Grey Squirrels Driving Me Crazy!

[Enchanted Sunrise Farms]

i truly appreciate your kindness, even though we seem to be currently at odds. i have observed some fairly frenetic mating amongst the grey squirrels, so they most likely have started teeny families up in our pine trees. That may be why they are so bold and relentless in coming after food. They have at times gotten into the big girl pen, but not so worried there. Those big girls could take them easy in a fight. It's the little kids i'm worried about.

And, if they would just eat their daily ration of peanuts i put out, that would be one thing. But they hide those and then come after the chicken feed. i have tiny peanut plants sprouting up all over. Maybe i need to borrow my sister's dogs for a week or so. Her little schipperke would love to spend all day chasing them out of my yard.

 

[Akane]

Here in Colorado the red squirrels are the problem. They beat up and chase off the nicer little black squirrels. They are evil tree rats.

Actually the black squirrels are not their own species. They are a color form of one of the other squirrel species.

Here is an article on how the black version of the grey squirrel got started:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/05/18/AR2005051802251.html

I've also seen black squirrels with red tails and every shade and variation in between because they are the same species. I believe the ones I've seen are fox squirrels. Grey squirrels are US natives and there are native red/brown squirrels in both the US and UK along with a variety of species in the US. I do not believe any of these are originally black.

A listing of native squirrel and chipmunk species:
http://www.backyardnature.net/squrrls.htm​

 

[enola]

Fox squirrels and grey squirrels are not the same variety of the squirrel species. Fox squirrels are much larger than gray squirrels.

 

[OrpingtonManor]

I think we have the same kind of squirrels. My coop is secure, so I don't have problems with them in the chicken feed. I have never been inclined to feed them (or the birds) because there is plenty of foodstuff available in the wild. Feeding them definitely brings more of them. They will not stay on their own side of the yard.

My problem with them seems to be that they want to strip my fruit trees of every piece of fruit long before it ripens. I wouldn't even mind if they ate what they picked, but they just seem to rip the fruit to shreds in a frenzied OCD kind of way, piece after piece after piece.

My neighbor tried trapping and releasing them, but gave up after relocating more than 60 squirrels, and not seeing any improvement.

I am taking the low-tech garden hose approach. For me, that seems to be working, although I have to keep at it constantly. I may try netting the trees, or at least a portion of the trees. We can't shoot them here because it is a residential neighborhood. Otherwise, my DSO would be bringing me squirrel meat daily. I like co-existing with the animals. The does and fawns are here cleaning up the fruit from the squirrel party, and that is fine. I have to plant with the wildlife in mind. However, the squirrels have become quite parasitic to the landscape. Good luck, however you decide to solve this.

 

[FaithAnn]

They are persistent pest and there is little you can do to keep them away from somewhere they think food is present....

We use the rat poison d-con. Put it in places that only they can get to and it works wonders....that and a .22

 

[Akane]

I'm not saying fox and grey are the same species. I'm saying black are not their own species. They are a color morph of one of the others like the fox or grey.

 

[Ladyhawke1]

I have had some success with vinegar in a squirt bottle. In fact on my next shopping spree, I am going to look for a well made long distance squirt gun. My squirt bottle is pretty accurate and when the little buggers get it in their eyes, they go “nuts”. This gives them something to think about without any permanent damage. Licking the vinegar off their fur must really taste good too.

 

[toredano]

Only time we ever put a dent in the flying rat population,is to kill `em, skin `em and eat them. For a few years now with the drought and alot of storms ect, the polulation has gone down. Plus my 4 cats are pretty good at catching the young ones and babies.Only ones i try to not get rid of is the cute little ground and flying squirrels. The flying squirrels are only out at night so usualy my cats dotn get to them.
Or hang a few dead ones around the perimeter, maybe the others will get the drift?
Why not just pick em of one by one?
And you can eat them to boot..

 

[BantyRooster]

The blacks are the same species as the greys, just a color phase.

You can relax the squirrels wont steal your chicks, they are not meat eaters.

If it really bothers you that much you can fill a 5 gallon bucket 1/3 full with water and float a couple inches of black oiler seeds on top. The squirrels will find it and try to get the seeds, fall in and that's that. The trap has to be changed after ever squirrel, so it can be pretty expensive and not sure if it's legal in your area. Large Victor rat traps with peanut butter sprinkled with bird seed will eliminate a squirrel as well.

 

[Ladyhawke1]

Quote:
When times get tough.....I will consider a squirrel roast. I have been known to Shake'n' Bake Rattle Snake. Tastes just like chicken.