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Are they the grey squirrels that are supposed to have been imported from USA and kill off our own reds? Why doe the ones here only live in trees and feed off nuts? We´ve got normal rats and the permanent war of getting rid of them (I use the poison method). But "tree rats" are something we haven´t heard of in Europe .... (yet?). Anyone got a pic?
Some good chuckles on this thread...:)
The problem here is it's an urban/suburban area and the tree rats have it good. They breed like rabbits, make nice comfortable nests with the stuffing from lawn furniture and get fat on everyone's trash/gardens and have zero fear of humans.
I take great pride in my rose bushes,, the last straw was when they started digging at the roots. I decided then everyone of 'em was going to die!!
You fellas dealing with real rats have the bigger problem IMO, I view them and mice as a foul pest to liquidated without prejudice.
Villiers, yup they're grey squirrels....
I use CB caps in my urban yard. If you delete a few, maybe three or so, you'll find you don't have any for about a week. Three can look like a hundred. They're territorial and it takes a minute for them to fill back in. I have a spot that's easy to see out back, remove a screen, have the window almost closed and use peanut butter on a piece of paper towel for bait. Then just wait. When they come to investigate, they get a CB and then the garbage can. Shot placement is everything with CB caps...now they think a predator lives here. Not much action...wait until spring. Traps don't do well, my neighbour was doing a catch and release just a couple miles away. I told him to paint them orange before releasing them and he'd soon be catching orange squirrels. My other neighbour feeds them bulk peanuts...out of his kitchen window...by the handful.
WOW! Somewhere in the world they still make CB Caps! I thought that they had gone extinct along with BB Caps many years ago. Very nice!
Anyway, back to the thread topic ...
I live in a rural area (in an oak forest) and put out food for assorted critters twice every day. Among those critters are a passel of overweight grey squirrels. In the 2+ decades that I have been feeding the critters, the squirrels have caused me no problems.
Perhaps I keep them so fat that they don't have the energy to get troublesome. ;)
WarPig, I live in the same part the country as you. The tree rats are going crazy over my place too. They dig out the planters on my patio to hide their treasures. Cant keep them out of the bird feeder. I use a Gamo pellet rifle, works real nice.
I just let my ridgeback in the attic. It's all over in a few seconds.
I don't have serious problems with them that I haven't caused myself. They are currently getting into my shed to get at bird seed we keep there but it's my fault the glass is missing from the window. I had them in my attic a few years ago and it was hard to get them out but once I did, they didn't get back in. I've live trapped and relocated a few. Live trapped and ate a few. Can't shoot them here. I like watching them so I don't make a big issue of them. They do tease my cat. It's funny how deliberate they are about that. I have a small shed right outside a window with the roof at window height and they will come right up on it and chitter at my cat who is going nuts inside. I find that amusing too so more power to them. Other than chewing inside the attic, they never did any damage to anything and I've lived here over 20 years now. I used to love hunting them but haven't made an effort the past couple of years.
All's quiet on the Eastern front today except for one young scout this morning I spied while making my coffee. They've pulled back and must be regrouping, I've sent out reconnaissance in force.. My cat.
I'm Making preparations for possible probing attacks later this afternoon. Quartermaster reports all stocks of CB caps have been depleted, will hold fast with ammunition at hand. WarPig out...
Don't use bow and arrow...if the hit's not great, they tend to run around the arrow. It alarms observers...like the recon cat...
No recon cat here, I got a mean little Jack Russell so mr. cat wouldn't fare very well. Probably why I don't have any problems out of the squirrels. She eventually got that dastardly pack rat too. And all it's kin....
I don't shoot a stick launcher anymore either but when I did I used blunt tipped arrows. Made the tips myself out of cut down .38 pistol cases with a field point epoxied inside and used steel putty to form a ball about 1'' in diameter around the .38 case. No penetration, it was like whacking them with a golf club. Blunt force trauma did the killing.