How to Make Homemade Squirrel Poison: A step by Step Guide

Robert James
Pest Control Technician

If you have squirrels living in your attic or running around in your house, chances are you’re desperate to do anything to get rid of them. The most common way to get rid of squirrels is by poisoning them.

Unfortunately, no squirrel poison is being sold in the market as it is illegal to kill squirrel. So if you really want to poison them, you’re going to have to make one on your own.

In this article, you will learn how to make your own homemade squirrel poison.

What to Prepare : What Kills Squirrelssquirrel poison ingredient

  • Gloss/Laundry Starch
  • Baking Soda
  • Corn Syrup
  • Stirring Spoon
  • Saccharine
  • Oats mixture
  • Glycerin
  • Powdered strychnine
  • Water
  • Measuring cups

Once you’ve had all that covered. You are now ready to make your own squirrel poison.


Facts: It is illegal to kill them and in some states, you need permission to do so. Know why is it illegal to kill squirrels?

Making the Home made Squirrel Poison

  1. Add 1 tablespoon of gloss/laundry starch to ½ teacup of cold water.
  2. Stir the mixture into ¼ quart of boiling water. This should create a thin, clear paste.
  3. Add 1 ounce of powdered strychnine.
  4. Add 1 ounce of baking soda.
  5. Mix everything together until you create a thick and even mixture.
  6. Add ¼ pint of corn syrup.
  7. Add 1 tablespoon of glycerin.
  8. Add 1/3 tablespoon of saccharine.
  9. Add 20 quarts of oats.
  10. Stir

Executing all these steps will result in the homemade squirrel poison. The finished product should be oats covered in paste. This poison is specifically designed to attract squirrels. One pint of these poisoned oats can cover up to 30 baits.


Next, How To Poison Squirrels

Now that you have the poison, it’s time to plan where to place them. You want to prepare 1 tablespoon of the poison for each place the squirrels frequent. This amount should be enough to kill squirrels without putting other creatures at risk. To speed up the process, you can place the poison in different locations near squirrel holes or trails. Strategic placement of the poison is a huge factor to whether this will work or not. It is also important to note that squirrels tend to move around the property so you might have to switch the placements of the poison every now and then.

Alternative Method to Make Poison for Squirrels

Take note that although this poison is effective on most squirrels, it doesn’t work on the aggressive types (e.g. Columbia ground squirrel). In that case, you may want to change the mixture a little bit. Follow the steps below:

  1. Blend the following with cold water:

  • 1 ounce of strychnine
  • 1 ounce of baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon of saccharine
  • 8 ounces of gloss/laundry starch

This should create a smooth, thick paste.

  1. Apply the paste to 12 quarts of oats.

  2. Leave to dry.

This mixture should be enough to kill even the toughest of squirrels. A maximum of 30 baits can be made from 1 pint of these poisoned oats.

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Tips and Insights for Killing Squirrels

Here are some other things you should consider when poisoning squirrels:

  • You could apply sumac rashes and poison ivy to the baking soda to make the poison more lethal.
  • Rat poison can also kill squirrels. However, squirrels can detect rat poison and tend to avoid places where they are placed. To remedy this, you can use nuts or peanut butter to lure the squirrels to the poison.
  • Keep in mind that if the poison is placed inside your home, the squirrel will also die inside your home. Be prepared for other problems a dead squirrel in your home may cause.
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