I always thought that squirrels were absolutely cute. The way they nibble the nuts or jump with their bushy, flaring tails behind them is indeed endearing. However, that was until my husband forgot to lock our tiny kitchen window, while we were away for a weekend trip. Coming back, I was devastated to see my perfect kitchen in shambles. It was as though somebody had unleashed a platoon of mischievous kids in my kitchen. Soon, we found out the culprit who had turned my kitchen into a war zone. To my horror, it was the same golden brown squirrel which I had watched so affectionately every morning in my yard. My husband suggested shooting the little rodent and his pesky little friends. However, I was thinking of a less violent way to get rid of the problem. The solution came in the form of squirrel traps, which are less messy and effective. Building Squirrel Traps Squirrels that infest homes and yards are either large fox squirrels or gray squirrels. A smaller variety of squirrels, flying squirrels may damage your yard and vegetable garden. Squirrels may burrow holes in your attic, thereby disturbing the insulation and air conditioning of your home. They also chew electric wires which can be dangerous in many ways. Another reason why you might want to get rid of these pesky creatures is that they clear away bird food. People often resort to number of ways to get rid of this problem. Some try to scare them away with the help of house pets like cats and dogs. Some people even use rat poison to kill them. However, this is not recommended as you will have to deal with lot of mess and odor. Shooting them is also not recommended as you can only kill so many squirrels. Setting squirrel traps is by far the most effective way of controlling squirrels in and around your home. Alternatively, you can buy the various squirrel traps that are readily available. Havahart, Tomahawk are some of the suppliers of live squirrel traps. You can get them at your nearest Home Depot or you can shop online on websites such as eBay. There are numerous features and sizes to choose from. Some come with a single door while others are equipped with two doors. However, there is no significant difference between the two and each will catch almost the same number of squirrels. Some of the ground trap models may even catch animals like cats, minks and chipmunks. You can buy any of these traps according to the size of squirrels you intend to catch. Alternatively, you can also borrow traps from your friends, if you are trying to target the same type of rodent. Setting Squirrel Traps Before you set out the traps, it is essential that you know what are the areas frequented by the squirrel. Set the traps along their pathway, entry points etc. You can also set them in an area where they feed. Squirrels generally don't feed at night, hence setting the traps at night is ineffective. Do not forget to leave a bait to attract the squirrel. A glob of peanut butter, bread crumbs, crackers are fine. Once, you have the animal in trap, wear thick gloves to protect your hand from getting bites, as it might turn violent when trapped. Tie the trap with a bungee cord and think what you are going to do with the animal. If you just release it somewhere around, it will eventually come back to you. Instead, contact some society that cares for rodents or abandoned pets. After you have caught the animal in trap, immediately seal all the entry points of your house, so that you do not encounter the same problem again. Do not leave edibles in open and always shut the doors and windows of your home properly!