Homemade Hot Pepper Squirrel Repellent
Squirrels may be fun to watch as they caper on your lawn and leap fearlessly from tree to tree. When these wily rodents make a nuisance of themselves, however, by raiding your bird feeders, invading your house and eating the bulbs in your garden, it's time to take action. There are various commercial squirrel repellents--Havahart and Shake-Away are two brands--but you can save money with a homemade variety. Does this Spark an idea?
Why Hot Pepper Repellent Works
The capsacin from hot peppers gives hot-pepper-based repellents their potency. It gives off heat when the squirrels ingest it just like when you eat hot chicken wings or Jalepeno peppers. Squirrels don't like this sensation, so they will avoid the repellent.
Recipe
Some hot pepper squirrel repellent recipes call for hot pepper sauce, such as Tabasco brand or chicken wing sauce, others list chopped cayenne or Jalapeno peppers in their ingredients but the outcome is the same. Spray this homemade concoction wherever squirrels are causing damage or being a nuisance, and they will steer clear.
The Urban Wildlife Rescue in Denver Colorado suggests this recipe. Boil one chopped onion, one chopped Jalapeno and 1 tablespoon of cayenne pepper in 2 quarts of water for 20 minutes. Let the mixture cool. Strain it through a cheese cloth or colander into a bowl. Transfer the liquid to a spray bottle. Spray the area where you want to deter squirrels. The application will only last for three to five days, so you'll need to repeat the application, as necessary.
Garden Guide's recipe calls for dish soap and hot pepper sauce rather than the pepper itself. Simmer a small chopped onion in a cup of water for 10 minutes. Strain and discard the onion. Pour the onion-water into a bucket and add a gallon of water. Mix in one small bottle of hot pepper sauce and 2 teaspoons of dish soap or Murphy's Oil Soap. Put the mixture into a spray bottle and spray wherever the squirrels are a problem.
You can add a tablespoon each of paprika and cayenne pepper to either of these recipes to give them even more punch. Sprinkling additional paprika and cayenne around the area also helps to keep the rodents at bay.
Safety Precautions
Use a funnel to pour the liquid from the pan or bucket into the spray bottle. The mixture contains capsicum, which can burn your skin. Label the bottle to avoid mistaking it for something else.
Tags: pepper sauce, spray bottle, cayenne pepper, chopped onion, dish soap, Homemade Pepper