Topic: RE: d**n Squirrels

[David P]

Hello,  Can anyone help me?

I've been putting bird food, peanuts and fat balls out for my birds in my garden and have come back from my weekend away in Paris (had a great time) and discovered that the buggers have eaten through the peanut dispenser and started on the bird feeder.......

What can i do that does not involve killing them

[Froglegs]

Get a trap this one cost me £17.99 about 12 months ago,you will get your money back on the cost of seed you save. I've trapped 9 up to now, i just take the buggers to Sherwood forest(15 miles away..ya don't wont the little sods finding there way back)and let them go. :)

[star]

Nice idea for anyone NOT living next to woodland....like me. They are a nuisance and FAR too many for me to get rid of. I put out a sunflower head for the birds and the greedy squiggle came along and ran off with the whole darn thing >:(

[Barnowl]

Mix in chilli flakes? I read somewhere here that they don't upset the birds but squirrels don't like them

[ipt8]

I think in case people are not aware it is illegal to let a grey squirrel loose in the wild. You are thus obliged to kill what you trap. I have heard of people drowning them which I think is cruel. An air rifle does the dastardly deed succesfully.

They are in fact tree rats, of the rat family, if they did not have a bushy tail averyone would hate them. They carry squirrel pox, which they are imune to, but pass it on the the native  red squirrels and this kills the reds. please please do not put greys where there are reds and for once I think the law r right, kill them. I say exterminate the lot and give the reds a chance again, oh and our trees that the greys decimate of course.

[Baaaaaaaa]

I to live near woodland, so extermination would be impossible.

I buy a big bag of peanuts for the squirels and a bag of seed for the bird feeder.
I still have a  problems, but not as many as before.

[angle shades]

we occasionally get a grey squirrel in the garden

we haven't seen it since August, it may not come back David P,we live off our local High Street, so a squirrel has to travel a good way to get in our garden,

my brother on the other hand lives 15 mins away and has the local park behind his garden... he shot dead 7 last week...

[Robert_Brenchley]

We have a few around; they're enough to plant acorns and hazels all over the plot, but they've never been a nuisance. Exterminate them, I agree, and let's have our proper squirrels back.

[Lauren S]

The three squirrels I see daily have done terrible damage to my lawn. I have more holes now than a golf course.
I have one of those humane traps set up now for two months and not one little devil has taken the bait.  :'(

[Froglegs]

I think in case people are not aware it is illegal to let a grey squirrel loose in the wild. You are thus obliged to kill what you trap. I have heard of people drowning them which I think is cruel. An air rifle does the dastardly deed succesfully.

They are in fact tree rats, of the rat family, if they did not have a bushy tail averyone would hate them. They carry squirrel pox, which they are imune to, but pass it on the the native  red squirrels and this kills the reds. please please do not put greys where there are reds and for once I think the law r right, kill them. I say exterminate the lot and give the reds a chance again, oh and our trees that the greys decimate of course.

I have not got a gun and as you say drowning is cruel,on the side of the box that the  trap came in it says "for catching and transporting Squirrels and similar sized nuisance animals"so that's what i do, if it's illegal to trap a wild animal and then let it go back in(be it a different part) the wild,then why sell humane trap in the first place.

[Lauren S]

Quote...**why sell humane traps in the first place.**

Probably just incase another animal is caught...i.e little curious kitten  :'(

[star]

There is a big debate on a wildlife forum I joined a while ago about releasing greys, as Froglegs says....its illegal to let any alien species back into the wild when caught or trapped.

My question on this forum was, why then do we see wildlife rescue programmes treating injured greys bringing them back to health and releasing them? Or as in many a case, quick releases.

I did actually email Simon Cowell to ask why this should be......but no reply. I hope it was the right Simon Cowell....he didnt ask me to sing!!

Apparently if you have a special license you can release them.......a bit of a contradiction in terms methinks. Our native reds dont stand a chance of any return if certain bodies are allowed to care for and set free this intruder.

Im really sorry to growl about this, but it seems like one rule for one and another rule for the rest of us....it makes my blood boil.

Apparently squirrel and chips makes a lovely lunch....and I for one would be happy to try it.....if only hubbly hadn't sold his gun. Well, we see braces of pheasant and rabbit hanging in butchers windows and think thats a treat (sorry veggies) also venison and grouse. All native, I believe. So we can hunt our own endemic species but you never see a brace of squirrel for sale.

Fluffy rats............... >:(

I apologise for the rant. I will go and have a swift one and get off my soapbox now.

[Froglegs]

The trouble is Star that most people do not realize that they are alien, how many on this forum have  seen a Red?, not many i bet. People like to see Greys on there bird (apart from me >:()tables,in parks and when there out for a stroll in the country, they are fluffy,cute cheeky,and easily seen,and are classed as UK's wildlife.
The only way to give the Red's a chance of not becoming extinct in the UK is to kill all the Greys, and there would be such a public out cry if the local authority's started shooting,trapping or poisoning Mr cheeky fluffy cute in our parks that it would never happen. Like it or not the Grays or there to stay.......unless Jamie Oliver puts Squirrel n chips on the school ....dinner menu!. ;D

[star]

I completely agree with what your saying FL, yes most people do see it as native now.

I will amend my last post. Since new information was posted on the other site after I posted above.....


QUOTE...."Just to clarify, you cannot get a license to release grey squirrels from captivity - period. (Schedule 8 licenses refer to licenses to keep them)
However, it is not an offence for an animal to be removed from the wild for the purposes of medical treatment and isnt considered to be 'captive' in the eyes of the law, thus it is not being 'released' when it is returned to its habitat"


That does help to clear things up for me at least, though I feel the law is not taking enough consideration into the impact of alien species have on our natives. That is of course just my opinion, and that I would prefer to see red squirrels stealing from my bird table than greys.....

Sorry about ranting last night, I feel very strongly about man's interferance with nature. It still doesnt seem right but the law is the law, run by morons in government.

[norfolklass]

QUOTE...."However, it is not an offence for an animal to be removed from the wild for the purposes of medical treatment and isnt considered to be 'captive' in the eyes of the law, thus it is not being 'released' when it is returned to its habitat"

that's very interesting star. when my mum had a poorly squirrel in her garden and we called the RSPCA hotline the person I spoke to told me that if an officer came and caught it, it would have to be destroyed as it was illegal to release it back into the wild. so, would that mean:

a) the person I spoke to wasn't familiar with the exact wording of the law
or
b) RSPCA policy on grey squirrels is to destroy them rather than release them

[star]

Yes it is strange NFL, it seems everyone has their own interpretation of the law.

Just give me a plot of land in a faraway place with no laws, rules and regulations....and Im sure it would run better than these government run zoos.

Sorry Im still ranting arent I :-[

[Barnowl]

For an alternative solution, try googling squirrel launcher......

[star]

HaHa....yes Ive seen it....the UTube one you mean?



Yep, looks easy enough to make lol :D

[Froglegs]

 ??? I wonder why there as been no encouragement from the various wildlife organisations and the government to rid the UK of Grays, it seems OK to gas Badgers who are native >:( so why not Squirrels. I agree it would be nice to see Reds on your bird table.

[isbister]

I read somewhere that a sterilization program is on the cards, something that can be added to their food which will render them infertile. Sounds like a good idea to me, what are they waiting for?