From: Subject: FOR-45 MANAGING TREE SQUIRREL PROBLEMS IN KENTUCKY Date: Thu, 3 Jun 2010 14:23:32 -0400 MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/html; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Content-Location: http://www.ca.uky.edu/agc/pubs/for/for45/for45.htm X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V6.00.2900.5931 FOR-45 MANAGING TREE SQUIRREL PROBLEMS IN = KENTUCKY FOR-45 
MANAGING TREE SQUIRREL PROBLEMS IN = KENTUCKY=20
ISSUED: 10-90
REVISED:
Thomas G. Barnes=20

Kentucky has three species of = tree=20 squirrels: eastern gray (Sciurus carolinensis), northern fox = (Sciurus=20 niger), and flying (Glaucomys volans). Gray and fox squirrels = are=20 game species, whereas flying squirrels are not a game species. Because = flying=20 squirrels seldom cause problems for homeowners, they are not discussed = in this=20 publication.
Fox and gray = squirrels=20 often come into conflict with humans when they take up residence in an = attic,=20 eaves or walls of a house. Squirrels sometimes cause damage by gnawing = and=20 removing bark or fruits from valuable fruit and nut producing trees, = ornamental=20 trees and shrubbery or by feeding on corn, tomatoes, strawberries and = other=20 seeds or mature fruits in the garden.
Tree squirrels are the number one game animals = pursued by=20 Kentucky sportsmen, but they are protected by Kentucky law. You must = contact=20 your local conservation officer before attempting any control measures.=20

Identification
The = eastern gray=20 squirrel is the most common tree squirrel found in Kentucky. These = medium-sized=20 rodents have a bushy tail. They are 16 to 20 inches long and weigh 1 to = 2=20 pounds. Gray squirrels vary in color from gray to brownish gray with a = white=20 belly. Completely black (melanistic) and white (albino) forms are also=20 encountered occasionally.
The northern=20 fox squirrel is Kentucky's largest tree squirrel. Fox squirrels measure = 18 to 27=20 inches, including their bushy tail, and weigh 1 3/4 to 2 1/4 pounds. Fox = squirrels are typically grizzled gray with a touch of yellow or orange = upper=20 parts and pale yellow to bright orange underparts. The fox squirrel's = tail=20 usually has numerous yellow-tipped hairs, while gray squirrels have = white-tipped=20 tail hairs.=20

Animal Biology and Facts
Both fox and=20 gray squirrels are common in Kentucky. The favorite haunts of gray = squirrels are=20 largely forested habitats dominated by oak and hickory trees and city = parks or=20 suburban yards. Fox squirrels like relatively open country with oak, = hickory and=20 walnut trees scattered along fence rows or occurring in small groves.=20
Squirrels require large old = trees which=20 produce their favorite foods: acorns, hickory nuts, walnuts and Osage = orange=20 fruits. During the spring and summer when nuts are scarce, squirrels eat = tree=20 buds, fruits, berries and succulent green plant material. In the fall = they are=20 very busy collecting nuts and storing them for future use. Old mature = trees are=20 also necessary for nesting because squirrels prefer nesting in tree = cavities,=20 leaf-nests high in a tree or man-made den boxes.
Squirrels are active during the day. Most activity = occurs in=20 the early morning and late afternoon to early evening. Squirrels do not=20 hibernate and are active year round. During late December through = January and=20 June through July, squirrels become very active and noisy as they = prepare to=20 mate.
Squirrels typically = breed when=20 they are one year old. Three to four blind and naked young are born in=20 March/April and September after a 42- to 45-day gestation period. = Newborn=20 squirrels weigh about one-half ounce and open their eyes after about 32 = days.=20 Young begin exploring outside the nest when they are weaned at 10 to 12 = weeks of=20 age.
Home range and = movements of=20 squirrels vary widely. Most activity is concentrated within several = acres=20 although squirrels have been reported to range from 1 to 100 acres. One = study=20 reported squirrels traveled 50 miles during the fall in search of = suitable=20 habitat.
Squirrel = populations=20 periodically rise and fall and are intricately linked to the quantity = and=20 quality of available habitat. Like most small game species, squirrels = have high=20 reproductive and death rates. Normally more than 50% of the squirrels in = a=20 population die each year. Squirrels are a favorite food of many = predators,=20 including hawks, owls, snakes, foxes, house cats and dogs. Squirrels are = also=20 susceptible to a variety of parasites and diseases, including ticks, = mange=20 mites, fleas and internal parasites. Most squirrels in the wild never = reach four=20 years old.=20

Preventing and Controlling Tree Squirrel Damage
The best long-term solution to managing squirrel = problems in=20 the home is to exclude or "build them out" of a building or attic. = Because=20 squirrels are rodents and have large front teeth, you must use 1/4 or = 1/2-inch=20 hardware cloth or 26 gauge metal when excluding squirrels from = buildings. Do not=20 use steel wool or window screening; the squirrels can chew through it.=20
The best way to eliminate = squirrels that=20 have entered a building is to find all their entrances and travel = routes. Be=20 sure to look for eave openings, attic vents, loose flashing around = chimneys and=20 pipes and openings around cables. Plug all entrances except one, and set = a trap=20 at the open entrance (see section on trapping below). Once the squirrels = have=20 been eliminated from the building, be sure to repair any damage they = caused.=20 Then use the preventive measures outlined below.
To prevent further damage, trim all trees which have = limbs=20 within eight feet of the building. Squirrels can be discouraged from = climbing=20 trees if you put a band of two-foot-wide sheet metal six feet away from = the=20 bottom of the tree. Remove any branches less than six feet from the = ground to=20 prevent squirrels from jumping onto them. If the squirrels are gaining = access=20 via telephone or electrical wires, put a two-foot section of lightweight = 2- to=20 3-inch diameter plastic pipe over the wire by slitting the pipe = lengthwise and=20 placing it over the wire. Be careful not to touch the wire. The pipe = will rotate=20 on the wire causing squirrels to tumble.
Squirrels may temporarily vacate an attic and give = you enough=20 time to seal entrances if you place mothballs correctly throughout the = attic.=20 Use one pound of mothballs per 100 square feet of attic space. Because = the=20 mothball vapors are heavier than air, they must be suspended in = baseball-size=20 clumps close to the damaged area. Using old pantyhose is an inexpensive, = effective way to do this.
One method of=20 controlling and preventing squirrel damage is to reduce the population = through=20 shooting or trapping. In rural areas squirrel populations can be reduced = effectively by hunting. You must have a valid Kentucky hunting license = to shoot=20 squirrels. If you hunt at times other than normal Kentucky hunting = seasons, you=20 must contact your local conservation officer before killing any = squirrels.=20 Because squirrels are most active during the morning and evening, = concentrate=20 your hunting activities during these periods. Many types of firearms are = capable=20 of taking squirrels, but a shotgun loaded with #6 shot shells or a .22 = caliber=20 rifle is most effective.
A = variety of=20 traps can be used to catch squirrels. If you know the squirrels' entry = point and=20 you can easily reach it without endangering yourself, place a #110 = conibear trap=20 directly over the open entrance. As the animal passes through the = opening, it=20 will be killed instantly.
Squirrels can=20 also be captured with live cage traps (Figure 1 ). To be effective, = these traps=20 must be pre-baited and wired open for several days before trapping. A = variety of=20 baits works well, including peanut butter, walnuts, pecans, apple or = orange=20 slices, corn and sunflower seeds. To prevent squirrels from returning, = take=20 trapped squirrels at least 5 to 10 miles from the capture site before = releasing=20 them. If squirrels are entering an attic where there is space to set a = live=20 trap, place the trap immediately behind the opening and catch the = squirrel as it=20 enters the building. Do not remove squirrels when young are present. =
One box-type of trap has been effective = in=20 California. This trap, shown in Figure 2a, Figure 2b and Figure 2c is = placed in=20 adjacent trees. A final method of trapping gray squirrels is to use = rat-snap=20 traps nailed to a tree or house 15 to 20 feet above ground. The traps = should be=20 baited with peanut butter or sweet corn.
No poisons or fumigants are registered for = controlling tree=20 squirrels in Kentucky. One method of keeping squirrels from browsing on = trees=20 and gnawing on wood is to use a chemical repellent. Repellents do not = stop=20 gnawing damage but do reduce the severity of damage. The best repellent = is one=20 containing Thiram. Always follow label instructions for using any = chemical=20 substance.
Old reports found = in the=20 literature suggest repellents containing polybutenes can be used to = repel=20 squirrels. The substance burns the squirrels' feet. The following = substances can=20 be sprayed on wood to repel squirrels: ( 1 ) One pound of copper = napthenate=20 mixed in 2 1/2 quarts of mineral spirits. (2 ) Three pounds asphalt = emulsion and=20 2 pounds copper carbonate mixed in 2 quarts of water. (3) One teaspoon = of Lysol=AE=20 or 3 ounces epsom salts mixed in 1 gallon of water. Several of these = solutions=20 may discolor wood; treat a small area hidden from view first to = determine the=20 amount of discoloration.
Be = patient and=20 persistent. Wildlife damage problems are rarely solved quickly. Once the = squirrel problem has been eliminated, be sure to repair any damage to = remove the=20 attractive feature and prevent further damage.=20

About the Author
Tom = Barnes has=20 worked at the University of Kentucky's Department of Forestry for two = years as=20 an Extension specialist in wildlife. After working on his master's = degree at=20 South Dakota State University, he worked in the state Game, Fish and = Wildlife=20 department and at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. He also gained = experience=20 in the field while working at U.S.D.A. Animal Damage Control. He has = published=20 information on mice, rabbit and vole damage to trees. His Ph.D. from = Texas=20 A&M is in wildlife management.