Squirrels chewing your outdoor Christmas wires, driving you nuts? Here’s how to stop them
Squirrels are generally considered one of nature’s cuter animals. They scamper after each other in the treetops and have cute bushy tails. But they are also often responsible for some of our most expensive electrical problems.
Even during the Christmas period, squirrels don’t take a break. In fact, Christmas comes early for squirrels once people start putting decorations outside because it means plenty of easily accessible electrical wires to chew.
The Idaho Statesman talked to Christian Cook, operation manager at Cridder Ridder Wildlife & Pest Control, about the best ways to keep squirrels away from your wires, avoid expensive repairs, and keep your house aglow for the festive period.
Tips to keep squirrels away
Squirrels are active year-round in the Treasure Valley, affording little reprieve for residents and pest controllers alike. Like most rodents, their teeth continue growing throughout their lifespan, meaning they must find a reliable source of objects they can gnaw on.
Because of this need for squirrels to grind down their growing teeth, Cook said when people have squirrel problems, it’s often a couple of repeat offenders who consistently return to the same house.
“They’ll get hooked on to a certain house,” Cook said. “And it’s usually a few problematic squirrels that are causing it, but they’ll teach the behavior to others quickly. And then, before you know it, you’ve got tons of issues.”
Cook suggested the following tips to stop squirrels from becoming attracted to your house and wires:
Trim your trees: Cook suggests trimming your trees so that no branches are within seven feet of your house. Overhanging branches can make it easier for squirrels to climb up trees and leap onto your property.
“If you can limit that, it’ll really limit the squirrel from even getting on top of the roof,” Cook said. “They can still climb the siding — that’s not a problem for them — but when it’s a lot easier for them to go to the neighbor’s house and climb their tree and jump on their roof, they’re more likely to do that.”
Get rid of your bird feeder: It’s more likely than not that more squirrels are eating from your bird feeder than actual birds. Removing any feeders will stop squirrels from being attracted to your garden or yard, which could also help keep them away from your Christmas decorations and other wires.
Don’t put up bird or squirrel boxes or houses: Cook said it’s best to make your garden “unpleasant” for squirrels. While it’s nice to watch them run around, a friendly and pleasant backyard for squirrels can quickly become a nightmare for the owner.
Employ the help of your dog: A scared squirrel can still run up a tree to safety, but Cook said a dog can scare squirrels away from a house and dissuade them from returning.
How to stop squirrels from eating your wires
If you see a squirrel gnawing down on a wire, or simply notice chewed-up wires and non-functioning Christmas lights, it’s best to act sooner rather than later.
The longer you wait, the more squirrels can cause damage, and the problem can be exacerbated as more squirrels become aware of your house.
There are some online tips to help solve the problem yourself, such as listed by Christmas Light Source, an online holiday light shopping service. Some of the tips include:
Use motion-activated lights and sprinkler systems to startle nighttime-visiting squirrels.
Use screening systems to prevent access to fence lines and rooftops.
Spread a canister of fox or coyote urine along the perimeter of your garden. These can be purchased online or from local stores like Home Depot or Lowe’s.
Create your own pepper spray — mix hot pepper powder with water and spray it along Christmas light wiring and fence lines.
If those methods don’t work, Cook said the best option is to call a local pest control, either to have them come out and solve the problem or to at least offer further tips.
Cook has found the most effective solution is trapping and relocating the squirrels.
“Usually, we try to leave traps in the area (of issue) to get those problematic ones,” Cook said. “It’s up to the customer how much they want to trap. Usually, if it’s in the area we set the traps on, and if we get one to three or four squirrels, maybe we’ve gotten the problematic ones.”
It’s important to note for Treasure Valley residents that there are legal licensing requirements for trapping and re-releasing squirrels.
Squirrels and the laws associated to them are managed by Idaho Fish and Game, Cook said, which means you need a valid hunting and trapping license to capture them. It’s also illegal to release animals in public parks, which Cook said is a problem many people run into, which can result in a fine.
