Canada has many different squirrel species, including red squirrels, gray squirrels, ground squirrels, and fox squirrels. The fox squirrel is the largest of these, but fortunately we do not have them in Ontario, they are more situated out west. Squirrels can be a major nuisance when they nest in your car. You’re not alone if you’ve noticed that squirrels find your car engine an appealing nesting spot.
These persistent rodents can cause significant damage to vehicle wiring and create health hazards. Fortunately, several effective and humane strategies exist to stop squirrels from making your car their home. Here, we provide comprehensive strategies to help you with deterring squirrels keep these persistent rodents away from your vehicle, and prevent squirrel damage to your engine.
Understanding Why Squirrels Nest in Cars
Squirrels often seek refuge in cars for warmth, shelter, and safety from natural predators. With its warmth and seclusion, the engine bay provides an ideal nesting site, keeping squirrels (and sometimes babies) protected from the elements and predators. In this secluded environment, wild animals like squirrels find thriving easier. Their primary motivation is to seek shelter, especially during harsh weather conditions or when natural habitats are scarce. Understanding these behaviours can help us better deter these persistent critters and maintain the integrity of our vehicles. By recognizing why squirrels nest in such locations, we can implement effective strategies to keep them at bay.
Common Signs of Squirrel Infestation
- Chewed Wires and Hoses: If you’ve noticed chewed wires and hoses around your property, it’s a strong indication that squirrels have taken up residence nearby. Squirrels find these materials irresistible due to their need to constantly gnaw on hard surfaces to file down their continuously growing teeth. This gnawing behaviour can lead to significant issues, including electrical problems and leaks. In worst-case scenarios, damaged wires could spark fires, posing a serious hazard. To stop squirrels from causing further damage, it’s crucial to implement measures to keep squirrels away, such as sealing entry points and eliminating food sources. By understanding these common signs of squirrel damage or infestation, you can take proactive steps to protect your home and ensure your safety.
- Nesting Materials: If you’re noticing twigs, leaves, and other debris in the engine bay of your vehicle, there’s a good chance you’re dealing with a squirrel infestation. These materials are tell-tale signs that squirrels are nesting inside your car. It can attract squirrels by the warmth and shelter it offers. Squirrels often gather nesting materials to create a comfortable and secure environment for themselves, which can cause significant damage to your vehicle. Keeping squirrels away from your car is essential to avoid costly repairs and ensure your vehicle remains in good condition. Pay attention to these signs, and take action to protect your car from these furry invaders.
- Squirrel Droppings:
One of the common signs of a squirrel infestation is the presence of squirrel poop around your car. If you notice small, dark pellets scattered near your vehicle, it could indicate that squirrels have taken up residence nearby. These wild animals often seek shelter in warm, secluded places, making your car’s engine compartment an attractive spot, especially if the car is stationary for extended periods. Squirrels eat various foods, and their droppings can explain their diet and habits. To keep squirrels from causing damage to your vehicle, it’s essential to identify their presence early and take preventive measures. Regularly check for droppings and the other signs listed above, such as gnawed wires or nesting materials, to ensure you address the issue promptly.
Squirrel Removal Cost
- Removal: One-Way Door, Trapping
- Repair: Shingles, Vents, Soffit
- Prevention: Reinforce Vulnerable Areas
- Strange Noises: If you’ve recently noticed scratching noises or odd sounds from your vehicle, it might be time to check for an unexpected visitor. Those bushy tails you see darting around your car could be a sign of a squirrel inside. Squirrels love to find warm, cozy spots to nest, and your car’s engine can sometimes become their chosen refuge, especially during colder months. Common signs include a pungent smell that can indicate their presence. To prevent these furry intruders from making your vehicle their home, a wise practice is to bang your hood before starting your car. This simple action can scare them away and save you from potential costly repairs, and from harming the squirrel.
Effective Strategies to Prevent Squirrels from Nesting
1. Regular Vehicle Inspection
Conducting regular inspections of your vehicle, particularly under the hood, can help detect early signs of squirrel activity. Do you notice a pungent smell? Look for nesting materials, droppings, and any signs of chewing.
2. Use Of Squirrel Repellents To Deter Squirrels
Natural Squirrel Repellents
- Peppermint Oil: Soaking cotton balls in peppermint oil and placing them around the engine bay can deter squirrels due to its strong scent.
- Apple Cider Vinegar: A mixture of vinegar and water sprayed around the car can also act to repel squirrels and other pests. .
- Ground Chili Peppers: Sprinkling chili peppers or cayenne pepper spray around your vehicle to help deter squirrels. Of course the wind might blow it away fairly quickly so adding a few drops of water to the cayenne pepper or the chili pepper flakes, to create a paste, and rubbing little globs of this on the ground will assist in keeping it in place.
Commercial Squirrel Repellents
- Ultrasonic Devices: These devices emit high-frequency sounds that are unpleasant and deter squirrels, but inaudible to humans.
- Chemical Sprays: There are specific spray bottle devices designed to repel rodents that can be applied around the vehicle to keep squirrels away.
- Predator Urine: Although not the best choice to deter squirrels, you can purchase predator urine at some specialty stores. It’s advisable to find out how predator urine is collected, as it’snot the most humane method available.
- Fox Urine: Fox are natural predators of squirrels so spraying it strategically around your property can be a useful squirrel repellent.
3. Physical Barriers
- Engine Bay Covers: Installing an engine bay cover can prevent squirrels from accessing the area.
- Wire Mesh: Placing wire screen mesh around openings and vents can block entry points.
4. Parking Practices
- Secure Parking Locations: Whenever possible, park your car in a garage or a secure, enclosed space.
- Avoid Parking Under Trees: Trees are common habitats for pesky squirrels, and parking under them can increase the likelihood of infestation.
5. Deterrents – Plant Squirrel Repelling Flowers
Planting certain types of flower bulbs around your parking area can naturally repel squirrels. If you plant these natural squirrel deterrent flowers such as daffodils, mints, marigolds, or lily of the valley, it might deter them, as all of these might help keep squirrels away. .
6. Maintaining a Clean Environment
Ensuring that the area around your parking spot is free of food sources and nesting materials can reduce the attractiveness of the site to squirrels. Squirrels eat insects, yes, but if you have food scraps or any food sources available to the squirrel, it will be harder to deter them. Dispose of any fallen fruits, fallen nuts, or bird seed that might attract squirrels. Trimming branches on trees that are near your car is also advised.
If you have a bird feeder, fill it with safflower seeds. Consider switching out sunflower seeds in your bird feeder (which squirrels love) and replace them with safflower seeds (which squirrels hate). Install a squirrel baffle to the pole of your bird feeder which prevents squirrels, and other animals, from climbing up. If you have a bird bath, place it away from the bird seed feeder so they can’t climb up and jump to get the bird food. You can enjoy and feed birds without attracting other rodents to your property. Maybe place a fake owl or two around the area, which might scare a squirrel away. If you have a vegetable garden, consider installing a wire screen, bird netting, or chicken wire type mesh barrier around the perimeter to help keep squirrels away. Lastly, confirm that your trash cans have squirrel proof lids.
7. Tending your Garden
Squirrels love to dig holes in your garden beds, they will hide food in your garden soil, they’ll even use flower pots if that’s all that’s available. If you have a garden or any flowers near where you park your vehicle, put off squirrels from damaging your lovely flowers, plant bulbs (ie. daffodils, marigolds etc.) that will discourage digging. Putting plastic netting around the perimeter may help with these wild animal garden pests. If you have a dog, put some dog hair around the bottom in the soil, where the squirrel damage is most prevalent.
DIY Squirrel Deterrent Devices
Building your own squirrel deterrent devices can be an effective and affordable option. Here are a few ideas:
- PVC Pipe Rollers: Attaching PVC pipes around the base of trees or poles can prevent squirrels from climbing up to your car.
- Motion-Activated Sprinklers: Motion activated sprinklers can startle and deter squirrels when they approach your vehicle.
By understanding why cars attract squirrels to them, and employing a combination of preventative measures, you can significantly reduce the risk of them nesting in your vehicle. Regular inspections, the use of squirrel repellents like apple cider vinegar, and maintaining a clean environment are key strategies in keeping your car squirrel-free. Implement these methods diligently to protect your vehicle from a potential squirrel problem or from any other pests.
