• Thank you for visiting HeavyEquipmentForums.com! Our objective is to provide industry professionals a place to gather to exchange questions, answers and ideas. We welcome you to register using the "Register" icon at the top of the page. We'd appreciate any help you can offer in spreading the word of our new site. The more members that join, the bigger resource for all to enjoy. Thank you!

How to keep Squirrels out of a shop ?

Old Doug

Senior Member
Joined
Oct 16, 2013
Messages
5,574
Location
Mo
I have Squirrels coming in the ceiling insulation of our 60x100 metal shop . I found a live trap and am going to set it today. Does a radio help or some kind of chemical. I would be all for trying to close up were they are coming in but that would be hard to find out. How far away do i need to take them if i catch them in the trap?
 

HarleyHappy

Senior Member
Joined
Sep 30, 2020
Messages
3,420
Location
So NH
Occupation
Welder/Mechanic
My neighbor and a few farmers I know, leave a radio playing in their barns and swear it works. I myself just shoot them and it only takes a minute to skin them.
The tails get deboned and sent to Mepps for credits on spinners and the dog gets the deboned meat from the slow cooker.
Sometimes if it’s not convenient, they feed the snapping turtles in the river.
 

John C.

Senior Member
Joined
Jun 11, 2007
Messages
13,162
Location
Northwest
Occupation
Machinery & Equipment Appraiser
Are the eating something inside or just getting ready to nest for babies? How are they getting in?
 

Old Doug

Senior Member
Joined
Oct 16, 2013
Messages
5,574
Location
Mo
Are the eating something inside or just getting ready to nest for babies? How are they getting in?
Nesting or i think 110% of animals are just curious. Years ago we built a new shop .We had cats on that property but not a problem in the shop until years later Dad worked on something with a buddy and took some cookies in there and had a coffee break. Right after that we had problems so no way will I take any kind of food in there. I dont think unless you spent A LOT of time you could figure out were they are coming in. I cut down some trees and limbs around it. I put a trap in last night I will check it this morning and go to the farm supply today to see what the sell to help with the problem.
 

HarleyHappy

Senior Member
Joined
Sep 30, 2020
Messages
3,420
Location
So NH
Occupation
Welder/Mechanic
I bought some expensive packages of Cab Fresh from TS, to try over this winter. Skid steer has had a mouse nest all winter, stinking up the cab. Think it’s in the air box for the heater. Need to remove seat, when time allows.
Noticed yesterday, the bag of Cab Fresh is half gone and 2” away is the dredges of a mouse nest, hanging under the heat box.
Pretty sure the mice used the stuff in the bag for their nest.
That was a waste of money.
Need some new cats, wife has let our 2 become house cats.
 

BC Placer gold

Senior Member
Joined
Mar 6, 2014
Messages
1,170
Location
Enderby, Bc Canada
I bought some expensive packages of Cab Fresh from TS, to try over this winter. Skid steer has had a mouse nest all winter, stinking up the cab. Think it’s in the air box for the heater. Need to remove seat, when time allows.
Noticed yesterday, the bag of Cab Fresh is half gone and 2” away is the dredges of a mouse nest, hanging under the heat box.
Pretty sure the mice used the stuff in the bag for their nest.
That was a waste of money.
Need some new cats, wife has let our 2 become house cats.
I also have tried that (rather--expensive) Cab Fresh. Put it in the cab of our Deere 50d and haven't had any mice in since....but I have suspected just ---ancedotal--- success. Perhaps just no mice found their way in.

Years ago I put a bunch of bounce sheets (urban myth of usefullness) in the trunk of my wife's parked Honda Accord. In the early fall I happened to check and found a giant mouse nest built right on top of the bounce sheets.

Not sure the answer to mice, squirrels and other rodents. It is a very frustrating problem for sure.
 

Welder Dave

Senior Member
Joined
Oct 11, 2014
Messages
18,025
Location
Canada
There's some new pouches called Sofyre I saw on the internet that claim to be the best mouse repellent. Good for 30 days but pricey. Peppermint oil seems to work with some success. I sprayed it on Cab Fresh pouches.
 

Tinkerer

Senior Member
Joined
May 21, 2009
Messages
10,163
Location
usa
I have Squirrels coming in the ceiling insulation of our 60x100 metal shop . I found a live trap and am going to set it today. Does a radio help or some kind of chemical. I would be all for trying to close up were they are coming in but that would be hard to find out. How far away do i need to take them if i catch them in the trap?
Look for a hole in the soffit and fascia for an opening. That is how they were getting in my grandson's house.
Most poisons cause internal bleeding and is a cruel thing to do.
Not only that, the animal can die in unusual places and stink for months if you cannot find it.
Especially mice.
I had a squirrel die in my basement wall between the drywall and insulation. It had suffocated there.
I had to remove about 40 feet of finished drywall before I found it. It was in the winter and it must have been getting warm by standing on the furnace chimney and fell down it. Birds do that on a regular basis.
An ear of corn in a live trap will catch squirrels successfully.
Be aware that trapping and relocating squirrels is against the law without a permit from the Dept.of Conversation in of areas.
 

Old Doug

Senior Member
Joined
Oct 16, 2013
Messages
5,574
Location
Mo
Look for a hole in the soffit and fascia for an opening. That is how they were getting in my grandson's house.
Most poisons cause internal bleeding and is a cruel thing to do.
Not only that, the animal can die in unusual places and stink for months if you cannot find it.
Especially mice.
I had a squirrel die in my basement wall between the drywall and insulation. It had suffocated there.
I had to remove about 40 feet of finished drywall before I found it. It was in the winter and it must have been getting warm by standing on the furnace chimney and fell down it. Birds do that on a regular basis.
An ear of corn in a live trap will catch squirrels successfully.
Be aware that trapping and relocating squirrels is against the law without a permit from the Dept.of Conversation in of areas.
I got some peanuts still in the shell and put in the trap . They got the peanuts but didnt get trapped . I will try something else. I have been really busy with several deals i wish i didnt have this deal to mess with.
 

pumkinhead

Well-Known Member
Joined
Oct 20, 2017
Messages
186
Location
michigan
New Hampshire undercoating with mouse out has been working well for me to keep rodents out of the trucks
 

HarleyHappy

Senior Member
Joined
Sep 30, 2020
Messages
3,420
Location
So NH
Occupation
Welder/Mechanic
I have heard from several camper owners, that the Mouse Out sprayed all around the camper base does work better than anything else.
Think next fall going to buy a gallon and spray it around everything that stays parked for the winter.
 

Tinkerer

Senior Member
Joined
May 21, 2009
Messages
10,163
Location
usa
I use two big Hava-Heart traps. Racoon size.
Some critters could avoid stepping on the sheet metal plate that releases the door and steal the bait.
I made a ramp to put on it. Made it out of sheet metal. I have also used 1/4 inch plywood.
Depending on how far up the trigger plate it is positioned determines how sensitive it is.

For mice my favorite trap is a glue trap anchored to a small board.
I have had mice walk away with the trap because they weren't stuck in the glue real well.
Before I started attaching the traps to boards I caught one and it was able to walk away with the trap because it had just one foot in the glue.
A small dab of peanut butter in the center of a glue trap makes much more attractive to mice.
 
Top