Best Squirrel Repellents

Best Squirrel Repellents

Whether you’re sick of squirrels overtaking or damaging your flower pots, garden areas, nesting in your attic, or spending too much time around your car, you have good reason to dislike these rodents being around.

Squirrels increase the risk of rabies or disease-carrying fleas for your pets. If you hear scratching, rustling, or clicking sounds in your attic, or see signs of droppings in your garage, there’s a good chance you have an infestation.

Squirrels can not only spread illnesses to pets and humans but also damage wiring and insulation. As rodents with front incisors that continue to grow unless they chomp regularly, squirrels are always searching for items to chew. This can cause expensive electrical problems if they get into your wiring and even create fire hazards in your home or vehicles.

Dealing with rodents does not always mean having to use poison or traps that kill. Several options exist that deter squirrels without toxins or dealing with dead animals. Not to mention, keeping rodents away while being kind to the environment and what you inhale while using products is essential, also. So, we’ve rounded up our top four squirrel repellents for 2019.

BEST ULTRASONIC

DURANOM Ultrasonic Animal Repeller Outdoor

Last update on 2023-04-01 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

The DURANOM Ultrasonic Animal Repeller Outdoor is designed for most outdoor pests, including cats, rodents, ducks, and more. It operates with an ultrasonic repellent, audible repellent, and flashing strobe light. For squirrels, the ultrasonic repellent is a frequency that can be disturbing to them and cause them to stay away.

To use, it only needs three AA batteries, which are included in the package. Make sure you set the device to use the ultrasonic repellent, since the flashing lights and audible deterrent will be useless to repelling squirrels.

We read through the negative reviews of this product on Amazon, and some users felt that the product was ineffective at keeping animals away. However, most of these complaints were about cats in particular. For squirrels, the device may be better at keeping them away since it implements an ultrasonic deterrent. The deterrent is also not completely waterproof so it is advised to remove the product if it is forecast to rain heavily.

BEST GRANULES

Tomcat Repellents Animal Repellent Granules

Last update on 2023-04-01 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

The Tomcat Repellents Animal Repellent Granules are fantastic for those who have rodents digging up flower beds or pots. You just spread the granules at the base of your plants to minimize animal damage. Extremely easy to use.

The smell and taste of these granules are unpleasant to small animals such as squirrels, rabbits, and chipmunks so that they are deterred from your plants and pots. This is designed as a “no stink” formula. Safe for the use around people, pets, and plants.

BEST SPRAY

Rodent Sheriff Pest Control Ultra-Pure Peppermint Spray

Last update on 2023-04-01 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

Rodent Sheriff Pest Control Ultra-Pure Peppermint Spray is formulated for safe use all around your home. You can use the spray throughout your garden and even inside to prevent squirrels from entering places like your attic. The spray is non-toxic, so you can also use it in your kitchen if needed.

The spray is formulated with all-natural peppermint, so it smells great to people but works to keep squirrels away. With 8 oz., you’ll have enough spray to cover a perimeter around your house and then some. The spray is safe enough to use around both children and pets.

BEST FOR VEHICLE

Exterminator’s Choice Vehicle Protection Rodent Defense Spray

Last update on 2023-04-01 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

The Exterminator’s Choice All-Natural Vehicle Protection Rodent Defense Spray is an excellent idea if you do not have a garage to park in or may have a rodent infestation in your garage. This spray is made with an all-natural blend of essential oils known to be deterrents to several pests.

With continually-growing incisor teeth, squirrels are programmed to chew on anything to keep their teeth the right length. The wiring and other components of your car are an ideal location in a rodent’s view for this behavior.

You can spray this around your garage, along your undercarriage, near the tires, and lightly in the engine compartment. Use caution near flammable parts of your car. Spraying a heavy dose on the ground around your car can be very helpful. Use caution to avoid getting in eyes or inhaling, as this does contain garlic oil and white pepper oil.

The Risks of Squirrels to Your Health and Wiring

Squirrels can be cute from afar, but if you’ve experienced rodents nesting in your attic or chewing the wires of your car, they quickly lose their adorable appeal. It is in a squirrel’s nature to bury seeds and nuts, often causing problems to gardeners in both flower beds and pots with plants outside. They also have a habit of chewing. This can lead to significant damage to expensive electrical parts, and cause fire hazards in cars and homes.

Diseases are also a risk with squirrels, perhaps more than you might expect. The first thing that likely comes to most you mind with squirrels and disease is rabies. Rabies is a real threat, as squirrels are one of the animals that often contract rabies. Even if you have vaccinated pets, rabies can still result in wild behavior and bites or scratches. However, rabies is by no means the only health risk from squirrels.

There many diseases that can be spread through squirrel feces if they infest an area like your attic. Similar in the way sickness can be transmitted by other rodents, squirrel feces are a health risk. The most significant concern regarding squirrel waste is that of leptospirosis. Leptospirosis is a disease that is spread through the feces and urine of rodents. Salmonella is another sickness that you get very easily from cross-contamination with squirrel waste. Salmonella will often cause symptoms like diarrhea and vomiting.

Plague, believe it or not, is still active in the world today and even in the United States. One of the most substantial risks of the disease are fleas on rodents such as squirrels. Plague occurs in the western United States, especially in areas such as Arizona, California, Colorado, and New Mexico. If you live in these areas, keeping squirrels away from your yard is not a bad idea.

The bacteria that causes plague is spread by fleas and rotates naturally among wild rodents. Bubonic is the most widespread type of the illness. Bubonic plague most often occurs after being bitten by an infected flea—usually directly from a rodent but even more often from a flea infestation that originated from rodents such as squirrels.

Prevention Is Best

If you notice signs of squirrel activity near your pets, vehicles, birdfeeders, or garden areas, it’s best to do whatever you can to deter them. If you’re opposed to poisons or traps, clearly there are plenty of options to try out to keep your home, car, and family safe.

You can combine sprays with visual deterrents, as well, such as decoy owls or “scare cats”. Or you can mix products such as the granules with a sprayer for optimum results. These are eco-friendly, non-toxic ways to keep squirrels out in the wild where they belong, and away from your pets, wiring, garden, and attic.