Squirrels between walls are hazardous

By KAREN YOUSO, Star Tribune

Last update: October 18, 2009 - 1:46 PM

Q I have something between the walls in my condo. It's very noisy at night. It sounds like horses are trotting.

A I'm betting the sound you hear is not horses but squirrels, or possibly raccoons.

If squirrels are in your walls or attic, you'll want to get them out as soon as possible. Squirrels are rodents that need to chew, which can cause significant damage. They chew holes in wood, giving entry to bats and wasps. They also can chew into wiring and cause fires.

Check with your condo association. You may want to contact an animal control specialist, especially if it really is a raccoon in your house. Look in a yellow-pages directory under "Pest control." Ask for a cost estimate, a guarantee and, if you are concerned about humane treatment, how the problem will be solved.

To dislodge squirrels yourself, set live traps baited with sunflower seeds or peanut butter. Set them near where you see squirrels leaving the house.

Traps are available at hardware and home and garden stores. You can release trapped squirrels into your yard, as long as you close the holes or gaps where they gained entry to your house in the first place.

Think twice before releasing the squirrels elsewhere. They may just cause a problem for others. Before moving them to parks or public lands, get permission, as it's often not allowed.

It is legal to kill squirrels that are causing damage to a home or garden. How you do this is up to you, but the use of firearms is illegal in most municipalities, and that includes pellet guns in Minneapolis.

Send your questions to Fixit in care of the Star Tribune, 425 Portland Av. S., Minneapolis, MN 55488, or call 612-673-7032, or e-mail fixit@startribune.com. Past columns are available at www.startribune.com/fixit. Sorry, Fixit cannot supply individual replies. Fixit appears daily except Friday.

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