These squatters appear to be having a party in my attic.  When I poke my head up there...they, of course, disappear...so shooting them would be tough and probably unwise...I dont want holes in my roof.  So, I am going to pick up a catch and release trap.  What do these furry little bastards like to munch on?

My dad just caught 12 of the suckers in the last 2 weeks in a "catch and release" trap using cheerios and/or nuts as bait.  I think they're attracted by anything.  I know they dig sunflower seeds.  They go absolutely bonkers when that door falls and they are trapped.

hmm...what about using a special load of sand in your shotgun? would that work?

ok, fine...no firearms, but why the live traps?

It's just going to be like when we deport mexicans...they just breed and come back in twice the numbers they were before...maybe you can release them and give them a 4 second head start before you start shooting???[}:D]

remember they may look "cute" but they are just rats with bushy tails...that can also climb trees, and they eat nuts...well, you know what I mean.

Better than bats in your belfry.

How about a porn flick to go with that?

I heard that the trick is to put a little fox scent (urine) up there & it will drive them away.  It seems like a cheap & easy thing to try.  Get it at a sporting goods store.  BTW, it's not a really nasty smell, but it IS a little funky.  Just don't put the bottle right up to your nose & use it sparingly in the attic.

Also you should close up the hole that they used to get in.  Tack up some tin, the kind that you use for roof valleys.  It's at Home Depot.  They can always chew through the wood to make another entryway, but why make it easy for them?

You are just asking for trouble trying to live catch them. Even if you happen to catch a few, you will put yourself in danger of getting bit when you try to get them out. And when you do that, you better be at least ten miles away or they will be right back up there.
My best advise to you is to get some rat traps. Use a good screw to fasten the traps to the rafter and bait with peanut butter. The trap needs to be fastened or else it's possible for them to drag the trap off and hide out in the insulation somewhere. As well, save the tails and send them to Mepps(sp?) fishing lures. They'll give you a dollar a piece for their fishing lure making.
Oh yeah. Once you catch them all, you need to repair/replace/screen off any hole that they used to get in.
Have Fun!

The trap has been set...

Come here, you furry little bastards....

Haven't decided on his/their fate when/if caught.

What Robert said!  

Make sure that you don't load up the bait platform with peanut butter, they will just lick it off an walk away happy.  Pack some in the small slot on the bait platform.  They will most likely then try to chew the pb out, then SNAP!  The other good thing about screwing down the trap is that if they fall into a wall and rot, the smell is terrible.

-White House

Let them out?  Are you kidding?  They'll be back and keep breeding!!!  You gotta kill the suckers!!

In my suburban neighborhood if I start plugging varmints even with a little .22 the cops will show up post haste and will be totally pissed that I dragged them away from the donut shop.  This is not good.  I use a live trap to catch pesky critters, then merely dunk the cage in a bucket of water for a few minutes for a quiet, non-neighbor-alerting death, and then throw the dead, water-logged corpses in the trash for weekly garbage pick-up.

BTW - This method also works well on the neighbor's cats.  [:D]

If they're getting into your attic then you have a hole to fix.

Shok