How to make your backyard " squirrel friendly"

[animallover5457]

I live in Houston TX and i want to make my backyard a great place for squirrrels! anyone have any ideas?

ALSO - i dont if i should have posted it here cause everyone talks about " pet squirrels" but i hope i will get some responces!

THANKS!

Trina

[Ann Vole]

Squirrels like fences that they can go through but you cannot. They can get much more bold because they know that if you start chasing them, they can just go through the fence. Here is a picture for one such fence that works nice and is usually used by squirrels as a transportation route (like power lines):
http://www.gardenstructure.com/newmarket/decks-fences-pergolas-12.jpg
http://www.creativebackyards.com/fences/board_on_board_fence.htm
http://www.gmfence.com/board.html

Have a squirrel feeder and keep it stocked (note: raw peanuts are often part of squirrel food but it is proven to be unhealthy so avoid raw peanuts and also avoid salted items) Get those mineral wheels for rodents and have them available but use a piece of soft wire instead of that springy wire that are usualy sold with them (squirrels will steal the wheel in seconds from the springy wire)
Wild squirrels will use water bottles sohave one available but protect the plastic bottle using 2 tin cans with a hole for the spout on the smaller can and on the oposide side a hole to atach a wire to go through a hole in the bottem of the larger can. You can make sure the smaller can is big enough by making sure the spout of the water bottle can touch the bottom of the can.

Squirrels seem to like a platform to stand on that is about 8 inches (20 cm) off the ground and held up by chain or rope from a branch. They hop on and off it as it swings and always divert their path when chasing each other to hop on and off of it while chasing or running away.

Keep your grass fairly long (better for hiding food)

There are squirrel houses you can build (like bird houses but there are designs that squirrels like better) and if they are insulated, they can serve for hibernation too

Of course, big trees are prefered play spaces for squirrels but pagotas and a "ceiling" in your back yard of 2x2 cedar boards with vine netting can be used to grow various vine-like plants including vegetables like cucumbers, squash, watermelon. The squirrels will love running around up there. You can also have hanging planters with other vegetables, berries, herbs or flowers and auto-water them with buried "trickle" watering systems.

Wild squirrels have been known to use large runwheels. You can make one using a large bicycle wheel without the tire and screw plexiglass or "puckboard" to the outside of the wheel so it sticks out on both sides. Replace the hub with a long threaded rod and fender washers and locked double nuts on each side and well packed greese in the bearings. The rod can then be hanged from a tree. Plastic pipes over the chain or rope used to hang it will prevent the wheel from cutting through it (especially if the pipe can turn - put washers under the pipe where the supports attach to the threaded rod)

[animallover5457]

Thanks so much! We got a squirrel feeder and they love it!

thanks again!

[gbald83]

wow thats some creative information. im going to have to try some of that for squirels. i have like a billion of them in my back yard already.

[gmt512]

hi!
put up bird feeders.
Honestly, squirrels are crazy about sunflower seeds and just ask anyone who has bird feeders their biggest bane are the squirrel-raiders.
Squirrels are smart, sensitive and never turn down a free meal. Actually, this is a good time because winters is tough on all wildlife.
I have in addition to my bird feeder, two squirrel feeders placed in a nook area of my tree: a corn-cob feeder and a platform holder for nuts and special squirrel food (you can get it at Walmarts, any bird-feed or animal feed store) they are smart enough to lift the lid and pull out the mix of shelled nuts, corn, sunflower seeds.
squirrels also eat fruit -- they're actually omnivorous but given a choice, like most of us they pass up the healthy stuff for the treats.
want to really reach a squirrel's heart -- offer a few pecans.
Trees and with big crossing branches are good places to put feeders. They like a lot of cover (brush around the area) and to be high tho my feeder is within arm's reach of my 5'2 frame.
and enjoy. I carry shelled nuts to feed squirrels and where i go skating, they squirrels recognize me and I've gotten two to take from my hand.
please -- if you find a baby squirrel please contact a rehabber -- www.tampasquirrelcare.org
thanks and enjoy!
Gina

[Fuzzy]

You can set up a bunch of bird feeders and fill them with sunflower seeds. If you have a fence surrounding your backyard, thats great because they love climbing inside them to hide. You can plant many trees and plants around various areas of your backyard so they have somewhere to climb and stash there food. If you have a deck, you can place a few bird houses on it.(Last year we did this and we had lots of squirrels going inside them to eat)

[kbconnection]

I have raised over 10 baby squirrels and the vet was so impressed with the condition of these babies before we let them free. I have taken many rehab courses and you really need to get in touch with a rehabber right away before ever attempting to raise or keep a squirrel. The milk and/or diet can permenantly deform these animals if they even live long.

[Ann Vole]

kbconnection, I think you responded to the wrong thread.