Grey Squirrels

[Garden Manager]

Ours is certainly an intellegent blighter. Not content with picking the peanuts out of the feeder like the birds do, hes started nawing at the botton of the feeder. In the hope no doubt of breaking the bottom off and emptying the nuts onto the ground!

Did anyone see in the national newspapers yesterday of the squirrel that managed to penetrate a so-called squirrel proof feeder, then ate so much it couldnt get out again?

It had to be sedated and cut out. Only to be released to cause more havoc later on no doubt!  ::)

[Garden Manager]

[Wickham]

The other day, REDCLANGER wrote:

What happened to the theory of distributing food laced with hormones ("immunocontraception")

The plan has apparently been shelved for the present. More info from:

http://www.charteredforesters.org/news_archive2002/news_nov.html  ... which says:

Research into the feasibility of using contraception to control the impact of grey squirrels is to be discontinued after trials in the wild proved inconclusive, the Forestry Commission and Joint Nature Conservation Committee (JNCC) announced. …

a partial explanation followed:

“we would have to find a way of persuading enough squirrels to eat enough of the treated bait. When natural food is plentiful, it's difficult to interest them in artificial baits, and the hungriest time of year for them might not be the optimum time to treat them with a vaccine.”

[redimp]

Right, its going to have to be trap and chop their b*lls off then.   :-X

[dotCompost]

So we are agreed then. We HATE grey squirrels. However, how can we deter them from coming into our semi-detached suburban gardens, nicking our bird food and causing havoc to the metal feeders, the trees, and electrical cables.

[Garden Manager]

Hmm interesting poll results. I'd expected something like the 14 who voted 'Hate the b****rs'. What surprises me more is that 4 of you actualy love them!

Now come on then. lets have some (sensible) ideas for detering them or getting them out the garden.

[undercarriage plan]

Cats!! My neighbours cat gets a sadistic pleasure out of chasing them and occasionally catching them, but then that takes us right back to "How do I keep cats off my garden" thread.... ::) ::) ::) Lottie  ;D

[anneski]

I hate them. They ruin my garden by digging up freshly planted plants in the front border, and that's the only part that my disabled mum can really cope with doing, and so gets upset that her flowers are ruined.   :'(

They eat holes in the feeders and break them, ruin the trees, eat food put out for the birds and have nibbled holes in several bins and containers and also one of those big plastic storage sheds!  >:(

My elderly whippet bit the tail off one a while back, and that's either died or been deterred, but from having one visiting 4 years ago we now have around a dozen of the pests.


Interesting point, it's actually illegal (as far as I'm aware) to release a grey squirrel once captured so I think the twit who released the one back into the wild after it got trapped should be prosecuted!  8)

[dingerbell]

Maybe this should be cross referenced to the recipe page but there is a very enterprising pub in the New Forest that features  "Tree Rabbit" on their menu.  It is really delicious and it doesn't "taste like chicken".
In the Southern USA, Squirrel is a very popular dish but on the other hand, they do eat something called Grits which resembles lumpy wall paper paste but not as tasty ;D

[Garden Manager]

Cats!! My neighbours cat gets a sadistic pleasure out of chasing them and occasionally catching them, but then that takes us right back to "How do I keep cats off my garden" thread.... ::) ::) ::) Lottie  ;D

Simple: get one of your own. It will keep other cats at bay and (hopefully) chase the tree rats (sorry grey squirels!) away as well.

;D ;D ;D ;D ;D

[undercarriage plan]

I have a cat, GC, well, I call him a cat very loosely, think it thinks it's 5th child!! Scared of all other cats, scared of squirrels, drinks from the toilet  ::) ::) ::) and has never caught a mouse in it's life!!! Lottie  ;D

[ipt8]

Grey squirrels have been eradicated on Anglesey, specifically the Newborough Warren Forest (Forestry Commission) where red squirrels have been re-introduced.
Hurray I say and praise to whoever did it.

[redimp]

Can whoever did it do it everywhere else as well please?

[Wickham]

There's a great website at:

http://www.redsquirrels.info/toughnuttocrack.html

This gives a lot of info about the red versus grey squirrel in Britain (including the case of Anglesey). It does seem though that even the Red Squirrel has been blamed for killing trees in the past, and was apparently culled in certain parts of the country as far back as the 1890s. I'll still settle for having the indigenous red back than the grey all the same.

[Sketty]

I can't see that the grey squirrel has any part to play in this country and I deal with them accordingly. ::)

[redimp]

I have to agree - even as a militant vegetarian and animal libber I reserve judgement on non-native animals that are invasive and harm our native flora or fauna.  These have to be dealt with as humanely as possible but eradication has to be the priority.  I do not include rabbits or hares in this as they have been here far too long and I now regard them as native.  Luckily, otters seem to be dealing with mink.

I also believe that every rhodedendrum and pointy tall light blocking conifers (for the life of me cannot remember what they are called at the moment) should be ripped up and burned without mercy.  I am strong believer in immigration but not of plants and animals when I turn into a bit of a fascist  ;D

[Wickham]

Redclanger said:

I also believe that every ... pointy tall light blocking conifer (for the life of me cannot remember what they are called at the moment) should be ripped up and burned without mercy.

Do you mean the "Sitka Spruce". There are now millions of these trees throughout the country.

[redimp]

Meant leylandii but those too.  ;)

[Robert_Brenchley]

Rhododendron is not only no good for anything but on the few occasions when UK bees visit the flowers it produces poisonous honey. It's rare here - there have been odd cases of people being made ill - but it's well known in the Caucasus. Xenophon describes how an ancient Greek army on the retreat left poisonous honey out for the enemy, and it made them so ill they were able to get away safely.