I had two cheap plastic based nut feeders for birds hung in a hawthorn bush
and a grey squirrel gnawed off the base of one to get at the nuts. I
replaced that feeder with a metal one. The squirrel then attacked the second
plastic feeder. I smeared the base with butter then vasilene mixed with
chilli powder (cheap from an Asian supplier). The squirrel sampled it,
recoiled, tried again, washed itself vigorously, then went off and hasn't
been seen since.
There are not many grey squirrels in Devon where we live, unlike
Cheshire-maybe they favour more open country-there's something different. In
any event it had other places to chose away from our garden.
The chilli did not affect the birds and it does seem to be a way of keeping
squirrels from particular targets such as bird tables or feeders.
Regards
David T
"Alan Holmes" wrote in message
...

"garden virgin" - wrote in message
...
First there was one, now there's four & they are making a right mess in
the garden & chasing away blackbirds from the garden who are doing a
great job in keeping insects & slugs under control. One of the blasted
squirrel attacked a wood pigeon, i saw a plume of feathers flying & the
pigeon had a nasty head wound. Are squirrels normally this aggressive?
and is there any way of controlling the squirrels(grey) short of shooting
them! As far as i know... these are not crack cocaine addicted squirrles
like the ones reported in the news but they are still a real menace!

Any advice on how to keep them out of the garden would be greatly
appreciated, i'm tempted to catch/trap them & put collars with bells on
them, that way i'd know when they're around.

Buy a rat/mink trap from Mole valley farmers at Bridgewater, set it, catch
the buggers, dispose of them, leave the bodies for the foxes.

Alan


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