Squirrels Wars (and other pests). And oh, Hi Tarhog and everyone

[Mickalino]

Dead deer seem to be doing a good job keeping squirrels out of these plants, without interfering with the plants, if placed properly.
Only problem is, I have a lot more plants, than dead deer.

 

[Mickalino]

This is my kind of guy.
Using ingenuity and creativity.
Which is what you have to do, to outsmart the squirrels.
He even named it "Squirrel Wars". I didn't even see this video title, until long after I titled the thread that way

 

[Boone]

Wouldn’t a motion detector sprinkler do the job?

 

[Mickalino]

Wouldn’t a motion detector sprinkler do the job?

I've been considering that.
Just in the process of narrowing down the long list of options, to the best overall solution
"Overall", which would include not only effectiveness, but cost, labor, simplicity, collateral effects, etc
One thing, is I'd have to remember to flip Off the Master Switch, before a "loved one" goes up close to admire my plants

 

[Mickalino]

Squirrels are the worst pests. My neighbor installed a bird feeder in their front yard and that thing has attracted every squirrel in the neighborhood to it. This started around 10 years ago and they have already chewed up my truck three separate times costing me thousands so far. The latest chew was last month, and they have gone through my EVAP system so that my engine light stays on now all the time due to my leaking emissions. My truck is so old (2008) that the dealer can't order replacement lines either. The dealer says I'll need to search the secondary market for a replacement.

The best I can do is place mothballs in the engine area in hopes that the odor is a deterrent.

I was placing rat poison out in the yard and around the truck but I'm in one of the 1/4 acre subdivisions were everyone walks their dogs so I stopped doing that for obvious reasons.

I have a pellet rifle along with a .22 plinker but I'm not in the neighborhood for those unless I want to get arrested.

Squirrels are the worst pests.

I knew they chewed up electrical wires in houses, but I just recently learned that they go after auto wires, as well.
From you, and from others. Just disastrous stories of them doing thousands of dollars of auto damage.
We have tons of squirrels here, and thankfully I havn't had auto damage, and havn't heard of it from neighbors either.
So, I'm wondering, what triggers just certain squirrels to go after car wires ? What makes them selective in a way ? Is it only if they're desperate, or something else ?
Reason I ask, is I wonder if I should take REAL DRASTIC action, proactively, before these local pests potentially resort to chewing up my car

 

[Ashburn Dave]

I knew they chewed up electrical wires in houses, but I just recently learned that they go after auto wires, as well.
From you, and from others. Just disastrous stories of them doing thousands of dollars of auto damage.
We have tons of squirrels here, and thankfully I havn't had auto damage, and havn't heard of it from neighbors either.
So, I'm wondering, what triggers just certain squirrels to go after car wires ? What makes them selective in a way ? Is it only if they're desperate, or something else ?
Reason I ask, is I wonder if I should take REAL DRASTIC action, proactively, before these local pests potentially resort to chewing up my car

My truck they keep chewing up, is a third vehicle, so it sits for a month at a time. It's too long for my garage so it sits outside in the driveway. I try to drive it weekly, but that doesn't always work out.

 

[Boone]

I’ve never heard of a squirrel messing with a car… in 63 years. Chalk it up to luck I guess…

 

[Mickalino]

I’ve never heard of a squirrel messing with a car… in 63 years. Chalk it up to luck I guess…

It makes sense. They're known for chewing similar type wires in homes, thus causing thousands of house fires a year.
I think they do it to sharpen their teeth. They chew on a lot of non-edible things like patio furniture and more, probably for the same reason.
Just more reasons they are considered the worst pests. They can potentially ruin anything.

And car wires are a pretty convenient way for them to get to those wires they like.
I started a thread on it in a group on FB, and had quite a few people say their cars were victims of up to $4500 in damage on their car's electrical and ventilation systems.
And I don't think there's something like Squirrel Insurance, is there ?
So I hear these stories, and wonder what makes them go after cars in some places and not others ? And could I be the next victim of such selectiveness ?

 

[Skinsfan1311]

Dead deer seem to be doing a good job keeping squirrels out of these plants, without interfering with the plants, if placed properly.
Only problem is, I have a lot more plants, than dead deer.

View attachment 10948

The squirrels will eat those racks.
Trust me on this...

 

[Mickalino]

The squirrels will eat those racks.
Trust me on this...

I believe it, now.
Yet another thing they chew on to sharpen their teeth. Actually, their teeth constantly grow their whole life, so they constantly have to shave them down by chewing on hard things.
They will chew on metal or anything that gets in the way, of them getting into a house attic, to nest.
So it seems there is nothing they won't, or can't, chew on if it serves their purpose at the time
Been searching videos for deterrants, but for every video that claims it gets rid of them, there are people in the comments who say they tried it and it didn't work

 

[Ashburn Dave]

I put mothballs under the hood of my truck and that seems to help some. Driving the truck weekly is my best solution.

Squirrels will chew up my x-mas lights if I keep those out too long.

 

[gbear2]

About ten years ago, a guy is worked with got fed up with the squirrels in his yard. He went through some epic lengths to get rid of them, but his wife didn't want him to kill them. He would trap them, drive to a local park and release them. He was convinced they were just coming back...so he started spray painting their tails before letting them go. Then he learned how far he had to go for them not to return. He finally thought the batresponsible.

Fast forward a couple years, and the washington post ran a story about how some mean person was spray painting squirrels. Our hole office laughed and laughed because we knew who was responcible. He has retired for a few years, but his squirrel battles are still office legend!

 

[Skinsfan1311]

About ten years ago, a guy is worked with got fed up with the squirrels in his yard. He went through some epic lengths to get rid of them, but his wife didn't want him to kill them. He would trap them, drive to a local park and release them. He was convinced they were just coming back...so he started spray painting their tails before letting them go. Then he learned how far he had to go for them not to return. He finally thought the batresponsible.

Fast forward a couple years, and the washington post ran a story about how some mean person was spray painting squirrels. Our hole office laughed and laughed because we knew who was responcible. He has retired for a few years, but his squirrel battles are still office legend!

I had an elderly neighbor who had a gorgeously landscaped lawn. His neighbor thought it was cute to feed them peanuts and had one of those little chairs with a spike that held a corncob to feed them. They were everywhere and to make matters worse, they tore his yard up. He asked her over and over again to quit feeding them. He finally got fed up, started to trap them and drown the little fuckers in a trashcan full of water. Cruel...but I'm not going to lie....I didn't feel bad for them at all.....

 

[Mickalino]

I put mothballs under the hood of my truck and that seems to help some. Driving the truck weekly is my best solution.

So do they only go after vehicles that are inactive a long time ?
That would make sense for the ones that use vehicles to nest in, but I didn't think an "active" car would keep them from chewing the wires. They could just wait a few minutes for the engine to cool

About ten years ago, a guy is worked with got fed up with the squirrels in his yard. He went through some epic lengths to get rid of them, but his wife didn't want him to kill them. He would trap them, drive to a local park and release them. He was convinced they were just coming back...so he started spray painting their tails before letting them go. Then he learned how far he had to go for them not to return. He finally thought the batresponsible.

Fast forward a couple years, and the washington post ran a story about how some mean person was spray painting squirrels. Our hole office laughed and laughed because we knew who was responcible. He has retired for a few years, but his squirrel battles are still office legend!

I remember hearing that story and how the guy was painted (no pun intended) to be cruel person.
Thanks for sharing the backstory to that - it makes much more sense now.
Do you know if the information was shared, regarding how far away he had to relocate the squirrels, before they stopped returning ?

I had an elderly neighbor who had a gorgeously landscaped lawn. His neighbor thought it was cute to feed them peanuts and had one of those little chairs with a spike that held a corncob to feed them. They were everywhere and to make matters worse, they tore his yard up. He asked her over and over again to quit feeding them. He finally got fed up, started to trap them and drown the little fuckers in a trashcan full of water. Cruel...but I'm not going to lie....I didn't feel bad for them at all.....

What blows my mind is how some places consider them a "protected species"
I mean how can something so massively plentiful, as well as massively destructive, qualify as protected species ?

 

[Voice_of_Reason]

I've been considering that.
Just in the process of narrowing down the long list of options, to the best overall solution
"Overall", which would include not only effectiveness, but cost, labor, simplicity, collateral effects, etc
One thing, is I'd have to remember to flip Off the Master Switch, before a "loved one" goes up close to admire my plants

Have you seen the movie “Congo?”

Do that.

 

[Skinsfan1311]

So do they only go after vehicles that are inactive a long time ?
That would make sense for the ones that use vehicles to nest in, but I didn't think an "active" car would keep them from chewing the wires. They could just wait a few minutes for the engine to cool



I remember hearing that story and how the guy was painted (no pun intended) to be cruel person.
Thanks for sharing the backstory to that - it makes much more sense now.
Do you know if the information was shared, regarding how far away he had to relocate the squirrels, before they stopped returning ?



What blows my mind is how some places consider them a "protected species"
I mean how can something so massively plentiful, as well as massively destructive, qualify as protected species ?

I feel the same way about those fucking Canadian geese., They're everywhere and shit on everything...

 

[Mickalino]

Have you seen the movie “Congo?”

Do that.

Have not. But thanks for the recommendation. Saved me a trip to the "great movies" thread

 

[Voice_of_Reason]

Have not. But thanks for the recommendation. Saved me a trip to the "great movies" thread

Oh. It’s not a great movie. It’s a pretty bad movie from the 90’s.

But they have a laser triggered machine gun defense system which might be helpful in your situation.

 

[RedWolf]

Timid responses...

 

[Ashburn Dave]

Congo is a fun movie if you don't take it too seriously. Just remember that "They are watching you".