# prevent Squirrel damage??



## mpatch (Apr 24, 2011)

Is there anything you can do to keep squirrels from eating the bark on trees (mainly Siberian Elms)?


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## SDB777 (Apr 24, 2011)

Feed them something else that they like better....corncobs on a stick.


Thinking if the squirrels are eating bark, then they are on the edge of starving to death. Most likely, they had something on their teeth and were just 'brushing'.






Scott B


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## SDB777 (Apr 24, 2011)

Or shoot 'em, and place next to mashed potatoes and green beans.






Scott B


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## beastmaster (Apr 24, 2011)

I have heard a solution of water and cayenne pepper painted on the trunks works. Suppose to work for wood peckers too. beastmaster


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## ATH (Apr 24, 2011)

If I had squirrels chewing on Siberian elm bark, I think I'd smear peanut butter on the bark 

They are rodents, they chew on woody things because they need to wear their teeth down, not that they are so hungry. There are several commercial mammal repellants, such as Plantskydd.


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## mpatch (Apr 25, 2011)

It's a pretty big problem out here (front range of Colorado) they eat the crap out of trees (mainly Siberian Elms but also Locust, Hackberry, Ash, etc.) , some years are worse than others. I think the starving part may have something to do with it not sure. Pretty sure squirrels aren't meant to be here but then again neither are trees. When I first came out here from the midwest and had to trim a squirrel damaged tree I was like WTF, they aren't supposed to eat the tree.


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## anne929 (May 7, 2011)

*Prevent Squirrel Damage*

Perhaps you can use a taste repellent such as Ro-pel, which can be applied to seeds, bulbs, and flowers; trees and shrubs. Capsaicin which is also a taste repellent might also do the trick.

I hope this helps. 


Greensboro Tree Service
tree service Birmingham


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## mpatch (May 10, 2011)

not talking little trees here worst one I have had to deal with this year was about 60-70" dbh and about 85-90 ft tall. What happens it the squirrels girdle the brach and then new growth starts and the process repeats itself until there is enough dead around the new growth that the squirrels cant get to it (picture a dead bush with a few live spindly parts in the middle and that's what the tips look like), and what is alive is normally way too long for it's diameter so you fish the dead out and head back the alive part so it can support it's own weight. Will snap a few pics.


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## Alfred01 (Jun 6, 2011)

The idea of Anne sounds well to prevent through applying repellent such as Ro-pel,This will be precaution to avoid and implement in future.


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## ATH (Jun 7, 2011)

Just got an e-mail last week about a product called Repellex]Tree Care Supplies - Equipment for professional arborists and landscapers. This is supposed to be a systemic that is taken into the tree to make it unsavory. I haven't tried them yet, but just ordered some as the squirrels are chewing on a tree I just planted for my sister-in-law. They have already taken the bark off nearly 3/4 of the way around :msp_angry:


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## PinnaclePete (Jun 8, 2011)

beastmaster said:


> I have heard a solution of water and cayenne pepper painted on the trunks works. Suppose to work for wood peckers too. beastmaster


 
For the last 2 years I've been using this, but mix equal parts of water and vegetable oil to make a cayenne pepper mayonaise spread. The oil penetrates the bark and acts as rain-proofing.

We have problems with the tree rats chewing the bark off expensive Jap. maples, and this has kept them from coming back.

SDB777, also very good when baking the suckers, can't take the green beans though.


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