I have a family of 4-5 black squirrels that are damaging our flower beds,
pots,
and bird feeders. I have put up with them for a couple of years, but
decided
that they have to go now.

I would like to solicit your feedback on trapping and releasing them.
- What are some good "humane" traps? Manufacturer and model #?
- Can I release them any where out in the country side, or is there
governing laws and regulations regarding releasing trapped animals?
- After capturing the first one, would other squirrels figure it out and
avoid it?
They shocked me on some occasions with their intelligence and ingenuity.
- Any general tips and hints on trapping squirrels?

Jay Casey wrote:
- What are some good "humane" traps? Manufacturer and model #?

Have-a-heart trapas are good.

- Can I release them any where out in the country side, or is there
governing laws and regulations regarding releasing trapped animals?

I don't think there's a rule for squirrels, but my understanding is that
they will be killed by other squirrels if moved into their territory.

- After capturing the first one, would other squirrels figure it out and
avoid it?

I have no idea.

They shocked me on some occasions with their intelligence and ingenuity.
- Any general tips and hints on trapping squirrels?

I think you're wasting your time. If you relocate these, I'm sure others
will take their place. Why not try to live with them?

--
Victor Martinez
Owned and operated by the Fantastic Seven (TM)
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In article ,
"Jay Casey" wrote:

I have a family of 4-5 black squirrels that are damaging our flower beds,
pots,
and bird feeders. I have put up with them for a couple of years, but
decided
that they have to go now.

If black squirrels were not so rare and beautiful, I'd just suggest that
you shoot and eat them. ;-) Keep in mind tho' that they are territorial
creatures so once those are gone, more are going to move in.

It will be a never-ending chore so the money you are going to spend on a
good trap is well spent as the trap will last for many years. Some of my
traps are over 15 years old and just fine.

Be sure to take them at least 10 miles away and release them near a good
water source. Even public parks are ok. :-)


I would like to solicit your feedback on trapping and releasing them.
- What are some good "humane" traps? Manufacturer and model #?

Havahart traps, hands down, are the best and most commonly used.
Don't get the squirrel trap, get the next size up. Squirrels are smarter
than the trap makers give them credit for.

Use oatmeal mixed with p-nut butter for bait. They like that and it
sticks nicely to the bait station.

- Can I release them any where out in the country side, or is there
governing laws and regulations regarding releasing trapped animals?

Do you really care? ;-)

- After capturing the first one, would other squirrels figure it out and
avoid it?

That is why I suggested you use the larger trap. I use the one made for
small animals such as racoons and possums and yes, that will trap a
squirrel.

They shocked me on some occasions with their intelligence and ingenuity.
- Any general tips and hints on trapping squirrels?

See - bait suggestion. The larger trap will also be heavy enough so
that the squirrel won't tip it over and escape when it gets scared and
goes berzerk in the trap. If a squirrel gets trapped once and escapes,
it'll _never_ get trapped again so only a bullet will catch it.

Hope this helps???

K.




--
Sprout the Mung Bean to reply...

,,Cat's Haven Hobby Farm,,Katraatcenturyteldotnet,,

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Taking a trick used by Steve Irwin, the Crocodile Hunter, to pursuade a
large croc to stay away from human habitations, how about this:

Catch the squirrels in a live trap.
Place the trap with squirrel near the spot where the squirrel did the
damage.
Spray the squirrel with a water hose several times, or do some other
humiliating thing to him.
Let him go.

The idea is that the squirrel will associate a distasteful experience with
the plants he's been destroying and not come back.

I've thought about using this to "train" racoons, but have never tried it.

In article ,
"Jay Casey" wrote:

They shocked me on some occasions with their intelligence and ingenuity.
- Any general tips and hints on trapping squirrels?

In my general reading on moving live animals I read that it may be
better to euthanize rather than move because the animal may have a hard
time establishing a new home (resident animals will fight it off).

I have squirrels that want to live in my attic intermittently.

I set a Haveaheart trap and caught a raccoon! I euthanized it with dry
ice dropped into water (generates carbon dioxide) in a contractor grade
garbage bag. If I had to do it over I would buy a very large plastic
box for this because I could control the seal better. This is one of
the more accepted animal euthanasia methods.

I am a softee so could not bring myself to setting the trap again!!

I cannot determine where my squirrels are coming in from (old pier and
beam house). No obvious roof penetrations. If I could I would try
exclusion.

Roland

I must say this is quite an unique idea that I have not heard of or thought
about.
They certainly seem smart enough, but I am not sure if they are trainable.
Probably, there are too many "crime scenes" where they need to be "trained"
for this idea to work in my case. :-)


"Gary Brady" wrote in message
link.net...
Taking a trick used by Steve Irwin, the Crocodile Hunter, to pursuade a
large croc to stay away from human habitations, how about this:

Catch the squirrels in a live trap.
Place the trap with squirrel near the spot where the squirrel did the
damage.
Spray the squirrel with a water hose several times, or do some other
humiliating thing to him.
Let him go.

The idea is that the squirrel will associate a distasteful experience with
the plants he's been destroying and not come back.

I've thought about using this to "train" racoons, but have never tried it.

Havahart traps, hands down, are the best and most commonly used.
Don't get the squirrel trap, get the next size up. Squirrels are smarter
than the trap makers give them credit for.


Thanks for the info.
I found Havahart traps on the web.
Are there any local stores that carry them?
I went to Home Depot and Petco web sites, but could not find them.

In article ,
"Jay Casey" wrote:

Havahart traps, hands down, are the best and most commonly used.
Don't get the squirrel trap, get the next size up. Squirrels are smarter
than the trap makers give them credit for.


Thanks for the info.
I found Havahart traps on the web.
Are there any local stores that carry them?
I went to Home Depot and Petco web sites, but could not find them.



Most large Livestock feed stores will carry them.
Tractor supply has them, I think they are a nation wide chain?

K.

--
Sprout the Mung Bean to reply...

,,Cat's Haven Hobby Farm,,Katraatcenturyteldotnet,,

http://cgi6.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dl...user id=katra

I'm sure Callahans's has them. There is a place in Georgetown called
American Fence Supply (?) that would carry them also. Some of the farm
supply places are called Fence Supply or similar, so look for variations on
the name. I know there is another fence supply in south Austin (290), but I
don't remember the name.

"Katra" wrote in message
...
In article ,
"Jay Casey" wrote:

Havahart traps, hands down, are the best and most commonly used.
Don't get the squirrel trap, get the next size up. Squirrels are
smarter
than the trap makers give them credit for.


Thanks for the info.
I found Havahart traps on the web.
Are there any local stores that carry them?
I went to Home Depot and Petco web sites, but could not find them.



Most large Livestock feed stores will carry them.
Tractor supply has them, I think they are a nation wide chain?

K.

--
Sprout the Mung Bean to reply...

,,Cat's Haven Hobby Farm,,Katraatcenturyteldotnet,,


http://cgi6.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dl...user id=katra

American fence supply has box traps, but do not carry the Havahart
brand... I was just there last Wednesday. ;-)

Callahans I think does carry them.

The traps at AFS only have one door. I think, for the really smart
rodents, the double door variety are better as they look more like a
tunnel to the animal than a trap.

Just my 2 cents! I've had many a successful trapping using Havaharts.

K.


In article , "Robbin"
wrote:

I'm sure Callahans's has them. There is a place in Georgetown called
American Fence Supply (?) that would carry them also. Some of the farm
supply places are called Fence Supply or similar, so look for variations on
the name. I know there is another fence supply in south Austin (290), but I
don't remember the name.

"Katra" wrote in message
...
In article ,
"Jay Casey" wrote:

Havahart traps, hands down, are the best and most commonly used.
Don't get the squirrel trap, get the next size up. Squirrels are
smarter
than the trap makers give them credit for.


Thanks for the info.
I found Havahart traps on the web.
Are there any local stores that carry them?
I went to Home Depot and Petco web sites, but could not find them.



Most large Livestock feed stores will carry them.
Tractor supply has them, I think they are a nation wide chain?

K.

--
Sprout the Mung Bean to reply...

,,Cat's Haven Hobby Farm,,Katraatcenturyteldotnet,,


http://cgi6.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dl...e=0&user id=k
atra



--
Sprout the Mung Bean to reply...

,,Cat's Haven Hobby Farm,,Katraatcenturyteldotnet,,

http://cgi6.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dl...user id=katra

Joe Doe wrote:
I set a Haveaheart trap and caught a raccoon! I euthanized it with dry

What exactly did the racoon do to you that you had to kill it for?

--
Victor Martinez
Owned and operated by the Fantastic Seven (TM)
Send your spam he
Email me he

In article ,
"Jay Casey" wrote:

Havahart traps, hands down, are the best and most commonly used.
Don't get the squirrel trap, get the next size up. Squirrels are smarter
than the trap makers give them credit for.


Thanks for the info.
I found Havahart traps on the web.
Are there any local stores that carry them?
I went to Home Depot and Petco web sites, but could not find them.

The Home Depot on St. Johns had them and I suspect many other HD and
Lowes will.

Roland

In article ,
Victor Martinez wrote:

Joe Doe wrote:
I set a Haveaheart trap and caught a raccoon! I euthanized it with dry

What exactly did the racoon do to you that you had to kill it for?

Raccoons are one of the biggest reservoirs of rabies in the US. The
problem of raccoon rabies is widespread on the east coast. Texas does
not have a large raccoon rabies problem but as the links I provide
document, it is impossible to say if an animal is exposed or not. They
are also reservoirs of other diseases. I do not think it makes sense to
encourage them in a highly urban area.

This is a list of some of the problems that the last link provides:

"Raccoons also may carry fleas, ticks, lice, distemper, mange, rabies,
and canine and feline parovirus. The results of recent blood tests
conducted on raccoons in Utah indicated that over 80% of those tested
had been exposed to rabies as indicated by the presence of a rabies
titer. Raccoon feces may also contain the roundworm egg (Baylisacaris
procyonis). Humans, especially children, that come into contact with
raccoon feces containing eggs of this roundworm can also become
infected. Clinical symptoms depend on the number of roundworm larvae
present in the body and their location. If the larvae migrate to the
eyes or brain, blindness or death can be the end result."



If you are comfortable sharing your house with them be my guest.

Here are some links documenting what I said:

http://www.aphis.usda.gov/ws/nwrc/re...es/rabies.html

http://www.health.state.ny.us/nysdoh...es/history.htm

http://www.tdh.state.tx.us/lab/rab_tx.htm

http://wildtexas.com/wildguides/raccoon.php

http://www.bordway.org/coonhounds/sickcoon.htm

http://extension.usu.edu/publica/natrpubs/raccoon.pdf

Joe Doe wrote:
are also reservoirs of other diseases. I do not think it makes sense to
encourage them in a highly urban area.

You do realize they were here before it was an urban area, right?

If you are comfortable sharing your house with them be my guest.

I don't share my house with them, but I do share my garden. It is a
heaven for all kinds of critters, as it should be.

Cheers.

--
Victor Martinez
Owned and operated by the Fantastic Seven (TM)
Send your spam he
Email me he

"Victor Martinez" wrote in message
...
Joe Doe wrote:
are also reservoirs of other diseases. I do not think it makes sense to
encourage them in a highly urban area.

You do realize they were here before it was an urban area, right?


You got some damn old racoons... :-) BJ