The fat squirrel ate my homework
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LarsKurth
Joined: Sun May 25, 2008 5:46 pm Posts: 114 Location: London, UK
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The fat squirrel ate my homework
I never had a big problem with squirrels, except that they'd eat a few blueberries and figs in the summer and dig cachets in the ground to hoard food. Foxes were a huge problem, digging up my bog bed, and generally just digging holes everywhere they could. Foxes are not a problem any more as I regularly sit a friends dog, which has driven the foxes out (at least for now).
This winter a squirrel took my garden as its territory that has developed a taste for flower buds. It already ate almost all the coming buds of tulips and fresh flowers of iris, it ate all but one of the just opening buds on a smaller camellia (it seems to have a preference for that once cultivar, the other one remained untouched), then it went for ALL the flower buds of my decidous rhododendrons (planted last year), breaking much of last years new growth in the process (I was almost in tears when I saw it) and now it is starting to eat the coming buds of magnolia stellata.
At the beginning I didn't believe it, until I actually saw the squirrel doing it. I guess with food become more available, my troubles will soon be gone. Let's just hope, it doesn't pass on its taste to the next generation. It's quite a fat squirrel too (in comparison to the ones I had in previous years), which doesn't surprise me given the amount of flower buds it devoured over the last 5 weeks.
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Sat Mar 12, 2011 10:13 am |
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Al in Bama
Joined: Thu Feb 11, 2010 4:09 pm Posts: 234 Location: Alabama, USA
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Re: The fat squirrel ate my homework
A good use for a rifle.
_________________ Have Fun!
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Sat Mar 12, 2011 1:35 pm |
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Plantaholicsheila
Joined: Fri Jan 07, 2011 8:24 pm Posts: 30 Location: Wales
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Re: The fat squirrel ate my homework
In Britain the grey squirrel is concidered vermin. Following a legal case last year you now have to be very careful how you kill them. The recommended way is to take them to a vet and have them put down humanely! I hate any animal to suffer. But I really wonder what is happening to this country. Do read all about it here.... http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article ... irrel.htmlTraps that kill instantly. See.. http://www.google.co.uk/images?q=Kania+ ... 47&bih=496
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Sat Mar 12, 2011 2:21 pm |
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LarsKurth
Joined: Sun May 25, 2008 5:46 pm Posts: 114 Location: London, UK
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Re: The fat squirrel ate my homework
The thing is that as soon as you kill one, you will get new ones. So the whole exercise is somewhat pointless.
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Sat Mar 12, 2011 3:39 pm |
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themes
Joined: Tue Aug 05, 2008 12:42 am Posts: 2148 Location: birmingham, UK
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Re: The fat squirrel ate my homework
_________________ Regards,
Mo
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Sat Mar 12, 2011 4:06 pm |
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Steve Pope
Joined: Tue Apr 29, 2008 8:37 am Posts: 1401 Location: Sussex coast
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Little Britain
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Sun Mar 13, 2011 6:30 pm |
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Clive in London
Joined: Sat Feb 09, 2008 8:46 am Posts: 409 Location: London
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Re: The fat squirrel ate my homework
Lars - i understand. I have just come in from the garden feeling murderous - all the Frittiliaries have been beheaded, my Paeonia rockii which has not flowered for years has again been mostly deflowered (although to be fair, last year it was flattened by a cat) and every single pot plant (many) has to be covered in wire mesh to stop them pointlessly digging them up - that has gone on all winter.
Last year every flower on my Crinodendron gone, not even eaten, just bitten off.
Killing them wouldn't morally concern me, as a non-vegetarian, but I don't have the stomach to "trap and whack" which doesn't strike me as very humane way to go. I wonder what the penalty would be for releasing a trapped squirrel somewhere else?
Mo thanks for the chilli tip. I have found a few recipes on the web to make a sticky spray. Today I've had to make do with tabasco, but i'm concerned it's a bit too tasty - just tried some. Mmmm.
Anyone tried chilli spray? Heres a few reciped from elsewhere:
To keep squirrels away from or keep them from eating your garden plants, mix this: • 1 gallon of water • 6 capfuls of Murphy's Oil Soap • 2 Tbsp. of cayenne pepper Spray onto plants. This does not harm the plants and will keep the squirrels away. ................................................................................. Hot pepper spray: steep 1 cup crushed chilies in 1 gallon water in covered container in the sun for 7 days. Strain and use as a spray on foliage. Keep topping up water level as it is used. Add more crushed chilies as heat dissipates. Another remedy for the squirrel situation is to protect tulip growth and rhododendron buds with a spray concocted from 2 tablespoons of cayenne pepper with 1 quart of very hot water. Allow the mixture to steep until cool, then drain through cheesecloth into a spray bottle. Add 1 teaspoon of horticultural oil to give the spray staying power, shake well and spray on the plants as soon as they begin producing buds. Spraying just once should suffice unless the season is especially rainy. ............................................................................................ Squirrel Repellent 1) 1 Bottle (small) Hot Pepper Sauce 2) 1 Gallon Water 3) Water Retentative (available from plant nursery) or 1 Teaspoon of Mild Liquid Detergent such as dishwashing detergent
Spray this repellent on plants or anything you would like protected from chewing until a permanent exclusion of welded wire or hardware cloth can be applied.
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Tue Mar 22, 2011 5:53 pm |
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themes
Joined: Tue Aug 05, 2008 12:42 am Posts: 2148 Location: birmingham, UK
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Re: The fat squirrel ate my homework
Not thought of it in spray form..what a great idea, I wonder if it would repel slugs..or a coffee elixir .. got me thinking now
_________________ Regards,
Mo
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Tue Mar 22, 2011 10:41 pm |
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Steven
Joined: Sun Aug 10, 2008 4:02 pm Posts: 2486
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Re: The fat squirrel ate my homework
As for the pepper spray, I'd probably get one of those cans for self defense. Well, for some garden nuts it would indeed be a kind of self defense to get rid of this nuisance, to give you a reason to justify yourself . It's amazing that the grey squirrels are so different in behaviour from the native foxy ones. Mine never nibbled off flowers or buds and I have so many sqirrels in the gardens, easily distincted from each other by their colour ranging from the lightest orange over red to brown-red and dark brown. None of them ever showed interest to my plants . They only "plant" involuntarily gazillions of hazelnuts, walnuts and oak seedlings, all with long tap roots, thus hard to pull off the ground.
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Wed Mar 23, 2011 10:09 am |
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Clive in London
Joined: Sat Feb 09, 2008 8:46 am Posts: 409 Location: London
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Re: The fat squirrel ate my homework
That's interesting Steven, i was thinking about how different grey behaviour would be to red, and satisfied myself that the reds would do it too. What a shame we don't have any left down here. I think prince Charles is on the case to save the reds here but there is basically nothing we can do, unless squirrel kebabs become fashionable (i did see them on the telly a while ago - nice apparently).
I can report that tabasco, undiluted, harms frittiliary leaves, but not as much as the squirrel does! Paeonies it doesn't harm.
Must thank Shelia for contibuting here - could have saved somepeople a nasty fine! Interestingly i note that you *are* allowed to slowly poison squirrels that are nesting in your roof, with wheat soaked in Warfarin, the blood thinning agent.
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Wed Mar 23, 2011 3:04 pm |
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reggieroo
Joined: Tue Jun 02, 2009 9:36 am Posts: 134 Location: Worcestershire UK
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Re: The fat squirrel ate my homework
I had some problems with grey squirrels a few years ago, they were getting into my loft at an old address & chewing the electric wires & ruining the insulation. I had no choice but to get the rifle out, I felt a little bad but it had to be done.
_________________ www.theirishshop.co.uk
AKA Paul
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Wed Mar 23, 2011 4:42 pm |
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Steve Pope
Joined: Tue Apr 29, 2008 8:37 am Posts: 1401 Location: Sussex coast
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Would St Francis lock and load?
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Wed Mar 23, 2011 5:26 pm |
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themes
Joined: Tue Aug 05, 2008 12:42 am Posts: 2148 Location: birmingham, UK
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Re: Would St Francis lock and load?
_________________ Regards,
Mo
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Thu Mar 24, 2011 12:04 am |
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david feix
Joined: Wed Oct 31, 2007 3:54 am Posts: 3206 Location: Berkeley, California
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Re: The fat squirrel ate my homework
A temporary solution that is rain proof: cover your sensitive plants with bird netting. It works very well for me, and I actually leave it on year round for plants that squirrels keep attacking. I originally started using the bird netting to keep the raccoons from tearing up my bromeliads, but it works just as well to deter squirrels and also deer. You do need to pin it to the ground, of tie it off around the trunk to really keep squirrels out, they are much more persistent to get to things than the raccoons or deer are.
At one time I had squirrels chewing the hard plastic misters I had mounted in a tree to water my Tillandsias and Orchids that I had attached to the tree branches. I found that remounting the repaired/replaced emitters on the underside of the branches rather than the tops or sides made all the difference. For squirrels burying nuts in potted plants, cover all bare soil with medium sized rock or pebbles, or again, group containers under bird netting.
_________________ David Feix Landscape Design http://www.flickr.com/photos/20217462@N02/
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Thu Mar 24, 2011 12:24 am |
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LarsKurth
Joined: Sun May 25, 2008 5:46 pm Posts: 114 Location: London, UK
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Re: The fat squirrel ate my homework
At least I am not alone: my problem seems to have gone for now. But I will remember the pepper mix for next year ...
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Mon Mar 28, 2011 5:34 pm |
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