Getting rid of ground squirrels...

I had my garden raided yesterday by the ground squirrels that seem to be taking over the property.

I've read several websites about getting rid of them. All the websites are touting their wares though and rather than someone trying to sell me something, I would like to hear from someone who has actually gotten rid of them how they managed it.

Thanks for any advice,
Melissa

I'm using dogs who are probably more destructive than the ground squirrels (but not more destructive than the rabbits!). Now that there are other things to eat here in Silver Springs, the "deer off" stuff from Home Depot is working for the rabbits on our trees. Don't know how much the ground squirrels contributed to denuded pines, but most of the damage looked "jack rabbit height". I know they frequent the bird feeder area, so that is far, far away from the garden... well, sorry, I don't seem to have any real answers. Guess I'm mostly commisserating.

My friend who has property bordered by open land on two sides has all her trees and shrubs wrapped in chicken wire and her garden area well fenced in - the chicken wire for the fencing extends at least 6-8 inches below the sand and the fence is about 4 ft tall. Her trees suffered much less damage than mine this winter, so I think mine will be getting a chicken wire coat before fall this year...

Good luck! There seem to be a never ending supply of ground squirrels, chipmonks, bunnies and jack rabbits this year.

I live trapped one yesterday. Put the trap next to the zucchini plant figuring the first thing to do was get rid of the one that knew about climbing into the raised beds. Took him 11 miles up the road to a lovely spot with lots of water and sagebrush. No homes, so he'll have to fend for himself though. Hopefully a bunch of his extended family will join him soon!

We are lucky to be very close to the Carson River so there is always better eating at the end of the road. This is the worse year in the last 5. It was the crazy wet springs the last two years, in 36 I've never seen it so green around here. All those extra babies made it that wouldn't have. Unfortunately for them this (normal) very dry spring will do lots of them in. After of course it drives them into our yards looking for food.

Good luck to you as well!

This message was edited Jun 12, 2007 8:12 AM

Try putting cotton balls soaked in peppermint oil around the garden bed. It usually keeps squirrels, chipmunks, rats and moles away for us.

That would be much better than the method I could give you. If you need to get RID of them, its possible, just dont like to do it. The lady where I buy ginger does it... I thought it was mean getting 'rid' of them, brought 100 bucks worth of ginger home and literally within 24 hours, the squirrels hat eaten every bit of it. I now see, if they did not get rid of them, they would have no business. I hate them...they eat the daylilies. The eat holes and come thru the screen and the dogs get them...its horrible. They eat the rose buds ( I spray with red pepper and that works) , just have to keep at it.

good luck

I also have had trouble with chipmunks. They ate my garden starts that I had growing, on the back porch, dug up and ate flower bulbs, dug tunnels under the roses, and in general caused much destruction. I don't have any trouble with them anymore. I got rid of them. I got a small live trap and baited it with small pieces of apple. When I caught one, which was about every 2 hours the first day, I filled a five gallon bucket up with water, placed the trap with the chipmunk inside and drowned the little critter. This may sound harsh but they breed like crazy and they need to be eradicated in order to stop there destruction. Lots of luck!

hahahahah well, stupid is as stupid knows. Sorry...I never knew a ground squirrel was a chipmunk. sorry.

"This may sound harsh "

I'll say :(.

Depending on what part of the country you're in, "ground squirrel" can mean "chipmunk," or it may refer to a different pesky critter.

"Harsh" methods aren't necessarily unreasonable, especially in areas where predator populations have been greatly reduced or eliminated. I'd try to run them off by other means first, but death by drowning is no worse than the poison that many people put out for chipmunks, voles, etc... and at least it is quick. Personally, I think the main thing is to choose as humane a method as possible... I was appalled when a farmer advised me to stuff baling wire into groundhog holes so that they'd get tangled and die -- not so much because the groundhog would end up dead (we are overrun with them around here) but because it would probably take several long days for the animal to die of thirst. Then again, my livelihood isn't threatened by them, so maybe I can afford to take a more humane approach. I trap and relocate groundhogs, but I'd probably shoot them if it were legal (there are just so many, and they are so destructive, and they do not take the bait reliably so I can trap them).

I'm sorry... I'm not trying to start a huge debate, and I know this is an emotionally charged issue, but it's one we each have to make our own decisions about just like so many other issues.

For chipmunks and gophers and rats and mice, I heartily recommend cats. I guess not all cats are great hunters and I don't know how one knows when acquiring a cat if it will be a good hunter, but I have never had to worry about varmints when I have a cat around. Dogs are good, too, but they have to be free to roam where the varmints are. I keep my dogs in my yard where I have zero varmints. Unfortunately, outside my wall, I have plenty. I need more neighbors with cats. I would get one myself, but my husband is terribly allergic. It could not come in the house.

That's a good solution for people with rural acreage, where cats can roam during the day... but in the suburbs, it's just not safe to let cats roam, what with traffic & other hazards. We do have a couple of feral cats in the area, and I think they help keep the pesky cirtter population down a bit. Actually, I suspect that the one I see most often is a barn cat from a nearby farm, simply because he looks too heatlhy and too sleek to really be all on his own.

Hi all,
I'm pretty new to DG at all, and this is my first visit to the Veggie Forum, but it sounds ike you've got an idea that might help me with a problem I'm having. I've got *something*, which is probably either lizards or ground squirrels, that's eating my tomatoes, at a rate of 3 - 5 each day--sob! Can't ever catch the culprit in action, but I'm trying anything anyone can think of to protect what's left of my early crop. I really like the peppermint oil idea (with the plus that it would smell about a zillion times better than the garlic oil I tried unsuccessfully); can you tell me about how tightly I need to space the cotton for it to be effective? I'm gardening in raised beds about 3 feet off the ground, and they're already covered with bird netting.

Thanks tons!
Jill

I trapped another one, moved it to where I let the first one go. I wouldn't be able to bring myself to kill them, unless I was counting on that zucchini to feed my family. In which case I suppose I would eat the ground squirrels as well.

Hmmm... How do you think ground squirrel would taste sautéed with zucchini?

I took a young bunny for a ride in the country today... I suppose he might have been tasty with zucchini, but since I don't have any zucchini... *shrug* LOL

I'm hoping Mermaid will tell us about spacing the peppermint oil cotton balls... but offhand, I'd suggest putting them every 3-4 feet. I have a lot of peppermint and spearmint in a couple of beds, and I've had some success chopping up a big armload of mint and sprinkling it around my veggie bed to ward off bunnies, so I think the peppermint oil could work. Lavender would probably work also (I use lavender clippings similarly), in case you have lavender oil on hand or prefer that scent.

If the critters get really pesky with the tomatoes, I've got a couple of suggestions to pass along... You can put a pan of water out near the garden for them to drink, as sometimes they may go after the tomatoes more because they're thirsty than because they're hungry (I'm skeptical about this solution). You can also pick tomatoes at the "breaker" stage, when they first start to color up... generally the critters don't go after them that early, and the flavor of tomatoes ripened on your counter is (IMO) very nearly the same as tomatoes ripened on the vine -- and definitely better than the flavor of tomatoes you don't get to eat because some varmint has eaten them first, LOL.

Thanks for the suggestions, Critterologist! I think my neighbor said she's got mint that's out of control, so maybe next time she goes on a rampage I'll beg the clippings from her. I've already been picking the tomatoes early for exactly the reasons you mention. I guess that's the upside to having my plants shed some leaves (due to heat stress, I'm assuming): it's easier to find the tomatoes!

I may try putting out easy-access water, as well, and see if that does anything for me. Can't hurt, as long as it's not around long enough for the skeeters to set up housekeeping. Also bought the inflatable snake today at the hardware store. Hopefully something'll do the trick!

I think you'll have the best results with that snake if you move it around a lot... if it stays in the same place all week, your pests will figure out that it's harmless.

Good luck!

The only problem I see with me killing the chipmonks (and I am not opposed to that if I thought it would work), is that we have 10 acres of undeveloped sage land across the street from us and 5 more acres with an abandoned house on it to the east. Even if I erradicated them from our property, well, my veggies and tress are pretty much the only green things on this side of the neighborhood... I have a feeling critters are willing to travel to get to the goodies... what ever I can steal from them, I'm happy with, for now.... Fence posts are mostly done and fencing will at least help with the rabbit damage... but one never know about our wiley wabbits - I might have to grow mint next year as extra insurance! And if it helps with chipmonk repulsion, all the better!

I would love to have cats, but we have at least one confirmed cat killing dog here. She's put a dent in the rabbit and mice population, too. I would leave the dogs inside the veggie garden perimeter -- but lately, they do as much damage as the little critters (half of my garlic got harvested early and small due to doggie damage).

Well, always an adventure. And, of course, you know - NEXT YEAR we will all have better gardens and will win out over all the critters and have the BEST harvest ever... gardeners, the eternal optimists, eh?

absolutely!

LOL

Another critter that eats garden produce is rats. I know this because I have a farm house that is vacant most of the time. While visiting there last time, I put a bowl of the most beautiful pears in the middle of the dining room table. Next morning, they all and pieces munched out of them. After studying the situation, I surrounded it with spring loaded rat traps, bigger and stronger than mouse traps. I caught two rats there which I put underneath the perch where the owl likes to sit.
I agree that dogs are great for driving critters away, but they also have a tendency to dig and otherwise destroy veggies. I once bought a house with gophers and when the dog moved in, I literally saw the gophers move next door to the neighbors' house.

I can just see them packing up their little gopher duffle bags.... LOL

You're right about the rats. I've been keeping a sharp eye out for signs of tunnels and colony formation, because there have been reports of rats just one street away from us (probably disturbed into moving by the recent start of construction nearby). Compounding the problem (at least according to neighborhood rumour), a Hindu family was putting out food for them... that's a tough call, because nobody wants to offend somebody else's religious beliefs... I think the HOA figured out that the best approach was to bring in the county board of health and let them be the "bad guys" laying down the law with regard to the rats.

I have cats and they do a very admirable job of keeping the chipmonk population down for me. But I have a new and very impressive addition to my arsenol. My daughter got divorced and moved into an apartment so I ended up with her rat terrior dog. Millie will chase, catch and kill squirrels, chipmonks, rats, rabbits, whatever. If it moves and isn't bigger than her, she's on it in a flash. They don't call them "rat" terriors for nothing, lol. For a little dog she seems to think she's 10 feet tall and bulletproof, lol. Between her and my cats, I haven't even had any of my figs swiped this year. And they haven't ventured into my garden either. Either they've all been eliminated or they packed their little chipmonk bags and went to the neighbors yards. For those of you who can't have cats, maybe you should consider a rat terrior. BTW, she displayed this talent on her own, nobody trained her.

I've had pet rats before, and indeed, they will eat ANYTHING. Smart and kniving, too... another dog... hmmm, my DH hates it when I have had to go retrieve our Weim from the animal shelter (he was a rescue dog and it took him some time to figure out that this was his "forever" home and when he escaped he just ended up in jail) - because there was always the distinct possibility I'd come home with more than one dog! I mean, we have 3 already (totalling near 300 lbs), so what would, say, 5 more canine pounds amount to?

I just looked up 'chipmunk' in the dictionary, and learned that it is considered a type of ground squirrel--never knew that! I figured squirrels were squirrels, and chipmunks were--well, chipmunks! LOL

http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=chipmunk&x=0&y=0

I have heard that rat terriers were good for chasing off varmints before. I would seriously consider getting one if I didn't have two other elderly dogs who really wouldn't appreciate a new little yappy brother or sister. But the two I have won't last for ever. I have heard those little rat terriers make good pets, too. I wonder about dachshunds also. I believe they were bred as down hole hunters as well. Of course, you have to be careful not to overfeed them. If their tummies get to large they get back trouble.

Dachs is the German word for badger. A Dachshund is literally a badger (hunting)dog. Kind of explains their bravado. I wouldn't want to be the one going down a hole after a badger!

Millie is a wonderful little dog (thinks she's a "people" though, lol). Very loyal and lovable. She loves the grandkids, the neighbor's kids, heck, any kids. And all the grownups too. And like I said earlier, she's really tough on all those little varmits. BTW, she's 7 years old now (named Millie because she was born on the millenium) and still going very strong. She's a hearty eater but never gains any extra weight because she's such a little busy-body (I should be like that, LOL).

After the squirrels stole all of my boy pumpkin's baby watermelons last summer, he popped them good with the BB's whenever they would visit the garden . It didn't kill any of them, yet they had the nerve to make several more trips afterwards to bury nuts. Of course the pumpkin rewarded them with more BB's. Haven't seen them near the pumpkin's watermelons this year, but if they return, the pumpkin will refresh his target skills. We enjoy GOD's creatures as much as the next person, but I'm not welcoming tigers, lions and bears in my garden nor pesky squirrels! ;0)

Wow, they came back after being pelted with BBs?! Bold li'l boogers! 'Course if it was me and I was after chocolate, I might risk a return, too...but only once. LOL

LOL KY!!!

The thing about squirrels is that they tend to look a lot a like ( sorry if I am profiling). How do you know they returned? Maybe the ones hit the first time fled but another one looking just like the first one returned.
I heard a gardener on the radio say that he and his neighbor invested a Havaheart trap for squirrels because they had about 3 between them. After taking 13 different trips to a far away place for release they began to wonder if the traps were worth it!
Personally, I have been pouring over the Petfinder.com files for a rat terrier. That sounds like the ticket to me. A nice little dog that chases off varmints. That's what I need!

LOL, I catch so many deer mice in the house in a Havahart trap, that I often wonder if the same ones are coming back. Maybe if we put little collars on them ??? LOL Yep, dogs and cats would work, but the way our house and gardens are situated on this wooded hillside, a fence is not feasible.

Glad you're looking for a rescue on Petfinder, pajaritomt! Hope you find a great little dog!

Paja~ profiling? LOL! But all squirrels do not LOOK ALIKE! hehee! Just the same the word must be out about the boy pumpkin and his BB's! I'm happy, he's happy and he has 8 blooms currently on his watermelon vine and wants at least a few watermelons to eat this summer. So if any pesky squirrels or their friends and relatives come sneaking into the garden, we won't have to worry about profiling! Having pumpkins, don't want any critter that I can't invest in for future independence unless that critter can shop for its' own food, serve his own food and clean up after itself! ;0)

Edited: Fish and a bird is all I care to handle.

This message was edited Jun 21, 2007 4:35 PM

Hi Melissa,
when I saw the title of this thread I figured it was started by someone in Nevada. My boyfriends parents have a farm in Dayton and 30 years of cats, dogs, traps, and a son with good aim has not put a dent in the population.

If you're ever in Benson's Feed in Carson, look at his traps that catch multiple squirrels. He has a photo of a trap with about 20 squirrels in it.

We live in a part of town that doesn't have any squirrels but we do have one chipmunk that like strawberries. I wouldn't mind if it would eat a few berries but it has to take one bite of each ripe berry and ruin them all. My cat caught it one day and proudly presented it to me. Unfortunately it was only pretending to be dead, so when I picked up the cat to praise his hunting skills, it dashed back to its hiding spot. Oh well, he has fun stalking it.

Hi Katlian,
Is the trap at Benson's a live trap? I have been live trapping them and moving them away. I don't think I could kill them and even if I could, my kids would freak out. Benson's is the one on Hwy 50 near the new overpass, isn't it? If it is a live trap, I might have to check it out.

I grew up on a sheep ranch in Dayton, and i COMPLETELY understand the failure of any control methods. I think it just isn't possible. They must breed in about 5 minutes. LOL

I am envious of your lack of the little buggers! We have recently even had raccoon problems which are rare here. We live fairly close to the river though, and with a veggie garden I guess we are an appealing stop.

Are you smokey today? We are just thick with smoke, even have a bit of ash drop. The news mentioned that we are supposed to stay inside if possible. I am heading out to rottotill... Maybe not my smartest move.

Good luck with your chipmunk. Nice chatting with someone so close, I think there are very few of us Northern Nevadans here.

Melissa

We've definitely had some ash drop here in Silver Springs. My DD hosed everything off the other evening. At least the good thing about living in the desert is that you can spray things down at night and not worry about mold and mildew :-) ... going to absolutely cover the strawberry bed - hoping they cannot get through 1/2" hardware cloth...

Hi,
I've been working out in Jarbidge all week but DB says the ash was falling on our yard while I was gone. Maybe a little ash will help our alkaline soil.

The trap is a live trap and it has a special door that catches a squirrel and then resets. The picture is funny because all the squirrels in the trap are trying to get out and the trap is only about two feet long so they are all crammed in. Maybe it's like a wasp trap where one trapped animal attracts others, wouldn't that be nice :)

This message was edited Jun 29, 2007 2:22 PM

Ground Hogs are actually becoming a hot button where I live in Pittsburgh. The city is in a flux of being bankrupt and then going in the black for a short time period then immediately back to bankrupt. As such one of the services that have been scaled back on is rodent control, including ground hogs. Since the control has slowed, the population has exploded. I have lived in my current house for three years (1.5 miles from the point in Pittsburgh for those who know it). The first year I never saw a ground hog. The second year I saw one. This year my ENTIRE crop of Broccoli, lettuce and early tomatoes seedlings were eradicated by them. I protect my crops from Deer as they are a major pest in my area, but a deer fence stops them easily.

Imagine my surprise when I first saw the damage. I thought it was deer. I installed more fencing where I thought I was lack through general neglect, but the next day any plants that were left were destroyed. It took me two days to realize where the damage was originating. It has been a rough spring/early summer. I searched my property and found three separate colonies of them.

I know that people love these animals, but I no longer have any love for them. I definitely noticed a monetary loss as my wife loves salads and I can produce sufficient lettuce until June, which I was unable to do. As with the first poster I am unsure what I should do with these nests.

Groundhogs (or woodchucks, as some call them) are different than ground squirrels in terms of what works to control their numbers or keep them away from your garden. I'd suggest a new thread for this topic, or check out this thread that I just bumped, http://davesgarden.com/forums/t/507469/