Identifying and Removing Animals in the Attic

Nighttime thumps and chewing often indicate flying squirrels, not raccoons. They are nocturnal and noisy.

Exclusion and Trapping

• Inspect exterior with binoculars; find entry points (dirty areas at eaves).
• Seal holes with wood or metal.
• Trap remaining animals with live traps baited with sunflower seeds and peanut butter.
• Relocation is discouraged; lethal trapping may be more humane than relocation starvation.

Chewing sounds may be rats/mice; they'll enter the same traps. Avoid poisons—dead animals in walls create odor problems.