Family Homeless Because Of Squirrel

The Unseen Predator: The Carnivorous Side of Squirrels​

While primarily herbivorous, squirrels exhibit opportunistic carnivorous tendencies. They occasionally consume:

  • Insects: Grasshoppers, caterpillars, beetles, and other invertebrates.
  • Eggs: Bird eggs, reptile eggs.
  • Small vertebrates: Baby birds, fledgling rodents, and even small snakes.
  • Carrion: Decomposing animal remains, especially when other food is scarce.
 
Owlivia said:
@IrishEyes Thanks for the baffle info.

How tall is the pole your baffle is on? I bought one of these baffles last year, but the pole is 7 ft high and the directions said to put the baffle up 4-5 ft. Looking at that, it was close to the bottom of the feeders, so I returned it and bought the dome.

I may get single feeder poles, mine have the decorative arms at the top so two feeders hang off one pole. I just don't want to get on a ladder to refill the feeders if the pole is much higher.

The squirrels are just now coming out of hibernation, with all this snow, the feeders were safe. Will start to check the feeders for squirrels. Hopefully the snow will all be melted in a few days and will make it easier to go out to the feeders.
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I have both types single and double and used all but one pole so I can reach the feeders to fill them. The double pole I did have to move
to a spot far enough away from anything they can jump from to get to the feeder. Once they learned they can not get to the feeder
because the torpedo baffle won't let them climb to the feeder they began jumping over to land on the domes I had OVER the feeders. I used crisco grease on the domes and they slid off but that was messy so I just moved that pole further out in a clearing. I never use all the poles, it's too high , as you said. The baffle is about 1.5 feet from the bottom of the feeders underneath. It's funny to watch them go into the baffle and come out all confused.
 
squatting dog said:
Squirrels are just rats with cute fur. No need to tell me how destructive they can be. :cry:



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So sorry for your terrible loss. Thanks for sharing your pics.

Brookswood said:
Actually, the real villain in my scenario is the person who feeds the squirrels in my neighborhood. That has taught them to expect food from humans, and reduced their fear. The things will come right up to my rear door and look at me expecting food! Instead they get my pots being banged near their head. Soon, they may get a small stone in the backside, if I get my slingshot.
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Yes, it's difficult not to feed them until you have a tragedy caused by one.
 
Brookswood said:
I have squirrels who visit my back patio. They drop squirrel food all over the patio. Somebody in the neighborhood feeds them so the squirrels keep hanging around. They dig up my planter boxes and pots looking for food or burying it. They are all too familiar with humans and have no fear (yet!) of humans.

I am thinking of getting a slingshot and practicing using it with the squirrels as a target.
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Get a good BB/pellet rifle and hunting pellets... I shoot every tree rat that come near our house.
 
DailyArtsyCrafter said:
Why do they chew on the wires? I know that RV and auto wires are wrapped in soy material. Rats think it's food and that's why they are quick to chew on them. The auto industry won't find another material for wires, as I understand it. It's a serious problem when vandwelling/camping/boondocking. Constant vigilance, keeping hoods propped open, sprays, powders, drowning devices, lights, etc.
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Squirrels chew on wires because they are rodents -- always chewing something to keep their teeth ground down. Mice do the same thing -- it is especially a problem in winter when it is cold. They got into a friend's van and lived there. I do not want to imagine the mess that created.
 
Brookswood said:
Actually, the real villain in my scenario is the person who feeds the squirrels in my neighborhood. That has taught them to expect food from humans, and reduced their fear. The things will come right up to my rear door and look at me expecting food! Instead they get my pots being banged near their head. Soon, they may get a small stone in the backside, if I get my slingshot.
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But it's much more dangerous with bears. Some people also feed them.
 
Back to the house fire---if the fellow had just paid off his mortgage 2 days before, he would have had to cancel his mortgage insurance at the same time. Mortgage insurance is required to have a mortgage...and he would have had to contact the insurer to stop it if he wanted to save money. If he could have afforded the mortgage, then surely he could have been able to afford the insurance after the pay off....this has been going around the net for several months. It is a scam.
 
@IrishEyes Thanks for sharing what you have re the feeder poles. Where I placed the poles would be about a 12-15 foot leap from porch roof to feeder, which may be (hope) that's a bit too far for squirrel to feeder contact.

I will rethink the torpedo baffle if I see any squirrels able to joyride the dome to reach the feeder. I hope the peppermint oil will keep the squirrels away, and I do respray when I remember as I refill the feeders.

I saw tips about putting pieces of Irish Spring Soap around the bottom of the pole atop the soil, but, that's just getting washed away in the rain so didn't do that. Plus, some birds eat the fallen seed and don't want soap on the seeds.

Peppermint, because of the menthol is dangerous to bird lungs, so I am careful to keep the spray away from the feeders. Another top was to plant mint, but I'd have to put that in pots as it is a self seeder and rapidly spreads, and don't want that all over the islands where my shrubs and flowers live.

I've seen some youtube videos of homemade torpedo type baffles and the squirrels are not able to reach the feeders, those videos show how persistent the squirrels are!
 
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