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Index of Subjects
Index of Subjects --Apple-Mail=_6D4DE915-149B-4C56-AB2F-403FB30274D0 Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Content-Type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-1 I assume that you are speaking of the Red Squirrel. They are ingenious = house-invaders, We had two who managed to find their way into our house = a few years ago. They would appear on the indoor stairs, or in the = basement room, and sit looking at us, as if surprised that we were in = their place. They collect food (mainly seeds) and create a supply = called a midden. That is their sustenance for the winter. Our = squirrels stole food from the kitchen, and carried it two storeys up = into the attic, and started neatly storing it under the pillow of a bed = there. I found that Red Squirrels can be caught in a squirrel-size Hav-a-Hart = trap (available at good hardware stores). The squirrels are suckers for = peanut butter. Then you have a choice: drown the squirrel, or deport = him. A squirrel can return if released closer than 7 km. I am not = certain about the legality of releasing such trapped animals: should = check on that. This, however, may be no favour to the squirrel if = winter is approaching, because they cannot survive without their midden. Eventually, we learned by watching where the squirrels were gaining = access, and screened them out with galvanized hardware cloth, the size = with 1/4-inch mesh. That is the size which also will keep out Deer = Mice (Peromyscus maniculatus). I have tested this! I found the skull = of a Deer Mouse, and tried fitting it through 1/4-inch hardware cloth, = and it will not go. So, if the skull won't fit, neither can the whole = animal get through. If you are screening out rodents like squirrels, = might as well also keep out the mice! Red Squirrels are occasional predators on the eggs and young of birds, = particularly cavity nesters. Paul Boyer Seabright On 12 Nov 2012, at 7:20 PM, Helene Van Doninck = <helene.birdvet@gmail.com> wrote: > JS, great squirrel name :) > Helene >=20 > On Nov 12, 2012 8:14 PM, "Henk Kwindt" <cbatl@eastlink.ca> wrote: > Hi Gayle, >=20 > I have used a rat trap (which is basically a large version of an old = fashioned mouse trap), baited with peanut butter, successfully. > The problem I have with using a pellet gun is that there is a good = chance that it will not kill the animal instantly and could thus crawl = to a place somewhere in the house to die, probably where you can't get = at it. > Good luck! > Henk Kwindt, Cow Bay,NS. >=20 > ----- Original Message ----- From: <duartess@ns.sympatico.ca> > To: "Naturelist" <naturens@chebucto.ns.ca> > Sent: Monday, November 12, 2012 1:28 PM > Subject: [NatureNS] Squirrel Dilemma >=20 >=20 > Somewhat off-topic but does anyone have experience & success in = ridding a house of a recent infestation of squirrels that are making = their way into the house and now seem to be coming and going, as they = please. They have found a way to get in through a hole in the ground = that follows a pipe from the oil tank. In chatting with an exterminator = acquaintance, my friend was told that, at this time of year, you = probably don't have a hope in h--l of getting them out of the house. > Admittedly, he has been picking them off, one by one with his son's = pellet gun. Has dispatched 3 so far, as they are heading for the hole = under the oil tank. The exterminator also said if you have seen 3 there = are probably 10! Would coyote urine pellets work? > Does anyone have suggestions? Ugh! Squirrels in the house is not a = good thing!! >=20 > Many thanks, >=20 > Gayle MacLean > Dartmouth >=20 >=20 > ----- > No virus found in this message. > Checked by AVG - www.avg.com > Version: 2012.0.2221 / Virus Database: 2441/5388 - Release Date: = 11/11/12 >=20 >=20 --Apple-Mail=_6D4DE915-149B-4C56-AB2F-403FB30274D0 Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Content-Type: text/html; charset=iso-8859-1 <html><head><meta http-equiv=3D"Content-Type" content=3D"text/html = charset=3Diso-8859-1"></head><body style=3D"word-wrap: break-word; = -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: after-white-space; ">I = assume that you are speaking of the Red Squirrel. They are = ingenious house-invaders, We had two who managed to find their way = into our house a few years ago. They would appear on the indoor = stairs, or in the basement room, and sit looking at us, as if surprised = that we were in <i>their</i> place. They collect food (mainly = seeds) and create a supply called a midden. That is their = sustenance for the winter. Our squirrels stole food from the = kitchen, and carried it two storeys up into the attic, and started = neatly storing it under the pillow of a bed there.<div><br></div><div>I = found that Red Squirrels can be caught in a squirrel-size Hav-a-Hart = trap (available at good hardware stores). The squirrels are = suckers for peanut butter. Then you have a choice: drown the = squirrel, or deport him. A squirrel can return if released closer = than 7 km. I am not certain about the legality of releasing = such trapped animals: should check on that. This, however, may be = no favour to the squirrel if winter is approaching, because they cannot = survive without their midden.</div><div><br></div><div>Eventually, we = learned by watching where the squirrels were gaining access, and = screened them out with galvanized hardware cloth, the size with 1/4-inch = mesh. That is the size which also will keep out Deer Mice = (<i>Peromyscus maniculatus</i>). I have tested this! I found = the skull of a Deer Mouse, and tried fitting it through 1/4-inch = hardware cloth, and it will not go. So, if the skull won't fit, = neither can the whole animal get through. If you are screening out = rodents like squirrels, might as well also keep out the = mice!</div><div><br></div><div>Red Squirrels are occasional predators on = the eggs and young of birds, particularly cavity = nesters.</div><div><br></div><div>Paul = Boyer</div><div>Seabright</div><div><br></div><div><br><div><div>On 12 = Nov 2012, at 7:20 PM, Helene Van Doninck <<a = href=3D"mailto:helene.birdvet@gmail.com">helene.birdvet@gmail.com</a>> = wrote:</div><br class=3D"Apple-interchange-newline"><blockquote = type=3D"cite"><p>JS, great squirrel name :)<br> Helene</p> <div class=3D"gmail_quote">On Nov 12, 2012 8:14 PM, "Henk Kwindt" <<a = href=3D"mailto:cbatl@eastlink.ca">cbatl@eastlink.ca</a>> wrote:<br = type=3D"attribution"><blockquote class=3D"gmail_quote"