"alan.holmes" wrote in message
...

"BAC" wrote in message
...

"Sacha" wrote in message
...
On 16/3/09 10:42, in article
net, "mark"
wrote:


"Martin Pentreath" wrote in message
...
I've got a Fenn MkIV trap but I'm not having much success in coaxing
the little bleeders into its jaws. I've dug the trap into the earth so
that its treadle plate is pretty much level with the soil and then
covered the whole trap with bark chips to make it more or less
invisible. I bought a metal tunnel with the trap, and I've covered the
whole set up with this. But despite scattering a few peanuts around
and inside the tunnel I've had no luck. They eat the nuts outside and
carefully avoid the tunnel. I thought perhaps they didn't like the
strange metal tunnel, so I've tried a couple of house bricks with roof
tile on top - no success that way either.

I don't much like the idea of poison for the sake of the squirrels or
other wildlife, so plan B is an airgun, but obviously a trap would be
a lot less work (and less vulnerable to my appalling marksmanship).



I feed mine peanuts.
I quite like to watch them.

mark


They're lovely to watch but they're so destructive to birds' eggs.

Hmmn. Eating an egg or chick is 100% destructive to it, true, but how
many birds' eggs and chicks does the average squirrel consume each year,
and, more important, what effect do squirrels have on bird breeding
success? Dr Mark Avery, Director of Conservation for the RSPB wrote in a
letter to the Telegraph on 22nd October, 2007, "Grey squirrels are not
found in most other parts of Europe, yet woodland bird population is also
dropping on the continent. ... Poor woodland management, climate change
and factors affecting migrating birds are far more significant." Wise
words, IMO, and I don't believe we should rush to judgement to scapegoat
squirrels, magpies and sparrowhawks for observed declines in bird
populations.

In addition to changes in the climate and in agricultural practices at
home and abroad, there are plenty of gardeners who have been doing their
bit to destroy birds' habitats, by removing nesting sites (trees, shrubs,
holes under eaves, etc), food stuffs (weeds and seeds etc) and paving
over or decking land which used to produce invertebrate food for birds.
Wouldn't it be ironic if such people were to start killing squirrels and
magpies because they don't notice so many birds about as there used to
be?

I wonder if he would feel the same if he wanted to grow things like nuts
for his table?


You are what you eat, they say.

alan.holmes wrote:
I've never found one with enough meat on it to make it worthwhile
cooking it!

Well, I wouldn't suggest cooking just one

"alan.holmes" wrote in message
...

"Martin Pentreath" wrote in message
...
I've got a Fenn MkIV trap but I'm not having much success in coaxing
the little bleeders into its jaws. I've dug the trap into the earth so
that its treadle plate is pretty much level with the soil and then
covered the whole trap with bark chips to make it more or less
invisible. I bought a metal tunnel with the trap, and I've covered the
whole set up with this. But despite scattering a few peanuts around
and inside the tunnel I've had no luck. They eat the nuts outside and
carefully avoid the tunnel. I thought perhaps they didn't like the
strange metal tunnel, so I've tried a couple of house bricks with roof
tile on top - no success that way either.

I don't much like the idea of poison for the sake of the squirrels or
other wildlife, so plan B is an airgun, but obviously a trap would be
a lot less work (and less vulnerable to my appalling marksmanship).

I'm sure the traps I have are Fenn, and at first I had a lot of trouble
luring the damned things into the trap. a neighbour told me they like
tunnels, so I covered the thing with bits of twigs and other debris, and
the following morning I noticed there was something strange about the
trap, when I went to have look it had one of the vermin in it.

I now cover them with a dustbin bag, put some peanuts inside on a small
tin lid, and the success rate has been high.

Don't give up, just keep trying, you will be successful in the end.

Alan


Fenn traps showing he
http://www.thehuntinglife.com/html/s...fenn-trap.html

Got a feeling the first thing it would catch would be me!

mark

On Mon, 16 Mar 2009 11:58:08 -0700, martin_pentreath wrote:

Don't get excited, I think he means he's doing what I've been trying, ie
using a fenn trap but building a tunnel round it with four bricks and a
couple of tiles.

Yep. A couple of old-fashioned terracotta drainage pipes, one either end
seems to make it irresistible.

On Mon, 16 Mar 2009 19:43:40 +0000, mark wrote:



I most probably do but inadvertently rather than deliberately. I haven't
jumped on the bandwagon that squirrels are tree rats. Rats are
incontinent, constantly dribble urine and can excrete up to 100 million
bacteria per ml of urine.

Citation? The urine of all mammals is usually sterile. ****ing on a
friend's open wound can wash out dirt and bacteria and may save their
life. It has the added advantage of being isotonic.

"Martin Pentreath" wrote in message
...
I've got a Fenn MkIV trap but I'm not having much success in coaxing
the little bleeders into its jaws. I've dug the trap into the earth so
that its treadle plate is pretty much level with the soil and then
covered the whole trap with bark chips to make it more or less
invisible. I bought a metal tunnel with the trap, and I've covered the
whole set up with this. But despite scattering a few peanuts around
and inside the tunnel I've had no luck. They eat the nuts outside and
carefully avoid the tunnel. I thought perhaps they didn't like the
strange metal tunnel, so I've tried a couple of house bricks with roof
tile on top - no success that way either.

I don't much like the idea of poison for the sake of the squirrels or
other wildlife, so plan B is an airgun, but obviously a trap would be
a lot less work (and less vulnerable to my appalling marksmanship).

You'd do much better to get a catch alive trap for squirrels. Fenn traps
are best for rats and stoats.
Plan B if all else fails but if you're not good Plan A.

On Mon, 16 Mar 2009 22:18:04 +0000, Christina Websell wrote:



You'd do much better to get a catch alive trap for squirrels. Fenn
traps are best for rats and stoats.
Plan B if all else fails but if you're not good Plan A.

Who says? Fenn 4's are legal for squirrels (among other vermin). WTF do
you do with a live-caught one? It's against the law to release vermin on
someone else's land. Drop the live trap in the rain-barrel? A Fenn is
much more humane. I really don't think you've thought this one through!

The message
from Derek Turner contains these words:
On Mon, 16 Mar 2009 19:43:40 +0000, mark wrote:

I most probably do but inadvertently rather than deliberately. I haven't
jumped on the bandwagon that squirrels are tree rats. Rats are
incontinent, constantly dribble urine and can excrete up to 100 million
bacteria per ml of urine.

Citation? The urine of all mammals is usually sterile. ****ing on a
friend's open wound can wash out dirt and bacteria and may save their
life. It has the added advantage of being isotonic.

But rats pass Weil's disease organisms in their urine.

--
Rusty
Growing old is mandatory; growing up is optional.
Direct reply to: horrid dot squeak snailything zetnet point co period uk

The message
from "Christina Websell" contains
these words:

You'd do much better to get a catch alive trap for squirrels. Fenn traps
are best for rats and stoats.
Plan B if all else fails but if you're not good Plan A.

I think it is illegal to release trapped grey squirrels...

--
Rusty
Growing old is mandatory; growing up is optional.
Direct reply to: horrid dot squeak snailything zetnet point co period uk

On 16 Mar, 22:18, "Christina Websell"
wrote:

You'd do much better to get a catch alive trap for squirrels. *Fenn traps
are best for rats and stoats.
Plan B if all else fails but if you're not good Plan A.

I'd rather let the fenn trap kill the animal than capture it live and
have to look it in the eye and kill it myself. I'm just a great big
Jesse really. I believe the live-capture traps are recommended where
there are other species (red squirrels in particular) that you don't
want to kill. The only other animals likely to get into my trap are
rats, and they're fair game.

"Derek Turner" wrote in message
...
On Mon, 16 Mar 2009 22:18:04 +0000, Christina Websell wrote:



You'd do much better to get a catch alive trap for squirrels. Fenn
traps are best for rats and stoats.
Plan B if all else fails but if you're not good Plan A.

Who says? Fenn 4's are legal for squirrels (among other vermin). WTF do
you do with a live-caught one? It's against the law to release vermin on
someone else's land. Drop the live trap in the rain-barrel? A Fenn is
much more humane. I really don't think you've thought this one through!


I say.. Fenns are legal but it's not easy to catch squirels in them.
What you do with a live trapped squirrel in a live trap is up to you..
And yes, I have thought it through. You seem to assume I am stupid.

"Rusty_Hinge" wrote in message
. uk...
The message
from "Christina Websell" contains
these words:

You'd do much better to get a catch alive trap for squirrels. Fenn traps
are best for rats and stoats.
Plan B if all else fails but if you're not good Plan A.

I think it is illegal to release trapped grey squirrels...


It always was, but I think the law has changed recently on this.

wrote in message
...
On 16 Mar, 22:18, "Christina Websell"
wrote:

You'd do much better to get a catch alive trap for squirrels. Fenn traps
are best for rats and stoats.
Plan B if all else fails but if you're not good Plan A.
-------------
I'd rather let the fenn trap kill the animal than capture it live and
have to look it in the eye and kill it myself. I'm just a great big
Jesse really.

Aaah. Now you have to examine your conscience. There is no difference in
setting a Fenn trap or killing it yourself except you excuse yourself and
pretend you didn't do it if the Fenn trap gets it.

Tina




I believe the live-capture traps are recommended where
there are other species (red squirrels in particular) that you don't
want to kill. The only other animals likely to get into my trap are
rats, and they're fair game.

On Tue, 17 Mar 2009 01:39:06 -0000, Christina Websell wrote:

I think it is illegal to release trapped grey squirrels...

It always was, but I think the law has changed recently on this.

The law hasn't changed but the tree huggers have enabled the RSPCA to have
an exemption so when they rescue a tree rat they don't have to kill it,
they can let it go.

TBH I'm not that fussed about greys in most parts of the country but if
one sticks it's head up around here it'll get said head blown off. We live
in one of the few places on the UK mainland that still has a Red
population.

--
Cheers
Dave.

"Derek Turner" wrote in message
...
On Mon, 16 Mar 2009 19:43:40 +0000, mark wrote:



I most probably do but inadvertently rather than deliberately. I haven't
jumped on the bandwagon that squirrels are tree rats. Rats are
incontinent, constantly dribble urine and can excrete up to 100 million
bacteria per ml of urine.

Citation? The urine of all mammals is usually sterile.

http://www.broadland.gov.uk/environment/1080.asp


mark