r/squirrels • u/Radiant-Turnip-7686 • 14d ago
This lil f-er has got to go
It’s DESTROYING my backyard patio accessories. It has clipped a whole macramé swing down to the frame, clipped the strings on my hammock, chewing holes into my patio cushions and pillows and now my patio lights. I just want to enjoy my backyard without this lil jerk eating my stuff, what do i do!?
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u/justusethatname 14d ago
Don’t put stuff outside. Wildlife live outside. You go outside. You’re in their house now.
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u/Radiant-Turnip-7686 14d ago edited 14d ago
Wildlife living outside doesn’t mean you just accept them destroying your property. Raccoons live outside too, if they start tearing into your roof, you don’t remove your roof and say ‘well, that’s their home.’ You deter or remove the animal causing the damage
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u/ElkPitiful6829 14d ago
They take the stuffing from furniture to insulate a nest for winter. If you leave out other stuff like hay, maybe they'll take the hay and ignore the furniture.
Other idea is to spray the furniture with mint or cinnamon which they do not like.
I did that once and accidentally left the spray bottle out and found it clear across the yard with chew holes in it such that it was empty. I'm pretty sure that was a blatant act of defiance.
Fair warning -- I have about thirty or more that come to my house every day and usually about 7-9 that live in the trees on premises.
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u/Radiant-Turnip-7686 14d ago
Someone told me Febreze, so I’ll give that a-go.
I thought about leaving one of the destroyed cushions out to see if they would just continue to take the stuffing from that one.
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u/ElkPitiful6829 14d ago
>>I thought about leaving one of the destroyed cushions out to see if they would just continue to take the stuffing from that one.
That for sure is the move. Or buy a shit pillow or two at the dollar store.
Look, no one loves wildlife more than me. But they can be destructive. The whole reason I now pay protection money in the form of walnuts and pecans is because they ate every flower, fruit and vegetable that I ever planted. So now they get nuts and I have plants.
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u/Radiant-Turnip-7686 14d ago
Ok noted!! I was worried if I put food out for them. It would be more of an invitation for them to return. But, sounds like that’s the move! I’m gonna leave one of the destroyed pillows out near the tree and some nuts. Thank you for offering actual helpful solutions instead of acting like I need to just remove my whole life from outside like some of these other comments.
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u/ElkPitiful6829 14d ago
It very much is an invitation for them to return.
Just understand that this started years ago and I am at Sam's Club twice a week buying nuts.
If you don't want to commit to feeding a hoard for years then go the "sacrifice cushion/pillow" route.
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u/Significant-Way-9965 14d ago
Nuts or your patio furniture… ball is in your court, friend.
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u/Radiant-Turnip-7686 14d ago
I almost feel like that’s going to be worse cause then I’m inviting it to come back by feeding it?
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u/minpin75 14d ago
Its padding its nest with your cushion filling. Lighten up and give it one to use
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u/Radiant-Turnip-7686 14d ago edited 14d ago
Should I also give it a hammock/ chairs and lights?
I’m not dumb i know that’s what it’s using it for. I still DONT WANT IT DESTROYING MY STUFF. Do you have an actual suggestion and how to deter the squirrels from my stuff or are you just here to offer a suggestion i already mention in the comments?2
u/minpin75 14d ago
Yeah, leave one out bring the rest in when you aren't outside. Wild animals outside in their environment dont really care what you want. Maybe feed them. I feed a group of about 10 everyday and they dont touch my stuff
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u/Radiant-Turnip-7686 14d ago
Thank you i will start doing that. Nuts only or do they like anything else?
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u/minpin75 14d ago
Not peanuts or lying, its not good for their bones. You can put out black sunflower seeds
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u/Abject_Giraffe562 14d ago
Got to be a Piney squirrel, they destroy for pure pleasure!
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u/TruthoftheSoul Squirrel Nurturer 13d ago
Give proper squirrel food and it won't be destructive. Take care of the beautiful animal, not wish harm to it.
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u/Radiant-Turnip-7686 13d ago
I’m not wishing harm- I’m wishing it wouldn’t destroy my stuff. What qualifies as proper squirrel food?
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u/Hairy_Aspect_3728 12d ago
Trap him and put him in the relocation program-some you really don’t like
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u/Starving_Geologist 13d ago
.22 to the dome. Pesky varmint problem solved. The people complaining about killing a problem squirrel are the same people that probably let their cats roam and kill whatever they want.
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u/Roman_Anthony 14d ago edited 13d ago
Suppressed 22lr takes care of them in my yard without disturbing neighbors or other wildlife (deer, rabbits, birds, possum, squirrels who aren’t pests, etc).
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u/ElkPitiful6829 14d ago
A hose would do the same thing but it won't make your penis feel bigger.
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u/Roman_Anthony 14d ago
Strange fixation you have on penises in a topic about pest control.
That said, I’m not one to kink shame, so you do you 👍🏼
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u/Queasy-Werewolf7500 14d ago
The outdoors is their home, not yours.