D*MN Brooklyn Squirrels
I shooed a nasty, big squirrel out of our apple tree hoping that a single apple makes it to maturity instead of every single one ending up as snack food for rodents, and now for the second time a squirrel (I am not naming names, but I’m pretty sure it’s payback) has chewed through a…
I shooed a nasty, big squirrel out of our apple tree hoping that a single apple makes it to maturity instead of every single one ending up as snack food for rodents, and now for the second time a squirrel (I am not naming names, but I’m pretty sure it’s payback) has chewed through a string of globe lights that we have up along a chain-link fence. D*amn squirrels. Any suggestions for how I can prevent this from happening yet again, as in something I could hang near the lights that would keep them away? We’ve thought about getting a BB gun and serving squirrel stew at our next potluck, but I’d be too tempted to use it on loud drunk people rolling down my street at 1AM who think it’s cool to yell and disturb our sleep. Or I may just leave the lights plugged in all day so the next time the varmint tries it he gets fried. But I’m open to more humane suggestions. Thanks.
Oh wow. I was wondering where all “my” squirrels went. I have a huge Norway maple that used to be squirrel central for Fort Greene. One got into my house last year, causing 2,000 dollars worth of damage. I was stunned, mesmerized to see what damage one crazed squirrel could do. There is a long, very crazy story here, but I’ll spare you. They have also eaten lillies, dug up bulbs, scratched up the garden and generally have been a major pain in my ass. But there seem to be less this year and they left my lillies alone. Unfortunately squirrels in Brooklyn rule. Somebody told me that Riddex (which emits high pitched sound) will keep them away from your yard, but I never tried it.
You don’t have to nail the collar into the tree – you can just clamp it on.
Also, you can put a few mothballs into old stockings & hang them around the tree branches.
hey goodprospect,
donʻt listen to those others who would give up their apples to the rodent mob! hereʻs what you do.
make sure that the canopy of the apple tree is clear. no opportunity for squirrel to jump into the branches. (we donʻt have flying squirrel here yet, so i would guess that 5 feet(?) is sufficient on the low end. this may require some tuning.
then, and hereʻs the critical part.
get some flashing from the hardware store and nail it to the trunk at a point on the trunk higher than the rodents can jump.
little rascals claws will slippy slip and you will have more apples than you can stand.
youʻre welcome.
So sorry about the squirrels. There is really nothing you can do. Trap and release doesn’t work — new ones move in almost immediately. Dog/cat/tiger/wolf/dinosaur urine/blood/teeth won’t work either. Hanging shiny CDs from the tree won’t work. Hot pepper doesn’t work. Nothing works except the obvious, which you have wisely chosen to avoid. If you plant tulips and crocuses (which they love) or daffodils (which they hate, but never remember that until after they’ve taken a bite out of the bulb), cover the planted area with chicken wire. Unfortunately, it’s not feasible to cover a tree in chicken wire. I used to have a peach tree — same thing: one bite out of every peach right before they were ripe. I recommend enjoying the apple tree for its lovely blossoms and gnarly shape and picking up the bitten apples from the ground, cut out the bitten part and turn the rest into applesauce.
Just got back from a week away to find EVERY SINGLE APPLE on my tree gone. I had surrounded the tree with bird netting, but they found a way in through the chain link in the back. I’m ready to declare war. Critter Ridder doesn’t work. They treat it like a condiment.
they’re squirrels. the apples are theirs as much as yours.
HEY GOOD PROSPECT YOU SHOULD PURCHASE A PRODUCT BY THE NAME OF CRITTER RIDDER ITS A NATURAL DETERANT. DO THEY LIVE IN THE TREE? YOU CAN ALSO LOOK INTO BUYING URINE OF A PREDATOR AND PUT IT AROUND THE TREE IF ALL FAIL HIRE A PROFESSIONAL TO TRAP AND REMOVE THEM PERMANITLY.
You’re luckly they’re content with the apples and haven’t chewed their way into the house. I’ve heard that cinnamon keeps them away (and it goes well with apples).
Maybe it’s because of a mild winter that there are so many around, enough to make stew for all of Brooklyn.