Squirrel Houdini

[sarah9786]

Last year our local squirrel pinched every last one of my strawberries. This year I (thought I had) planned much better and have a homemade sturdy fruit cage to cover most of my plants - I don't begrudge the little chap a few strawberries so I left a couple for him like the ridiculous hippy I am. However because they are growing right against a wall I can't get the cage flush enough and there is a gap into the strawbs about the width of my thumb and he's getting in. I've blocked it with heavy things but can't get rid of it completely. He's had all the red ones and is now taking the green ones too. How can I stop him? He's not scared of my cat, wind mills or cds hanging out and I can't exactly stand guard! PLEASE HELP!

[bario1]

Hedge trimmers.

[Deano's "Diggin It"]

Squirty foam!

Sets "Rock Hard" and once finished cut off with a stanley knife and blast the last bit from the wall with a pressure washer!

[veggiechicken]

A length of guttering over the gap?

[MarkPelican]

Are you sure that's where it's getting in? It seems a bit small and if its a solid edge, I would doubt that it can get in.

As a suggestion, can you fix the edge of the fruit cage to the wall?

(Having said that I've got a squirrel that is jumping vertically 5ft from the ground to my suspended bird feeder, I'm gradually lifting it higher to see how high it can jump).

[Scarlet]

Are you sure it isn't mice? They love picking and storing green strawberries.

[sarah9786]

It is definitely the squirrel, I've been watching him make off with a strawberry in his mouth and have even ran out and chased him off a couple of times. I might give the guttering a go as it'll be a bit easier to still get at the ripe ones. Thanks

[MarkPelican]

Having lifted the bird feeder to 5ft 6 inches, the squirrel has stopped eating from there and has now started eating my strawberries!!

[1Bee]

Sorry, Mark, but I had to laugh....

[Chris11]

Similar here, somethings eating my strawberries.

Don't think it's slugs and snails, as I usually get on top of their numbers to protect the sunflowers before the strawberries start ripening.

Have seen some partially eaten strawberries on the ground near the tubs. And also seen mice in the garden recently. A squirrel would have been able to eat or take away a large strawberry, so in my case I think it's probably mice.

[BUFFS]

our little friend, sid squirrel, has had our strawbs for the last few years, but to see him standing there, strawberry in his mouth, daring us to chase him, we always seem to end up just laughing at him,and I would rather he had them than the slugs got their teeth into them..

[MarkPelican]

Just to add to the amusement of those who are, the squirrel has now deserted my strawberries and is removing unripe apples from my tree. I thought I was going to get a magnificent harvest but the little blighters are removing them, tasting them, finding they're not ripe and leaving the remains on the lawn. Then they repeat four or five more times!! The apples aren't due to be ripe until the start of September and I'm not sure how many will be left.

I've put a net underneath but as yet to no avail.

[nickdub]

Hi Sarah,
I have a similar problem with various types of fruit and nuts. Only things I've found that works are actual barricades around the fruit. I use old cans with small holes punched in (eg baked bean tins) but with some part of the lid still attached. I put the fruit bundle in the tin then carefully bend the lid back to close the top ( I did try screw top jars, but the fruit went moldy in them). I also have some very fine mesh fencing wire netting (like they use for aviaries) which I can bend round a whole branch (I use it for cherries), but I find that a bit more fiddly for the strawberries.

Nick

[Losos]

Hi Sarah,
Yes you've got a bit of a problem here. The 'squirty foam' might work but it's expensive (for me anyway) also exceedingly messy (especially if you get it on your hands)

I quite like the drainpipe idea, you might need to drill a row of holes on one side and sort of 'sew' it to the pole. On the other side I can only suggest you also drill maybe three holes (Top, middle, and bottom) and screw into the wall. Unfortunately to do a sound job you'll need to drill and plug the wall with some of those plastic Rawlplug things. We're only talking pennies here but it will take time. I hate doing fixings into brick / mortar 'cos you have to get exactly the right size drill for the plug, blow all the dust out, insert the plug, and only then can you actually put the screw in.

Seems a lot of work but these squirrels can be persistent and need to be taught a lesson haha.

[Losos]

I use old cans with small holes punched in (eg baked bean tins) but with some part of the lid still attached. I put the fruit bundle in the tin then carefully bend the lid back to close the top

Does the fruit still ripen ??? I thought sunshine was needed to finish of the ripening process. Still it's an excellant use for old cans of baked beans (My staple diet )