Squirrel Removal in Freehold, NJ Home
Challenge
Recently, a homeowner in Freehold, NJ contacted Cowleys because he needed help with a wildlife infestation. Specifically, a squirrel had made its way into the living space of the home. This is a somewhat unusual situation. Oftentimes, when a squirrel is in an actual living space of a home, they somehow managed to get there by accident, perhaps getting in through an open door or window or coming down the chimney and through the fireplace. And more often than not, the trespasser is a juvenile squirrel who hasn’t yet learned the ins-and-outs of proper squirrel behavior! Just as we want to avoid direct contact with squirrels in the same enclosed space, squirrels feel the exact same way. The adults want their privacy for nesting, and, especially tree squirrels like the Eastern grey squirrel, they usually nest and hide in the attic after gaining access through some gap or crack around the roofline.
Here, a squirrel drey (nest), was built in the soffit area of the home. I located the entry point just outside where the soffit and stucco wall met. Apparently, a mischievous juvenile decided to do some exploring on his own and wound up inside face-to-face with some unsuspecting members of the house.
Solution
I wanted to quickly resolve this infestation and safely relocate the entire squirrel family to a location far away from human habitats. I installed a multi-catch trap designed to catch and trap multiple squirrels without having to reset the trap along with three baited traps. Trapping success, however, is much more than setting up the right equipment. Effective trapping takes careful planning, a knowledge of the animal you are seeking to trap, the correct bait, and proper trap securement and location. There are a number of animals that become trap-shy should they escape the first time.
This turned out to be a great set-up. That evening, the mother was caught. And once she was trapped, her young soon followed. In no time, the entire squirrel family was all together in the multi-catch trap. All of the squirrels were safely relocated as one package. There won’t be another surprise squirrel visit at this house!
