New approach to animal control

[ccrawford]

All three churches in a small town were plagued with an infestation of squirrels in the belfry. The Presbyterians discussed it and decided it was God's will so they did nothing. The Methodists were a little more proactive. They hired a trapper who took all the squirrels out of town - of course they all came back. The Catholics used a different appoach. They baptized all the squirrels and made them full members of the church. Now they only see them on Christmas and Easter.

 

[Ross]

I wonder why that is?

 

[nadi]

 

[JimL]

I've heard the story before about bats. Of course the denominations were changed.
We tried that approach with our mole problem -- and it worked!

 

[LUVMyBirman]

Honest to goodness, true story!

Honest to goodness, true story!

He he he.

You know, I really do love all animals. Given one real bad experience with squirrels while living down south in TN...can't stand the little varmints.

We had some sort of animal invasion in our attic. Sratching inside the walls and squeaking sounds. Finally had to call an exterminator. He was convinced that they were "roof rats" Which are big huge small dog size rats. Ugh, I said you have to tell the cleanest woman in the world that she has rats in her house! Then he goes on to say how they can chew through the walls. Has even witnessed one carrying a small sack of potatoes. Ahhhh!!!! With all of the scrathing already going on I was scared to death. To boot my husband was out of town.
Ok, time to put my 3 year old in bed with me along with a golf club. This went on for two months. Finally, I saw the little buggers (squirrels) sunning themselves on the roof. This after they had caused about a thousand dollars in electrical and floorboard damage.

Last season here in IL they were tearing up my newly sodded law. Dug my bulbs up, etc. Oh, and this morning they were drinking from the birdbath. The ones we have here in town are supper friendly. There is actually a squirrel lovers club in my town. Don't think I will be joining anytime soon though.

 

[ccrawford]

I betcha Bonnie's Possum recipe would work on those critters !

 

[Kim]

When the infestation of squirrels is high in my neighborhood, I have a neighbor who traps the squirrels alive, and then proceeds to freeze them in his freezer (yes, they are still alive!!) and then puts them out frozen with his weekly trash pick-up! And, he seems like such a nice old man!

 

[Gisele]

Kim

Kim

I had to laugh when I read about your neighbor. My husband's cousin who lives nearby also has issues with squirrels. He uses the "have a heart" trap to catch them, then he drowns them in his pool! Euch! Twice he has had a squirrel come down his chimney and into the fireplace with a fire going!

 

[ShezaGirlie]

Gisele -- now you tell your husbands' cousin that we Catholics don't Baptize squirrels in a swimming pool, especially one with squirrel pee in it. Euch, is right!

And Kim, tell that "nice old man" there's such a thing as 'catch and release' - like in the countryside with trees.. Both these dudes oughta be SPCA bait...for a python. Grrrrrrrrrrr, don't like animal cruelty one bit!

And Chris, my friend Chris, Mr. Chris, Chris ol' boy... If you don't behave, we Catholic girls are gonna make an alter -- errrrrrr, Altar Boy outta ya!

 

[Gisele]

I'll pass that along................

I'll pass that along................

but I don't think that it will change his mind! Me thinks the little critters have done too much damage to his home and property. Now it is personal............... I'll tell him to be nice..........OK?

 

[Kim]

I, too, feel that freezing live squirrels is very cruel. I winch every time I see a squirrel hit by a car! My "nice, old man" feels like the squirrels are ruining his garden. I think the catch and release concept would take too much effort on his part! But....if he had a swimminmg pool, I am sure he would consider the baptizing of squirrels!!

 

[ccrawford]

Hey Janie - Nice to hear from you. If I become an alter boy, does that mean I can sing at high mass ???? I'm sort of a baritone now.

 

[Gail in Ca]

Too Bad those of you with squirrel problems don't live closer.
You could borrow my fox terrier and poof!, problem solved.
Actually, she has only gotten one and the tail tip of another and one rat, but they stay out of our yard now and only run the fence.
Gail

 

[ShezaGirlie]

Mr. Smartypants!

Mr. Smartypants!

Oh, Chris ol' buddy....you got me this time -- very clever...

Hey, why aren't you going to Chicago for the reunion? Isn't Indiana the next state over? You're close.........so??

 

[Granbonny]

I Love Squirrels

I Love Squirrels

I have one named Oscar..He comes during fall and winter months and sits on his hiny with his cute little hands in front of him. I give him a peanut...when the others pick up he is getting food. they stand back..and run and try to get one. He will chase them off.. I had to quit putting out birdfeed. That is what they come for.. I plan to purchase a birdfeeder this winter that is squirrel proof.. Would hate for those cruel people, who freeze and drown them to have deer..Like we do..I live on a Preserve and they rule the place. Get to enjoy my Hosta for about a month. then they are eaten down by the deer..but they never bother our other plants. Too much food here to eat. 1500 acres. I wouldn't want to eat anything at that man's house that freezes them and never swim in his pool. We don't plant bulbs but neighbor has chicken-wire over his..until they come up. Bonnie

 

[hensylee]

Bonnie you can look til Jesus comes and you will never find a squirrel proof feeder for your birds. Ain't no such animal.

 

[Johnny Stephens]

There's a hilarious documentary called "Grand Theft Birdseed." A researcher in the UK went to ridiculous lengths to defeat the tenacity of squirrels trying to raid his feeders. He eventually gave up.

 

[pegne]

Rocky the ground squirrel

Rocky the ground squirrel

This summer we noticed a ground squirrel trying to shimmy up a pole that holds one of my bird feeders. The squirrel would get halfway up and slide back down. It was so cute. then the squirrel found out that he could jump into the feeder just as easy. We would watch him make his path back and forth and back and forth filling his cheeks with the seed. At first I thought it was cute and then I realized that he would just keep doing this until all the seed was gone out of the feeder. This cute little ground squirrel has cost me a fortune in seed. Now when my neice comes over the first thing she wants to do is feed "Rocky" the ground squirrel. I don't so much mind this as I do the rabbits. I planted about 200 plants this summer and have caught the rabbits eating on quite a few of them. I tried just about everything to keep them away. No such luck. They are bold little cusses to. On more than one occcation I have gone out in the morning with pjs still on to try to chase them away. I look like a raving lunatic and they just sit there until I get to within about 3 feet. They'll run about 20 feet and wait for me to get within 3 feet before they run again. I guess they're just smarter than me. One lady I know put a cat on a leash in her back yard to keep the rabbits away. It worked. I don't think I would go to those drastic measures. I have tried everything. thank God in a month the plants won't be an issue until next year.

 

[hensylee]

I have rabbits in the backyard - the dogs go racing when I say 'gettum' - right past the rabbits, who seem to be rootin the dogs along. And the squirrels - well, they just share the property with me and all the other animals around.

 

[Granbonny]

Pegne

Pegne

To keep Rabbits out of your plants, wrap bunches of dog or cat hair in an old nylon stocking and hang them all around the plants. They will think it is a dog or cat...From Jerry Baker's book America's Master Gardener.Bonnie