smerchly Posted June 14, 2013 Report Share Posted June 14, 2013 Since last fall , I have trapped 40 of these tree rats . They have half destroyed my red delicious apple tree which is over 40 years old and very large . Their sharp claws destroy the bark and kills large limbs . I have often trapped two squirrels a day & about 10 in a week . I have used the hose to blast out their new nests which they make from young apple producing limbs & used a 20' pole with a hook to pull the nests down . I have relocated them a mile away, where there are plenty of walnut trees (my neighbour has a big walnut tree) , & the last 3 were all young ones , born in Feb. , but very destructive as well . People has suggested to drown them in the cage , but I can't do that .....anyone got any ideas how to keep them away from the apple tree ? They take a bite from an apple and drop them all over the grass ....bees land on them ,sometimes see 5 or 6 yellow jackets on one apple which I fear will sting my dog . I have to be very quick to scoop up those apples 2 -3 times every day ! This is another nest I cleaned up today ....had to get up near the top of a 24' ladder & use a 20' pole ..... I hired this guy to keep an eye out for tree rats ....... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigugli Posted June 14, 2013 Report Share Posted June 14, 2013 Squirrels are amazing at their ability to find home. At Beechwood cemetary we had a large resident population in one of the buildings. According to the wildlife specialists, the only way to ensure they did not track back was to take them at least 10kms away from where they were trapped. We released our squirrels north of Hwy 9 upin the Holland marsh. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveC Posted June 14, 2013 Report Share Posted June 14, 2013 Shoot em and eat them like Si does on Duck dynasty...lol. If they can only get up the tree from the trunk....you could install a collar around the bottom. But if they have other ways....thats a tough one. Those dam things are smart. They used to raid my bird feed so i decided to test out thier skill....i hung a dried corn cob on the clothes line and reeled it out just out of thier range of jumping from the post and dangling about a foot and half below the line. I sat back and watched..laughing at them cause they would study it. Took them about 20 mins to figure it out. They hung upside down and hand over hand thier way out on the line....but when they got above the cob was still hanging to far below to reach it. So the little bugger just chewed the rope off and down it wenf to the ground. They are super smart when it comes to food. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Horrorshowrot Posted June 14, 2013 Report Share Posted June 14, 2013 I could let you borrow my husky..... We used to have a tonne of the fuzzy buggers in the backyard now we have one very brave (or stupid) squirrel. He will climb around the backyard in reach of the husky she has come close to getting it numerous times but to no avail... The otheres were not to "fortunate" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hometownhandyman Posted June 14, 2013 Report Share Posted June 14, 2013 pellet gun. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jordanl Posted June 14, 2013 Report Share Posted June 14, 2013 pellet gun. thats how we deal with them up at my trailer in kawartha lakes area, the tree rats eat the wires at our trailers all the time, so a few guys had enough of it and have automatic airsoft guns in their golf carts to scare them away Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChefMick Posted June 15, 2013 Report Share Posted June 15, 2013 Sorry to say Smerch but a mile is nowhere near enough, they will return within the hour, you need 20+ mile release for them to start their new home. Trust me ive done many at my cottage. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smerchly Posted June 15, 2013 Author Report Share Posted June 15, 2013 Sorry to say Smerch but a mile is nowhere near enough, they will return within the hour, you need 20+ mile release for them to start their new home. Trust me ive done many at my cottage. They all end up on the other side of the 12 Mile Creek Mick , but I think they know where the bridges are near them . Maybe a good recipe would be the answer ? They access the apple tree from my garage roof . They can jump 6' to the tree from there or my neighbours garage . My dog chases them , but they just laugh at the little short legged fellow and climb the 5' chain fence in a flash . A pellet gun is not a good idea with the tight housing here , they might think I have an assault gun ....... Firecrackers might be a good alternative ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jordanl Posted June 15, 2013 Report Share Posted June 15, 2013 maybe get a owl/eagle decoy? would that scare them at all? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ogliq2 Posted June 15, 2013 Report Share Posted June 15, 2013 I hate 'em ... I used to wonder what kind of animal was raiding my garbage can every night, I was thinking cats or coons. I came to discover that it was furry-tailed rats when I saw two of them sitting atop the garbage can munching on chicken wing bones. They even raid bird nests and eat the eggs and young chicks.. My best answer, as already mentioned: http://www.duckcommander.com/commandpost/recipes/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smerchly Posted June 15, 2013 Author Report Share Posted June 15, 2013 The other half of the story is ......the peanuts in shell keep getting eaten by birds ! I have caught jays & grackles in the trap . so I encased the peanuts inside a rain gutter cage thing that is used to stop debris from clogging up the downspout . The birds can't get it out but something else is ! I am sure the mice are robbing me during the night ! Time to set mouse traps outside the trap ? Just call me "Wile E. Willie" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gerritt Posted June 17, 2013 Report Share Posted June 17, 2013 Rat poison placed in a plastic bowl that is nailed in the tree... refill as needed. G Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jordanl Posted June 18, 2013 Report Share Posted June 18, 2013 do this! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spiro Posted July 5, 2013 Report Share Posted July 5, 2013 Or this... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hammercarp Posted July 5, 2013 Report Share Posted July 5, 2013 . After I caught a few in the live trap they got smart and tried to get the bait without going into the trap.So more drastic measures were needed. Go to Can. Tire and buy a rat trap. Take a short piece of 2x4 and screw the trap to the board. Find a place where the squirrels travel by and is out of sight of the neighbours. Bait the trap with peanut butter. Smear a few dabs around the area where the trap is. Set the board so that the squirrel climbs head first towards the bait holder on the trap. I wiped out the local gang here. The trap kills them instantly when it snaps on the back of their neck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smerchly Posted July 5, 2013 Author Report Share Posted July 5, 2013 Well , I have caught 43 since last summer , and there is one still roaming out there . I have peanuts in the shell inside a small holder I made from 1/4" hardware cloth (cage wire) , and I wired it to the live trap . The last 3 squirrels did not get any peanuts , nor did the blue jays , cardinals or mice . The last 4 squirrels were young ones , probably born in March . There are other animals I caught in the trap , like a red squirrel , skunk & possums . When I used a larger trap trying to catch a big raccoon ,using sardines , I caught a BIG tom cat ! When I released it ....it "flew" over the fence ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.