[NatureNS] Squirrel Dilemma

From: "Paul S. Boyer" <psboyer@eastlink.ca>
Date: Tue, 13 Nov 2012 20:08:42 -0500
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I assume that you are speaking of the Red Squirrel.  They are ingenious =
house-invaders,  We had two who managed to find their way into our house =
a few years ago.  They would appear on the indoor stairs, or in the =
basement room, and sit looking at us, as if surprised that we were in =
their place.  They collect food (mainly seeds) and create a supply =
called a midden.  That is their sustenance for the winter.  Our =
squirrels stole food from the kitchen, and carried it two storeys up =
into the attic, and started neatly storing it under the pillow of a bed =
there.

I found that Red Squirrels can be caught in a squirrel-size Hav-a-Hart =
trap (available at good hardware stores).  The squirrels are suckers for =
peanut butter.  Then you have a choice: drown the squirrel, or deport =
him.  A squirrel can return if released closer than  7 km.  I am not =
certain about the legality of releasing such trapped animals: should =
check on that.  This, however, may be no favour to the squirrel if =
winter is approaching, because they cannot survive without their midden.

Eventually, we learned by watching where the squirrels were gaining =
access, and screened them out with galvanized hardware cloth, the size =
with 1/4-inch mesh.    That is the size which also will keep out Deer =
Mice (Peromyscus maniculatus).  I have tested this!  I found the skull =
of a Deer Mouse, and tried fitting it through 1/4-inch hardware cloth, =
and it will not go.  So, if the skull won't fit, neither can the whole =
animal get through.  If you are screening out rodents like squirrels, =
might as well also keep out the mice!

Red Squirrels are occasional predators on the eggs and young of birds, =
particularly cavity nesters.

Paul Boyer
Seabright


On 12 Nov 2012, at 7:20 PM, Helene Van Doninck =
<helene.birdvet@gmail.com> wrote:

> JS, great squirrel name :)
> Helene
>=20
> On Nov 12, 2012 8:14 PM, "Henk Kwindt" <cbatl@eastlink.ca> wrote:
> Hi Gayle,
>=20
> I have used a rat trap (which is basically a large version of an old =
fashioned mouse trap), baited with peanut butter, successfully.
> The problem I have with using a pellet gun is that there is a good =
chance that it will not kill the animal instantly and could thus crawl =
to a place somewhere in the house to die, probably where you can't get =
at it.
> Good luck!
> Henk Kwindt, Cow Bay,NS.
>=20
> ----- Original Message ----- From: <duartess@ns.sympatico.ca>
> To: "Naturelist" <naturens@chebucto.ns.ca>
> Sent: Monday, November 12, 2012 1:28 PM
> Subject: [NatureNS] Squirrel Dilemma
>=20
>=20
> Somewhat off-topic but does anyone have experience & success in =
ridding a house of a recent infestation of squirrels that are making =
their way into the house and now seem to be coming and going, as they =
please. They have found a way to get in through a hole in the ground =
that follows a pipe from the oil tank. In chatting with an exterminator =
acquaintance, my friend was told that, at this time of year, you =
probably don't have a hope in h--l of getting them out of the house.
> Admittedly, he has been picking them off, one by one with his son's =
pellet gun. Has dispatched 3 so far, as they are heading for the hole =
under the oil tank. The exterminator also said if you have seen 3 there =
are probably 10! Would coyote urine pellets work?
> Does anyone have suggestions? Ugh! Squirrels in the house is not a =
good thing!!
>=20
> Many thanks,
>=20
> Gayle MacLean
> Dartmouth
>=20
>=20
> -----
> No virus found in this message.
> Checked by AVG - www.avg.com
> Version: 2012.0.2221 / Virus Database: 2441/5388 - Release Date: =
11/11/12
>=20
>=20


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<html><head><meta http-equiv=3D"Content-Type" content=3D"text/html =
charset=3Diso-8859-1"></head><body style=3D"word-wrap: break-word; =
-webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: after-white-space; ">I =
assume that you are speaking of the Red Squirrel. &nbsp;They are =
ingenious house-invaders, &nbsp;We had two who managed to find their way =
into our house a few years ago. &nbsp;They would appear on the indoor =
stairs, or in the basement room, and sit looking at us, as if surprised =
that we were in <i>their</i> place. &nbsp;They collect food (mainly =
seeds) and create a supply called a midden. &nbsp;That is their =
sustenance for the winter. &nbsp;Our squirrels stole food from the =
kitchen, and carried it two storeys up into the attic, and started =
neatly storing it under the pillow of a bed there.<div><br></div><div>I =
found that Red Squirrels can be caught in a squirrel-size Hav-a-Hart =
trap (available at good hardware stores). &nbsp;The squirrels are =
suckers for peanut butter. &nbsp;Then you have a choice: drown the =
squirrel, or deport him. &nbsp;A squirrel can return if released closer =
than &nbsp;7 km. &nbsp;I am not certain about the legality of releasing =
such trapped animals: should check on that. &nbsp;This, however, may be =
no favour to the squirrel if winter is approaching, because they cannot =
survive without their midden.</div><div><br></div><div>Eventually, we =
learned by watching where the squirrels were gaining access, and =
screened them out with galvanized hardware cloth, the size with 1/4-inch =
mesh. &nbsp; &nbsp;That is the size which also will keep out Deer Mice =
(<i>Peromyscus maniculatus</i>). &nbsp;I have tested this! &nbsp;I found =
the skull of a Deer Mouse, and tried fitting it through 1/4-inch =
hardware cloth, and it will not go. &nbsp;So, if the skull won't fit, =
neither can the whole animal get through. &nbsp;If you are screening out =
rodents like squirrels, might as well also keep out the =
mice!</div><div><br></div><div>Red Squirrels are occasional predators on =
the eggs and young of birds, particularly cavity =
nesters.</div><div><br></div><div>Paul =
Boyer</div><div>Seabright</div><div><br></div><div><br><div><div>On 12 =
Nov 2012, at 7:20 PM, Helene Van Doninck &lt;<a =
href=3D"mailto:helene.birdvet@gmail.com">helene.birdvet@gmail.com</a>&gt; =
wrote:</div><br class=3D"Apple-interchange-newline"><blockquote =
type=3D"cite"><p>JS, great squirrel name :)<br>
Helene</p>
<div class=3D"gmail_quote">On Nov 12, 2012 8:14 PM, "Henk Kwindt" &lt;<a =
href=3D"mailto:cbatl@eastlink.ca">cbatl@eastlink.ca</a>&gt; wrote:<br =
type=3D"attribution"><blockquote class=3D"gmail_quote"