Darwin's Squirrel

[cthomato]

My neighbors have been trapping ground squirrels in a have-a-heart trap for the last few years. Through this process of "natural" selection, we now have a smart squirrel that stays away from the trap at all cost. This critter loves all kinds of plants and flowers and is inflicting noticeable damage to my garden. I have been amazed at how he manages to get to hanging baskets that other squirrels never bothered with in the past. What's worse is that I expect hungry (and smart) offspring will be rummaging through my plants sometime next month.

I can't kill it because my resident card carrying PETA member is back from college. It's too quick for my guard bunnies. I tried Critter Ridder in a window box full of petunias and it ate them down to the roots. So far chicken wire is the only thing that deters this pest. Now that I mention it, I haven't seen my wirecutters lately.

Anybody got a suggestion?

Chris

[kimpossible]

Do you have a dog? My German Shorthair Pointer eats anything dead or alive, cat size or smaller

We never have any extra critters living near my dog's territory.

[cthomato]

I wish I could get a dog but it would probably stress out our bunnies. Sometimes we get hawks but the crows have been keeping them away this year.

[matermama]

can you hide the trap? so the person won't see it? or use a poison in a bowl of squrrel food and you could blame someone else for it?? :wink:
sue

[coronabarb]

chris,

Tell the PETA person that the plants have just as much right to live as the gosh darnoodley squirrel. 8) plus, they're prettier to look at.

Seriously, you'll have to plan an attack when said person is at Disneyland or the International Gourd Art Festival. Ground squirrels are very destructive and I wouldn't tolerate them on my property.

[cthomato]

Barb - you're telling me!! That #$&!* rascal is destroying my 8' tall pole bean tower. It goes up and down the frame and eats the leaves (but not the beans, go figure). That would be OK except it has gnawed off some of the stalks at the ground level - thus about 1/3 of the bean stalks are dead or dying. It may be too smart for me to defeat but it is pretty stupid when it comes to gardening. Oh, and it completely passes up the petunias to hit the beans. Normally, it loves petunias.

BTW, he's too smart for poison. I have a rat bait station that he could easily get into and doesn't. Either that or he's built up an immunity. Hmmm... I haven't tried gopher pellets yet.

The PETA member got a parttime job at Nordy's so there may be a window for a more medieval solution. If something else doesn't work, I'm thinking rat trap.

[matermama]

i m sorry you are having so much trouble ,but i do go hee hee ,b/c is reminds me of ELmer Fudd and Bugs Bunny. I think what you have there is " one wrascaly wabbit"
Picky eater it sounds too, hmmm maybe a cayennne pepper spray on your beans ?? i would imagine hot pepper taste would not be pleasing for the wrascal. I sprinkle it on my diasy after a rain or add it with a bit of saop to help it stick. Are there any poisons in powder form you could put on your plants that will have him pushing up daisys??
sue

[matermama]

how good a shot are you? LOL,just kidding
sue

[cthomato]

Sue - My whole family finds my squirrel dilemma to be very, very amusing, so you're in good company. Don't think I haven't thought of plugging it with a pellet gun but I don't want to upset the neighbors (that's my son's band's job). I've tried Critter Ridder and DeerScram but it didn't help. However, I do hot pepper wax. It didn't work to deter my domestic rabbits from eating our roses so I shelved it. It's worth a shot.

[cthomato]

Darwin's squirrel has successfully passed on its genes. I spotted six babies, running around my backyard and among my tomato plants while mom watched with approval. How do I know it's mom? Let's just say her "chest" shows a lot of wear and tear. They are too cute to hate right now. But give me time...

My guard rabbits are hiding in fear under the agave. Rabbit stew anyone?

BTW, the hot pepper wax did not work at all. My beans look pretty awful.

[matermama]

hmmmm i hear electical fence is working well with others, can you make a tomato cage out of chicken wire top and all, like a giant round cone?? :wink: their little hands can't get a mater out of the tiny holes in the chicken wire,and they cant climb over cause the top is also chiken wire, just make sure you can unlatch ti to get your maters.
sue

[kimpossible]

Well, if you don't get rid of those babies, you are going to be over-run! You should buy a live-trap, or hire someone to do it for you - have them relocated ... no guilt!

[coronabarb]

chris, you've waited too long! And kim is right, those babies will have babies soon enough too.

The park where I walk in the AM is overrun with squirrels and babies now. The whole hillside looks like small bombs have gone off. Your garden is going to be devastated and the yard too, if the squirrel holes are nearby.

[cthomato]

We get a batch of babies every year. Nature takes out a few and mom eventually drives out the rest. They usually take a few tomatoes but not enough to upset me.

But this year is different. They have developed a taste for the green toms and are avoiding the "decoy" petunias. I have chicken wire but no enough to encase everything. The electric fence sounds like a good idea. Trapping and relocation is the most likely option.