’re looking for a more potent solution, you can use peppermint oil. Squirrels dislike the strong minty smell of peppermint so spraying peppermint oil around your property can also help to keep them at bay. Finally, you can try using commercial squirrel repellents. These products usually contain a combination of different smells that squirrels dislike, making them an effective way to keep them away from your property. Just be sure to reapply every few days, as the scent will eventually fade. You can also try using other strong-smelling oils, such as Cinnamon Oil or Citronella Oil.

squirrel hate
How to Get Rid of Squirrels? Best Ways To Repel Squirrels
Every winter, as the temperature starts to drop, squirrels begin to look for ways to stay warm and dry. Unfortunately, this often means that they will move into attics and garages in search of shelter. While they may seem cute and harmless, squirrels can cause a lot of damage to your home.
In addition to chewing through wires and insulation, they can also contaminate food sources with their waste. As a result, it’s important to take steps to prevent them from taking up residence in your home. But how? Here’s how to do it.
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Remove All Attractants
The best way to do this is to remove all potential attractants, such as bird feeders and unsecured trash cans. You should also avoid feeding them directly, as this will only encourage them to stick around. By taking these steps, you can help to keep squirrels out of your home and avoid any potential problems.

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Scare Squirrels Away
Having a furry friend around the house has many benefits. They provide us with companionship, unconditional love, and laughter. But did you know that your pet can also help to keep pesky critters away? Dogs and cats have a natural instinct to chase small animals, and this can be helpful if you’re trying to get rid of squirrels.
Squirrels are attracted to areas where there is food available, so keeping your yard clean and free of debris will help to discourage them from taking up residence. In addition, making sure that your pet has regular access to the outdoors will give them the opportunity to do what they do best – chase away any unwanted visitors!
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Plant Flowers Squirrels Hate The Smells
There’s nothing quite like a beautiful garden, full of colourful flowers and the soft scent of the fragrance in the air. However, if you’re dealing with pesky squirrels, that idyllic image can quickly turn into a nightmare. Luckily, there are certain types of plants that squirrels hate the smell of. Planting these around your garden can help to keep them away.
Some of the most effective flowers include daffodils, jonquils, geranium, paperwhites, hyacinth and garlic. Squirrels are also deterred by strong-smelling herbs like mint and basil. By planting a mixture of these flowers and herbs, you can create an invisible barrier that will keep squirrels out of your garden. Pretty help with what do squirrels hate the most.

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Install Motion-activated Sprinkler System
Have you ever looked out your window to see a squirrel raiding your bird feeder, only to run away as soon as you open the door? If so, you’re not alone.
Squirrels are notorious for their pesky behaviour, and they can be difficult to deter. However, one effective method for keeping squirrels at bay is to install a motion-activated sprinkler. These devices are triggered by the presence of an animal, and they will release a burst of water to startle the squirrel and discourage it from returning.
In addition, the continuous movement of the water will also help to keep your lawn and garden free of pests. So if you’re looking for a way to get rid of those pesky squirrels, a motion-activated sprinkler may be the perfect solution.
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Repel Squirrels
Squirrels are pesky little creatures that can wreak havoc in your garden. Fortunately, there are a few simple things you can do to deter them from snacking on your plants. One way to repel squirrels is to sprinkle chilli powder or cayenne pepper around your garden. The spicy smell will deter them from entering, and the sharp taste will discourage them from taking a bite.
Finally, you can try planting certain plants that squirrels don’t like, such as daffodils, marigolds, or lavender. By taking a few simple steps, you can keep these furry pests out of your garden.

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What Sounds Do Squirrels Hate The Most?
Loud, unexpected sounds can effectively repel squirrels. Some other sounds that squirrels dislike include dogs barking as they are scared of their natural predators. People often play barking sounds to discourage squirrels from entering their property. Another unexpected sound that can scare squirrels is the cracking noise of a mousetrap snapping shut.
Lastly, squirrels are able to hear high-pitched noises undetected by human ears. Therefore, there are a lot of ultrasonic sound repellents on the market that claim to emit high-frequency sounds to repel squirrels. While squirrels may hate such annoying sounds, these devices often fall short as squirrel deterrents. In addition, these devices are often motion-sensitive which squirrels can learn to avoid.
How To Keep Squirrels Away Naturally?
Squirrels often become frequent visitors to homes with a constant supply of food. Whether it is a bird feeder or a vegetable garden, if you have a food source on your property, you will see these cute yet pesky rodents around, often causing damage.
Luckily, there are natural ways of keeping squirrels away from your home, and they are easy to follow. Here we have eight tried and tested ways of repelling squirrels naturally.

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Install Squirrel-Proof Bird Feeders
Squirrels love birdseed, which is why you often see them by the bird feeders in backyards. One simple way to naturally keep squirrels out is to squirrel-proof your bird feeder. You can either buy one or stick to the DIY option to modify your existing feeder.
To deter these rodents from feasting on your feeders, you can switch the birds’ feed to something they hate eating safflower seeds. Alternatively, you can use a baffle which creates a barrier and does not allow squirrels to climb up. When these rodents do not find a way to the bird’s food easily, they will likely move to another food source.
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Take Out the Trash
Make sure you don’t leave any food sources exposed and your trash can is always closed. Leaving out food waste in the open attract squirrels and is usually the reason they start hunting for food on your property.
- related: 260+ Almonds! Can Squirrels Eat Almonds? How Many?
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Cover Your Vegetable Garden
Squirrels enjoy garden vegetables and fruits. Thus, you find them lurking in vegetable gardens in backyards, trying to find something to chomp. Using chicken wire, bird netting or row covers will not only ensure your plant gets the required sunlight but will also stop squirrels from feasting on them.
Once these rodents find it hard to access food in your garden, they will likely move to another location to feed themselves.

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Lay on the Peppers
Squirrels despise spicy smells. Thus, you can use peppers to repel squirrels naturally. All kinds of peppers, including cayenne, back and white pepper, contain capsaicin whose taste and smell are enough to send the squirrel population on your property packing.
You can mix cayenne pepper (any other pepper flakes or chilli powder works well too) with water to make an effective natural squirrel repellent spray or grow hot peppers in your garden for an easy yet effective way of squirrel control.
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Peppermint Oil To The Rescue
Peppermint oil’s signature strong smell repels squirrels owing to their excellent sense of odors. You can use cotton balls to soak this essential oil and place them in a glass jar where you can see squirrel damage. Keep in mind that you have to soak cotton balls from time to time as the effects start wearing off.
You can also mix peppermint oil in vinegar in spray bottle to make a natural squirrel repellent and use it neat your garden plants. This may also help of other rodents and garden pests.

Peppermint Oil
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Know Which Plants Squirrels Hate
One smart way of keeping squirrels away while enhancing the look of your home is to plant bulbs that squirrels despise. Go for brightly coloured, fragrant flowering plants like snowdrops, daffodils, and alliums.
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Use Apple Cider Vinegar Spray
Mixing pure apple cider vinegar with other strong-smelling natural items can be an easy fix for all your squirrel problems. Use cider vinegar as the base and add one or more food items disliked by these rodents. You can use garlic oil, chopped garlic, and even garlic cloves.
Alternatively, a hot pepper (like jalapeño pepper) makes for a good choice to add in the mix. Spray the concoction generously where you find most squirrel activity and these pesky animals will likely bid you goodbye.
- Related: Run! Do Crows Eat Squirrels? How Do Crows Eat Squirrels? (Video)
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Play Smart With Plastic Owl Decoys
Owl is squirrels‘ natural predator, so they avoid it at all costs. Keeping a plastic owl in your yard can deter these small mammals from visiting your property. However, squirrels are smart and they can soon figure out the owl is not an actual threat. So, in order for this to work, you need to keep moving the plastic decoy to different places in the yard after some time.

Plastic Owl Decoys
What Do Squirrels Hate To Eat?
Squirrels, even though mainly herbivores, are opportunistic eaters and will feed on small animals, bird eggs, and insects in order to meet their daily nutritional requirements. Thus, there aren’t many foods they won’t eat. That said, there certainly are some things these rodents like eating more than others.
They hate anything strong-smelling food like garlic, onions and pickled vegetables. And, even though they love wreaking havoc in bird feeders, some seeds like safflower and Niger seed taste very bitter to them.
What Do Squirrels Hate The Most?
There are various sights, sounds and smells squirrels dislike and try to avoid actively. Homeowners often use their hatred for certain sights and smell as a way to get rid of their squirrel problem.
Squirrels do not like any overbearing smells like those of chili, garlic, onion, vinegar, floral soap, cinnamon, peppermint, and coffee. These smells also dictate their dislike for certain foods as they do not like eating onions and other pungent-smelling foods. They also dislike safflower and Niger/Nyjer seeds.
Moreover, they hate anything related to their natural predators. For this reason, various commercial squirrel repellents use predator urine (like fox urine) to keep these critters away. In the same way, sighting their predators like owls, snakes and foxes is a big no-no for squirrels, that is why pet dogs (who notoriously chase these critters) successfully keep squirrels away. Additionally, squirrels are very skittish and thus, hate any loud, unexpected sound.

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How To Get Rid Of Squirrels In Trees?
Squirrels often make a home on trees in and nearby your yard if they find an easy food source, like access to bird seeds from a feeder. Moreover, if you have nut and fruit trees in your garden, these fluffy rodents are sure to hang around and feed on them.
Most of the time, the damage to yard trees from these animals is minimal, but, if continuously neglected it can result in tree deformation, limb damage or, even, tree death. Squirrels not only feed on fruits and nuts from various trees, they also strip off the bark and gnaw on branches, which can cause them to fall.
While removing squirrels from trees is not an easy feat, you can use a combination of five of these tested methods to make the stay less comfortable for them, which can eventually lead them to evacuate the tree.
Remove Food Sources
While it’s not practical to remove bird feeders from your yard, you can install ones that are squirrel-proof, to prevent easy access to food, The problem with such feeders is that there are still lots of seeds on the ground. Same case with fruits and nuts falling from trees if you have them in your garden, and there isn’t much to be done apart from getting rid of the tree, which, again, is not feasible.
Squirrels will always lurk around in trees of they know they can get food from the ground. So, its best to ensure that there are no seeds, fruits, or nuts lying on the ground, The basic idea is to make it as hard as you can for the rodents to find food in your yard, so they can move on to find residence in some other tree.

Food Sources
The Metal Band Method
Placing a 2-feet tall metal band around the tree trunk, some 6 feet from the ground, works well in discouraging them from making home in trees. The squirrels won’t be able to climb such a tree, but the metal, if allowed to stay in one place for a long time, can cause damage from sun or insects. Moreover, the critters can make it to the tree through branches or high places like the roof.
Let Ammonia Do its Job
You can soak a rag or sock in ammonia and hang it from a tree branch, The signature pungent ammonia smell will keep squirrels away from the tree. However, ensure that the piece of cloth is secure with a wire so it doesn’t fall.
Grow Squirrel-Repelling Plants
As we discussed, there are certain flowers that squirrels despise, which include daffodils, hyacinths and snowdrops. Planting these near the base of the tree will keep the squirrels off those spaces. Similarly, planting chilis and peppermint also discourages squirrels residing in nearby trees.

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Spray Squirrel Repellents
You can find commercial squirrel repellent with capsaicin or predator urine. You can also just as easily make your own repellent sprays by using vinegar as the base and adding pepper flakes, ground pepper, chopped garlic or peppermint oil. Spraying this around the base of the tree can help keep squirrels out. However, you need to be regular with reapplication, especially after rain.
How To Scare Away Squirrels?
Squirrels are naturally skittish, so it doesn’t take a lot to frighten them – a loud noise, a sight of a human, or motion- sensitive sprinkler is more than enough to scare them away. In addition, any strong odors (whether natural or chemical) do a fine job of frightening them away from your property.
However, nothing scares them more than their natural predators (duh!). So, if you have a pet dog or an owl that rests by your yard, you won’t likely see these critters digging up for food there. Here are some fool-proof ways of scaring squirrels.
- Let Loose Your Pets: If you have cats or gods as pets, squirrels will likely stay away at the fear of being chased and eaten (in come cases). Hair clippings from your pets in places where you see most squirrel population also serve a reminder of the animals’ presence and can easily scare the critters away.
- Predator Sights and Smells: Using a resin owl, a rubber snake, or fox urine is by-far the most fool-proof way of scaring squirrels, whose self-preservative instincts kick in a soon as they see (or smell) danger. The only down side is that you’ll have to keep moving the fake predators and reapplying the urine (doesn’t help that it smell bad too) for the critter to keep believing there is imminent danger.
- Install Motion-Sensitive Sprinklers: Installing a sprinklers with motion sensors in areas where you see squirrels often can help scare them away. Moreover, it is highly likely that after activating the sprinklers a few times, the fluffy rodents would stop making trips to these places altogether.

Squirrels
What Are Squirrels Most Afraid Of?
Squirrels get scared quite easily, and often a human glimpse is enough to send them darting to their abode. However, nothing frightens these fluffy critters more than their natural predators, including owls, foxes, snakes, raccoons, coyotes, eagles, and hawks. Sometimes, even dogs will prey on these rodents, making a long list of their predators.
For this purpose, often fox urine is used in squirrel repellents as it keeps them away. The same goes for hair clippings from your pets, indicating a potential threat to squirrels.
Moreover, squirrels are naturally skittish, so it doesn’t take a lot to frighten them – loud noise is often more than enough to scare them away temporarily. In addition, any strong odours (whether natural or chemical) do a fine job of frightening them away from your property.
However, as we discussed, the fear of their natural predators takes precedence over all other measures to keep them off your yard (duh!). Nevertheless, if you do not own a pet that can keep these critters away, here are two more fool-proof ways to scare squirrels.
- Predator Sights and Smells: Using a resin owl, a rubber snake, or fox urine is the most fool-proof way of scaring squirrels, whose self-preservative instincts kick in as soon as they see (or smell) danger. The only downside is that you’ll have to keep moving the fake predators and reapplying the urine (it doesn’t help that it smells bad, too) for the critter to keep believing there is imminent danger.
- Install Motion-Sensitive Sprinklers: Installing sprinklers with motion sensors in areas where you see squirrels often can help scare them away. Moreover, it is highly likely that after activating the sprinklers a few times, the fluffy rodents would stop making trips to these places altogether.
Are Squirrels Afraid Of Aluminum Foil?
These critters do not like the reflection from aluminium foil, making it a relatively inexpensive option to get rid of squirrels. It works best to cover your plants with foil and poke holes to allow sunlight and water. Since garden fruits and vegetables are usually the primary reason a squirrel is on your grounds, they will try to find another location to feed.

Squirrel Aluminum Foil
Does Bleach Deter Squirrels?
Since squirrels dislike intense and robust scents, bleach can work well as a squirrel deterrent. However, its effectiveness depends on how often and where it is applied. If the rodent has made its home in your yard, a nearby tree, or attic, removing it can be challenging just using distinctive-smelling products like bleach, especially if it’s a matter of their survival.
You can use bleach in combination with some other squirrel repellent as a preventive measure, but if female squirrels have given birth, your best bet for squirrel removal will be to call for professional help.
What Is Poisonous To A Squirrel?
Squirrels tend to endure foods that humans cannot due to their short digestive systems. So, many “natural poisons” included in certain mushrooms and acorns will not cause fatal damage to the critters.
Thus, the majority of the poisons that work on squirrels are anti-coagulation poisons or Strychnine. However, remember that many jurisdictions do not allow poisoning squirrels, and you should always look for humane ways of removing them from your property or call animal control. Moreover, daffodils are also toxic to squirrels, and why the rodents avoid them at all costs.

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Warning: All poisonous substances that can kill squirrels are also fatal for humans, so it’s best to ask professionals for help.
How Do I Rid My Garden Of Squirrels?
Gardens naturally attract squirrels thanks to their unending supply of delicious food. So it is pretty frustrating seeing these rodents dig up your vegetable garden every chance they get, destroying bulbs and vegetables. The natural way to get rid of squirrels is to remove the food sources from squirrels.
Getting rid of them is often a tough task, but you can take up some remedial measures to discourage them from visiting your garden beds.
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Put Physical Barriers
Invest in a wire fence and make sure it is at least 6 feet into the ground so that squirrels cannot dig underneath it. You can also buy hardware cloth and cover your garden from the top to create an additional barrier. The cloth can also be used to line potting holes for extra protection.
- Related: The Special List of What Do Squirrels Eat! (What To & What Not To Feed)
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Use Natural Squirrel Repellents
Once again, spraying natural squirrel deterrents like vinegar, coffee grounds, chilli, garlic, onion, and peppermint oil work well in keeping squirrels far from your garden. However, continuous reapplication is necessary. A quick remedy is to use pure apple cider vinegar spray or mix cayenne pepper with ACV in a spray bottle.
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Unleash Your Pet
If you have a cat or dog as a pet, leaving them out near your garden will discourage squirrels from visiting your property. Dogs and cats chase squirrels, with the former occasionally hunting them too. In this case, their sense of self-preservation will halt them from entering your garden.
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Hair Clippings Help
Hair clippings, whether from larger animals like dogs or humans, keep the squirrel population from entering the garden. Lightly dig them into the soil, and these critters should scamper at the sight (and threatening smell).
What Food Is Poisonous To Squirrels?
Most foods do not stay in a squirrel’s system long enough to be poisonous. That said, there are some foods that you should altogether avoid giving to squirrels as they can potentially harm them if taken in large quantities. These foods include fruit seeds, fruit pits, avocado pits, and skin.
Some other food items that squirrels love but should not be regularly given are peanuts, corn, peanut butter, sunflower seeds, sugary treats, and starchy foods. Instead, the aim should be to feed squirrels what they would naturally find in the wild.
How To Deter Squirrels From House?
As the temperature starts to drop, there is an increased risk that squirrels will make way inside your house. This is bad news for the homeowners as squirrels can chew and gnaw causing substantial damage.
However, you can take preventive measures to deter these critters from entering your house.
- Trim Surrounding Trees: Squirrels can jump six to eight feet sideways and 6 feet from the ground, so make sure there are no tree limbs that allow them to make the leap into your house. Moreover, secure a metal sheet with wire bands along the circumference of the tree trunk almost six feet above the ground, so that they can climb up the tree. The wire bands allow the tree trunks to grow.
- Block Entrances: Use a hardware cloth to seal the entry points, ensuring extension from all sides to prevent squirrels from gnawing their way in. use nails or staple guns to secure the hardware cloth in place.The best time to do this is during summers, when you won’t likely find squirrels resting inside the house.
Spray Repellents: Use a repellent for reinforcement. You can either buy squirrel repellents from a hardware store or make your own using hot sauce and water. An alternative is to mix pepper flakes with petroleum jelly and smear it in place. Be consistent with reapplication as the effects, especially with homemade repellents, can wear off within a week. And that’s all to what do squirrels hate the most.