Squirrel damage...advice please

Cadillactaste · Aug 30, 2015

Assuming this is squirrel damage...the tree is on my main deck on a pub style table...found this today. Do I need to seal the wound.

Dav4 · Aug 30, 2015

Hmmm, not sure if that's squirrel damage or not. I've got loads of junipers and loads of squirrels and the squirrels never bother the junipers...any chance the branch split when it was bent? Anyway, you can seal if you like but it appears to be a fairly small wound and the juniper won't mind it much.

Mudroot · Aug 30, 2015

I have squirrels by the dozens. Or USED to.
I use a Beeman R-8 @ 830 FPS.
Tally so far this year....probly 10-12.

HERE they likc to dig out the roots. They will dig out the shallowest pot for nothing and the deeper ones get walnuts planted.

They'll bareroot half a tree and always while you're not looking.

Go outside and find which pots have soil scattered all to hell. I tried mechanic's cloth but it's a hassle.
And it looks awful. Snaggy stuff even if you try to trim to fit pot.

Geo · Aug 30, 2015

Chili powder won't work? Much less hassle than covers. And no corpses lying around. Can't say if it works though. No squirrels here: just Dengue mosquitoes, which put me at risk instead of the trees. Fine.

JoeR · Aug 30, 2015

Some thing -be it rats or squirrels- dig in and chew on my cuttings under my bench. I think its mice or rats but why would they dig in the soil my cuttings are in? They dont always eat the cuttings and the containers are very small for one thing.

Cadillactaste · Aug 30, 2015

Dav4 said:
Hmmm, not sure if that's squirrel damage or not. I've got loads of junipers and loads of squirrels and the squirrels never bother the junipers...any chance the branch split when it was bent? Anyway, you can seal if you like but it appears to be a fairly small wound and the juniper won't mind it much.

I wondered that...and pulled up a photo I took of it after I bent it. It's not damaged that I can see.

Geo · Aug 30, 2015

http://homeguides.sfgate.com/smells-squirrels-not-like-101186.html

Cadillactaste · Aug 30, 2015

Mudroot said:
I have squirrels by the dozens. Or USED to.
I use a Beeman R-8 @ 830 FPS.
Tally so far this year....probly 10-12.

HERE they likc to dig out the roots. They will dig out the shallowest pot for nothing and the deeper ones get walnuts planted.

They'll bareroot half a tree and always while you're not looking.

Go outside and find which pots have soil scattered all to hell. I tried mechanic's cloth but it's a hassle.
And it looks awful. Snaggy stuff even if you try to trim to fit pot.

Sorry to hear you have a tally running of issues.

I've no soil scattered about. I have no clue what did it...assumed a squirrel or chimpmunk. Though they really don't ever come up onto the deck. In the 24 years here I think I seen maybe two on the deck. It's our upper level...a story off the ground. But, we've had acorns dropping...so maybe to collect a few up here? No clue...glad it didn't touch my bougainvillea, Serissa, and shimpaku. Which also are there. Honestly...it's almost like it happened when I was gone for two days (one night) I don't recall seeing it when I watered. So my tropicals were in the greenhouse then with cold temps at night.

Desert Rat · Aug 30, 2015

It looks like the branch is at a more severe angle now. Did you bump/fiddle with it? I'm thinking it is a split.

Cadillactaste · Aug 30, 2015

Desert Rat said:
It looks like the branch is at a more severe angle now. Did you bump/fiddle with it? I'm thinking it is a split.

I think it's just turned at a slightly different angle maybe? ...unless someone messed with it when my son has his over nighter. But I can't see them messing with its shape. Unless they knocked it off. But it's stuck in a ceramic bonsai pot. (To help keep it from blowing over in strong winds) The pot isn't damaged that I know of...will check it later. I did ask if it had been accidently knocked over. He said no one was really out on that deck...they hung out on the back patio. (Sun beats down so hard out there on the front deck and more seating out back.)

I know I've not tweaked it in the least, I'll check tomorrow if I can find this angle the first was taken with. If I can't locate it. Someone messed with it...but who!?! I had college kids here. It's not like they are little. Puzzled...but it makes more sense than a squirrel.

M. Frary · Aug 30, 2015

The plot thickens.

Cadillactaste · Aug 31, 2015

Changed the angle of the photo...it has to be chewed...it's the same shape. Nothing off at all. No chips or cracks in the pot. The feeders out back where I feed them was also empty upon my return...so need to make sure I have them fed and happy outback to leave my trees alone.

jk_lewis · Aug 31, 2015

Tree looks fine to me.

What I'm wondering is what that wire is supposed to be doing.

Cadillactaste · Aug 31, 2015

jkl said:
Tree looks fine to me.

What I'm wondering is what that wire is supposed to be doing.

That wire was put on by the late owner...he is now deceast. When I received the tree it was on it and I just bent it using the wire on it. This is how it turned out. Not sure why it reacted as it did when I bent the tree. But, it does look odd I think it's the way he wrapped it around a branch leaving a larger space? I didn't notice it until after I bent it. I thought...no sense in having a poker straight tree with wire on it. Thought to see if it would hold a bent shape...and it did. Even though it does look a bit strange at the one area.

Thanks Jim...other than a chunk chewed from the trunk. It seems healthy enough. Not sure when the chunk was chewed...or if it would effect the tree without being sealed.

jk_lewis · Aug 31, 2015

I suggest wire cutters and careful snipping of the wire. Then, if the tree needs it, do your own wiring.

Brian Van Fleet · Aug 31, 2015

You can see the callus has halfway covered the wound now. I wouldn't do anything, it's taking care of itself.
Fwiw, I'm with Dave, this is what it looks like when wire doesn't support the outside of a bend, and the branch splits.

Brian Van Fleet · Aug 31, 2015

jkl said:
I suggest wire cutters and careful snipping of the wire. Then, if the tree needs it, do your own wiring.

I would absolutely not do this. Leave it alone. The wire isn't cutting in, and may be supporting the weight of the foliage.
Let it heal...it's almost there. Intervention at this point is foolish and unnecessary.

Cadillactaste · Aug 31, 2015

Brian Van Fleet said:
You can see the callus has halfway covered the wound now. I wouldn't do anything, it's taking care of itself.
Fwiw, I'm with Dave, this is what it looks like when wire doesn't support the outside of a bend, and the branch splits.

So I may have unintentionally done this...and it didn't happen the moment I snapped the photo after bending...but, shortly afterwards. From wire not supporting the bend. That makes sense...I had turned it to allow the sun to reach the back...and this was facing away from me for awhile. So it's healing...good to know. It seems healthy...so I will leave it be. Glad it's not from critters! Thanks...for explaining.

Cadillactaste · Sep 1, 2015

My bougainvillea...(moved to another location. Hoping the backyard where the bird feeding station is...will deter squirrel from chewing my trees. So far the ones out there seem safe.)

Dav4 · Sep 1, 2015

Now that looks like squirrel damage...

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