Squirrels

[John]

OK, help me out. For a couple of weeks now I have had a squirrel take up residence in my house. We hired an exterminator for $1400 with a 1 year guarantee. He has been back 3 times. ..... squirrel now has moved into the garage. I will be going to tractor supply to get a trap. And it won't be a have a heart trap. I have had it. AND My wife is rather upset. It has eaten pears, woodwork and has pooped in the house. The little SOB. I live in the middle of no where in northern VT so we deal with critters all the time but enough already.

I never understood this have-a-heart trap thing. If the critter stays in his domain, then we are all friends. But if said critter decides to cross that DMZ into my domain? Verily, a biblical wrath of critter dismemberment and death shall fall upon thy rodent head liketh a ton of bricks.

 

[TRest]

I never understood this have-a-heart trap thing. If the critter stays in his domain, then we are all friends. But if said critter decides to cross that DMZ into my domain? Verily, a biblical wrath of critter dismemberment and death shall fall upon thy rodent head liketh a ton of bricks.

I had a Hav-a-hart for chipmunks, I could never get it to set up properly. There are hawks in the neighborhood, but what I really need is a few roaming cats to knock down the population. I live on a 4 lane road and traffic is way too heavy for cats to wander free.

 

[Danzz]

The little pests ate through my shed 2 years in a row. Tried hanging a couple of socks with moth balls in them over their favorite entrance spot but it didn't even slow them down. At least they didn't eat the wiring in my lawn mower. Cut off a branch they used then installed aluminum sheet metal over the spot they entered. It worked so far this year. Decon also worked and used to get 6 or 7 dead ones. BTW, don't pick up a dead squirrel by the tail...they break off.
I like the shortening and pepper in the video in this thread.
A friend of mine lives in West Hartford and doesn't believe in killing them so he traps them. When they are in the trap he spray paints the squirrels tails red to see if the same squirrels come back after he releases them about 5 miles away. Some do so he travels further to release them. Incidentally the squirrels don't enjoy the paint job.
My position: the only good squirrel is a dead one. You have to be careful dealing with squirrels. Killing them can become an obsession.

 

[TRest]

OK, help me out. For a couple of weeks now I have had a squirrel take up residence in my house. We hired an exterminator for $1400 with a 1 year guarantee. He has been back 3 times. ..... squirrel now has moved into the garage. I will be going to tractor supply to get a trap. And it won't be a have a heart trap. I have had it. AND My wife is rather upset. It has eaten pears, woodwork and has pooped in the house. The little SOB. I live in the middle of no where in northern VT so we deal with critters all the time but enough already.

Poison is your friend.

 

[Horatio]

Owl replicas work. You just gotta get a deranged looking one .

"This naturally-colored, life-size, owl replica keeps squirrels, rabbits, gophers, and birds away. Protect your gardens, fruit trees, berries, grapes, and strawberry beds from birds and other pests, while adding charm to any garden. Store indoors when the season is over to prevent pests from getting used to it."

 

[uconn1999]

Buddy has a have a 'heart' trap and has been succesful trapping them. Once trapped they get a swimming lesson, i hear they are poor swimmers.

 

[huskypantz]

I put up the plastic owl and birds would land on it and send selfies out to their friends.

"On an owl..#badass"

I am guessing that there were two options in the catalog - sexy owl and scary owl. This guy chose.....poorly.

 

[KingOPancakes]

View attachment 17675

Owl replicas work. You just gotta get a deranged looking one .

"This naturally-colored, life-size, owl replica keeps squirrels, rabbits, gophers, and birds away. Protect your gardens, fruit trees, berries, grapes, and strawberry beds from birds and other pests, while adding charm to any garden. Store indoors when the season is over to prevent pests from getting used to it."

This right here. I used to have birds lay nests under my in-window AC unit. Every year like clockwork. Bought the "deranged owl" shown above, super glued it to the top of the unit, birds don't come within 2 houses anymore.

 

[Robertelamin]

Squirrel's psychotic persistence along with all the time in the world and their lack of human fear really work against us. Sure, you can shoot them or poison them or trap them but that only means you won the battle, you will never in the war.

 

[Horatio]

I am guessing that there were two options in the catalog - sexy owl and scary owl. This guy chose.....poorly.

He chose a regular , planet earth owl. You gotta get the mutated owl from Planet X version.

 

[Windsorlocks]

I like the Yankee Flipper. But I love squirrels too much to actually do this to them, lol...

 

[Greathusky]

I've had a bird feeder out for the last three or so years with no problems. For some reason, this year the squirrels are going wild on it, they emptied the thing (a squirrel-proof one!) within 3 days of me filling it. Piles of seed onto the ground by swinging it back and forth and digging with their paws through the wires, basically flipping the seeds out of the feeder by the pawful. I'm declaring nuclear war on them - any advice? I've seen hot pepper products - do those work?

I clicked on this thread because I was insanely curious how "squirrels" could be connected to UCONN basketball.
Nevertheless, this content was entertaining!

 

[tdrink]

Trapping and relocating is illegal in many places. Where it isn't illegal it is because people just can't believe that relocating is crueler than dispatching.

Studies have shown that relocated critters typically starve to death within 2 weeks.

I have a mole trap attatched to a piece of plywood. That goes up over any access hole a squirell has created. Next time they poke their head out they get skewered.

 

[Hankster]

Baloney sandwich dunked in antifreeze. Otherwise known as "The Maniscalco".

LOL Deep, you like Sabestian also? "Did you see my cat?" "uh..no, does it like baloney?"

 

[Deepster]

LOL Deep, you like Sabestian also? "Did you see my cat?" "uh..no, does it like baloney?"

Love him. I've watched that bit about 25 times and laugh every time. I grew up in an Italian neighborhood and the guy next to us would pour antifreeze in tuna fish cans!

 

[RichZ]

30 years or so back, my wife put up several bird feeders that she could watch out the kitchen window. They were mounted on metal poles that the squirrels climbed up without even slowing down. I replaced the metal poles with heavy-wall PVC pipe that I thought was too big in diameter for them to reach far enough around to get a grip. HAH!

Tried greasing the poles. They ate the grease off.

Drilled 2 small holes in one pole, about 4" apart, 5 feet or so above ground level. Dug a shallow trench across the lawn and ran a couple wires to the pole from the house. Attached the wires to a 12 volt bell transformer.Wires ran up the inside of the pole and one came out each of the two holes. The stripped end of each wire was held in place by a stainless hose clamp around the pole. So I now had the two electrified straps around the pole, just far enough apart that there was no way they could get up the pole without touching both at the same time.

It was kinda fun watching them scurry up the pole and do a backflip off the pole as they reached the contacts. At first, they would get up, and after wandering around dazed for a few seconds, they would try again. Sometimes, 3 or 4 times. But soon, all the squirrel action moved to the 2nd pole.

Then I put two clamps on the other pole. No wires, just the clamps. The sight of them was enough to keep the little bastidges away, at least for a while. It was a couple weeks before I saw a squirrel in the bird feeder on the 2nd pole again. Don't know if eventually one tried, or a new guy moved into the neighborhood, but once my bluff was called, it was only a day or two before they all joined the party.

So I wired that one too, and the problem never came back. Those two poles were there for at least 20 years without any more squirrel issues. Took them down when we moved the driveway about 5 or 6 years ago. To my knowledge I only actually killed one of them with my little deterrent in all those years.

 

[Waquoit]

Or you could buy a Squirrel Buster

 

[uconnell]

We have a pit bull who loves people but hates other animals. She cleaned out our squirrel problem in one summer.

 

[Bliss]

Never had any luck with a series of "squirrel-proof" bird feeders but a pellet gun is very effective. Neighborhood cats control the chipmunk problem.

 

[ctchamps]

We have a pit bull who loves people but hates other animals. She cleaned out our squirrel problem in one summer.

My solution. I think this puppy trumps yours.

 

[ctchamps]

Would you hate the squirrels if we were undefeated? I love the squirrels, they're the most fun loving animals around. Let 'em live!

Bunch of enablers. If the birds want the food let them get a pair. Birds know how to dive bomb predators such as hawks and cats near their nest so if they allow squirrels to eat at "their" feeders it just might mean they don't mind.

Love the commingling of problems. Yep get cats to keep the squirrels away. That will really help the birds!

Any solutions for bears at bird feeders?

Squirrel's psychotic persistence along with all the time in the world and their lack of human fear really work against us. Sure, you can shoot them or poison them or trap them but that only means you won the battle, you will never in the war.

At my old house my immediate neighborhood was overrun by squirrels. My neighbor was resolved to eliminate them with a pellet gun. Yet every time he killed a squirrel two more would pop up. There were 32 kills when the problem was finally solved. No he didn't get them all. He moved and the new neighbors didn't put up bird feeders. The population of squirrels returned to normal and the problem with rats ended.

So I wired that one too, and the problem never came back. Those two poles were there for at least 20 years without any more squirrel issues. Took them down when we moved the driveway about 5 or 6 years ago. To my knowledge I only actually killed one of them with my little deterrent in all those years.

Very humane treatment of the critters. Won't satisfy the above's need for blood lust.
Do you have a squirrel-mane method of getting rid of the human problem that plagues most of us. I won't accept Rodney riding pine as a solution.

 

[Waquoit]

Any solutions for bears at bird feeders?

Move?

 

[Edward Sargent]

Once a year, usually August or September, a red tailed hawk will take up residence in my yard for about a week or 10 days. When he leaves, their aren't any more chipmunks.

Need a Fisher. Take out squirrels, chipmunks, the neighbors chickens that eat the seed in my garden, the neighbors noisy kid and one of those little lap dogs with the pink bow in its hair. Yep get you a Fisher.

 

[temery]

I never understood this have-a-heart trap thing. If the critter stays in his domain, then we are all friends. But if said critter decides to cross that DMZ into my domain? Verily, a biblical wrath of critter dismemberment and death shall fall upon thy rodent head liketh a ton of bricks.

Your house is in his natural domain. There is no getting around that fact.

Regardless, it is unlawful to trap and relocate a wild animal. I have unknowingly done so a few times, and feel terrible that I have done so. Unfortunately, the little guys have not returned, so I never had the opportunity to apologize.

 

[Hankster]

Love him. I've watched that bit about 25 times and laugh every time. I grew up in an Italian neighborhood and the guy next to us would pour antifreeze in tuna fish cans!

Yea me too. I believe I am right behind you on total views. When I first watched him "Aren't You Embarrassed" I had tears rolling down my eyes laughing. When he talked about family I was amazed. I thought for sure he was a neighbor of mine or a brother I never met. Identical image of me growing up. Well he is from Chicago and me CT. Amazing the similarities. I.E. Vicks vapor rub...LOL

 

[dennismenace]

Now...I have a problem also. I have been having a real problem with woodpeckers making swiss cheese of the outside of my house. I have tried some deterrants which have done nothing..any suggestions would be appreciated.

Pellet or bb gun. Take fishing line and hang the carcass for their friends to see. Works with crows on farms. They get the message.

 

[UCweCONN]

My dad used to euthanize woodchucks by putting the trap in a bag and hooking it up to the car exhaust..... I'm a catch and release kind of guy though.

 

[Huskygamble19]

Any solutions for bears at bird feeders?

Tell them that you do all you can to prevent forest fires.

 

[intlzncster]

Poison is your friend.

Yup. Don't know why everyone wants to get so fancy. Just One Bite Rodent Control

 

[intlzncster]

30 years or so back, my wife put up several bird feeders that she could watch out the kitchen window. They were mounted on metal poles that the squirrels climbed up without even slowing down. I replaced the metal poles with heavy-wall PVC pipe that I thought was too big in diameter for them to reach far enough around to get a grip. HAH!

Tried greasing the poles. They ate the grease off.

Drilled 2 small holes in one pole, about 4" apart, 5 feet or so above ground level. Dug a shallow trench across the lawn and ran a couple wires to the pole from the house. Attached the wires to a 12 volt bell transformer.Wires ran up the inside of the pole and one came out each of the two holes. The stripped end of each wire was held in place by a stainless hose clamp around the pole. So I now had the two electrified straps around the pole, just far enough apart that there was no way they could get up the pole without touching both at the same time.

It was kinda fun watching them scurry up the pole and do a backflip off the pole as they reached the contacts. At first, they would get up, and after wandering around dazed for a few seconds, they would try again. Sometimes, 3 or 4 times. But soon, all the squirrel action moved to the 2nd pole.

Then I put two clamps on the other pole. No wires, just the clamps. The sight of them was enough to keep the little bastidges away, at least for a while. It was a couple weeks before I saw a squirrel in the bird feeder on the 2nd pole again. Don't know if eventually one tried, or a new guy moved into the neighborhood, but once my bluff was called, it was only a day or two before they all joined the party.

So I wired that one too, and the problem never came back. Those two poles were there for at least 20 years without any more squirrel issues. Took them down when we moved the driveway about 5 or 6 years ago. To my knowledge I only actually killed one of them with my little deterrent in all those years.

This is a man's work right here. Well played.