This is the part where I admit two things — neither of which I’m proud of. First, it was only then, several months in, I realized I’d made a colossal blunder when trying to hang my precious high-tech feeder out of squirrels’ reach. I’d measured the recommended five feet off the ground sure enough, but failed to account for the elevation afforded by a nearby tree stump that cut that distance in half. Within 10 minutes of realizing my error, I moved the feeder to a non-stump-adjacent location. Voila! My immediate problem was solved. As of this writing, it’s been 40 days without a squirrel breach.
Advertisem*nt
Second, even though I’d won the battle by accomplishing exactly what I’d set out to do, I refused to give up. I’d waged this war too long and invested too much. How could I sit back when my friend’s guava tree continued to be routinely ransacked and my co-worker’s avocados savaged and tossed to the ground with grubby-pawed abandon?
And worse yet, what if they decided to come for the single — and so far unscathed — orange tree just now starting to show pea-sized fruits in my backyard? No, I needed closure. But before I started investing in owl-shaped, light-up motion sensors (these exist) or blasting C-SPAN across my yard at all hours, I needed someone to tell me if protecting L.A. backyard fruit trees (humanely, remember?) was even possible.
And that’s how I ended up on the phone explaining my situation to Roger Baldwin, a UC Davis Cooperative Extension specialist who focuses on human-wildlife conflict resolution.
Lifestyle
How do you handle neighbors who smoke weed? And other burning weed questions answered
What do you do if you’re annoyed by neighbors smoking weed? How do you find clean wax? What are my first steps in using cannabis to combat appetite loss from chemotherapy? Why doesn’t L.A. have more weed lounges?
“You’ll find various chemical repellents that are marketed and sold [to combat them],” Baldwin told me. “But there’s nothing that’s ever been proven effective against tree squirrels. So I wouldn’t anticipate there being anything that you could spray to really keep them away. [And] there’s no kind of sound devices or ultrasonic devices or lights or strobes — or anything like that — that’s really been proven effective.” (He did note that some repellents might work on a short-term basis until the wily critters adapt.)
Advertisem*nt
“No,” Baldwin said, “there’s nothing that’s guaranteed to work when you’ve got fruit trees, which are an abundant food source, and tree squirrels. ... But, like with your bird feeder, if you had an isolated tree — meaning nothing else around for a good 10 feet and nothing overhanging it — and its lowest branches were a good five or six feet off the ground, you could put a metal ring around the trunk to keep them from being able to climb it. But basically this is almost never going to happen.”
He added that even trapping, which might be an option for those willing to consider the squirrel death penalty (in California, the eastern fox squirrel can be trapped and euthanized humanely — but not released elsewhere), would likely be only a temporary solution. “Invariably there’s someone — probably more than one person — on your block feeding squirrels,” he said. “And other squirrels will likely move in. And there’s not much you can do about that. There are too many access points.”
Lifestyle
What are your secret tips and hacks for living in L.A.?
From navigating traffic to scoring the best seats in the house, share the L.A life hacks that everyone living here should know about.
June 17, 2024
Sensing where things were headed, I cut to the chase. Based on Baldwin’s 16 years of experience, did I have any viable options beyond accepting that my backyard would forever be shared with whatever eastern gray fox squirrels wished to have their run of it?
“There’s probably not a lot that can be done to keep the squirrels from the fruit and the trees given the different limitations that you’ve discussed,” he said. “Yes, it’s more about realistically just learning to live with the squirrels.”
Perhaps sensing my dismay, Baldwin offered a tiny glimmer of hope.
“Sometimes, if you’ve got a very aggressive dog in your backyard — one that can chase squirrels effectively — that can sometimes help reduce problems,” he said.
Advertisem*nt
For Subscribers
18 places in L.A. where your dog is more welcomed than you
At these coffee shops, restaurant patios, markets, galleries and more, canine companions are greeted with excitement — and maybe even some special treats.
Dec. 21, 2023
We’re a dogless household, and the notion of getting a dog just to vanquish a squirrel (or three) felt wrong. (I’m sure our two cats would agree.) So I’m accepting defeat on that front and keeping my focus on the no-longer-under-attack bird feeder.
But so help me, the minute one of those hairy little heathens helps itself to the fruit of my orange tree, the phrase “dogs of war” is going to take on a whole new meaning on my backyard battlefield.
I don't know whether it's the shiny surface or the crinkly sound it makes when touched that keeps them off, but it turns out aluminum foil is a great squirrel repellent.
Squirrels mostly eat plants in the wild, but truth be told, they will eat anything and everything in your yard. Unsecured trash bags, fruit trees, easily accessible bird feeders, bird baths, and pet food all attract squirrels.
Other favorites aren't exactly natural, but the squirrels love them anyway. These additional foods include peanuts, peanut butter, pecans, pistachios, grapes, corn, squash, zucchini, pumpkin, strawberries, carrots, apples, sunflower seeds and even snack items, such as Oreo® cookies.
Use Strong Odors. Scents like white pepper, black pepper, and garlic are naturally unpleasant to a squirrel. The same goes for sweet smells such as peppermint. Try spraying your plants and flowers with water and then sprinkling on pepper or peppermint oil to deter squirrels.
A lot of animals are repelled by the scent of mint and squirrels are one of them. You could try planting some mint under your fruit trees or make a spray similar to the hot pepper spray using peppermint or spearmint essential oils and water.
Spice it up: Pepper is a natural squirrel deterrent. Apply a pepper-based repellent product, such as Critter Ridder® spray, directly to your feeders to keep them away from your offerings. Squirrels hate the taste and smell, but birds don't notice it.
Instead, use them to sprinkle around the edge of your yard or your feeder. Did you know that the scent that we love repels squirrels? Since scent does fade over time, especially if it rains, you will have to reapply more grounds to the ground once a week.
Squirrels are primarily scared of predators such as hawks, foxes, and snakes. They also have a natural fear of loud noises, sudden movements, and unfamiliar objects. Understanding what scares squirrels can help prevent them from becoming distressed and ensure their safety in their environment.
Mothballs have long been recommended as a good remedy to keep squirrels away from properties. However, the natural pest repellent only works to temporarily keep squirrels at bay and can actually be dangerous to the health of your family and pets if used carelessly or improperly.
Squirrels' favorite natural foods are hickory nuts, pecans, black walnuts, and acorns. Their favorite feeder food is black oil sunflower seeds, their least favorite feeder food is Nyjer® (thistle) seed.
Such petroleum-based products can be harmful to animals. Squirrels that get these substances on their paws will clean themselves by licking and will thereby take these petroleum products in internally where they are potentially toxic.
Peppermint Oil: The idea behind using peppermint oil is that the scent will be unpleasant to squirrels and will discourage them from coming into the area. To use peppermint oil as a repellent, you can soak cotton balls in the oil and place them in the area where they are causing damage.
There are several effective homemade squirrel repellents. One popular option is to create a strong-smelling mixture using vinegar, ammonia, or essential oils such as peppermint, eucalyptus, or citrus. Soak cotton balls in these scents and place them in areas where squirrels are active or use them to block entry points.
Squirrels Are Using Your Home to Hide from Predators:
Nesting inside a human home provides a protective haven, especially when the squirrel is not foraging outside. Pregnant squirrels, in particular, are prone to seeking refuge in homes to give birth and safeguard their offspring from potential dangers.
Coffee grounds will keep squirrels away from your garden because they do not like the smell. Simply sprinkle some fresh grounds on the soil surrounding your plants every two weeks.
Address: 998 Estell Village, Lake Oscarberg, SD 48713-6877
Phone: +21813267449721
Job: Technology Engineer
Hobby: Swimming, Do it yourself, Beekeeping, Lapidary, Cosplaying, Hiking, Graffiti
Introduction: My name is Reed Wilderman, I am a faithful, bright, lucky, adventurous, lively, rich, vast person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
We notice you're using an ad blocker
Without advertising income, we can't keep making this site awesome for you.