How do I discourage, or preferably, eradicate these menacing rodents entirely?

I've had it with the one (or more) squirrels that are regularly digging up potted plants and destroying smaller ones I'm growing from cuttings.   Strategic placement of pots has proven to be anything but.  Nowhere is safe.   I've placed rocks, flagstone, etc. on the soil surface of potted plants and that has worked well -- up until today, when I found a rock dislodged, spilled soil, and a hole dug in my prized Royal Poinciana that I sprouted from a seed 15 months ago.  This is war.

At this point, I'm not opposed to using bait.  The cats around here are all well fed, and the two males that come around courting my girl couldn't care less about checking out her food dish on the side porch.  If I owned a pellet gun, I'd be lying in wait and taking care of business, or at the very least, scaring them off with something more than chasing and yelling.   They are persistent little devils and have been on a destructive tear since spring.

Like Rich stated in a recent post, something needs to be done about protected wildlife that have become an urban gardener's worst enemy.  The population needs a serious reduction.  I've never had this much trouble in any other part of town I've lived before.  The peregrine falcons that nest atop a nearby office building prefer easy prey like pigeons.   Any suggestions would be appreciated.

I love the squirrels that we have in our complex.  They are a pleasure to watch and as far as I can tell they haven’t interfered with any of our plants.   They play in front of our house climbing the trees.

 They have a right to live in the nature that we as humans have systematically destroyed.  I’ve never before heard of anyone that didn’t appreciate them.  Just two days ago when it was 111F we saw a big squirrel right in front of our house that appeared to be overcome with the heat.  We put a pie pan of water out for it.  The next morning the water was all gone.

Be worried when you no longer see the squirrels, birds and other wildlife.  When they cease to exist the conditions for human life are also in jeopardy.

That being said, if you want them to leave your plants alone, try sprinkling pepper around the plants.  Its non toxic, but the squirrels and other wildlife won’t like the pepper and will probably stay away from the area.  

Eddie

Eddie, I appreciate the points you made and I agree.  At the last rental Dave and I lived in before buying our first home, I used to feed shelled walnuts to a squirrel that would visit on our patio every afternoon. 

But, there are too many of them now, and over the generations they have learned that the best soil for digging is found in pots.  They don't have enough predators in urban areas.  I've tried "Critter Ridder" which definitely contains pepper because it was getting to me even as I sprinkled it around.  It wasn't terribly effective.   Maybe there's a sonic repellent that doesn't bother cats.  I have a handy outlet on the rear wall of the house.  That's one solution that could be the easiest, and it would probably also work on the rats that use the top fence rail as a highway every night.

I had a similar problem last summer with my Christmas Cactus plants.  I've always put them on the carport during the summer, no problem.  But last year they were constantly getting dug up - most annoying.  I have two traps, I used both of them.  All totaled I caught 5 squirrels.  They all went to Squirrel Heaven.  I have a HUGE live oak in the backyard and there are squirrels all over the place.  Constantly running from tree to tree, chasing each other, and making babies.  The five I eliminated did nothing to threaten the squirrel population in West Mobile.

lawrence

AMEN Lawrence!

Please do share more information about your lethal trapping device!   I own a "Have a Heart" trap for cats that I use for possums and raccoons (which I release into an open space area by a creek), but it's way too big for squirrels, I think.

your area sounds just like where we live.  We also have squirrels, skunks, raccoons, possums   and LARGE flocks of wild turkeys.  Even though we live in town, we are only a 10 minute walk to the country.  The Walgreens Drug Store a 10 min walk from here has at least 12 to 24 chickens that roam free in the parking lot and on the lawn.  I love living in an area  where there is lots of wildlife.

Last April our next door neighbor had a skunk take up residence underneath his deck during mating season.  Now that was unpleasant.  He had to get some wildcat scat from the county animal control and place it under the deck in order to get the skunk to vacate.

Eddie

Roger, thanks for your post.  That biologists recognize that the squirrel population is way out of balance gives me hope that there will be some sort of answer that won't alarm wildlife lovers and still provide a solution to the problem in urban areas.

I wish a couple of hawks would make themselves at home nearby.  That would solve the problem right away.

My 9th grade history teacher had two pet squirrels that got loose in her house, never to be caught again.  They made a home out of an easy chair.  We'd regularly hear more about the latest squirrel episode than world history.

1) The brownish squirrels that are most common in this area are introduced European fox squirrels. They have mostly driven out the native American gray tree squirrels.

2) Haveahart makes a much smaller humane trap that works well for squirrels. Check your local pet shop. Or, it might be available on-line.

3) A pellet gun also works, but one must be very careful to avoid collateral damage. It can take some skill to hit a target as small as a squirrel.

4) It is, as I understand it, legal to trap or shoot depredating wildlife on one's property, as long as the remains are kept on site. It is not legal to relocate the problem animal to another location.

5) I used to have a cat that was quite skilled at catching and dispatching squirrels. Alas, he died about 10 years ago. My current collection of semi-feral cats don't seem to have his moxie, although the local squirrel population does seem to be less than a decade ago.

6) Whatever you do, be careful not to alarm the neighbors.

7) To help repel birds, there are scare devises such as plastic owls with swiveling heads, an beach ball size decoys with shiny eye-like spots. I don't know that they work on squirrels.

I've relocated a number of possums and one raccoon using my Have-a-Heart trap, even though it's against the law.  I take them less than a mile away to a primarily undeveloped park by a creek and turn them loose.  Since they're nocturnal, this all happens under cover of darkness.  There are some areas of the park that have benches and one large playground area, so there are trash cans for the raccoons, and if that isn't enough, there's a retail complex with restaurants across the street, so there's no shortage of foraging options.  I like to think I'm doing them a favor, but more importantly, I've done myself and my cat a favor by eliminating the cat food thieves and water dish topplers.

I just wish squirrels were as easy to capture and relocate, but with the way things have gotten so ridiculously out of hand, it would be a never-ending job.

Well, Bud, that is interesting information.

At one point I was trying to use warfarin (or equiv) laced poison bait, until I acquired a cat that was quite expert at catching, killing, and consuming tree squirrels. I even once witnessed him catch a squirrel on the sidewalk in front of the house, and then drag it between his front legs, like a lion with a gazelle, all the way to the back yard where he eventually  dispatched the little demon. I later found squirrel body parts in the back yard. Anyway, that put me off the poison method, since I didn't want such a clever cat to be poisoned as well. Unfortunately that cat died some years ago so the feline squirrel control method has waned considerably since then.

However I have since rescued four feral and semi feral cats. One of whom proved to be useful in the squirrel control effort the other day.

I was in the yard trying to get a clean shot at a squirrel that had been depredating the fig tree. At one point I noticed the little black female stray, "Blackie",  was joining in the chase, about half-way up the tree. But the fig tree trunks are too dense for me to get off a shot. Then, suddenly, the squirrel gave a yelp and flew from the fig tree to an adjacent orange tree. I saw the cat had advanced up the fig tree as well. In the orange tree, the view was much less obstructed, and I'll let you guess the rest. Said squirrel is now enriching the compost bin. I'm not selfish; I did offer the carcass to Blackie. She gave it a sniff and a lick, and then a bite, but then lost interest. When the ants started taking over I moved it to the bin.

There is another fatal trap device that works better for tree squirrels. It mount to the tree trunk, and has a powerful lever that when tripped dispatches the squirrel as quickly and humanely as possible. I have one, just haven't baited for over a year. Maybe it's time.

Edit: it's dark and past midnight here, but I'm gonna go get the "Squirrel Butter" and bait that tree trunk trap now.

OK, I discovered why the tree trunk squirrel trap hasn't caught anything for quite a while.

I went out to bait it, and discovered that the internal portion of the spring had busted... plus the trap is out of stock and I haven't found any way to get a replacement spring. I might be able to weld on another bit of steel to renew the spring, not sure.

We'll see.

Here's an interesting comment I found on Amazon.com about another trap, and the problem with relocating trapped pests:

peter Rabbit

Reviewed in the United States on April 15, 2020

I wish I had the same success with squirrels as I've had with rats.

A family friend inherited a 1930s house that hadn't been inhabited for many years.  After cleaning the place out, and since I was looking for a place to live, the friend offered me cheap rent just to have someone in there to keep things up while the estate was settled.

The first night that I tried to sleep in an upstairs bedroom I was kept awake my rat activity in the attic.  They were busy and there were a lot of them.

The next day I got a 6-pack of d-Con rat poison, the old type that looked like oatmeal, and pushed up the attic access panel and placed a box just inside, closed things up and hoped for the best.  Of course the first night there was no change, but the next morning the box was empty.

I put in another box.  Again, another noisy night, and another empty box. 

The third box was put in place.  More rat activity that night, but the next morning the box still had some bait left in it.

That night, it was all quiet. 

I wish they still sold that stuff because I'm sure it would do the trick on squirrels, and they can't bury it either.  Yes, I've seen squirrels bury marble sized rat bait before.  I'm looking for more immediate results.

Well, I was able to get in touch with the distributor, and while the entire trap is out of stock, they have some extra springs and are sending me one for about $28 including shipping.

Here's a photo of the trap. It's extremely effective. It's called the Kania2000, and appears still to be available from Canada:

www.kania.net/images/kani...

Plus, a video:

The most common tree squirrel in the SF Bay Area is the Eastern Fox squirrel. These were introduced to the West Coast starting around 1900, and have driven the native Western Gray squirrel out of much of its habitat.

It's the tree squirrel I see in my back yard. If it wasn't so destructive, I'd be live and let live. But it is destructive. I have two large avocado trees on my property. The fox squirrels with take some bites out of unripe fruit. let it drop to the ground and rot. Where do they come from? Well, there's a condo development on the other side of the tall ivy covered chain link fence at the back of the property. It was built in the 1980's, on the grounds of a former light industrial factory. The developer planted the entire site with Canary Island pines, which are very tall and drop large pine cones. No doubt these are what the fox squirrels are thriving on. Then they come over here and depredate the avocado, fig, peach, apple, etc trees. It's a constant battle against their numbers. I know I'm not the only one to be aggrieved by these little demons.

I do what I can, legally, to reduce their numbers. They are not native, they are not cuddly, they are not cute.

If you read the descriptions, the fox squirrel *might* be mistaken for a red squirrel, but is much larger.

The ones in my yard here are eastern fox squirrels. They are evil.

Well, I may have spoken too soon.

Animal Control Products in Wisconsin told me they had a spare spring. They charged my credit card for it, and since then have gone silent. I left them multiple voice mails, emals, and even messaged them on their facebook site. Nothing. If they don't respond next week I'll have to contact my credit card company and cancel the transaction.

OK, finally got a response from ACP this morning. They said the spring shipped the day I got charged (9/22) and should be here by Monday. Yay.

We'll see, LOL.

Oh hell yes Rick -- you are preaching to the choir IMO. 

The answer is easy.   Squirrels and other vermin are considered wildlife even in the heart of an urban environment, and as such, at least in my area, trapping and relocating are not allowed (so what good is trapping then?) and of course using any lethal methods is also forbidden.  This is total BS.  These critters are overrunning neighborhoods and causing costly damage, as you have attested to.  There aren't enough natural predators for squirrels, which as prey move way too fast anyway, and as far as I know, vermin the size of raccoons have no predators at all in an urban setting.

Something has to be done.  This sort of unchecked overpopulating can't continue.  I just chased off another raccoon that was eating out of the cat's food dish on the side porch night before last.  A whole family with juveniles has been passing through the yard and making a mess of the water feature that I use as source of drinking water for the cat, even though I put a cover on top of it every night and weigh it down with a heavy rock.  This is all happening in a neighborhood that's over 100 years old and adjacent to the urban core.  Unless they're really young, raccoons are too smart to fall for a trap.  I'm fed up to say the least.  I've started bringing the cat's dish inside at bedtime.  Maybe that will discourage them enough to not bother with trespassing even for the water feature's entertainment value.

Ralph,

Yes, trapping and relocating is illegal.

However if you can figure out a humane way of euthanizing the trapped nuisance/depredating animal, then that is legal.

I checked with California Fish and Game about this about 15 years ago.

Good to know Rich.  I suppose the term "humane" is up for debate, but I'd relocate a raccoon if I caught one.  It's not like I haven't done it a number of times with opossums and an adolescent raccoon.  I have a dumping spot adjacent to many acres of undeveloped parkland with a creek running through.  It's surrounded by two freeways, a light industrial zone and a large shopping center. 

For squirrels, which are a constant and far more prevalent problem instead of occasional, I don't view anything other than lethal means as viable or effective.

Seems to me the fires and the lack of humans out and about due to the pandemic has resulted in an influx of raccoons into urban/suburban areas.

Again, even to undeveloped rural areas, relocating trapped depredating animals is ILLEGAL.

It's not difficult to figure out a humane way to euthanize them on site. If you are not willing to do that, then don't trap them to begin with.

Relocating?  Illegal, schmillegal.  That rule doesn't make a damned bit of sense.

The law against relocating wildlife makes a LOT of sense.

When you relocate problem animals you are upsetting the natural population balance. You are stressing out the population where you relocate the animal(s) to, creating more disease and problems in that locale. Eventually the population pressure will result in a return of the problem species to your yard, perhaps more aggressive and desperate because of  your misguided intervention.

But hey, don't listen to me or the wildlife specialists.

Fuck the world, right?

F_ck the vermin is more like it.  I don't buy that argument and flatly reject it (but fully expect to see a citation of research to appear here in short order).  The natural population is waaaaaay out of balance in urban neighborhoods where this "wild"life is over-breeding without any means of keeping it in check.  How can relocating to an area where they have room to roam and bother no one, a water source, homeless encampment garbage, even dumpsters that offer a little slice of their former home behind restaurants in a shopping center that abuts industry and railroad tracks, and most importantly, predators, be viewed as an impetus for imbalance or overpopulation?  Are we completely discounting Charles Darwin's work now?

There are a lot of decisions people can make that that qualify as "f_ck the world," some being as simple as  failing to properly recycle, wasting water, or driving a smoke-belching car.   Turning a raccoon loose into a hospitable environment doesn't strike me as one of them, and alleging a "f_ck the world" attitude is a gross overreach.  Call it misguided if you want.  I call it protecting my investment, and last time I checked, raccoons were not in charge on this planet.

Ready, set, start googling.

If that doesn't make a case for annihilation I don't know what does.

Ralph,

Why don't you call California Fish and Game and ask them why relocating depredating critters like squirrels and raccoons is illegal. They are better equipped than I to explain to you the wildlife management science behind the law. And if you won't believe them, there likely is nothing I can say to change your mind.

Just be careful you don't get caught, M'kay?

PS-I'm glad I live about 40 miles from your place, LOL.

Harley,

No armadillos here that I know of. They eat ants and termites, which can't be a bad thing, but I understand about the burrowing. In high school I hung out with the nature crowd. A friend of mine had a pet armadillo. It was very odd. I recall he had some problems with it trying to burrow through the linoleum flooring. LOL.

Kania update:

The replacement spring arrived today and I got it installed, trap baited and hung back up on tree (in better position), without breaking any digits or limbs. Yes, the trap spring is strong enough it could certainly break fingers if not hands.

Now I can't wait for the next Sciurid guest of honor (evil laugh).

I chased off two squirrels in my potted fig tree this morning.  There aren't even any figs on it at this point, but they've been regularly tearing up the soil in the pot.  Walking back into the house, I noticed they/one of them had yet again dug up and tipped over the 1-gallon pots with fuchsia cuttings that I had managed to root from types not commonly found in nurseries.  Potting soil all over the ground. 

That did it.  I'm calling Kania tomorrow to order a trap (on line isn't a current option).  They're not cheap, but the satisfaction factor is well worth it.  I will gleefully deposit the carcasses into the garbage cart, and with each incident will be incentivized to keep baiting until the destruction stops.  Here's hoping for a hot streak.

I can tolerate the raccoons.  Their habits aren't anywhere near as destructive as these goddamned squirrels. 

Well if you had outdoor ponds, esp with fish, you wouldn't be so blasé about raccoons.

Good luck with the Kania trap. I can recommend also getting a product called "Squirrel Butter" which is a sort of fruit jam that the squirrels are supposed to love. Other baits can include raw almonds, peanut butter, etc.

If you have any unpaved garden soil, I recommend digging a small hole and burying the murdered squirrel(s) there. It will enrich the soil.

Well, the blood meal might work for flower pots and such. But I have a number of fruit trees and it would near impossible to coat them with blood meal.  The squirrels' favorite target is the avocado, which happens to be the one I value most. The squirrels will also go after the grapes, apples, peaches, figs, etc.

Today I was in the back yard and heard one jump from one roof to another, and then into a tree, but I couldn't spot it (they are great at hiding up high). Later I just happened to be out there and he was, down low on an avocado tree trunk, looking to make trouble. He's now incorporated into the compost bin. The tail will be hung up on the trophy board.

These eastern fox squirrels are big and relatively heavy. I didn't weigh it, but it was probably a pound or two. Might be good eating, but ...

The old instruction/recipe booklet that came with my '60s Mirro-Matic pressure cooker has a recipe for squirrel.  I'd be happy to share with anyone who might be interested.  Betting it tastes like chicken, but the whole skinning and butchering thing is not for me.

Last night I went to the compost bin, uncovered the latest addition, and it weighed in at about 1.5 lbs. So my estimate was pretty close.

I'm also not versed in gutting and butchering, but this one did look sort of tasty, LOL. Well, not any more.

I have several older copies of Joy of Cooking. The 1967 and 1975 editions have squirrel recipes, including how to skin and dress the meat. It cautions that gray squirrel is preferable to red squirrel for a less gamey taste. It is silent on the third major species, the Eastern Fox Squirrel.

Well, Kania seems like a sketchy operation.  There is no on-line ordering option, they seem not to have a presence on any other retailing platform, and after completing the "contact us" on-line form and clicking on "submit," a message pops up that says the contact feature isn't working.

I called Kania and got a recording with a female voice that confirmed I'd reached Kania, but advised that she -- like an individual -- was not available and to leave a message. 

I may have to settle for second best, as I have little confidence that I'll ever hear from this woman AKA Kania.

EDIT

I submitted a "contact us" message on the web site for the lone U.S. distributor for Kania, where the model 2000 is shown as out of stock, but at least I might get some information about just what is up with Kania.  I also went back to the Kania site and used the "feedback" navigation to successfully send a message inquiring about availability for purchase.  We'll see whether either of these actions provides a path toward eventual and satisfyingly lethal squirrel abatement.

I was astonished to receive a call from Calvin(?) from Kania within perhaps 30 minutes of making my edit to the post above.

I was truly disappointed to learn that Kania is in the process of moving production back to Canada (from where, I don't know) and that they are estimating that it will be one year before their traps will again be available.  They are taking names and numbers of all who are interested, but I can't wait that long.  I'll be checking ebay regularly, starting right now.

As far as alternatives go, the Koro is looking like it could be worth a try, and it's a whole lot cheaper than a Kania.

I just placed an order for a "Little Killer" squirrel trap.  They are being marketed as a substitute for/variation on a Kania 2000. 

Per reviews, there's a durability problem but I doubt any issues would be a big deal to repair, and I'll place the trap where it's out of the elements.   I think I may only have two squirrels doing all the damage -- a grey one and a black one.  It'll be easy to determine if I bagged the right ones. 

I am SO looking forward to exacting swift justice.  I don't intend to stop at two victims, though.  I'll keep baiting and trapping until there are no more takers and do the whole neighborhood a favor.

The Koro trap I mentioned above requires augmentation to be effective, and per the less-than-optimum video reviews, seems difficult and dangerous to set, with multiple warnings about losing a finger.

Make sure your new trap comes with instructions on skinning. People here like the idea of killing the occasional coyote that makes it's way back to it's original home...now a Del Web's housing division or something similar. The coyotes were here tens of thousands of years before the houses, so were the squirrels. 

Yeah, if I were a fur trapper I might consider consumption.   I can't say skinning . . . er . . . appeals to me though.

I have an old shop building that I have been planning on tearing down for the past 15 years but haven't gotten to it yet.  It's still standing so I've decided to just clean it out, add a little insulation, and use it for our outdoor plants over the winter.  I began cleaning it out last night....I have several large trash bags full of squirrel nests!  I'm placing hardware cloth between the roof rafters and the wall headers to keep the critters out from now on.  Such a mess. 

My trap is due any day now.  I just chased a squirrel away yesterday and followed its route not far up a tree behind my fence.  I spotted its nest so got a long pole and destroyed it.  If that little f_cker thought that was bad, he has one final surprise coming.

If you have squirrels you most certainly have rats, at least 2 to 3 times as many. The part of San Jose I grew up in (the real Willow Glen) remains heavily infested. When we bought our nice home on pricey Dry Creek Road the doctor's wife who lived next door said "don't you know Willow Glen is famous for it's rats?" The area once known as Burbank along with the old Race Street district is a dedicated breeding area for rats. Unlike squirrels, rats do their dirty work undercover of darkness. They use power and telephone/cable lines as a super-highway. Rats aren't as finicky as squirrels either. No self-respecting squirrel would consider the insulation covering on electrical wiring a gourmet treat. Too bad. I've never heard anyone say "that guy's a low down dirty squirrel" or from when I was a kid, "you're a squirrel fink."

Joe, you are so right!  This whole town has a rat problem.  I wonder what it is about Race Street that makes it a favorite breeding ground.  There isn't anything in particular in the way of habitat or businesses that strikes me as more attractive than, say, Park Avenue.  My neighborhood lies between both, but as long as the rats aren't coming inside, I don't really mind them.  It's the destructive squirrels that I'm looking to eradicate. 

Since 10/12 is a federal holiday, my trap will be delayed even further.  It has been sitting at the USPS distribution facility in SF since before the weekend.  As of today the status indicates it's "In transit, arriving on time."  Yeah, not until Tuesday at the soonest, I'm afraid, and no arrival date was ever provided, so "on time" means nothing.  The seller sent it via "Stamps.com."  I thought they had disappeared along with all of the other casualties of the dot com collapse 20 years ago.  

I posted that disgusting photo of the squirrel being skinned for shock value. I have come to realize that there are many readers that would have preferred a video of a live squirrel being skinned...with sound.

The sociopathic personality first develops in early childhood or adolescence and is classified under the diagnosis of “conduct disorder,” which then develops into “anti-social personality disorder.”An individual who is able to engage in cruelty to animals appears to have no conscience and thus no remorse for his or her behavior. The act of cruelty to animals results from an apparent need for power and control, and this need is accompanied by a lack of empathy. Animals are targeted, especially helpless and defenseless ones, because the perpetrator does not recognize or care that they have feelings and can experience not just physical pain but also emotional pain. “It was just an animal, so who cares?” They describe feeling a “rush” after abusing and killing an animal. This rush can also occur in people who inflict cruelty on other humans, so if a person is capable of abusing, torturing, and killing an animal, he or she may decide to go even further and inflict harm on another human being in order to achieve the same rush.

The trap arrived yesterday.  I'm taking care of a friend who is recovering from a medical procedure this week so may not be able to set up the trap for a couple more days.  I'll report results after the trap has been placed and baited.

OK, one houskeeping item up front:  Reply numbers don't always translate correctly if the viewer has "hidden" a member or members who have posted a reply.   It's best to provide the post number.  I'm guessing that you were inquiring about your post #1089804 regarding rats.

I've had no luck using mouse or rat bait for squirrels for about a dozen years or so.  D-Con used to look like oatmeal, and that worked great.  Now D-Con comes in the form of green pellets and squirrels don't care for it.  Years ago I was able to find marble-sized bait for rats that appeared to be made out of the same stuff as pellets, but squirrels did go for that stuff.  If they didn't eat it on the spot, they buried it.  I can't find the marbles anymore, so the mechanical device is my only alternative at this point.  I've tried all the baits out there, including a big tub of stuff for ground squirrels, which we don't have in my 'hood, and the tree squirrels don't eat that either.

The trap is set.  It came with a complimentary small plastic jar of squirrel butter.  The stuff smells like a mixture of chocolate and coffee.  It's quite aromatic and I imagine it will serve as a good lure.

I'll give the current placement a couple of days and see how it goes.  If there's no action, I have a couple of other spots to try.

I've copied and pasted the pictures I took with my iPhone because it's the only way to get them to display right-side up.

Absolutely not a religious post so please don't turn it into one

LOL Joe, but no.   Besides, the scene inside the pearly gates would be a huge bore for me.  He will be getting some of his critters, though.

I had no takers today and I think it was due to the hot weather.  I also had to take the trap down early because I was leaving around 3:30 PM and knew I'd not be back until after dark.  I didn't want to have to deal with a rat, which as far as I'm concerned, is far more preferable to have around than destructive squirrels.  I'll place the trap in the same location again tomorrow since that's when the cooling trend begins. 

I do agree about the durability concerns and don't intend to leave the trap out in the elements.  I have some ideas in mind to help it hold together over the longer term, as it's apparent that when one squirrel is eliminated, another will be along in short order, so this will be an ongoing thing.

Chicago #1 six years and running!

"Orkin ranked metro regions by the number of new rodent treatments performed from September 1, 2019 to August 31, 2020. This ranking includes both residential and commercial treatments."

As long as the rats aren't in my house or wreaking havoc outside, I'm fine with them.  I'm not scared or disgusted by them and really don't understand why so many people are.  I'll sometimes see them running along the fence rails or overhead wires before dark.  That's the extent of it.

My main concern about rats is that the trap is too large for them and I don't want to deal with the mess if it snaps down onto a rat anywhere below the neck.

Squirrels are another story entirely.  Destructive and unrelenting.  Today is Day Three for the trap.  I swear, it's like the squirrels have left town.  I haven't seen a single one since setting the trap.

Now I'm wondering how long squirrel butter lasts once its out of its container.  The wad I put on the trigger component has dried up and may have lost its luring capability by now.  I'll change it out tomorrow if there's no action by this evening.  For the rest of today I'm counting on these little buggers being curious enough to poke their heads inside the trap.  It won't take much for it to nail them if that happens.