Red Squirrels!!

[Blue Thunder]

I must have jinxed myself by commenting on the flying squirrel thread back in March. I have one in between my roof and facia/rake boards and it's only a matter of time before he joins me and the wife in the bedroom. How does one go about getting rid of one without spending the big bucks on professionals? He keeps us awake all night with the chewing. I've done some web research but am hoping the Forum members can come through with personal experiences. Thanks!!

Blue Thunder

[Weirs guy]

Rat traps, bb guns and cats have worked for me in the past. So hasn't the little bugger chewing through some 12/2 romex, but thats not the best way to go about it! :laugh:

Your best bet may be to watch for him to leave and then board up his entrance.

[SIKSUKR]

I've boarded up entrances before and the little bugger has made his way right back in the same area.I'm not much for killing animals but I had to take this one out with a pellet gun cuz of all the damage it was doing to my house.Condolenses to to Rocky's family.

[mcdude]

The little buggers are really persistent. They get REALLY angry if you get them with the garden hose.....
:look: :laugh:
http://www.winnipesaukee.com/photopost/data/509/medium/20IMG_6280.JPG

Luckily they haven't made it into the house yet. Good Luck Blue Thunder.

[ApS]

Red squirrels must be extending their range from their home state—New York. I have no recollection of any from just twenty years ago. :confused:

The daily presence of a single red squirrel caused birds nesting in a birdhouse here to abandon their nest-building this spring. :mad:

Of all New Hampshire's rodents, red squirrels are the most destructive to everything—human habitations, fabrics, outdoor furniture—even Mother Nature herself. Shooting them shouldn't be left as a last resort, IMHO. Poison is too slow and too indiscriminate.

"Target" only them reds! Grrrr. :fire:

[SIKSUKR]

I don't know about this being new habitat for them.The first problem I had with them was 27 years ago in my first home in Manchester.Destructive they are though.One chewed through my soffit 3 years ago.

[Fishy Cover]

I use a hav-a-hart trap with peanut butter as bait spread on the treadle. They can't resist the peanut butter and you'll have a trapped squirrel within 2 hours. It works best with one door closed and the other set.

I attach a 2x6 to the bottom of the trap with fender washers and sheet metal screws so they won't claw the surface under the trap and to add weight so they don't bounce around. After trapping them I take them for a nice drive into the country, about 10 miles, and release them so they can meet new friends. It's the equivalent of a squirrelwitness program.

Unfortunately I know how they are getting into my attic (from the crawl space thru an interior wall) but I can't fit in there to seal the holes. Someday I'll get angry enough to close off their access, but in the meantime I enjoy the thrill of outwitting them.

[jeffk]

We had a squirrel in our attic when we lived near Buffalo, NY. After I was sure he was outside I put several layers of wire mesh over his entrance area and securely fastened it in place. He never got back in.

[CanisLupusArctos]

The red squirrels have an attitude, I've discovered. Recently found one gnawing a hole thru the 2x6 porch railing for no apparent reason and when he caught me looking at him, he just gnawed harder and occasionally made eye contact. I came back with a BB gun, and he sat there 5 feet away from me as I took aim...

Haven't seen any more chewing on the porch rail since.

When we used to have a cat we didn't have problems with rodents like this and others (like voles and chipmunks.) But then again, we also have a lot more birds around since the kitty passed on.

[ApS]

"...I don't know about this being new habitat for them.The first problem I had with them was 27 years ago in my first home in Manchester..."
If Fishy Cover transports each trapped red squirrel 10 miles in the "squirrelwitness program", how many years before they acquire new habitat at Lake Winnipesaukee?

[SIKSUKR]

Red squirrels must be extending their range from their home state—New York. I have no recollection of any from just twenty years ago. :confused:

I was just refering to this statement of not seeing them 20 years ago.

[Jerry]

I had 3 squirrels in my attic and it seemed every few days they decided to gnaw a new hole in and out, so that the soffit looked like swiss cheese. I tried rat traps with peanut butter, but it was not very effective. So I bought some concentrated fox urine on the internet and nailed some small vials of it around the outside of each of the holes and in a few days the squirrels abandoned my house.

[Blue Thunder]

I caught 3 of them over the weekend with a hav-a-hart but I am still hearing them in the wall at night. It doesn't seem as active so hopefully I'm gaining on it. The really strange thing is I can't find where they are getting in. I have checked and rechecked every nook and cranny where they could get in and still can't find it. VERY frustrating. Thanks for all the advice so far.

Blue Thunder

[Blue Thunder]

The count is up to six and the wall has been quiet for a few nights now. I just wish I could find the access point....

BT

[Islander]

New Hampshire RSA 207.14 makes it a crime to release a wild animal without a permit. You also need a permit to keep wild animals in captivity. It is also a federal crime to transport a wild animal without a permit.

The crazy thing about "have a heart" traps is that once you trap an animal, the only thing you can legally do with it is to kill it. The "have a heart" name should be changed to "kill it or break the law" but I don't think that will sell as many traps.

Red squirrels are out of control on the island. A neighbor was bitten by one in her own bedroom.

[Blue Thunder]

Red squirrels are out of control on the island. A neighbor was bitten by one in her own bedroom.

You're right. They are out of control, especially on the islands where there are less predators. I am not happy about what I am doing here, it's just necessary.

BT

(BTW, I'm up to 8)

[SIKSUKR]

Sounds like a dumb question but are you taking them OFF the island?

[Bear Islander]

I just reached 10, a neighbor has had 32.

They are so bold they come on the porch and look in the windows.

[Blue Thunder]

Sounds like a dumb question but are you taking them OFF the island?

At the risk of completely throwing myself into the gauntlet of forum animal lovers, all I will say is what I am telling my kids. They are being permanently relocated from our property.

BT

[SIKSUKR]

Point taken.I just had my first one of the season sitting on my deck looking in my window yesterday.I'd like to "permantly relocate" him!

[Weirs guy]

At the risk of completely throwing myself into the gauntlet of forum animal lovers, all I will say is what I am telling my kids. They are being permanently relocated from our property.

BT

Perhaps some of our animal loving friends would like to care for them? :laugh: Watched one last night picking through the neighbors trash and you know where theres 1, theres 100.

[Grant]

Bet they'd work well in a bait trap.

[Pineedles]

Waut till the black squirrels from Canada invade, then we'll all have a big problem. Red squirrels are pussycats compared to these little creatures.:(

[ApS]

The count is up to six and the wall has been quiet for a few nights now. I just wish I could find the access point...
Check where the plumbing enters from underneath the house. Those holes are usually on the large size, and the pipes not well-centered. Reds are good nibblers of wood.

Make that, excellent nibblers of wood. :rolleye1:

[Chris Craft]

I was working on my boat lift the other day. I hear this noise behind me. It was a red on the dock yelling at me!! I then agressivly moved at him and he ran down the dock and jumped in my buddies boat!! These things are NUTS!!:eek:

[Blue Thunder]

These things are NUTS!!:eek:

You're not kidding. I've seen some unbeliveable damage done to boats in storage as well.

I've peaked at 8 captures.....

Blue Thunder

[Islander]

I was getting 4 or 5 a day and giving them the island swim test. Now they are harder to find.

The population explosion made them very aggressive.

[sa meredith]

It's funny...I had not seen any of these, but after recently reading the thread, I have been watching for them. And sure enough, this past Saturday, in the early evening, while sitting by a fire in Meredith, my wife says"...look at the squirrel climbing the tree. It's red!" And three others followed within two minutes.

[mcdude]

... and giving them the island swim test.
very funny Islander!:laugh: I am trying to picture this scenario. I'm guessing some of the little buggers don't pass this test???

[Blue Thunder]

very funny Islander!:laugh: I am trying to picture this scenario. I'm guessing some of the little buggers don't pass this test???

My mother in law keeps asking me where I'm getting the snorkel gear!!

[Islander]

very funny Islander!:laugh: I am trying to picture this scenario. I'm guessing some of the little buggers don't pass this test???

They don't swim so good, none have passed yet.

Hey, they are rodents. Rats with fluffy tails.

[Weirs guy]

They don't swim so good, none have passed yet.


Looks like you have no other choice then to continue testing until you establish a learning curve. After all, no one likes a quitter! :laugh:

[donnamatrix]

This thread is so funny!! But the squirrels can do serious damage, and they DO have an attitude problem. We have some in Suissevale, along with the rest of the "wild" life. One day a bear came to snarf down our birdseed, in the spring (we don't leave feeders out past April anymore, but still have bears!). The bear had pulled the feeder over and dumped the seed all over the mulch, then the bear laid down and casually licked up all the seed ... except a red squirrel wanted in on the loot. The squirrel raced toward the bear and startled it. The bear then launched itself about 8 feet up a pine tree, while the squirrel ate as much seed as it could before racing off into the woods. Too funny. They haven't started eating our deck/porch/house yet ... but guess it's coming.

[gravy boat]

After you've exhausted all options, I will lease out my husband -- he is pretty accurate with a $19.95 Chinese-made .177 cal pellet gun.

The notches on the pistol grip are a testament to his skill. One side for "red", the other side for "flying."

:D

[Islander]

I found a dead squirrel dead on the ground. I assume they have exhausted their food supply and are starving to death.

That could explain their overly aggressive behavior lately.

[SteveA]

We have a little guy at the lake house that has set up "home' in a tree near our hammock. He/She insists that the hammock is part of His/Her pathway to the ground.

Anyone that dares to try to take a nice summers afternoon nap is treated to a verbal barrage, and even having branches and leaves dropped on them.

Don't believe it... check out this pic from yesterday.. as 'she who must be obeyed" tried to take a nap..

PS she managed to sleep thru the yaking and harassement.. :laugh: :laugh: :laugh:

1499

[Bear Islander]

This morning a two year old was munching dry Cheerios at the table on our deck. He walked away for a few seconds and looked back to see a red squirrel eating his Cheerios. I guess they are very hungry.

[sa meredith]

For whatever it's worth...over in Meredith, several weeks back, I saw one or two red squirrels, and this past weekend, as we sat by the fire (early evening) they were everywhere. Pretty aggressive little fellas....

[AC2717]

So what is the count up to hunters?

I have a guy that lives a couple of blocks from me in RI and has a maticulous landscaped home like mine I have to add. For 3 months now my neighbors and I have been trying to track him down because on average 4 to 5 times a week this jerk throws breadcrumbs on my lawn, and sidewalk, and three of my close neighbors and then down the street away from his house (know that we know where he lives) Now we have everymorning about 5:45 a boat load of finches all over the place that stay for the whole day and are loud as hell, and then the squirills come and feed and dig holes in my lawn, and then and I hate them so much, the peigons come and make a mess but at least they go away.

My plan since we have already confronted the guy twice and posted signs on our lawns - fill up a giant trash bag of bread crumbs, buy a bunch of bird seed and dump them all over his lawn and sidewalk.

what do you think any other suggestions?
It is getting worse and worse and we are at our limit
the otehr thign about it is that he sets out moldy and old bread

WHO HAS THIS MUCH BREAD EVERY WEEK TO PUT IT OUT THERE IN ABOUT !) PILES< IT IS NUTS!!!!
other than a baker and we know he is not

[Blue Thunder]

Been here on vacation having excellent luck controlling the population in my area. 17 relocations and counting.....

BT

[Bear Islander]

Been here on vacation having excellent luck controlling the population in my area. 17 relocations and counting.....

BT

Don't relocate any to Bear Island, we have plenty!

Or do you mean relocated to squirrel heaven?

[Blue Thunder]

Don't relocate any to Bear Island, we have plenty!

Or do you mean relocated to squirrel heaven?

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