How do fellas,
Looking for some help here. Clients have and old house and the squirrels have chewed a hole into the attic right at the peak of the house. Went up and covered the holes with a piece of lead coated copper but told them this is temp. Left one hole open so the damn things can get out, and I’ll cover that up next week.
The question is: What can be done to keep the squirrels from chewing thru the new rake crown that I’ll be putting up in the spring? Any spray, awful tasting paint, etc. that you might have had success with?
Thanks in advace Rod
Replies
They don't like lead pellets......in the brain, and that's what I feed the little rats whenever I see em'. Norm once gave the advice....."patience and a pellet gun are the best solution."
Well, I've posted this one before, but here goes. Hope nobody thinks I'm nuts....... again.
Had a similar problem here when we bought the place with both birds and squirrels. When I put tin up over the holes, they chewed right through again....several times. Then I tried puttin up a piece of 1/2" hardware cloth. They all sat in the gutter at their respective entrances, looking in, complaining and screaming, birds pecking and squirrels pulling at the metal wires but didn't try chewing or pecking in again with a new hole. Instead, they left after a two or three day complaint-fest and haven't ever returned. I concluded that there was a psychological factor involved. Whatever the reason.....it worked here.
Maybe you could try pulling this on them so that they won't bother returning in the spring.
I had a backup plan tho involving a Remington Model 66.
We finally had to box over a few sections of soffit where different roofs intersect with 1" cage wire - seems to be working, we had raccons and squirels.
Phill Giles
The Unionville Woodwright
Unionville, Ontario
Thanks guys, I knew you wouldn't disappoint me.
The two lovely ladies who own the house, I'm sure, would not want to "fill 'em full of lead", but I don't think they'd have a problem sending them over to the neighbors somehow. That electric plug in thing sounds good if it works.
I've also told them that we should trim the pine branches that allow access to the roof. Cut off their entry point..............................
Thanks for your help.
Rod
squirrell dog
Tim the people I'm working for now have a dachsund puppy and hundreds of chipmunks. That dog is a natural, she will chase down dig in to their borrows and bring her catch to the back porch .The only problem is there are way more than she can handle.
ANDYSZ2
Shes just starting her carrear. Kill a few out on her , she will be hooked for life . I guess you know thats what dachunds are bred for [rodents][residents of holes].
They are very sweet dogs but with a mind that is honary . I surely love them too death .
I had a tomcat that weighed in at 22 pounds that over took squrrills on the run. A cat is very fast for a short sprint . Then I had a young cat that wasnt much bigger over take his prey. I saw those two cats kill on contact many times munching the back neck of their prey. Wild cats are wonderful hunters and they can be trapped in live traps . Both these cats came from the wild , and they didnt cull what they killed . Rabbits, squirells , birds, rats, and mice, and one time a crow . Can you imagine the fight, and sound ?
Now my squirell dog would just tree them . Sheed be a little annoying .
Tim Mooney
I got the word on that electronic product that drives squirrels and other pests away. The railing guy said the device was called Pest Defence, said he saw it on TV and then bought it at a store. I don't think this is ex actly the product he has but it will give you an idea of what to look for http://www.ultrasonicpestcontrol.com
hope this helps
I was talking to the railing guy at my jobsite last week about the same problem, tree rats. He said he got rid of them with these electronic gadgets he plugged into his house outlets, two per floor. They cost around 60 bucks. Sends out some periodic or random signal that doesn't bother cats or dogs but drives rodents crazy, he doesn't even see them in his trees anymore. Funny thing was the guy next door starts complaining about all the mice and these freaking squirrels.
The stair guy is comming back Tuesday with the curves, I'll ask him what they were called.
squirrels make lovely doorstops
gordsco