Vandal in the garden

Shortstop · 13-07-2011, 03:38 PM

Having problem with a squirrel on the runnerbean frame.Came out one morn all the beans were laying down,support strings were broken,repaired strings next day wife says look at that squirrel on the beans as we watched it bit through the strings and all fall down.Repaired again and sure enough this morn all down.So what do you suggest I do? keep in mind the wife is an animal lover so shooting is not an option.See photos.George

jacksdad · 13-07-2011, 04:02 PM

Hi there,
Could try trapping it in cage trap,then release miles away.although as greys are an alien species you are legally not allowed to release them

If its that bad shoot the bugger when the wifes not about

regards Jason

larry · 13-07-2011, 05:06 PM

You could tie up with Dacron or braid or other strong sea fishing line, why not use a standard garden green wire comes in bulk 30m most garden shops.

Doghouse Riley · 13-07-2011, 06:04 PM

Depends on your attitude to squirrels.
We have squirrels in our garden several times a day, but they never cause any damage as my wife leaves them out a small tray of peanuts every day.
If there's no nuts out, they come and stand up at the French windows to let you know they are there. On one occasion such as this my wife was carefully opening the door so as not to frighten one and he "helped" her push the door open with a paw. They're very good because they see off any wood pigeons or magpies, but can feed at their nut tray while blackbirds, dunnocks and a few sparrows, feed at another tray of bird seed only a couple of feet away, they never bother each other.

AlanK · 13-07-2011, 07:02 PM

Depends on your attitude to squirrels in another way. They kill and eat song bird chicks, that's if the eggs managed to survive their raids. A friend of mine and a serious twitcher set a trap in his garden three years ago to try and protect the song birds. So far he is on 276 squirrels caught and put down. The bird life in his and surrounding gardens is incredible. He creates a gap in the squirrel world and they just keep moving in. He recons they never breed in his area but the numbers are low enough to have an impact on bird life.

Doghouse Riley · 13-07-2011, 07:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AlanK

Depends on your attitude to squirrels in another way. They kill and eat song bird chicks, that's if the eggs managed to survive their raids. A friend of mine and a serious twitcher set a trap in his garden three years ago to try and protect the song birds. So far he is on 276 squirrels caught and put down. The bird life in his and surrounding gardens is incredible. He creates a gap in the squirrel world and they just keep moving in. He recons they never breed in his area but the numbers are low enough to have an impact on bird life.

We've all heard that before and in some area it will be true.
In many suburban areas, people put peanuts out for them. They'll take the easiest option, if there's enough food that they like they won't be raiding nests. Blackbirds successfully rear two broods each year in our garden and there's lots of baby sparrows about in the late spring.

As I said, in our garden the birds and the squirrels ignore each other.
We're not over-run with them, there's usually about four that visit ours and neighbours gardens in our crescent, though this year there's been only two. They have their drays in big conifer trees in a couple of garden a few doors down from us. Several each year seem to get hit by cars crossing local roads.They don't have much of a life expectancy as some you can recognise by slight differences in their markings can be around for a couple of years and then they disappear.