Wi-fi door to let squirrel out of my basement

[PeterC]

I have a tiny squirrel living in my basement. He's been there for months and it's time I get him outside safely. He won't go into a humane trap so I've drilled a 3" hole in the wall and put a ramp outside. I thought he'd go right outside the first night but no, he goes out onto the ramp many times a night, looks around for awhile but then goes back inside. I have a wi-fi camera outside pointed at the ramp to see these things.

My thought is to put a cat flap door over the 3" hole I've drilled and then use a wi-fi enabled A/C outlet---they are outlets that I can control online. That way I can be upstairs and when I see him on the ramp in the camera, I can send a signal to drop the cat flap. I'll use a cat flap/door that can only open in one direction so he can't get back inside.

What I can't think of is some device that then plugs into the wi-fi enabled outlet to allow me to send a signal remotely to then either apply power or remove power to drop the cat flap door into the closed position. Something like a magnetic latch that is powered by 110v electricity would work but I can't find anything like that.

I would appreciate any suggestions (but my little squirrel squatter won't). I'm not able to build anything so hopefully someone can think of some device I can buy that will plug into the wi-fi enabled outlet to allow me to release the cat flap.

Thanks very much.

 

[Minder]

He won't go into a humane trap so I've drilled a 3" hole in the wall and put a ramp outside. I thought he'd go right outside the first night but no, he goes out onto the ramp many times a night, looks around for awhile but then goes back inside. .

A lot depends on how you bait it and what you use, I built a wooden one some years ago and it works great, Even snagged a rabbit !
They can't resist a nut selection!

 

[PeterC]

A lot depends on how you bait it and what you use, I built a wooden one some years ago and it works great, Even snagged a rabbit !
They can't resist a nut selection!

I was surprised myself that any bait I try doesn't work. He won't go for nuts of any type, peanut butter, dry cat food, cheeses, sunflower seeds, etc. He's eating something but I don't know what. That's why I want a technological solution to have something that will fit what I wrote above. Thanks.

 

[Martaine2005]

Your new 3" hole may let the critter out but 'it' must know another entrance and exit. It must be going out to dine or your basement is a preppers/squirrels paradise.
Not being able to make something is your major disadvantage.
I would suggest a simple 'one way' exit only!. Imagine this:
A plastic lid cut from the centre outwards like a 20 slice pizza but NOT cut through the crust!. Then push and bend the centre spikey bits outwards. Place this over the 3" hole. This will allow the squirrel to exit but not return.

Martin

 

[Mark Engleman]

A simple tip from my own experience is that squirrels really go for bird-baits. When I tried to bait using regular nuts close to their living space the squirrels were uninterested - too obvious - but they really go for bird seed out in the open for some reason. You could do this, then observe his exit via WiFi to send the signal for lockout once positive ID is confirmed.