I'm getting some badly needed siding work, soffit work, etc. needed on my house next week (or maybe the week after. The guy wasn't definite.)
Anyway, squirrels and raccoons have torn up what wasn't torn up already, and frequented my attic. Here's my battle (condensed).
Initially I purchased a Squirrel evictor light to run the squirrels out. It worked.
After some time, they returned. Turned out, the tree rats had chewed the cord. Amazing and dangerous!
So I took it down, replaced the cord, and placed it in a form where they couldn't get to it.They left again.
The light bulb burned out. They returned. I replaced it and bought another one but the one I bought didn't work. I returned it. The other light bulb wasn't as bright. Had product issues. They returned and went to other locations.
I bought other strobe lights that they didn't like. At this point, the raccoons joined them. I bought a TV and placed it in the attic on a timer I could control with my phone. (My wife thinks I am nuts. So do you. I am now entertaining the critters with a dance party.)
No, the TV I bought is an old TV/Radio portable unit, analog. I had to buy it analog because everything now is digital. And when you cut power to it--which is what the module/app thing on my phone does--and it restores power, the radio doesn't come back on to a digital without you hitting the power button. I needed something that would come on again and scare the critters with the app automatically (and in the middle of the night).
So I went to a thrift store and found something for $10 that would work. Tuned it to talk radio--I chose NPR, because I think the critters are conservative and would go crazy listening to their liberal-leaning politics--and that helped immediately.
But not permanently. Apparently they got earplugs, or maybe I converted them. That's all we need, a bunch of liberal-left-leaning squirrels and raccoons. (No political observation intended).
So I researched and researched. Until the holes are completed, I don't want to hire some company to trap them because they'll return. And I don't want the guys doing the construction work to come face to face with a raccoon! I have to get them out at least temporarily.
So I researched some more.
Solution obtained.
1. Buy bottle/jar of cayenne pepper. Mix with 1 gallon water.
2. Buy rags from Walmart automotive. They come in a bag.
3. Buy bag of rubber bands.
4. Ball up the rags, and take the rubber bands and tighten them around the rags so they remain in a ball.
5. Insert balled-up-rags into cayenne pepper mix. I recommend putting on nitrile gloves while doing this.
6. Let soak for a few minutes. Not long needed.
7. Remove, wring out, and place on cardboard box or something that will absorb more moisture. You don't want the rags wet, or even moist, really.
8. When dry enough, go into the attic. Throw the balls around the attic.
Trust me. This works. They HATED it. Raccoons and squirrels hate the smell, the taste, anything about cayenne pepper. It is not a permanent solution and will have to be replaced. But temporarily, it will work. Has worked for two weeks now. I am going to throw one more round up there this weekend so the workers are not disturbed and they don't return until after it is fixed.
FINALLY, I win one. (Watch tonight them return.)
