Four cans of Great Stuff and about 6' of welded wire

[Swamp_Yankee]

Did battle with the squirrels (grey and flying) that have been using my chimney as an entry point into the house today.  I'm not sure if the old (I have no idea how old it is) stone chimney has pulled away from the house, or if the sagging ridge board is pulling the wall away from the chimney, but there was about an inch and half gap between the two-plenty for a grey squirrel and way more than enough for a flying squirrel.  Between that and the hole I found in the fascia board I stuffed it all with welded wire and filled it in with Great Stuff.  Kind of like concrete with rebar for squirrels.  Little bastards have been in the attic, up and down the walls, and partying in the joist bays between the first and second floors.  The joys of country living in an old house...  I'll fix them when we put a new roof on in a few years-thinking of going with standing seam metal.

[Lunatic]

Good job, the critters can really mess up your house

[Kype]

Had a real bad coon problem in my house last spring. To only find out I had a squirrel problem as well. These critters will f your house up. Including your electric system, also dump their waste inside your walls and insulation causing health problems. I recommend hiring a professional. By the way can in metal detect your property?

[Kype]

They will chew that spray foam  like candy. You might want to buy some ridge vent material or rock wool(for fire proofing) and pack the gaps in with that . Then spray down with some fox urine. Should detere t the squirrels away pretty good. 

[Swamp_Yankee]

Just now, Kype said:

They will chew that spray foam  like candy. You might want to buy some ridge vent material or rock wool(for fire proofing) and pack the gaps in with that . Then spray down with some fox urine. Should detere t the squirrels away pretty good. 

The combination of spray foam and welded wire is pretty proven.  Spray foam on its own will do nothing to stop squirrels, but when its reinforced with wire they can't get through it.  

[bucky]

A pellet gun and corn pile in the back yard  will do wonders as well

Edited January 14, 2019 by bucky

[Buck154]

Hopefully that will keep them out. How about did you catch the ones that are in the house? The flying squirrels are night runners so the will be in there for sure when you sealed it up.

[Buck154]

3 minutes ago, bucky said:

A pellet gun and corn pile in the back yard  will do wonders as well

Wont work for the flying squirrels. Nocturnal 

[Greybeard]

58 minutes ago, bucky said:

A pellet gun and corn pile in the back yard  will do wonders as well

Kill one, and ten more will move in to fight for it's territory.

[Greybeard]

Had the same thing happening to my house, SY.  Starlings were nesting in mine.  I filled it with mortar.

[Swamp_Yankee]

1 hour ago, Buck154 said:

Hopefully that will keep them out. How about did you catch the ones that are in the house? The flying squirrels are night runners so the will be in there for sure when you sealed it up.

I'm pretty sure the flyers have multiple entrances so I have more work to do there.  The greys I have caught climbing up the side of the chimney (the stonework is beautiful but it makes for easy climbing) every day around 4:30-5:00 p.m. so they got a surprise last night.  Once I zero in on the last entrance for the flyers I have a 3x3 one way trap that I'll fit over the hole.  Once they leave for the night they're out for good and I can seal it.

[Buck154]

4 minutes ago, Swamp_Yankee said:

I'm pretty sure the flyers have multiple entrances so I have more work to do there.  The greys I have caught climbing up the side of the chimney (the stonework is beautiful but it makes for easy climbing) every day around 4:30-5:00 p.m. so they got a surprise last night.  Once I zero in on the last entrance for the flyers I have a 3x3 one way trap that I'll fit over the hole.  Once they leave for the night they're out for good and I can seal it.

Put a small box trap out with bird seed in it and you will catch them. I have a family of flyers that have been living in a bird house i made a few years ago. Couple times i set the box trap for the grays that empty the bird feeders and have caught and release the flyers. Think they are very neat.

[Buck154]

33 minutes ago, Greybeard said:

Kill one, and ten more will move in to fight for it's territory.

I always say you shoot one and 2 more come for the funeral 

[Swamp_Yankee]

54 minutes ago, Buck154 said:

Put a small box trap out with bird seed in it and you will catch them. I have a family of flyers that have been living in a bird house i made a few years ago. Couple times i set the box trap for the grays that empty the bird feeders and have caught and release the flyers. Think they are very neat.

Very cool animals indeed, I just don't want them in the house!  

[Swamp_Yankee]

VICTORY IS MINE!!!

I pulled in and he was sitting up on the ridge of the roof near the chimney making a racket.  I yelled at him and he started slinking down the chimney in defeat