Berserker Squirrel Question

[Bixby17]

We have wax myrtles at the end of our driveway.

Recently, we have had two squirrels take an unusual interest in those trees. They have been biting through the limbs, so we have a bunch of 4 inch branch trimming all under the tree on our driveway. We've had these wax myrtles for years and have never had this problem.

Suggestions?

[Evil Blonde Meece]

Glad to see our buddies the squirrels have been creating havoc in our absence. Now it's time for us to settle in again... let's see what's in the kitchen!

[AnnieCamaro]

We have wax myrtles at the end of our driveway.

Recently, we have had two squirrels take an unusual interest in those trees. They have been biting through the limbs, so we have a bunch of 4 inch branch trimming all under the tree on our driveway. We've had these wax myrtles for years and have never had this problem.

Suggestions?

Let me and Lizbit come over. We have a special way of speaking sternly to evil squirrels. (If either of them is Daniel, the nice squirrel, you'd better let me know in advance, and I'll watch my language.)

[ToLiveIsToFly]

We have wax myrtles at the end of our driveway.

Recently, we have had two squirrels take an unusual interest in those trees. They have been biting through the limbs, so we have a bunch of 4 inch branch trimming all under the tree on our driveway. We've had these wax myrtles for years and have never had this problem.

Suggestions?

Tell your Thanksgiving guests they're giblets.

[Ritterskoop]

Are you in a drought like we are? I can't figure out why I think this, but put out some water. Maybe they are thirsty, and intuitively trying to get at the moisture in the leaves and branches.

OK, I did figure out why I thought it, but it's still pretty weak.

[Jocelyn]

We have wax myrtles at the end of our driveway.

Recently, we have had two squirrels take an unusual interest in those trees. They have been biting through the limbs, so we have a bunch of 4 inch branch trimming all under the tree on our driveway. We've had these wax myrtles for years and have never had this problem.

Suggestions?

I could come over and talk to them.

[VAdame]

And Bad Reporter (see the Aussie Santa thread) thought of the squirrel situation too!

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.c ... SSENBR.DTL

[Bixby17]

Hmmm, here's the result of some quick interneting on the subject:

http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/UW042

Squirrels also can chew extensively on landscape plants. Here the problem is more difficult to solve because the problem is the plant and there are few ways to make the plant unattractive, short of replacing it with a different species. Female wax myrtles, for example, are very attractive to squirrels when their branches are full of fruit in the late fall. At this time, squirrels may gnaw off the branches and then eat the fruit. Such pruning does not really hurt the shrub, but it ruins its appearance for several months. Situations like this will occur each year as long as the plant and the squirrels occur together in the landscape.

Homeowners frequently attempt to solve squirrel-chewing problems by using some type of repellent. As a rule, repellents are very ineffective in solving this type of problem. Visual repellents such as owl or snake decoys quickly are accepted by squirrels for what they really are and they are then ignored. Mothballs and other odor repellents also are usually ignored by squirrels and rarely change their pattern of behavior.

One possible exception is taste repellents. Taste repellents are designed to stop chewing. They seem to work in direct proportion to the animal's desire to chew on the object. In other words, if they want it badly enough, no repellent will stop them. But if the object is not too desirable, it will often work. Taste repellents will not work on large areas, are impractical for inaccessible things like tall trees and cannot be used on objects that you intend to eat. For those situations, you likely will need to live-trap the problem squirrel.

Hmmmm.

[ToLiveIsToFly]

Hmmm, here's the result of some quick interneting on the subject:

http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/UW042

Squirrels also can chew extensively on landscape plants. Here the problem is more difficult to solve because the problem is the plant and there are few ways to make the plant unattractive, short of replacing it with a different species. Female wax myrtles, for example, are very attractive to squirrels when their branches are full of fruit in the late fall. At this time, squirrels may gnaw off the branches and then eat the fruit. Such pruning does not really hurt the shrub, but it ruins its appearance for several months. Situations like this will occur each year as long as the plant and the squirrels occur together in the landscape.

Homeowners frequently attempt to solve squirrel-chewing problems by using some type of repellent. As a rule, repellents are very ineffective in solving this type of problem. Visual repellents such as owl or snake decoys quickly are accepted by squirrels for what they really are and they are then ignored. Mothballs and other odor repellents also are usually ignored by squirrels and rarely change their pattern of behavior.

One possible exception is taste repellents. Taste repellents are designed to stop chewing. They seem to work in direct proportion to the animal's desire to chew on the object. In other words, if they want it badly enough, no repellent will stop them. But if the object is not too desirable, it will often work. Taste repellents will not work on large areas, are impractical for inaccessible things like tall trees and cannot be used on objects that you intend to eat. For those situations, you likely will need to live-trap the problem squirrel.

Hmmmm.

I still say BB gun and tell everyone they're giblets tomorrow.

[kayrharris]

Hmmm, here's the result of some quick interneting on the subject:

http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/UW042

Squirrels also can chew extensively on landscape plants. Here the problem is more difficult to solve because the problem is the plant and there are few ways to make the plant unattractive, short of replacing it with a different species. Female wax myrtles, for example, are very attractive to squirrels when their branches are full of fruit in the late fall. At this time, squirrels may gnaw off the branches and then eat the fruit. Such pruning does not really hurt the shrub, but it ruins its appearance for several months. Situations like this will occur each year as long as the plant and the squirrels occur together in the landscape.

Homeowners frequently attempt to solve squirrel-chewing problems by using some type of repellent. As a rule, repellents are very ineffective in solving this type of problem. Visual repellents such as owl or snake decoys quickly are accepted by squirrels for what they really are and they are then ignored. Mothballs and other odor repellents also are usually ignored by squirrels and rarely change their pattern of behavior.

One possible exception is taste repellents. Taste repellents are designed to stop chewing. They seem to work in direct proportion to the animal's desire to chew on the object. In other words, if they want it badly enough, no repellent will stop them. But if the object is not too desirable, it will often work. Taste repellents will not work on large areas, are impractical for inaccessible things like tall trees and cannot be used on objects that you intend to eat. For those situations, you likely will need to live-trap the problem squirrel.

Hmmmm.

I still say BB gun and tell everyone they're giblets tomorrow.

As PSM would say....Ewwwwwwwwwww!

[ulysses5019]

One possible exception is taste repellents. Taste repellents are designed to stop chewing. They seem to work in direct proportion to the animal's desire to chew on the object. In other words, if they want it badly enough, no repellent will stop them. But if the object is not too desirable, it will often work. Taste repellents will not work on large areas, are impractical for inaccessible things like tall trees and cannot be used on objects that you intend to eat. For those situations, you likely will need to live-trap the problem squirrel.

Have your Thanksgiving dinner (sans bb gun and giblet comments)......whatever food is left untouched.....that is your "taste repellant". Apply liberally to branches.

[PlacentiaSoccerMom]

Hmmm, here's the result of some quick interneting on the subject:

http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/UW042
Hmmmm.

I still say BB gun and tell everyone they're giblets tomorrow.

As PSM would say....Ewwwwwwwwwww!

Yep, Ewwwwwwwwwww!