Squirrels and Chipmunks oh my!

[M. Frary]

Does any know a good squirrel/ chipmunk deterrent ? Our cat disappeared this winter( probably coyotes ) . Any way the cat kept them down but since he"s gone I could use some advice to keep squirrels and chipmunks off of my trees.

 

[Mellow Mullet]

Good Luck! They are a menace (squirrels), I have tried everything and after they ate the roots off of my jade tree root-over-rock, chewed the bark off of a bald cypress, ate a japanese maple, and ate the tops out of the watermelons that sprouted in the garden, I have resorted to trapping and killing them with a pellet gun.

John

 

[Poink88]

Does any know a good squirrel/ chipmunk deterrent ? Our cat disappeared this winter( probably coyotes ) . Any way the cat kept them down but since he"s gone I could use some advice to keep squirrels and chipmunks off of my trees.

How about getting another cat?

 

[M. Frary]

My wife doesn't want another cat because she was attached to it. I figured I would have to resort to trapping and shooting them because they are into everything.

 

[rockm]

The problem with trying to elminate squirrels is that they are rodents that breed like no tomorrow. Catch or kill one, you make it easier for another to take its place. There are literally a never-ending supply.

The best way to prevent (and it's not all that prevatable) damage is to make your trees unattractive to them. Sharp soil ingredients like pumice and crushed granite can cut their little paws. A sprinkler tied to a motion detector can startle them (for a while).

 

[M. Frary]

Figured out the squirrel problem. We had a skunk in our garage last spring so my wife called a trapper friend of ours. He said we could trap or shoot it to get out but it would probably spray. He suggested using mothballs to get it out. Just tossed them in and left the door open. The skunk left and never came back. So I placed some around my trees and around the back yard. They seem to be working great. Time will tell.

 

[bonsaibp]

A pellet gun is pretty satisfying if not too effective.

 

[Beng]

So I placed some around my trees and around the back yard. They seem to be working great. Time will tell.

Skunks or Mothballs?

 

[Dirty Nails]

Odd...I have a backyard full of squirrels and 50+ bonsai in various stages. They never touch them. They seem far more interested in my bird feeders and 3 huge black walnut trees. I kind of like them because over the course of the winter they eat the 1000's of walnuts that rain down on my lawn and garden.

 

[Paradox]

My trees are on the back deck in the fenced in back yard. Since we moved in, we have had dogs that have free access to that yard. Whenever the squirrels made the mistake of venturing into the yard, they had to subsequently run for their lives up a tree or up the fence. A couple of times (that we know of) they barely escaped. The squirrels have learned that its not a good idea to come into that yard.

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

We have a dog, which is probably a deterrent, but I rarely have a problem with squirrels digging, though they're everywhere in the yard. Part of my garden is under the shade of a prolific old white oak, and occasionally they bury an acorn or two.

FWIW, I've noticed they only dig in the trees without fertilizer cakes (made from Plant-tone).

 

[fourteener]

I fell victim to my love of feeding birds. All of that sunflower seed was too tempting for the squirrels. I went to squirrel proof feeders. That mostly helped, but some birds throw a lot of bird seed on the ground which puts me back to square one. I have found a bird feeders where the birds don't do that too much and at this point it is the only bird feeder I use. It attracts less birds and that is a bummer, but squirrels no longer bury their sunflower seeds in my pots.

An airsoft gun has also been fun.

 

[JudyB]

We also have tons of squirrels, and feed both them and the birds during the winter. They've not bothered the trees at all. They did at one point while I was using fish emulsion, but I don't anymore. We also have dogs, so maybe that's why, but I don't think it'd stop them trying if they wanted to.
Someone mentioned that Green Dream seemed to work as a deterrent to squirrels, I do use that, could be something to it?

 

[Dav4]

I have heard of some folks who will actually feed the squirrels on one side of the yard away from their trees. It seems counter productive to do this, but as long as the squirells are well fed, they seem less inclined to mess with the potted trees....or so I've heard. There are lots of oaks here on my property providing lots of food already, and, knock on wood, the local squirell population doesn't seem interested in my trees. Let's pray it stays that way.

 

[susieq14114]

squirrels

We live in the remains of an ancient pecan grove. For the last 40 years, I have killed hundreds of squirrels. They always wanted to bury their pecans in my bonsai pots, ripping out the tree in the process. I tried various repellants but nothing seemed to work so I just popped them with my pellet gun and that was that.

A friend who lived in a "nice" neighborhood, was having a similar problem. Squirrels digging his trees out of the pots to put the acorns in.... he couldn't use my method of extermination but he discovered an effective and silent way to kill the little buggers. He had some landscaping shrubs planted at the base of some of his oak trees, which turned out to be the perfect place to hide a rat trap baited with peanut butter. Worked like a charm. He'd wait until dusk to go check the trap, bag up the dead squirrel and put it out with the garbage.

 

[JudyB]

I certainly hope that some poor pet doesn't wander into your "territory" by accident.

 

[susieq14114]

squirrels

As long as it's not a squirrel and it stays out of my bonsai, all is well.

Actually, the pecan trees were about 150 years old and we had to start removing them as they declined. I only started shooting the pests when they were destructive and quit when they left things alone... We finally had to remove the last pecan tree in our yard, a year ago. Haven't actually had to kill a squirrel since then.....

But if something messes with a tree that I've spent half my life working on.....I'm going to put a stop to it, one way or another.

 

[JudyB]

I guess I was voicing more concern about the baited poison traps... That is not a good idea, not that I agree about people letting their pets loose, but occasionally it happens unintentionally...

 

[susieq14114]

squirrels...

I do agree about poison..... no matter how frustrated I get regarding destructive animal pests, I won't use poison out in the open....you have no control over what gets into it. In a closed area like our garage or work shops, rat poison is put out but not much else could get to it....

As far as the rat traps baited with peanut butter, other than rats or squirrels, it wouldn't hurt anything. Not many other creatures are drawn to peanut butter...except raccoons and they would just get a sore nose. But where I live, it's perfectly acceptable to use a pellet gun.

 

[GrimLore]

Figured out the squirrel problem. We had a skunk in our garage last spring so my wife called a trapper friend of ours. He said we could trap or shoot it to get out but it would probably spray. He suggested using mothballs to get it out. Just tossed them in and left the door open. The skunk left and never came back. So I placed some around my trees and around the back yard. They seem to be working great. Time will tell.

I did the same thing and rabbits moved in As for mothballs they are effective in most cases for a lot of things, I find to have good success with squirrels and voles in particular. In order to keep them completely away from the soil I have been placing the mothballs on a glass jar and putting a lot of small holes in the cover and laying it on its side. Try to never let them get into the earth, some states like California I think actually outlaw use of mothballs because they can cause problems.