What is it with squirrels?
Moderators: KG Steve, Chantal, Tigger, peter
What is it with squirrels (or maybe foxes)? We have more trouble here, in an urban setting than we did out in the country. We did a lot of propagating before our move last year, so have lots of young plants in pots. Something digs into them, damaging the plants. Also digs into some of the containers where we are growing vegetables. And we've had to move our bags of compost under cover, after finding the plastic covers bitten into, and compost spilled. Is there a cure, short of a shotgun?
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alan refail
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Hi Ken
I would guess that the difference is that in urban areas there is more shelter for foxes and squirrels and more readily available food sources - rubbish bins and bags for foxes, bird feeders for squirrels. There are certainly many more gardens and potential food sources to explore than in the country.
Out here we have a few grey squirrels, but they mostly have to forage for themselves, which cuts down their survival rate. As for foxes, we (well, farmers that is, not me) shoot them rather than treating them as semi-pets as happens with the urban fox.
I would guess that the difference is that in urban areas there is more shelter for foxes and squirrels and more readily available food sources - rubbish bins and bags for foxes, bird feeders for squirrels. There are certainly many more gardens and potential food sources to explore than in the country.
Out here we have a few grey squirrels, but they mostly have to forage for themselves, which cuts down their survival rate. As for foxes, we (well, farmers that is, not me) shoot them rather than treating them as semi-pets as happens with the urban fox.
Thanks, Alan. Have been talking to a neighbour who has been here much longer than we have. He blames the foxes rather than the squirrels for digging into pots and attacking bags of compost etc, and thinks they are probably looking for worms. Some hope, in a new bag of compost....