Squirrels again

[b54red]

I shot six of them yesterday afternoon by just standing where my broccoli once was. When the sun started going down they came running through the trees to my garden. I only was able to hit a few of them.

Talon, mosquitoes and fire ants are God's creatures too. The squirrels have already had several hundred of my tomatoes; but I didn't worry about it because I had way more than I could eat. Up until last year they were just a pest, now they have become a plague. In two days they wiped out two beds of broccoli seedlings that I spent a lot of time and effort growing so I could have some fresh broccoli this winter. They have also chewed a new hole to get into my attic where I worry they will chew some electrical wire and cause a fire. They did that to a house not too far from me a few years ago and caused some shorting in the wiring in my next door neighbors house 3 years ago.

I am too polite to trap them and give my problems to someone else. Basically there are just too dang many of them around here right now and they need to be drastically thinned out.

I used to think they were cute too.

[SunnyK]

Originally Posted by b54red

I am too polite to trap them and give my problems to someone else. Basically there are just too dang many of them around here right now and they need to be drastically thinned out.

I used to think they were cute too.

Amen to that.
I used to considered myself to be a peace-able animal lover....now I am contemplating a pellet gun.

When we moved in to our home we had a family of squirrels in the garage.Try as we may , we could not get rid of them. Letting the cat stay in there did not work....letting the dog root around, nope....and finally poison, still had squirrels.
We were then told by our neighbors that the original owner had such a problem with them that they (the tree rats) destroyed the roof on a classic convertible being stored in there.They got rid of the adults...but the babies came back...and then their babies as well.
Soooo....we destroyed the nests we found and had peace for a while....fast forward to the last 2 -3 years and I now have squirrels that yell at me when I am in my own garden...that have destroyed the roof of our garage to the extent that we have to have it entirely removed and replaced...that are aggressive to my cat....and don't care a bit if my dogs are in the yard. I am willing to share my produce with them...but they destroy ALL the fruit....and I mean anything that they even believe is starting to ripen gets teeth marks in it, or a bite taken and then discarded for the next fruit.

Now I cannot have this. I don't have acres of yard...I have a 100x50 foot yard that includes where my home stands. I grow my own produce so that we can have fresh vegetables AND pay our bills. I need to do something and being patient with the critters isnt it.

[tam91]

While I had a pet squirrel as a kid (fell out of the nest) who we hand raised, and who was adorable - I would not care for squirrels decimating my crops, and particularly house.

The strange thing here - I have woods behind me. I have a ton of oak trees. I have possums, raccoons, and lots of chipmunks and squirrels running around. Yet... with a little 2-foot fence, nothing has ever touched my garden. Not tomatoes, not beans, not lettuce or chard... It's really bizarre now that I think of it. Now that I've said it, may be my turn next year (jinx).

I'm sorry you are having so much trouble.

[Mark0820]

Originally Posted by tam91

While I had a pet squirrel as a kid (fell out of the nest) who we hand raised, and who was adorable - I would not care for squirrels decimating my crops, and particularly house.

The strange thing here - I have woods behind me. I have a ton of oak trees. I have possums, raccoons, and lots of chipmunks and squirrels running around. Yet... with a little 2-foot fence, nothing has ever touched my garden. Not tomatoes, not beans, not lettuce or chard... It's really bizarre now that I think of it. Now that I've said it, may be my turn next year (jinx).

I'm sorry you are having so much trouble.

If you have a ton of oak trees, there are probably enough acorns to feed the squirrels (therefore they are not interested in your garden).

[b54red]

I think it is more a matter of once they get a taste of those fresh veggies they pass the word to all of their friends about the new salad bar that has opened.

[kath]

Originally Posted by b54red

I think it is more a matter of once they get a taste of those fresh veggies they pass the word to all of their friends about the new salad bar that has opened.

I tend to think it's a learned and shared behavior as well from what I've observed in my years of gardening at two locations.

[piegirl]

I feel your pain. I run two hav a hart traps year round. Once the icky trees next door came, many disappeared and I have had 3 years of tomatoes. But now they have discovered my tithonia/Mexican sunflower and just destroyed them. I usually leave them up for winter birds but there is nothing left. We can destroy the buggers but can't relocate more than 150 feet which isn't even the corner - makes no sense! They've chewed up my window sills, fences, and even chewed on shovel and hoe handles. way overpopulated here. Kitty Girl will get the little ones and when bored give them a good chase. Evil little things but in my 'hood, well, any type of gun, think swat team immediately. sigh, piegirl

[JoAnne]

This year I set out a couple hav a hart traps and I've caught numerous squirrles and have had tomatoes to eat myself! Fabulous! The first week I put out the traps I caught a squirrel each day. There are plenty of wild areas nearby to release the squirrels such that they won't bother anybody else. I really recommend the traps.

[Chara]

A couple of months ago this little pest fell out of the nest also.
Well, now he is a very important member of our family. We are amazed how intelligent he is. My husband trained him to pee in the bahtroom sink - the only problem that it is my sink .

[Talon1189]

Originally Posted by Chara

A couple of months ago this little pest fell out of the nest also.
Well, now he is a very important member of our family. We are amazed how intelligent he is. My husband trained him to pee in the bahtroom sink - the only problem that it is my sink .

He is the curtest animal in the world The bottom line is......Let the animal be free.....Let him or her go free to survive They are meant to be free.......Don't stop "mother nature"

[Brightmeadow]

I think my squirrels prefer heirloom tomatoes!!

I had read that they don't like the scent of WD40 so I sprayed it around my planters, etc. It worked but I had to keep renewing it once a week or so. Give it a try but don't put it on your actual plants.

Shirley

[tam91]

Chara - we had a pet squirrel when I was a child - he was absolutely adorable.

He fell out of the nest - would not have survived in the wild. We hand raised him, and did let him free.

However, he was our friend for years. We'd go outside and call him, and he would still come and sit on our shoulders. Anytime we sat outside, he hung out with us.

It was a great experience.

[Chara]

I know! Tam 91, I know! My husband served over 20 years in US navy and is finishing his degree in education and he is saying that Taz (short for Tazmanian Devil, which he named this baby-squirrel I picked up on the ground while running to the Baptist Emergency Room, where my husband was delivered with some heart problems)- is the son he never had! Can you emagine that? Darn!
I feel jealous! I can't believe it!

[tam91]

Aww. I had a dog named Taz (same reason) - he was awesome too.

Jealous of the squirrel, hahaha... but I don't blame you. It's hard to compete with such total cuteness.

[Farmer Matt]

I have rabbit problem's, they eat 2 150ft row's of Broc.

I feel your pain