Squirrels are rodents of the family sciuridae. They have slender bodies with bushy tails and eyes, and weigh an average of 10 g for the African squirrel and 8 to 10 kg for Alpine marmot. They are found in America, Africa and Eurasia. In the recent years they have been introduced to Australia. Squirrels are notorious for attacking gardens, nut farms and generally any farm with plants and seeds.
Repellents work well when the damage is low and the predator population is also low. There are different types of squirrel repellents which can be classified by their mode of application, where there are granules and spray form repellents and by their source where we have natural and commercial repellents. The most common squirrel repellents are;
- Garlic
Garlic is one of the best way to repel squirrels. A solution is prepared by mixing garlic in water and vinegar. The solution is applied to the plants or vegetables that the squirrels are likely to attack, hence on attack, the squirrel will be repelled away by the irritating feeling of the garlic and won’t return to that specific garden. The solution may also be put in a spray bottle to increase its adherence to the plant of interest.
- Peeper
Adding water, cayenne pepper, two chopped onions and a single chopped Jalapeno make a strong squirrel repellent. The repellent is made into a spray by introducing the solution in a spray bottle and spraying it in all the areas that need to be prevented from the squirrel attack. One disadvantage of this repellant just as the garlic is being washed away once it rains. The spray should be applied on a calm day to avoid spray drift.
- Grease on the wood
To keep the squirrels away from bird feeders, the feeders should be supported with a pole and the poles supporting them should be smeared with grease, like the cooking grease. The squirrel will slide down the pole and have a hard time removing grease from their feet, hence will not try to climb the poles again.
- Dogs and cats
Another interesting way of repelling squirrels is introducing cats and dogs at a home. Dogs and cats will chase away squirrels and scare them, ensuring that they don’t return. There is a breed of dog that was brought in for the purpose of hunting small creatures. It is known as Rat Terrier and can be useful in repelling squirrels.
- Owls
Owls are known to prey on squirrel. A house or a cage should be constructed and food introduced into the cage to attract owls. Once they have nested in the cage, the food supply should be cut and this will lead to them preying on the squirrels.
Commercial repellents are available in the market at a given price. Most are application powder or in spray form.
In brief, squirrel removal will only push the animals away, but won’t kill them. It is significant to keep the animals in the environment since they have certain importance. Squirrels have a good memory so the best repellents should be severe to chase them away once and avoid their return.