{"id":32863,"date":"2026-01-05T20:51:46","date_gmt":"2026-01-06T01:51:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.novaextermination.com\/how-do-you-capture-a-squirrel\/"},"modified":"2026-07-20T12:37:24","modified_gmt":"2026-07-20T16:37:24","slug":"how-do-you-capture-a-squirrel","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.novaextermination.com\/en\/how-do-you-capture-a-squirrel\/","title":{"rendered":"How do you capture a squirrel?"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Looking for ideas and tips on how to capture a squirrel? Squirrels only need a tiny space to crawl into the attic<\/strong> and then wreak havoc on your walls, wiring and worse. Don’t wait until the situation gets worse and you’re forced to pay thousands of dollars in damages. <\/p>\n

Before contacting an extermination company for a squirrel capture service<\/a>, it is good to know that the exterminator will not exterminate it, but rather will catch it. When the squirrel is captured, the exterminator relocates and releases the animal. The squirrel is one of the urban wildlife animals<\/a> most likely to become a pest in the home. Learn more about the other most harmful urban animals in Quebec<\/a>. <\/p>\n

Find out now how to capture a squirrel and why it is advantageous to entrust this work to specialized exterminators.<\/p>\n

Install a trap<\/h2>\n

There are many solutions to get rid of squirrels safely. Here are a few. <\/p>\n

How to Capture a Squirrel: Design or Buy a Trap to Catch a Squirrel<\/h3>\n

You can easily find squirrel traps<\/strong> in specialty stores or on the web. Alternatively, you can design your trap yourself with materials you have at home. There are many guides to help you design traps that are not likely to injure the animal. <\/p>\n

Getting a trap for a single animal<\/h3>\n

Animal cages are usually made of steel and have a lever located at the back of the cage. A little food is placed inside and the squirrel, attracted by the smell of the bait, steps on the lever and locks itself in the cage. <\/p>\n

Just make sure you choose a cage that is large enough to hold the squirrel. We recommend a size of about 40 cm long by 15 cm wide and high.<\/strong> <\/p>\n

Build a trap positioned in an entrance<\/h3>\n

If you want to learn how to capture a squirrel, it’s good to know that This method is the most effective.<\/strong><\/p>\n

You must first find out where your invader entered and then position your trap at that opening<\/strong>. The goal is to force the animal into the trap and prevent it from getting out. A clue would be to observe if there are tree branches that are near your house and that would give access. <\/p>\n

To find an entrance, look for a draft or a light. We recommend starting by checking your air vents and any openings in your roof. <\/strong>The opening doesn’t have to be large for a squirrel to crawl in and invade your attic. <\/p>\n

In the immediate suburbs of the South Shore, for example in the territory covered by our team in Boucherville<\/a>, grey squirrels frequently settle in the attics of semi-detached houses as early as October, well before the cold weather.<\/p>\n

How do you capture a squirrel that has infiltrated the house?<\/h2>\n

When your traps are installed, it’s time to move on to the second step.<\/p>\n

\"Spoon<\/p>\n

Placing food in the trap<\/h3>\n

The best way to catch a squirrel is to use peanut butter with berries or an apple wedge<\/strong> to prevent it from becoming dehydrated. Once the animal has been baited and captured, you must relocate it 15 to 20 km away, to avoid its return. <\/p>\n

Peanut butter has a strong smell that will attract your pests to the cage and make it easier for them to catch.<\/strong> To avoid dirtying your cage, use a small piece of bread. If you don’t have peanut butter, only berries are also a good solution. You can also use your leftover food, but avoid meat or dairy products, as they have an undesirable smell.<\/strong> <\/p>\n

Conditioning the squirrel with food<\/h3>\n

To know how to capture a squirrel, you have to understand that these animals are wary. So you can bait them for a few days <\/strong>by leaving food near a deactivated cage. Then, when you are certain that the squirrel likes your bait, slide the bait into the activated cage. <\/p>\n

Position the trap in an easy-to-reach location<\/h3>\n

The position of the trap is important in your capture strategy. To capture squirrels in the garden, place the cage near the bird feeder. To know how to capture a squirrel in the house, you need to know where it has made its nest. Most of the time, it is the attic that houses the squirrels.<\/strong> So set your trap in the attic. <\/p>\n

Check the trap<\/h3>\n

After you set your trap, check it every day.<\/strong> Don’t let the squirrel suffer unnecessarily or worse, let the animal end up dead. A good solution if you don’t have time to check every day is to leave enough food and water in the cage to ensure the animal’s survival. <\/p>\n

How to capture a squirrel: relocate to release the captured squirrel<\/h2>\n

Choose a wooded area away from your home<\/strong>. We recommend a distance of at least 2 km between your home and the rest area to keep the squirrel away from your home<\/a> for good. <\/p>\n

Release the squirrel more than ten meters from the road to ensure its safety. Open the cage and move away<\/strong> to give the squirrel a chance to calm down and escape.<\/p>\n

Why call on professionals for squirrel capture?<\/h2>\n

Knowing how to capture a squirrel is good, but you still need to be able to take care of:<\/p>\n