Squirrel Repellent

[David Weaver]

Funny stuff! I just want to keep them from chewing up the various plastic items I have in the backyard. I figured some kind of cayenne pepper spray on the plastic items might dissuade them from chewing them up. That is all I'm looking for. I found various sprays but just wondered of any experience here from the collective.

They don't like pepper, but whatever it's applied with has to be based on something that doesn't wash off in the rain.

Trouble is, I guess, that if you sit on pepper spray and it transfers to your skin, you'll feel like you rubbed on an anti-arthritis balm.

[David Weaver]

Wait, I missed that. Why are squirrels chewing on plastic? That is very strange behavior. Nothing I've ever seen before

They chew up garbage can lids, container lids (plastic ones) and plastic bird feeders here.

[Pat Barry]

They chew up garbage can lids, container lids (plastic ones) and plastic bird feeders here.

I suppose if there is something inside those things they want they will find a way to get through. Reminds me of my old Lab (avatar) - she wanted a tennis ball that was stuck inside our new reclining couch so she went through the side panel to get her ball. She also decided that the basement carpeting had something she wanted under it so she tore up a strip that looked like a piece of sod - at least about that size.

[Chris Padilla]

The plastic wheels on my roll around barbeque grill have been chewed into no longer working. The plastic "base/floor" to a small shed I put up a year ago is getting chewed on. Some of the PVC plumbing for my pool is getting chewed on. I think they like sharpening their teeth on plastic. The tables and chairs we have are wood so they leave those alone. Any cardboard I happen to leave out gets chewed on. Oh, I have some plastic lumber (milk jug lumber) in my outdoor wood pile: chewed on! Maybe I should put the plastic lumber out in various spots and see if they'll focus on that and leave my other items alone.

[Shawn Pixley]

I had squirrels living in the attic of my house in Seattle. I ultimately was able to drive them out with ammonia. They certainly hated that.

[Phil Thien]

I had squirrels living in the attic of my house in Seattle. I ultimately was able to drive them out with ammonia. They certainly hated that.

Those were wimp squirrels. I've used ammonia, bleach, mothballs, all of it. All I had was really clean squirrels.

[ray hampton]

Those were wimp squirrels. I've used ammonia, bleach, mothballs, all of it. All I had was really clean squirrels.

I am hoping that you are smart enough NOT to mix ammonia and bleach [Clorox

if you set a bowl of wine out for the squirrel to DRINK then you can salt their tails BUT WAIT UNTIL they are good and drunk

[Lee Schierer]

My daughter had a large spruce tree in her front yard that they decorated with several strings of Christmas lights. They left them up after the hoidays, but didn't turn them on. The next year when they tried to use the lights again most of the wire had been chewed off by the squirrels.

Get a couple of cats that roam free and your squirrel problem will diminish markedly.

You can also get a powerful sling shot and shot marbles or ball bearings at them. One of these is pretty easy to use and shoots pretty fast.41paxB28fGL._AA160_.jpg

[Chris Padilla]

We have a cat but she's an indoor cat. She does whine and meow when she sees squirrels bouncing around the ground and we occasionally let her out to chase them but she tends to bring fleas into the house when we let her out and that isn't a fun problem to deal with.

[Don Morris]

For years I tried every device known to mankind. Went through every "Squirrel Proof" bird feeder manufactured. Squirrels are unbelievable in their abilities to think around the problems put before them. The Eastern Grey Squirrel is one of the ten most successful animals around. If you go to the Smithsonian Zoo in DC you can see a display that shows their brain size in comparison to their body size is large. I finally in desperation tried this to keep them from getting to my song bird feeders, of which I have several. They are 24" X 36" sheets of metal from HD. I have two, one for the ground placed hanging feeder which they seem not to be able to climb up the pole and get around. The other is for the tree hanging wood pole suet feeder that they drop down to then slide off and fall to the ground. They did that a couple times, then stopped. You can't place either close to branches of trees or they will/can jump up to 6' to land on the feeders.

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[Shawn Pixley]

Those were wimp squirrels. I've used ammonia, bleach, mothballs, all of it. All I had was really clean squirrels.

It was a family of squirrels. The house was a 1920's craftsman with enclosed soffits. I was able to drive them from the main attic to the soffits. From above I was able to drive them to one corner where they had chewed a hole in the wood gutters. To get them out of there I needed to get there from outside the house. The corner was about 20' up from a concrete driveway. I was able to get the babies out with me on the ground. I climbed up the extension ladder and shot straight ammonia (household strength not anhydrous) and ended up shooting momma squirrel in the face. She leapt straight out of the hole at my face. I jerked myself out of the way and the extension ladder left contact with the house. The squirrel landed on the neighbors concrete drive, shook itself off, and ran to some neighbors' trees. My audience was laughing hysterically at my antics on the ladder. I must have been a sight. I patched the wooden gutter with a little sheet metal and the squirrels never came back. Ammonia in the face works really well. Get a good squirt gun.