Grrr...Squirrels

Bone-sigh

I for one hate squirrels! They are constantly taking bites out of my shohin bonsai and digging in the pots! If the devil has a pet, it is probably a squirrel!

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"If God meant for us to run around naked, we would have been born that way!"

----a Quote from my uncle's fridge

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Aaron_K

Hi Bone-sigh,

I can empathize with you, and appreciate how annoying it is when a wild animal is using your trees as a food source. I had mice munching on the roots of two of my trees this winter.

As peeved off as I was, and initially wanting to introduce the rodent responsible to the underside of my sledge hammer, I decided to look at it as my own fault. All the mouse was doing, was trying to survive, and so I moved the trees to a more secure location.

Perhaps erecting a large wire mesh enclosure of some sorts to protect all your trees, and/or even placing a good source of nuts and the like in another location in your garden, so that the squirrel is well fed, and has no need to eat your trees?

I normally don't agree with harming creatures in nature, apart from flies and wasps which will get splatted if they keep buzzing round me. I even let spiders live - mainly because I'm too much of a wuss to go anywhere near them lol . Once, I told my dog "Get da bug", and she promptly ate this huge spider. 15 seconds later, the self same spider crawled out my dogs snout, which totally grossed everyone out lol.

In closing, I think pampering the little fellow may encourage it to leave your trees alone.

Regards,

Aaron

**Edit** You could train it to sit on your shoulder like the late Bob Ross - A truly gentle and inspiring man. RIP with your "Happy little trees"!!

Bone-sigh

Believe it or not I actually had a pet squirrel at one time, his name was Herman. I raised him from a baby. I don't have the heart to hurt them...grrrr...however annoying they are when they attack my trees. I'm all talk and no bite. hehehe

I tried putting food out for them...but that just drew more squirrels, equaling more squirrel attacks on my defenseless trees. So...then I put hot pepper seeds around the base of my trees. It seems to be working so far...until a hot food lov'n squirrel comes along!

Ryan

__________________
"If God meant for us to run around naked, we would have been born that way!"

----a Quote from my uncle's fridge

verrlara

lol may i be that squirrel? no no just kidding!

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you only get one life, use it well, touch all the things worth touching and see all the wonderful sights worth seeing. one of those sights worth seeing is watching a bonsai grow from seed...

malhomme

Growing-up on the bayou we practically lived off of squirrels in the Fall. Fried squirrel; grilled squirrel stuffed with a jalapeno and wrapped in bacon; and of course, squirrel stew or fricasee. Pretty tasty. And best off all-- plentyful and free.

I can't say that we ever had a squirrel problem in our yard!

--Jim

robert1955

You wouldn't believe what a Rottwieler keeps out of the yard.

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The older you get, the older old is.

Bone-sigh

Yeah, I have had fried squirrel before. It was really a lot better than I thought it would be. The guy who made it said the secret was to take out the white "streaks" or "viens" in the meat. A tedious process I am sure, but he felt it was worth it.

Ryan

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"If God meant for us to run around naked, we would have been born that way!"

----a Quote from my uncle's fridge

Alasdair

When it comes to the invading grey squirell my dad has a saying that i knida agree with:
"squirells aren't cute 'n' furry, they're speed bumps in disguise"

Red squirells tho? i love em. Can only find them in the pine forests of scotland though (aparently, i'm sure i've found evidence of them up the road from me).

Alasdair

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I can feel another "I wish that was my tree" moment coming on...
Currently studying BSc Plant Biology at the Universty of Wales, Aberystwyth

jportock

Our previous neighbor used to put out peanuts for the squirrels. Those peanuts would then end up in our potted plants and garden. My wife didn't like that very much but she loves the squirrels. We still dig up peanuts from the garden when we turn the soil.

That neighbor used to feed the rabbits too, he could get them to come right into his house and take a saltine cracker right out of his hand.

You know, come to think of it those squirrels and rabbits would get nice and fat, then all of the sudden we wouldn't see any squirrels or rabbits for a while. Hmmm.

JP

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I'm an acorn, small and round, sitting on the cold, hard ground. Everyone walks over me, that is why I'm cracked you see. I'm a nut, I'm a nut, I'm crazy. -author unknown