If you happen to see a squirrel going into the engine bay of your car, there is a great chance that you’re witnessing a mother squirrel looking for a safe place to nest. The last thing you want to do is orphan baby squirrels, especially since mother squirrels will have babies both in early spring and late summer. Evicting the mother by force creates the risk that she might become separated from the babies. If frightened, she may move the den to a more secure location. If you need help with removing squirrels from your car engine bay, consider calling in professional pest control companies like Skedaddle Humane Wildlife Control.
DIY Ways Of Getting The Squirrels Out
Although DIY ways of getting squirrels out of your engine bay are common, please remember that contacting a professional wildlife control company like Skedaddle Humane Wildlife Control is the safest option. Mother squirrels often choose the engine bay as a place to nest because they perceive it to be a safe, quiet and dark place for their family. Creating a situation that is the opposite of that should be enough to convince the mother to take her babies elsewhere. There are several harassment techniques you can try in this case. Each of the following should be placed as close as possible to the squirrel nest. That way, the mother squirrel will not be able to ignore them as she comes and goes:
- Popping the hood
- Introducing light
- Introducing sound
- Introducing smell
Popping The Hood
The easiest thing you can do to get the squirrel family to leave your engine bay for good is to simply leave the hood open for a day or two. This should result in allowing enough noise and light into the area, hopefully causing the mother squirrel to feel less safe. Mother squirrels will know of other den sites in the area and will relocate their babies one by one to one of her safer spaces once her nest inside the engine has been exposed to the elements.

A large squirrel nest inside the engine of a car can lead to expensive repairs
Introducing Light
Squirrels do not appreciate light in their homes. You can try placing a bright light under the hood of your vehicle. One thing to pay attention to if attempting this is to keep the light fire-safe.
Introducing Sound
Get a radio and place it under the hood of the car. Instead of opting for a radio station that plays music, tune the radio to a talk station. This should prove effective as squirrels typically see human voice as threatening while music doesn’t cause them much distress.
Introducing Smell
In order to make a mother squirrel feel unsafe, introduce a source of smell that reminds her of predators. The way to do this is as follows: simply soak some old rags in ammonia, garlic or apple cider vinegar and place them in a plastic bag. Then poke holes in the bag to let the smell escape. You can similarly use dirty kitty litter if you have a house cat. Hang the bag under the hood of your car.
Perform a detailed check of the engine bay to ensure the mother has brought the babies along with her and then have a mechanic check your engine for damage. Keep in mind, professional wildlife removal companies like Skedaddle Humane Wildlife Control are available to help you remove the animals.
Your Choice For Professional Pest Control
Skedaddle Humane Wildlife Control is a company that has successfully come to the aid of thousands of homeowners to date. In their nearly thirty plus years of experience, Skedaddle has been at the forefront of humane wildlife removal techniques and methods. As a result, the company has amassed experience that allows its A+ team of experts to handle any infestation situations quickly, reliably and effectively. Call Skedaddle today and make sure there are no squirrels in your car’s engine bay.