I HATE SQUIRRELS! AND THEY ARE NOT CUTE!

[invalidsession]

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Same thing out here, we have ample trees and bushes bearing enough fruit to make the squirrels happy, they are a bigger PITA in more developed areas though. A friend of mines neighbour in Chicago constantly feeds the little beggars and consequently they are inundated with the things. They chew into garbage bags, eat dog food from the bowls and generally make a royal mess of the whole area. Much like pigeons, they are dirty and racked with disease in city areas.

 

[Chickenaddict]

Around these parts we call them Tree rats. When we lived in the city between tree rats and racoons they tore apart the roof of our old house and costed us 10 grand!!! We had to completely tear off the whole roof and redo it all. 2 years ago i spent ALOT of money on different types of tulips, hundreds of bulbs i planted. I got 5 flowers this year, they dug up the rest of those bulbs. We put out scratch grains with black oil sunflower seeds for the chickens along with waterers because they spend the entire day free ranging. The tree rats have become good buddies with the chickens and often can be seen eating and drinking with them. I unleash my 20 lb clawless cat on them. She almost caught one but it flew up a tree and cussed her out, even threw a nutshell at her head. I once seen a video of a contraption called a squirrel launcher, I'm now thinking about making one myself, sure would save gas on relocating them....

ETA : the squirrel launcher is NOT intended to harm but to easily relocate the said squirrel without having to go thru the whole trapping and driving somewhere else to relocate

 

[vtsarahb]

squirrels are jerks. there is one scuffling around under the eaves of my house- he's about to get evicted!

 

[jjthink]

I love squirrels and could tell so many endearing stories about them if I wasn't racing on some work deadlines. Yes, they took up residence in my outbuilding this winter (in which my bird's house resides) and made quite the mess that will take me a lot of time to clean up, but I like them anyway. They work hard, they play hard, they are innovative and they problem solve like nobody's business. They are incredible moms - I have seen squirrel moms go to extraordinary lengths to protect their babies. Squirrels have taken over my purple martin house, remodeled the interior to create an open floor plan, have group hugs on the roof, and I watch the babies play like crazy, darting in and out of one 'apartment' door to the next, sometimes being little smart @ss&s bopping a brother or sister on the head in good fun when they stick their head out of a window below them. I wish I had a video camera.

Someone sent me this this very morning, coincidentally.
http://www.philly.com/philly/blogs/pets/

JJ

Edited to say p.s. I don't understand the propensity of some people to think the solution is to kill without reservation that which simply irritates or mildly inconveniences them.

 

[Davaroo]

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I tend to agree with you, in that some people do let their emotions carry them away.
But for most, its a control thing.

Those with the "propensity," as you put it, prefer to maintain control over their hard won efforts. Most are not against God's "free-spirited" creatures, as long as they remain where they belong.

But when these same people adopt livestock or property into their lives, they normally understand that it comes with the requirement to maintain them to their purpose - and not have their work spoiled by random elements.

Squirrels, rats, foxes, hawks, owls, raccoons, cats dogs.. all these serve to spoil the orderly effect they are striving for. Dead livestock or pets, costly property damage or loss and disease are rarely seen as irritating, minor inconveniences by these same people.

It sums up best like this: Wild creatures are at their best when they remain in the wild.


Typically, the best way to ensure this proper placement is to teach them to avoid human habitation. Its a constant battle... one we lose if we do not remain vigilant.

 

[jjthink]

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Agreed, and why I was very careful to say "simply irritates or mildly inconveniences", because unfortunately there are many whose response is to kill even though they have no "dead livestock or pets, costly property damage or loss and disease".

JJ

 

[Chicks_N_Horses]

Squirrels not cute?

LOL They are too cute as can be!

My husband likes squirrel gravy

 

[Im4Eggcellence]

OK all you squirrel bashers

Don't go painting all squirrels with the same bushy tail! Have you ever seen a Douglas Tree squirrel - a shy, reclusive little guy that lives in the deep forests of the PNW?

Now they truly are cute!

 

[birdlover]

Don't get me started on CHIPMUNKS!!!!! GRRRRRR! They ate every single strawberry off my plants as soon as they came out of hibernation.

 

[Im4Eggcellence]

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A chipmunk is just a high-performance squirrel with racing stripes...