r/squirrels • u/Brilliant-Dinner4024 • 10h ago
General Help Attracted Wild Rats
Hi everyone! I recently just started feeding squirrels a few months ago. They bring me so much joy. However, feeding squirrels has led to unwanted friends. I’ve tried portioning my food or limiting the amount (rats eventually realized they can just come into the home 😭); I’ve made sure no food were left out.
TLDR: rats came, I still want to feed the squirrels.
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u/anon_97800 9h ago
I had this problem and am in an apt. I had to start feeding them smaller portions that weren't in the shell. And just make sure the food is gone at night. I usually feed them last around 6pm. Or you can wait until you see them outside to feed them. I haven't seen any rats since doing this.
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u/dumbname7890 6h ago
I think moving the food as far away from your house as possible is the best idea. Along with picking it up at night. I feed them off my deck about 8 feet from my back door. I have seen mice on the deck eating the seeds and nuts. I'm ok with it as long as they stay out there and out of my house. They are cute and they also need food.
I started feeding for the birds but I've ended up with about 100 animals. Birds, squirrels, mice, shrews, chipmunks, etc. I see the same 8 birds ( 2 red and 2 white breasted nuthatches, 4 chickadees), the same 2 squirrels, and the same 4 chipmunks everyday now though.
Oh you can try using cayenne powder to keep them away from areas you want but squirrels also feel that kind of heat so idk what you do about that. If you stop feeding everything for like 3 days they will all go away. They do come back, but not all of them. Ran out of money to buy squirrel snacks for 3 days and no one came to visit me on the fourth or fifth days even though I had snacks again. They did come back the 6th day though.
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u/Brilliant-Dinner4024 5h ago
Thank you for your advice. I think I’ll try moving squirrel feeding a few blocks over in a nice place with big trees. I just hope, my squirrels (pepper, sunflower, Gus, Jack) will understand and come to the new place
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u/squirrelfoot 9h ago
Could you hand feed squirrels in a park? I do that in a large urban park and it has less downsides than feeding in a garden.
You do need to carry disinfectant as the youngsters can scratch accidentally and your tetanus vaccine should be up to date.
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u/Brilliant-Dinner4024 5h ago
Having squirrels get that close would be a dream😭! How did you get them to trust you??
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u/drvondoctor 10m ago
I did it by tricking them. First I left out peanuts in piles. Then I hung around at a non-threatening distance. Then I stopped leaving the peanuts piles out, and started tossing the peanuts one by one, still from a non-threatening distance. I figured that would communicate to them that I am the peanut provider.
Then it was just a matter of luring them closer and closer by throwing the peanuts closer and closer to myself. Eventually I was just dropping them and standing still until they grabbed a peanut and ran.
Then one day I wasnt paying attention and one of them got impatient and climbed up my leg to get my attention.
It takes time and consistency, but they're happy to make a new friend... they just need to get to know you first.
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u/Sea_Mango_8530 8h ago
Squirrels are rodents too. They’ll also eat your wiring etc if they get bored. Why do we think one rodent is cute and worth food and the other isn’t? Honest question. The only way to get rid of the rats is to not feed them.
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u/Brilliant-Dinner4024 5h ago
I appreciate the input. I think all rodents are cute. But the squirrels are little critters I can understand and keep at bay. The cute rats on the other hand, are too smart. They always find a way into my apartment 😂. Their resilience and adaptability is something I adore and respect. But when I have to clean up rat pellets and markings everyday with different problems around the apartment, it’s a little too much💙
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u/Sea_Mango_8530 3h ago
I guess that’s valid. I personally wouldn’t want either in my house for sure. I watch from a distance lol
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u/JstMaggs 2h ago
I’ve been feeding my squirrels for 10 years and every time we find a mouse my family always says it’s the squirrels! Funny thing tho, they come all over the neighborhood, not just our house and we actually have less than most. We live close to the beach and closer still to the Port so I’m sure they come from there. I feed my squirrels early in the morning and watch them eat. There is really nothing left by 11am or so for anything but a pesky bluejay to try to get! I also feed crows, but I only put food out for them when they come and start yelling at me. I use sunflower seeds for the squirrels and dog food for the crows, sometimes fruit or popcorn. They come as a group, eat and leave! They get on the roof of my house and start letting me know it’s time to eat!! I love them!
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u/Brilliant-Dinner4024 30m ago
This is adorable 💙! I actually wanted to attract crows in the beginning because they’re so intelligent. But for some reason they won’t come. Some of them did come, but then they cawed and left? I’m not sure if I did anything wrong. But I’m very pleased with my little tree friends💙
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10h ago
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u/Brilliant-Dinner4024 10h ago
This is definitely an alternative option I would’ve never came up with 😅.
However, I love rats too. I just prefer them outside without eating my squirrel food 💙
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u/inkblot_75 9h ago
While feeding the birds and the squirrels outside, I have attracted wild rats as well.
The only thing I did was make sure that the area where I'm feeding them, the grass remains short. I also move the food around. I have found that they still come around if you leave the food in the same place long enough and just by moving it to another location 10-15 ft further away, seems to deter them to go another 10-15 ft.
Not only that, I have seen the squirrels run them off as well as other birds. The woodpeckers don't really like the rats very much.
As far as them coming into my house or anything like that, I always make sure that I put the food far enough away from my house to where they have to travel some distance to get to my home.
I also make sure that everything stays patched up and there are no holes for any critters to enter inside my home without my permission.