What is a ground squirrel?

As you can assume from the name itself, unlike a squirrel, a ground squirrel lives under-ground. Having said that, if appearance is concerned, a ground squirrel can be 9-11 inches long with a tail of approximately 5-9 inches.

It is mostly covered with brownish-grey fur with a tinker of off-white on the back. Till date, scientists have discovered 26 species of ground- squirrels.

Where do they live?

Though it can climb tree, this rodent likes to live under meadows, grain-fields, pastures etc. Also, it can be found near commercial and residential buildings.

What harm ground squirrel does?

Often time I hear people asking “Do ground squirrels dig holes?” the straight answer is yes, it does. And that’s probably the major concern with this ground squirrel thing.

This cute, innocent looking furry thing can dig up to thirty-feet deep tunnel under the ground. So imagine, a bunch of ground- squirrel digging burrows under the foundation of your basement! The whole foundation of your house will be at stake in no time.

Moreover, it causes bubonic plague and it can be really harmful for your garden, since this area is on the top of its favorite list. At times, you also have to be careful about your cushions on the deck furniture as it has a knack to tear those apart.

Trap to get rid of ground squirrels

To save your garden from the rampage of ground squirrel, placing traps will be most effective. Let’s have a quick look at the advantages and disadvantages of using trap to get rid of ground squirrels:

Advantages:

• Most importantly it’s eco-friendly. You will only be targeting a specific animal unlike a pesticide which almost kills anything and everything.
• It’s not a seasonal option, rather you can use this method throughout the whole year.
• It’s easy to follow.

Disadvantages:

• It isn’t really effective for a large number of squirrels.
• Placing the bait in the right place may feel overwhelming.
• Once the rodent is caught, you need to find a place to re-locate it. And highly recommended not to touch the being since it spreads plague and other lethal diseases.

How to trap ground Squirrels

Now that you know trapping is the option you are looking for, you need to know how to trap these little chipmunks. First of all, inspect the suspected areas. 

If you see a not so large amount of gophers, you certainly can install a trap in attic, basement or garage or anywhere you have seen them to be mostly active. You can use zap trap, bait trap or body grip whatever the kind you like.

At this point you may ask me what is the best bait for ground squirrels? The answer is pretty much simple. It should be either peanut butter or nut. Also you can use the combination of both.

But for the bait trap, remember that you are not supposed to keep it in a bushy place, where rodent might not see the bait. Also, it is suggested not to keep the bait station in reach of your pets.

Noise and smell in the rescue 

Ground squirrels have a reputation of being a quiet animal. They are not really fond of noisy neighborhood. 

So what you can do to deter the squirrel is, hang a wind chime or place a moving lawn ornaments in the backyard. So that from the vibration they get irritated and leave the place ad lib.

If you are looking for some home remedies to get rid of ground squirrel then an effective way is putting some smelly substance (animal waste, dryer sheet, crushed moth balls, leftover fish scrapes) in front of their entryway.

Also pepper, peppermint and garlicy type smells will do the job efficiently as ground squirrels despise bad odor.

Advantages:

• Humanly and effective.
• You won’t harm any other animals.

Disadvantages:

• It can be very time-consuming.
• You may feel irritated by the noise sometimes.

What poison kills ground squirrels?

Though poisoning is the cheapest and most effective among all the methods, it is not often suggested to use. Because it opens the possibility of risking the lives of kids, pets and other non-target animals.

Moreover, poisoning is time specific and can be done only in summer to autumn as this time of the year gophers feed on the seeds.

However, if you are interested in only getting rid of the rodents you can put some zinc phosphide and strychnine into the burrow of the squirrels. But remember that you will be needing permission to use both of these poisons.

What is the best way to repel ground squirrels?

To repel ground squirrels without killing you may use apple cider vinegar, motion sensor sprinklers, moth balls, jalapeno pepper vinegar spray etc. Keeping your yard clean and clutter-free also helps in this regard greatly.