Squirrels and Rabbits-Love 'em/Hate 'em or just co-exist?

15 years ago

I have to plant enough lettuce to share with the rabbits every year, but it still irritates me that they like my romaine and buttercrunch the best, and then this year thought they should compete with me for the little row of kale I had planted. I put some fabric lawn protector that I had put on to protect against the frost over where my peas were planted and left it long enough so that the rabbits wouldn't eat them to the ground like they have in the past.

I use Liquid Fence a few times a season, but I think it's lost its effectiveness. I've noticed their jagged teeth marks on my new fall lettuce that's coming up. :o(

The squirrels in our neighborhood are what have me going nuts (a bit of a pun). What I hate the most is all the digging, including digging plants out of my pots. Our neighbor has a corn feeder, and the squirrels love to bring the cobs to our yard to munch on. Right now, with all the sunflowers they are taking off my plants, leaving my plants looking unsightly, my neighbors are probably unhappy with the messes the squirrels are making dragging the sunflowers to their yards. I had hoped that if they were eating the seeds, they may dig less, but it doesn't look like that worked. They are so greedy and nasty, and they tease my dog, and sometimes scold me for being in my yard. They don't pay the taxes!

Part of me wants to find the best strategies of living with the squirrels, but another part wants to buy up all the cayenne pepper I can find, and dust my yard with it.

How about you? What are your experiences with critters?

Sue

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Comments (16)

phill173
15 years ago
I have no rabbits, and the squirrels don't dig or eat any of my plants or bulbs, but they do like to drop their peanut shells down my fence and I am always finding them up against my fence line, but it is not really a problem.

My big problem is the neighborhood cats. The hang out in my garden and seem to like the area up next to the entrance of my house for their litterbox. My dog died a couple of years ago, and that is when they really started hanging out. I spray them with the garden hose or shake a pop can full of pennies at them whenever I catch them and it has gotten a little better. Imagine walking by your supposedly fragrant garden beds, but the fragrance you smell is cat pee and poo. I used to LOVE cats, but no more.

I also have rude neighbors who allow their dogs to pee repeatedly on my lawn, and I have three very big, very brown spots on an otherwise nice green (albeit filled with clover) lawn, thank you very much!

So, no, squirrels and rabbits don't bother me much, but for those of you who do have problems with them, you have my every sympathy!

Pat
bloominganne
15 years ago
Sue, it's frustrating to me to deal with the squirrels and I don't have rabbits, which sound much worse. I try to keep a good attitude about the squirrels, but they dig my plants and make my dogs go crazy too. The squirrels bury acorns all over my yard and that's one of my biggest "weed" problems, little oaks sprouting up everywhere. I don't think I'd like my neighbors feeding the squirrels if they are increasing the population!

I don't have any solutions to offer you but I can say that I've gotten over "aren't they cute?" I do have a collection of stone rabbits in my yard and that's about as cute as they get.
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derelictgardener
15 years ago
"Let dogs delight to bark and bite, for God hath made them so." Isaac Watts 1715 .

This is one of my favourite English poems. It is concise and to the point. I haven't been bothered by a single Bear, squirrel, rabbit, mole, dear, coyote, snake, fox, or hedgehog since the purchase of my 155 pound German Shepherd. Seb has rows and rows of ferocious razor sharp teeth, and tireless mounds of muscles. To those of you with dogs that just don't cut the mustard, stop training them to be cat or intruder friendly and..............

"Let dogs delight to bark and bite, for God hath made them so." Isaac Watts 1715 .

Ha ha ha ha tee hee!
Mihai
libbyshome
15 years ago
Well, I guess old Isaac Watts never met an out-of-control pittbull or dog that barked all day. ;)

I have squirrels but they don't bother my garden. I don't have rabbits (crosses fingers).

Libby
midnightsmum (Z4, ON)
15 years ago
When I was a child, if I was bitten by a stray dog, (and I was) my mother would ask me what I did....it was my fault. I agree with the notion that there are no bad dogs, only bad owners. Cats....well, cats are going to do what cats are going to do, and that is how god made them. My guys poo and pee in my gardens, right where I have put seeds, or have seedlings growing on...I have to figure out how to divert them. No squirrel problems yet, but I am putting together bird feeder, for both their and my enjoyment, so squirrels will no doubt follow.
As to rabbits and deer, didn't someone say that human hair around the edges of the garden was a deterrent? You could get it from a local salon....

There also is something called the scarecrow, which might be worth a look - I've put a link below.

Nancy

Here is a link that might be useful: Pest Deterrent
gottagarden
15 years ago
hate 'em!
phill173
15 years ago
I am a former cat owner, and I know that one cannot make a cat do what it does not want to do, or vice versa--I do understand the nature of cats, and really, it it one of their charms. However, the neighbors let their cats run wild. A former neighbor had dozens of cats who were all having kittens, increasing those numbers. Some other neighbors sort of pressured her to have them sterilized, and so she had the MALE cats fixed! She moved a couple of years ago, and most of her cats have gone, but others still abound.

I grew up with cats, and ours were always indoor-only kitties. I choose to not own a kitty at this time in my life (son is allergic), but I get their pee and poo all the same. It was very strong-smelling at my front entrance, so I thinned the plants I had growing there ao that they had less foliage to camouflage them, and it, thankfully, is not so popular any more.

My experience is that cats do not like to soil in their own places. I guess the bottom line for me is that I did not buy a cat, did not invite the cats, did not want the cats, but I got them and their problems, all the same.

To be truthful, I really do love cats--always have--just not these, and just not in my yard.

But I guess they are probably not as bad as squirrels, rabbits, and deer!! They at least do not devour the plants. :o)

Pat
christinmk z5b eastern WA
15 years ago
No rabbits here either, unless you count the cute pet bunnies the new neighbors have. ;-) I think their cute to (what can I say, I was raised on Beatrix Potter), but I can imagine how awful they would be to a gardener.
My squirrels are much nicer than your guys'! They dont dig up my bulbs, and I dont really have a problem with shells and sprouting trees etc. I do feed them though, so maybe that keeps them from doing more damage. I have counted three living around here. I dubbed them Nutmeg, Curry, and Chippy. Nutmeg, the female, will come right up to the door and beg for peanut-buttered bread! Shes taken it from my hand before too, but I dont let them do that(I certainly dont want to get bitten by a squirrel!). Mine are very nice little squirrels!
CMK
derelictgardener
15 years ago
CMX

Never mind about old Miss Potter. Richard Adams had the right idea, "WATERSHIP DOWN" baby! Let the dogs eat them!

Hahahahhahahahaha!
Mihai
midnightsmum (Z4, ON)
15 years ago
Oh Mihai - you are evil. lol. I remember one time I was in London, right after the Watership Down movie came out. A shop had a sign in the window: "You read the book, you saw the movie, now eat the cast!" It was a butcher shop!!!

Nancy.
lvtgrdn
Original Author
15 years ago
I have also had problems with neighbors' cats. They love to come in the spring after I've planted seeds and dig around and use the beds for their restrooms. One year, I don't remember why I had my hands in the dirt, but all of a sudden I smelled something bad, and had to go wash my hands. Yuck!

Speaking of rabbits, I remember a number of years ago, starting to buy a box of tissue decorated with a garden theme, but then I saw rabbits on it, and put it back, muttering that whoever designed that box was not a gardener. LOL My DH likes to tease me when he sees rabbit decor, and tell me he sees something I need for the yard, because he knows I don't do rabbits.

Thanks for the link midnight. I have an assortment of birds that visit my garden, including some doves, which walk around, so I bet they would set off the motion detector. It does look pretty cool, though. I've used hair before, but not in huge quantities. I think I need to get back out with the Liquid Fence again and see if that helps. They do seem to be worse in the spring though, probably because there aren't as many choices.

I yelled up the tree at the squirrel that was scolding me today, and told it to just wait until I get the cayenne out. I don't think it was impressed.

I'm sorry about the loss of your dog, Pat. We've been through that, too. It's a difficult adjustment. Our dogs (we only have one at a time) are indoor dogs, part of the family.

CMK, are the critters you're feeding squirrels or chipmunks? The ones I'm thinking of have furry tails about as long as the bodies.

So, the dilemma with providing food for squirrels is, does it cause them to increase and get more obnoxious, or does it prevent them from digging as much? Do we try to live peaceably with the critters, or wage war against them?

Sue
DYH
15 years ago
The squirrels and rabbits have to keep to cover when they come around from the woods into the garden...red-tailed hawks are frequently watching the open areas.

The rabbits are now more of a problem for me than deer. I figured out what the deer don't eat, now I have to figure out what the rabbits don't eat. I may end up with a flower garden that consists of only salvia, agastache, buddleia, verbena and perennial heliotrope!

Yes, I'm starting to hate rabbits.

Cameron
squirrel_girl
15 years ago
Our squirrel population is minimal here next to the woods. I get to see their fluffy little tails chasing each other up and down the trees in the spring and fall. I'll go with love this season. There are no rabbit problems either. Knock on wood.

Chipmunks!
I have a definate love/hate relationship with the chipmunks. They are so cute, are fun for the indoor kitty to watch, and the little babies popping out of their holes are adorable. Then again, they chewed through my garage door and ate all the sunflower seeds. I'm sure I'll have one break into my house one day.

Indoor kitty thinks he is a lion when he gets to go out on the leash. The chipmunks are bold/stupid this fall and are running straight through his little 20 foot leashed area. I feel so guilty when kitty gets one. Kitty is quite proud of himself though. I know chipmunks can be destructive little critters, but I've gotten so that I'm shooing them away and shortening the leash so that they stand a chance against my tiny tiger.

Moles: Have at em kitty. The more the merrier. >^..^Squirrel Girl
midnightsmum (Z4, ON)
15 years ago
Hasenfeffer (Sour Rabbit Stew) SUBMITTED BY: NXNER

"Original German rabbit stew recipe passed down from my great-grandmother who immigrated to US in 1889. This is a lot of work to make but well worth it. It is an acquired taste dish; once hooked, you can't get enough. Serve with fresh mashed potatoes and celery sticks. Use the stock as gravy for mashed potatoes. Always tastes better as leftovers. Hope you enjoy!"

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

PREP TIME 1 Hr
COOK TIME 1 Hr 15 Min
READY IN 10 Hrs 15 Min

INGREDIENTS
2 3/4 cups red wine vinegar
3 cups water
1 1/2 tablespoons white sugar
8 whole cloves
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
5 stalks celery, chopped
1 lemon, thinly sliced
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1 tablespoon salt
1 teaspoon pickling spice
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 (2 1/2 pound) rabbit, cleaned and cut into pieces
3 tablespoons vegetable oil

DIRECTIONS
In a large pot, combine the water, white sugar, whole cloves, onion, celery, lemon, cinnamon, ground cloves, salt, pickling spice and black pepper. Bring to a boil, then turn off and allow to cool. Place the rabbit pieces into the mixture to marinate. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Spread flour out onto a parchment or aluminum foil lined baking sheet. Bake for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the flour is a light brown color.
Remove the rabbit from the marinade and pat dry. Strain the marinade, and discard the solids. Reserve the liquid for later.
Heat the oil in a deep skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat. Coat the chicken with the toasted flour. Place into the hot oil, and cook until browned on both sides. Remove from the pan, and set aside. If there is oil left in the pan, sprinkle enough of the toasted flour over it to absorb the liquid.
In a jar with a lid, mix 1/2 cup of the marinade with 1/4 cup of the remaining toasted flour. Close the lid, and shake vigorously until well blended with no lumps. Heat the pan with the rabbit drippings over low heat. Gradually stir in the marinade mixture, stirring constantly until slightly thickened.
Return the rabbit pieces to the pan. Cover and simmer over low heat for 1 hour, or until the meat is falling off of the bones. You may remove the bones prior to serving if desired.
squirrel_girl
15 years ago
Midnightsumm, You are too funny. That would solve everyone's rabbit problems. We would all love bunnies then. While I don't intend to go club myself a rabbit, I do think I will try your recipe with something less fluffy. Thanks for the humor and idea.

SG
goodie_gardener_hotmail_com
13 years ago
I lost my dog in 2006 but we had a family of foxes den next to the foundation of our house in 2008. that was my best garden year -I actually got a harvest of carrots! Unfortunately, my neighbor has chickens and feels justified in trapping the foxes so I have not seen any around since and the rabbits have become a real problem. I have used garlic & hot pepper sprays in the past with some success against deer [which are a problem here too]but it is hard to keep up with a constant spraying after rainfall etc. I am considering using tunnel cloches to cover my most susceptible crops - anyone have experience with that approach?

Squirrels and Rabbits-Love 'em/Hate 'em or just co-exist?

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