How to stop squirrels from chewing wood 2022 (Guide)

How to stop squirrels from chewing wood. Squirrels are known for chewing on wood, especially those that seek shelter in houses that have siding they can chew on.

Their teeth constantly grow and they need to file them down as often as possible. Siding is a great place for squirrels to do so because it’s extremely accessible and easy to get to.

This action of constant chewing can be noisy, which is something homeowners want to avoid when trying to get a good night’s rest.

Just knowing you’ll hear that sound repeatedly throughout the night isn’t too pleasant for those who sleep at home or work there regularly.

How to stop squirrels from chewing wood

Squirrels are fun to observe, as they playfully climb trees and throw nuts at each other. However, when they chew on your wood deck, they might not seem quite as adorable anymore.

The best way to keep squirrels out of your backyard is to take precautions. One solution is adding motion-activated sprinklers near fragile areas.

Sprays and liquid repellents

When you’re looking to repel squirrels from a wood deck, you can use a product called Ropel. Ropel is made for repelling birds and rodents so it will definitely keep squirrels off of your furniture.

If you’re trying this option, make sure that the area is completely dry so the product will adhere properly to the deck.

Using homemade repellents

Combine 1 cup of chili peppers with 1 gallon of water and let it sit in the sun for a week. Pour it into a spray bottle and strain through cheesecloth.

Apply this liquid to the four corners of your deck to prevent squirrels from eating birdseed. The squirrels don’t like dogs, so spreading cat hair around your deck may also work.

Also, mothballs can help repel them – but avoid using too many at once since they might eat them, become intoxicated, and fall.

Additional Repellents

Havahart makes a water sprayer that explodes when animals like squirrels are near. When there’s a sudden spurt of water all over the animal, it scares them off their path, but we don’t recommend using this for your wood deck as it causes soil erosion.

Still, if you want to try to scare off rodents around your home, setting up Havaharts throughout your lawn is a great start.

If you really have an infestation and are looking for permanent quick fixes, using live traps may be your best bet because they relocate animals while also protecting wildlife in general.

However, note that reestablishing a rodent population can be problematic: even if the first generation of squirrels get the hint and vacate their turf, odds are that the next group would find their way back in due to proximity or convenience reasons.

The fiery woods

The possibility exists that unprotected items will be eaten again by squirrels if you do not take measures to prevent it.

Keeping squirrels from chewing your deck wood, mix spicy hot sauce with pepper powder, and sprinkle it over the chewing surface.

This method works best if you cover the entire edge of your deck after rain. Since squirrels do not like having their mouths, paws, or eyes burned, it’s likely that they will move on to a less harmful substance.

If peppers are needed, a wooden block with an outlet may work well to deter them.

By blocking access to those outlets, you eliminate any other places where they can find food once they know there are no outlets nearby.

Bringing on the feeding frenzy

Trees and bushes, such as nut and fruit trees, can entice squirrels to stay. If possible, keep trees and bushes, but move whatever attracts squirrels at least three feet away in all directions.

Put up bricks or metal fencing around the base of any tree that gives squirrels access to seeds, nuts, or anything edible.

If you place your bird feeder on the deck, keep it at least three feet from railings or white surfaces near the space.

You may still see squirrels in your neighborhood yards throughout spring even if you don’t see them coming into yours anymore.

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