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[pmillen]

A few days ago I noticed that one of the deck furniture bottom cushions had split.

I thought it was from sun rot.  When my dogs sniffed it enthusiastically, I figured that the stuffing had an interesting scent.


A couple of days later I found this in the morning.

Well, it's obviously not sun damage.


Thanksgiving night.

Yeah, I'm a slow learner.

[GREG-B]

It's that time of year when lawn furniture turns into bedding for squirrels and chipmunks.

[dk117]

We have a large wetland behind the house.  Coyote's, hawks, a watershed, millions of frogs, squirrels, a family of racoon, field mice, pretty much you name it.  But it's the opossum that found my grease bucket that is giving me problems.  August-October just about every night it would knock the grease bucket over hoping for a treat.    Haven't seen it in a few weeks though either hibernating or found food elsewhere.

DK

[Bentley]

What are we looking at?  Angry Beavers?

[pmillen]

Mystery solved.

They don't come at night.  They come early in the morning when they're awake and I'm not.

I may be making squirrel stew.

[JoeGrilling]

We have had similar problems with squirrels.   They will even steal pink fiberglass house insulation for their nests.  I keep telling my wife that squirrel pot pie is real popular in Western Maryland where I grew up.       

[pmillen]

Rather than kill them, I'd happily put something that they'd prefer to collect in the yard.  Do you have a suggestion?

[ICIdaho]

Rather than kill them, I'd happily put something that they'd prefer to collect in the yard.  Do you have a suggestion?

Looks like your chair would be a good start!

[pmillen]

Looks like your chair would be a good start!

 

It's certainly handy.  Do you think that will encourage them to tear into the replacement cushions?

BTW, today, in broad daylight, there are at least three squirrels making repeated trips to snatch cushion stuffing.  (I say, "At least three" because it's difficult to tell one from another.  They all look alike to me.)

[ICIdaho]

Looks like your chair would be a good start!

 

It's certainly handy.  Do you think that will encourage them to tear into the replacement cushions?

BTW, today, in broad daylight, there are at least three squirrels making repeated trips to snatch cushion stuffing.  (I say, "At least three" because it's difficult to tell one from another.  They all look alike to me.)

We always remove our cushions when the weather starts to turn.  I have found them collecting the stuffing out of one of the dog toys that had a tear in it before.  I wonder if they would use off of a cedar bale bedding if part of one was left out.  It would probably be one of the most unnoticeable and environmentally friendly items if they would use off of it.  Maybe even a straw bale.

[pmillen]

One year I used hay straw bales to make a Fall diorama.  There were five mouse nests in them when I dismantled it.

[Mudflap]

Once you supply it they will come.

https://youtu.be/HMcQKz3H0yY

Like they say don't feed the animals. I would make sure to take the cushions in before the weather turns next year. Animals are pretty smart on remembering were they get things. They will return when the new supply runs out.

Mudflap

[Bentley]

Could you take the stuffing and tie it to the base of their trees?  Or is this a vendetta against you?  Have you recently eaten any of their family members?

[JoeGrilling]

Feel fortunate your not dealing with Eastern Fox Squirrels in a moderate climate.  These guys are a real nuisance. They were introduced to California early in the 20th century and will out compete the native squirrel population anywhere they go.  This specie came have two litters a year and jump 16 feet between houses and trees.

My neighborhood was built around 20 years ago and we were required to plant fast growing oak trees in our yards.  After maybe 10 years the acorns came and so did the squirrels.  It got to the point where they were everywhere.  They started nesting in attics using any opening they could find or make their own.  Some of my neighbors have had electrical wire damage from them and one guy experienced them eating through his fire sprinkler piping. 

At my place, they have damaged our roof and destroyed our patio furniture cushions.  I started removing them around five years ago and lost count after 200.  It got to the point where they were scaring our kids when they they were creating a racket chasing each other on our exterior stucco walls.  I used to catch them in Havahart traps and release them at a park across town.  It turns out this is illegal since this specie of squirrel is considered to be a pest.  Today, I still need to remove roughly 12 a year to keep the population down.  This year, they developed a taste for tomatoes.  My garden has 36 plants and they ate most of the tomatoes.  The garden is fenced in with two small trees.  The little acrobats jump between my house or my neighbor's fence to the trees and come down to have a feast.

Your best bet on the cushions is to put them away when not in use.  We had been putting them away in the garage right after Labor Day and bring them out again when things warm up.  We now use patio storage bins that we bought from Costco this past Spring.  The bins allow us to easily use the cushions for parties in the colder months.         

[pmillen]

Yeah, putting them away is probably the best answer.  But there are 14 cushions each with at least two velcro straps.  It's kind of a pain.  I may decide to put the squirrels away, instead.

I think I have an electric fence transformer around here someplace.  I may just wrap wire around their routes.  That should make them think twice about coming back.