How To Trap A Squirrel

Trapping squirrels is very simple. First you must identify the type of squirrel you have, because red squirrels are significantly smaller than grey and black squirrels. Therefore you need a trap with smaller grading for red squirrels than you would for black and grey. With red squirrels in mind, you need half an inch by half an inch grading for your trapping. Although you can use 1 inch by 1 inch traps, red squirrels may actually escape through them with lightning speed when they are scared. This will most likely hurt the red squirrel in the process. Grey and black squirrels can be trapped by using an inch by inch grading live trap or smaller.

What Bait To Put In Your Trap

Once you’ve identified the squirrel and chosen the proper trap you’ll need the right bait to attract your squirrel. The safest bait for trapping squirrels is peanut butter. Squirrels no matter what kind, like crunchy peanut butter. If crunchy peanut butter is not available, you can try using nuts.

You should place small amounts of nuts or peanut butter in a trail pattern leading to your trap. Be careful not feed the squirrel entirely before it reaches the end of your trap. Your trail should be very light to provide a taste to the squirrel and entice it to enter your trap for the rest of the food.

Where To Place Your Trap

To catch a squirrel, it’s best to map out it’s path and intercept that path with your trap if possible. If not, placing your trap within close proximity to that path may still yield results. If you fail to catch the squirrels you want, try relocating the trap to another location near the path. Rinse and repeat until you are successful!

Depending on the size of your trap, you may also attract wildlife such as raccoons or skunks. Keep in mind that skunks and raccoons are omnivores and will eat depending on what food is available in the season. Skunks and raccoons are nocturnal, so they will mostly be out after evening hours to look for food. Squirrels are diurnal, so they will mostly be foraging during daylight hours.

If you want to avoid catching a skunk or raccoon in your trap (if it is large enough) you should remove the trap in the evening before sundown. Place your trap early morning and remove it in the evening for the best results with the least accidents!

Laws & Where To Take The Squirrels After Trapping

If you’re in Toronto, Ontario then you are allowed to relocate your trapped squirrel 1KM away from capture point as per regulations. Ensure you are releasing the squirrel in an area where there is no vehicle traffic for the safety of the released squirrel(s). Your trap has to be checked once every 24 hours, for squirrels best time is the evening before disarming the trap for next day use. It’s important that the squirrel is not left in the trap to suffer intentionally or unintentionally.

What To Do For Squirrels Inside Your Attic

If you have squirrels in your attic, more likely than not, you may need to trap and relocate a whole bunch of squirrels instead of just one. You can follow the above guideline for trapping and relocating, however you shouldn’t do this during baby season. In short, squirrels have babies twice a year; March & August-September.

Using traps within or 2 months following this time will leave you with more than you can chew. Often it is best to call professional wildlife removal companies such as SIA Wildlife Control to humanely remove squirrels from your attic. Regardless of the season, for the best results with attic squirrel removal you should call for help. For more information visit our “how to get rid of squirrels” post.