No sure where to put this (squirrels)

[Sky-Lights]

Ok , first , let me excuse myself if I placed this in the wrong section :oops:

Now , my problem and question is :

Do any of you have problems with squirrels gnawing on your lights ( or actually , the wires in between them )

if yes , what is YOUR solution to this pesky problem that folks think are sooooo cutesy ( but in reality , nothing more than over sized tree rats )

[ppohlman]

Maybe a little pellet gun and some hot squirrel stew on the weekends.

Sorry, I don't have a squirrel problem where I live.

[omzig]

I have heard about using hot sauce as a repellent, but I have also heard from a few people that it doesn't work very well.

I haven't had a problem with my lights, but I have had problems with chipmunks eating through my pool cover while it's stored in my shed. This Spring I put it in a large plastic bin and added a bunch of moth balls because I have heard that chipmunks/squirrels can't stand them. It definitely works! Sure enough, as I figured, the chipmunks chewed through the plastic bin, but there was no damage to the pool cover. Apparently the smell inside the container was too much for them.

[Wayne J]

I got hit hit once by them also. Not much you can do IMO.


There was a discussion about it last year though.
http://doityourselfchristmas.com/forums/showthread.php?t=5229

[jmksparks]

CATS, three of them, two male one female, the males have removed nearly all rodents and flying objects from around our house. Sorry but they are on loan to my nieghbours. Thier outside dirt tray is now frozen so they are using nieghbours sand pits !! John.

[omzig]

CATS, three of them, two male one female, the males have removed nearly all rodents and flying objects from around our house. Sorry but they are on loan to my neighbors. Their outside dirt tray is now frozen so they are using neighbors sand pits !! John.Maybe we just don't have enough of them to cover the area, but cats have helped a little, but definitely not eliminated our chipmunk/mole/mouse problem. We don't have any cats but our neighbor has two outdoor cats that seem to spend more time in our yard than his. Earlier this year, it was quite entertaining watching the cats chasing the chipmunks around the yard. I think that the chipmunks figured out that they were faster than the cats, so it seemed that they were taunting them. The only way that the cats could come close to catching them was to hide and stalk.

[deplanche]

When putting away my halloween lights, I noticed several wires that were exposed. Thought at first the plastic might have just gotten old and cracked after being outside, but when I noticed some of the copper was broken too, determined it must be some type of critter. Luckily they got hungry after the display was done.

[tfischer]

Just out of curiosity, has anyone had lights up in trees hit, or just lights near the ground? I've been seeing more squirrels than usual this year, and am a little worried...

[Sky-Lights]

How about ON the house !

[Tom3982s]

Cats can help, other than that good luck, not much you can do...

[Jdwagner888]

im not sure if its exactly legal. but i know a guy really well who does a display. he actualy lives with me and is here right now! oh wait. u get the point. he scatters moth balls throughout the yard. keeps all critters out.

[D4rknessxkilla]

pellet gun. its legal but only shoot them if there on the ground.. if there up in a tree and not eating up your display whats the point at the tree hugging ones? use the range pellets (their pointed)

Or leave the power on full for a few days and let them nibble on it :lol:

[omzig]

...he scatters moth balls throughout the yard. keeps all critters out.hmm...where have I heard this before?

[Sky-Lights]

Or leave the power on full for a few days and let them nibble on it

this would be a good idea , but , they would have to be on the ground while nibbling , otherwise , no shock . ( and they don't seem to want to nibble that area

[NogginBoink]

Perhaps keep a live trap (use a cracker with peanut butter as bait) around and hope they go for the trap before the cable?

Call your city's animal control department; they'll likely pick up and dispose of the live animal for you if you trap it.

[ripbme]

I know it sounds crazy, but put up a squirrel feeder away from the lights for the season. They will go after the free food and leave your lights alone.

[dirknerkle]

I know it sounds crazy, but put up a squirrel feeder away from the lights for the season. They will go after the free food and leave your lights alone.


This sort of comment proves that the most obvious solution is sometimes the most difficult one to muster.


What a great idea! :D

[Wayne J]

Don't bite the hand that feeds you. ;)

[ripbme]

Well, I thought of this right away because I have a squirrel feeder to keep them from getting into the bird feeders! My backyard is basically a forest.

[Michael]

I appease the wire chewing monsters, offering them fresh ears of corn daily on the back side of the house. So far it seems to have worked. I did loose one main feeder cord, but the rabbit that chewed it provided an alternate ground path. I made sure to remove it when the kids were not around.

- Michael

[WireWrap]

I appease the wire chewing monsters, offering them fresh ears of corn daily on the back side of the house. So far it seems to have worked. I did loose one main feeder cord, but the rabbit that chewed it provided an alternate ground path. I made sure to remove it when the kids were not around.

- Michael

Truely a hare-raising (Heavenward) tail on the need for GFCIs. :evil: :evil: :evil:


:)

[disneynut]

Since I put two squirrel feeder in the trees and two on the grounds, no wires have been chewed on plus they don't go after my bird feeder anymore. I think the two dogs running around helps too.