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daninthedirt

squirrels in the urban ecosystem?

OK, many of us have had trouble with squirrels in gardens. May and June are the best time to trap and relocate them humanely, since their little ones are weaned, and they haven't put away food for the winter.

But that brings up a question. What exactly is the role (if any) of the grey squirrel in the urban ecosystem? I mean, we have barred owls and red tailed hawks, which I like to have around, but there are LOADS of squirrels for them to feed on. As far as I'm concerned, those birds haven't been doing their job! The role of squirrels in the forest ecosystem is significant, in burying seeds, but that's irrelevant in an urban environment. What is our urban environment losing by getting rid of squirrels?

Comments (97)

  • whitecap
    9 years ago

    "Tree squirrels in Texas are classified as game animals. . . .Anyone wishing to legally trap squirrels and relocate them from your property once they are caught should notify representatives of the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department before exploring this option" (Controlling Tree Squirrels in Urban Areas, Texas A&M Agrilife Extension.)

  • bostedo: 8a tx-bp-dfw
    9 years ago

    daninthedirt, The jobs bit was somewhat in jest. You're right that the jobs are not part of the ecosystem, but aren't the people that eventually hold them? So, you see, squirrels are also responsible for urban crawl .... time for another emoticon ;-)

    The fox ("red") squirrel is actually dominant in our part of north central Texas. A little larger than the gray, but otherwise similar vices and virtues.

    Here is a link that might be useful: Squirrels of Texas

  • daninthedirt (USDA 9a, HZ9, CentTX, Sunset z30, Cfa)
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    "Fox squirrels and gray squirrels are classified as game animals in Texas, but can be legally cagetrapped in areas where they are causing damage or creating a nuisance. Landowners wishing to livetrap squirrels and relocate them after they have been caught should notify representatives of the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department."

    See link below.

    I might give 'em a call. You think the many many Texas wildlife removal services also call TP&W whenever they want to set out traps for squirrels? TP&W would have to hire a phone bank to service those calls.

    Here is a link that might be useful: Controlling Tree Squirrels in Urban Areas

  • bostedo: 8a tx-bp-dfw
    9 years ago

    whitecap, The unfortunate backside of your point is that the only legal way to remove nuisance squirrels from YOUR property without authorization from TPWD (direct or via pest control) is to kill them..... as long as you don't keep their pelts.

    Here is a link that might be useful: NUISANCE FUR-BEARING ANIMALS (TPWD)

  • Gardener972
    9 years ago

    Daninthedirt, we boil up a pot of them (seasoned water) then debone them and freeze the meat so it's ready for any dish. Any casserole or dish that calls for chicken we replace with squirrel. They are a tiny bit gamey tasting but we are used to it now. I make spicey dishes... Indian, Mediterranian, Mexican, etc. Currently we have 27 whole squirrels (skinned) in the freezer and we've eaten a LOT of them and given some away. The neighborhood is still overrun!

    Skinning them was a challenge... my hubby learned how to do it on YouTube. It's best to do it under running water so the hair doesn't stick to the body. It's like a magnet to hair and very hard to get off.

    Also, there are a LOT of good squirrel recipes on-line. Call us redneck but it's free and organic!

    Hope this helps!

  • eibren
    9 years ago

    Use gloves handling the raw squirrel, including when skinning.

  • TexasRanger10
    9 years ago

    Cynthia, I have a friend in Albuquerque, N.M. & the problem critters she deals with is bears. Things can be even worse than squirrels or beavers. (that was a new one on me) These bears eat everything in sight, get into garbage, ate the electrical out of their car, tore up the fence, leave huge-mongous piles of droppings & otherwise create destruction & havoc on their property. Not to mention, a person would feel a bit leery going out at night while a nightly raid was going on.

    How many frustrated rabbit & deer stories have I read on GW? You don't usually see alligator tears or guilting when someone asks advice or just needs to rant about their lost vegetables. What about Bambii, speaking of the Disney angle?

    Actually I see a difference in these other animals & the squirrel issue. One is a natural habitat issue while the other is 100% an urban issue. Squirrels have made urban areas into their natural home where they long ago adapted so they multiply & thrive. These other animals are victims of a shrinking habitat & are affected by drought, loss of territory etc. or are too numerous due to lack of natural predators. Often they are just hungry or desperate, unlike squirrels.

  • whitecap
    9 years ago

    No, tree squirrels can legally be trapped and relocated, under certain conditions. Since they have many friends, some in high places, I would want to be very sure I was within the parameters of these conditions, before engaging in this practice. As noted above, there seems to be an exception to the permit requirement for "nuisance squirrels." I'm sure some would like to believe that all squirrels who set paw on their property are "nuisance squirrels." TP&W, however, may take a more restrictive view of the matter. I read of one instance where an official was dispatched to verify the plaints of a residential homeowner. Then the "Nuisance Squirrel" exception applies only if local codes or ordinances don't permit the means set forth in another part of the code. I have no idea what this means. It does seem clear enough, however, that one must have the prior written consent of the landowner receiving these captives.

    There are obviously conflicting interests here. Removing a squirrel from one's property removes it, to the displeasure of many, from the neighborhood. I can see where some of the "final solution" endeavors described here could have serious consequence.:

  • TexasRanger10
    9 years ago

    "Final Solution" is suggestive of Nazi Germany. Quite provocative not to mention extreme considering the nature of the subject. To keep peace & remain friendly, it would be better to not go there.

    There are always conflicting interests on subjects such as this. There is never a perfect solution & we live in an imperfect world but we should endeavor to listen & understand other people's point of view and what they are coping with. We each deal with different problems & look out of different windows so our situations differ drastically at times. Its easy to sit in a chair at a computer, watching squirrels from a distance & having idealized or intellectual opinions while another person is out there wracking their brain to try to solve a problem & in a humane way at that. A person can get to the end of their rope with such matters so I believe the OP is showing remarkable reserve in his actions & consideration.

    JMO. Not trying to start a fight.

  • daninthedirt (USDA 9a, HZ9, CentTX, Sunset z30, Cfa)
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    Actually, I don't see that moving a few squirrels is going to have any "serious consequence" for anyone. That's really inflating the issue. The question here is mainly whether it has any serious consequence for those squirrels, and whether that even matters. To the extent that it does, how can we minimize those serious consequences, and yet serve the need that led us to do that relocation? We can do that by thinking about humane traps, timing, and habitat.

    I mean, it's easier to kill these guys than capture and relocate them. We wouldn't be having this discussion if it were about rats or mosquitoes. For those people who'd like to have squirrels around for people to admire, to inspire them about the natural world, maybe I should show them instead a devastated garden, and use that to inspire them about the fruitlessness of doing gardening? Is the natural world that we admire constituted just by bushy tails, fur and pink eyes? Isn't there more to it than that?

  • bostedo: 8a tx-bp-dfw
    9 years ago

    Whitecap: Sure you can live trap nuisance squirrels on your own property, but you technically need TPWD authorization (which you obtain by contacting them) to relocate - this is in addition to the destination property owners' permission. The point I was trying to make is that killing a problem squirrel is the only legal option available to the property owner that does not require some governmental approval. Most homeowners aren't going to mess with contacting TWPD, so are left with the choices of hiring pest control professionals that (supposedly) have this authorization, killing the animal, or breaking the law.

    Local ordinances may refine the broader state requirements, but am guessing this has more to do with the way nuisance animals are captured, held, or in the broad TPWD parlance, "taken". For example, I could "take" by trapping, but not shooting on our urban lot because backyard gunfire is largely illegal within Dallas city limits.

    The definition of nuisance covers "property damage", meaning in our neighborhood it would likely be harder to prove a squirrel was not a nuisance. Can't see TPWD ever wasting their time other than for an extreme flow of pelts or pile of carcasses... and for those cases, it's nice knowing they're around. Killing or relocating squirrels that are not causing problems (or legally hunted as game) would be a bad thing.

    This post was edited by bostedo on Tue, May 6, 14 at 16:30

  • daninthedirt (USDA 9a, HZ9, CentTX, Sunset z30, Cfa)
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    Can you point me to the regulation that says that I "technically need TPWD authorization" to relocate squirrels? I haven't seen any legal evidence for such technical need. I have seen statutes that suggest that there isn't any, however.

    See Title 31, Part 2, Chapter 65, Subchapter C, Rule 65.116 of the Texas Administrative Code, way up above. I am not aware of any "local ordinances" that pertain.

  • bostedo: 8a tx-bp-dfw
    9 years ago

    Revision: My bad - looks like you're right about admin code eliminating this requirement for nuisance squirrels in particular. Glad to know it's a legal option.
    --------------------------------------------

    The requirement to contact/obtain authorization from TPWD to transport a fur-bearing animal is made pretty clear on the earlier link I posted and a number of other places. I'm not a lawyer, but would guess this authority is derived from the following or similar statute:

    Sec. 71.005. LICENSES REQUIRED (TP&W Code)

    (c) No person may capture or possess a live fur-bearing animal for any purpose, except as otherwise authorized by this code, unless he has acquired and possesses a fur-bearing animal propagation license.

    Seems they could nail you if pulled over with a live fur-bearing animal in you car and no breeder license. Am again guessing that the reason for contacting TPWD is to get an exception for transporting a nuisance animal without this license - but should definitely contact a legal pro or TPWD for clarification.

    Here is a link that might be useful: TP&W Code, Title 5, Subtitle C, Chapter 71

    This post was edited by bostedo on Tue, May 6, 14 at 17:50

  • daninthedirt (USDA 9a, HZ9, CentTX, Sunset z30, Cfa)
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    Thanks. But "fur bearing animal" is defined at the top of the code section as ...

    "(1) "Fur-bearing animal" means wild beaver, otter, mink, ring-tailed cat, badger, skunk, raccoon, muskrat, opossum, fox, or nutria."

    I promise not to get any of those and, not doing that, I'm not obviously not in compliance.

  • cynthianovak
    9 years ago

    I confess, I am an offender when it comes to increasing the squirrel population. I live under pecan trees and Have enjoyed them immensely. They helped me with humor and charm and silly antics when I was homebound as my husband recovered very slowly from a catastrophic stroke.

    Still, I respect each and everyone of you and how you choose to live with them. Respectfully.....c

  • daninthedirt (USDA 9a, HZ9, CentTX, Sunset z30, Cfa)
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    Cynthia, the more I think about this, with the help of many excellent posts here, it really comes down to "respect", doesn't it? I mean, respect for my efforts in my garden, and respect for the squirrel, and what squirrels do both for us and against us. I have too much respect for these squirrels to just kill them, or not at least be thoughtful in changing their lives, when I have to.

  • bostedo: 8a tx-bp-dfw
    9 years ago

    Rats - was hoping to get my edit posted before you saw it. We've been dealing with a surge in squirrels (game) and opossums (fur-bearing) in the garden for the past couple years and I obviously had their categories mixed.

    Edit: Whitecap, apologies to you too for the confusion.

    This post was edited by bostedo on Tue, May 6, 14 at 19:02

  • daninthedirt (USDA 9a, HZ9, CentTX, Sunset z30, Cfa)
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    Well, squirrels have fur, but I guess they're not "fur-bearing", according to TP&W.

    Now, I like possums! I set my squirrel trap with an apple and peanut butter, and found a possum raiding it after dark. He was big enough not to get caught in the trap (good thing, according to TP&W), and his long snout extracted the bait with great delicacy. In fact, he didn't even trip the trap! He came the next night to do it again, and knocked over the trap, but didn't get the bait.

  • daninthedirt (USDA 9a, HZ9, CentTX, Sunset z30, Cfa)
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    OK, it's a month later. Here's what's going on. I relocated 9 squirrels. Most in the first week or so. These, by the way, are all Fox squirrels, not Greys. The question was, how fast would my urban locale repopulate?

    As of three weeks ago I was seeing NO squirrels in my yard anymore. Caught an occasional glimpse of one or two a few houses down the street. Two weeks ago, one rogue squirrel was raiding my bird feeder again (which the birds had readopted), and I promptly trapped and displaced it. None seen since. It's bit spooky, really.

    So repopulation sure doesn't happen on a time scale of a month. Let's see if I can get through the summer without being reinvaded.

  • gardenper
    9 years ago

    It's like the rabbit and deer problem. They're all nice and cute, and you like watching them or seeing them, until they start getting into your garden or farm products.

    In fact, this past weekend, I watched a squirrel tear into my coco-coir hanging basket. I didn't mind that too much. It's a replaceable item, including the plants that were in the basket.

    But then I realized, it leaves the basket, climbs my fence and runs towards my roof. About 2-3 minutes later, it comes down the pole where the hanging basket is, and the pole is next to my house.

    So it is making a nest somewhere nearby, possibly even in a hole it found (or more likely it made it) in my roof. I don't know if it's my roof or neighbor's roof or even a hole in a tree -- still need to look for it.
    But that's the point when I have to consider, is it good to let this squirrel continue to hang around my house, or no? Even if he's not in my attic, letting it and its family grow up here will imply that they are hanging around a lot, and eventually, they may actually make a hole in my roof.

    My immediate next-door neighbor actually had a house fire which was attributed to squirrels in the attic and chewing through cables.

  • daninthedirt (USDA 9a, HZ9, CentTX, Sunset z30, Cfa)
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    OK, another month gone by.

    I have now trapped and relocated FIFTEEN squirrels. My wife says I'm bailing the ocean, but the numbers are very definitely decreasing.

    For the past month I have had ZERO squirrel problems in my garden (in front). But I caught four in the past few days, and this was in my backyard near my bird (well, squirrel) feeder.

    I have gotten a lot of experience at using the Havahart 1030 to do the job. They are excellent traps, but some strategy is needed to catch the craftiest squirrels.

    Bait? Absolutely no question. Apple slice with a half teaspoon of peanut butter on it. That's like a squirrel magnet. Drives 'em nuts (pun intended).

    Now, putting the bait on the trap is a matter of some delicacy. You can just set it on the tray in the middle of the trap, but many smarter squirrels will delicately lift it off, and escape with it. A smarter way to do it is to stick a couple of wooden matchsticks in the apple slice, and insert those sticks in the holes in the bait tray. That way, it's hard to get the bait off without tripping the trap.

    BUT, a few really smart squirrels keep their tail straight out the back when the trip the trap. The door falls on their tail, and won't latch. So then they just back out. The way to get around this is to hang the bait off one side of the bait tray, and put a brick in front of the entrance on that side. That forces them to use the other entrance, which is slightly farther away from the bait.

    I will probably stop trapping soon, as they are starting to put away food for the winter. I think this has been largely a success, as my garden has been almost entirely squirrel free. Last year they rampaged it. Now, it is easier catching the squirrels than it is to relocate them. You need to take them at least two miles away. In Texas, you have to release them on non-private land, ideally in ecologically similar places. But you can't dump all of them in the same place. So it takes me fifteen minutes to relocate one squirrel, going to different parks. That adds up, I guess, to almost four hours of relocating so far in the last few months. Sigh.

  • paradisecircus
    9 years ago

    If you ever decide to try an alternative, I've had good results with fox urine. I'm talking the hardcore hunting stuff, not the stuff you can buy at Academy. My husband gets on the roof and dabs it in areas up there. It still allows them to hang around if they want to but keeps them away from the house. We still see them in the trees and doing their tightrope routine on our fence but they leave us and the flowerbed alone for the most part. If I see them squirrely squirrlin' around doing stuff I don't like, I let my dog chase them. She never can catch them but I see it as a "natural" way to show them this place ain't a free-for-all.

  • roselee z8b S.W. Texas
    9 years ago

    I don't have a big squirrel problem, but I do appreciate your efforts, and reading your updates and methods.

  • daninthedirt (USDA 9a, HZ9, CentTX, Sunset z30, Cfa)
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    As to fox urine, it might work, because it smells threatening to squirrels. But I've heard that it smells AWFUL to humans. Sorta like a skunk. It even repels people! So I'm not sure I want that stuff anywhere near my garden. I have heard that it isn't smart to spread it when you have clothes hanging on the line nearby.

  • paradisecircus
    9 years ago

    It does indeed stink! We use gloves to apply it and store it in a freezer bag. We mainly use it on the roof. I can't smell it when it's up there. I don't like to use it on the ground so much. Yes, it even repels people! But we like it for the roof at least. Keeps them from searching out ways into the attic. One way I've found that keeps it from being too noticeable if I need to use it around the flowerbed is to soak cotton balls in the stuff and drop them into empty pill bottles with holes punched in them and concealing them where needed. But yes, one must be careful with the stuff as it can stink like nothing else and LINGER. Especially if you get it on your hands!! I learned the hard way. Ahooo!

  • daninthedirt (USDA 9a, HZ9, CentTX, Sunset z30, Cfa)
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    Ah, fox urine for the roof! That makes a lot of sense. I guess it'll keep people off the roof as well ... In fact, if you have unoccupied space in the attic, say, above the insulation, it might be smart to put some in there as well.

    But that's a good strategy with cotton balls and pill bottles. I need to keep that in mind.

  • paradisecircus
    9 years ago

    Yes! My bro in law once did the pill bottle trick and threw a handful of containers into his attic where squirrels had gotten in. They reacted so quickly to the smell that as soon as the first handful was thrown up there, a squirrel dive bombed his head to try to get outta there!

    The biggest downside I've found with fox urine is having to refresh the urine. But funneling the urine into a bottle with a dropper or spray pump on it helps make it less of pain to do.

  • bostedo: 8a tx-bp-dfw
    9 years ago

    The biggest downside I've found with fox urine is having to refresh the urine.

    Imagine collecting it is a bit of a downer, too. :-)

    About eight fox squirrels recently finished off 100% of our orient pears and will be starting on the peaches in another few weeks. They could get to the pears through the tree canopy, so repellant barriers on the ground or trunk wouldn't work. Vicks Vaporub was suggested as a repellant by someone on the GW Pests forum. Anyone tried this? We'll be putting some on the trunks and branches of the dwarf peaches and imagine will be looking for fox urine if it doesn't work.

    This post was edited by bostedo on Wed, Jul 9, 14 at 10:16

  • dbarron
    9 years ago

    I'm only adding fuel here...but gonna do it anyway :)
    I live in the country...squirrels are pretty scarce here...it seems the major population of squirrels is any town larger than oh 40K or so, where then the squirrel population explodes.

    Is it because of lack of hunting in their new territory or because of the all the human produced territory and food?

    I'd like to see more squirrels when I walk in the woods and less in city parks where they are starting to look at me like 'Does he have nuts? Is he feeding us? If not, lets all jump on him and take him down for his nuts!'

  • JoppaRich
    9 years ago

    You're anthropomorphising here. NOTHING in nature has a role. Things will be there if they can survive in that ecosystem.

    Squirrels do well in urban areas because the realities of urban life remove most of their predators without removing many of their food sources.

  • daninthedirt (USDA 9a, HZ9, CentTX, Sunset z30, Cfa)
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    I agree with these comments. The main point is that urban squirrels are not "wild animals" that deserve to be left alone to their wildness. They thrive in cities because they have few predators, and because the irrigation and human leavings guarantee abundant food. They're here because we're here, and not in spite of us being here.

    Yep, they really are "tree rats". Kinda cute tree rats. Or maybe furry tree roaches?

    My original question, about squirrels in the urban ecosystem was about whether they actually did any good, and what ecological harm would be created if they were, um, eliminated.

  • JoppaRich
    9 years ago

    "I'm still trying to understand why, if relocated in a very similar environment (such that it understands all the food sources and the predators), at a time of year when there is lots of food and conditions are very mild, and when it hasn't left young uns' behind, and since mating is not exclusive by any means, WHY does it suffer? "

    Because squirrels are social, territorial animals. It's pretty much the same as moving a single wolf a couple hundred miles away - the local pack sees it as an interloper and harasses it trying to drive it out of their territory. In a natural situation, the animal would retreat to it's own territory, but because you've released it miles from there, every time it gets driven out, it goes into another pack's territory.

    It's the proverbial "out of the frying pan, into the fire" over and over and over again until the animal succumbs to hunger, injuries, or disease brought on by stress.

    The humane way to deal with squirrel problems is to kill them quickly. Moving them is basically torturing them to death.

  • daninthedirt (USDA 9a, HZ9, CentTX, Sunset z30, Cfa)
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    "The humane way to deal with squirrel problems is to kill them quickly. Moving them is basically torturing them to death."

    Killing them outright may be humane, but it is illegal here.

    My view is that moving them smartly is basically giving them a chance. (Moving them stupidly is not.) Let's face it. Life as a squirrel is hugely stressful. Transplantation adds to that stress, but it isn't clear that the additional stress guarantees death. Squirrels are certainly highly territorial but, in an urban environment, overlapping territory is a way of life. They'll deal with it, and yes, they may die.

    Again, we're NOT talking about wildlife relocation. Get over it. They aren't wildlife.

  • paradisecircus
    9 years ago

    bostedo-- the only experience I've had with Vicks vaporub is when I was trying to keep my dog away from the kitchen counters and paper towels. She got the idea that it was okay to put her paws on the edge of the kitchen counter, as well as snagging paper towels off the counter and making them her toys. So I started leaving paper towels smeared with Vicks on them as a training deterrent. It worked on the first day. She took one sniff of those paper towels and skulked off immediately :)

  • klem1
    9 years ago

    While I was reading this thread,the noon news on tv was talking about the nationwide debate over children from Hondura illegaly entering the USA. Another broadcast involved Texas ranchers wringing their hands over wild hogs destroying their crops. I was struck with similarieties how different people view squirrels,illegal imigrants and swine. Oboma is coming to Texas today raiseing funds and meeting Rick Perry. Someone suggested they send the kids home with a pet squirrel under one arm, a pig to eat under the other solving three problems and noone gets dumped on others who don't want them,trapped or shot.

  • paradisecircus
    9 years ago

    ^WOW

  • lazy_gardens
    9 years ago

    They are prey.

    You need to encourage wolverines, grey foxes, and pine martens.

    Here is a link that might be useful: eats Squirrels!

  • daninthedirt (USDA 9a, HZ9, CentTX, Sunset z30, Cfa)
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    Oh c'mon. We're talking URBAN squirrels. You want foxes, wolverines, and martens? Geez. I have red-tailed hawks and owls, but they aren't doing anything about these guys. In fact, the owl pellets I pick up are full of bird, not squirrel.

  • cynthianovak
    9 years ago

    smiles

  • daninthedirt (USDA 9a, HZ9, CentTX, Sunset z30, Cfa)
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    Back atcha

  • klem1
    9 years ago

    â¢Posted by daninthedirt 8b / HZ10 Cent. TX (My Page) on
    Wed, Jul 9, 14 Geez. I have red-tailed hawks and owls, but they aren't doing anything about these guys. In fact, the owl pellets I pick up are full of bird, not squirrel.

    Owls are "knock turn all" and squirrels in your neighborhood don't go out after dark for fear of stumbling into a trap. Besides that,someone has depleted the squirrel population to the extent mr Hootie would starve looking for squirrels. Stupid birds just sit out there in plain sight on a limb inviting an attack. What you need in your yard is a Mockingbird. They stay alert while singing all night and can realy make a squirrel scampper for cover. Why don't all those other lazy bums around your feeder orginize and ralley behind Ms Mockingbird to drive the squirrels into the next county?

  • daninthedirt (USDA 9a, HZ9, CentTX, Sunset z30, Cfa)
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    Owls don't hesitate to raid squirrel nests in trees. Those nests are quite exposed, and don't offer much protection. Our Barred Owls (we have a few) may be mostly nocturnal, but they're always around in broad daylight. I see them almost every day, high up in my oaks. They are quite active well before sunset. They just aren't interested in squirrels.

    No, now that I've depleted the squirrel population, I'm not expecting them to contribute to the removal task, but they're still around. The owl pellets I was referring to were those I found BEFORE I started moving squirrels.

    Do I need a mockingbird that squawks all night? Uh, sorry, no. Nor a loud dog next door, nor a 3am freight train speeding past.

  • PKponder TX Z7B
    8 years ago

    We had an unexpected ally in 'squirrel wars'. We have a new neighbor that has a very small outdoor/indoor cat that goes into the trees and raids the squirrel nests. He gets into bird nests too and that makes me mad. I've had fewer squirrels than I ever remember in this location. Very mixed feelings since I like the birds.

  • daninthedirt (USDA 9a, HZ9, CentTX, Sunset z30, Cfa)
    Original Author
    8 years ago

    Well, here it is early August, and I've now trapped and relocated a dozen of them. Almost as many as last year. I think they avoided the trap early in the season because it was such a great nut year. They didn't need my peanut butter bait! There were nuts all over the ground. But toward the end of July, they got hungry.

    Now, I'm a little disappointed, because I was hoping that the fourteen I caught last year was indicative of an unusual population spike, and I was hoping the job could be done this year catching a lot less. But not so, evidently.So next year, I guess I'm looking at the same amount of work.

    Having said this, and acknowledging the work it took to set the trap and relocate those caught, I will report that I've still had no, as in zero, garden damage from them. I think there is still one sneaking around, but it's probably time to stop trapping.

  • roselee z8b S.W. Texas
    8 years ago

    Thanks for the update. I guess the population increased due to plenty to eat this spring. But at least they let your garden alone and hopefully next year there will not be as many to reproduce.

  • daninthedirt (USDA 9a, HZ9, CentTX, Sunset z30, Cfa)
    Original Author
    8 years ago

    Well, urban squirrels are highly territorial. They don't move around a lot, unless they're kicked out. That's what happens in the spring, when new squirrels are made, and they need to find a place to live. So reducing the number of squirrels in your yard won't affect the number available for recolonization next year. That is, one is bailing the ocean, though the ocean mainly spills in in the spring.

  • mgrcolen
    8 years ago

    we are considering cutting down a pecan tree but are worried what will happen to the squirrel families who rely on it for their food. Is there a better time to remove the tree so it will have less of a negative impact on the squirrels ? What will they do with the loss of the food sourec?

  • daninthedirt (USDA 9a, HZ9, CentTX, Sunset z30, Cfa)
    Original Author
    8 years ago

    This thread was about getting rid of squirrels. Not keeping them. What will they do with the loss of the food source? I guess they'll move over to where there is some food and fight it out with the squirrels there.

  • roselee z8b S.W. Texas
    8 years ago

    mgrcolen, I appreciate your concern. It would seem that the kindest thing to do is wait for them to take advantage of this years crop and then take the tree down. Then like Dan says they will move on to find other sources of food. Squirrels are very resourceful.

    In San Antonio the squirrels have already stripped my pecan tree of all the nuts. They start eating them while still they are still green.