The wife made me put up Christmast lights around the yard – must say, they’re pretty cool. They are the standard 50 light strings and we have a few of them connected together. I have them scalloped on nails around the outskirts of the yard and they really light up the place. The problems is – ANIMIALS! Not more than a week after I put these things up, some kind of critter chews threw them.
We have a fairly small yard and live near the downtown of a town so “wild” animals aren’t an issue. We get the usual racoons, opposums, squirrels, etc. but I don’t know who the criminal is or how to stop it. That’s my goal – STOP IT!
Any suggestions? Thanks!
Replies
Your supposed to take them back down and put them away after Christmas.
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"Everything is under control. I'M gonna go make some pies now." Dinosaur 07
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JPONTneuaF4
Out here in the sticks we'd be thinking nightvision goggles and a shotgun.
Might be a problem in your neighborhood. Rats chew the battery posts on equipment left idle here. I'd guess you have a rodent problem. Traps work.
I have a lot of fun using live traps. Then release at particular residences. Rat population explosion? Oh, yeah.
PAHS Designer/Builder- Bury it!
Probably squirrels.
If the lights are chinese made its pretty certain they are poisonous, so whatever it is will keel over any day so I wouldn't be too worried. :-)
Yeah, I was gonna say the same thing -- get some of those Chinese lights and the critters'll be dead in no time.
So convenient a thing it is to be a reasonable Creature, since it enables one to find or make a Reason for everything one has a mind to do. --Benjamin Franklin
Squirrels chew wires.
We have a ton of squirrels. I guess I could just leave them all full time and let them get electrified. Then I could see what they are.
Every once in a while one gets on the top of the transformer and chews on the high voltage wire. They go KABoom. I saw one get it one time. Also saw the fuse thing pop, heck I almost popped, that was some kind of noise and flash. Never even saw a hair off the squirrel. Power company had to send out a lineman with a giant fiberglass pole to poke the fuse back in place. They also chewed my phone wire off.
Around here they just chew on the bird feeders.
So convenient a thing it is to be a reasonable Creature, since it enables one to find or make a Reason for everything one has a mind to do. --Benjamin Franklin
Man, that makes my dad mad. He traps them and turns them loose in the nature park. He's caught over a hundred.
You need to get him a Twirl a Squirrel. Funniest thing you will ever see.http://www.birdquest.com/twirl.htmjose c.
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"Though I don't think" added Deep Thought "that you're going to like it."
Shotgun's cheaper.
So convenient a thing it is to be a reasonable Creature, since it enables one to find or make a Reason for everything one has a mind to do. --Benjamin Franklin
Be making squirrel dumplings!My brain + his brawn = a perfect team
then there's this approach:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q3-anFW2y3YThe only problem with this (or shotguns) is that you have to be there and then you have to reload for the next one.
jose c.
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"Though I don't think" added Deep Thought "that you're going to like it."
Edited 8/17/2007 2:47 am by El kabong
I'm going to make me one of those!!!
Awesome, what a show - still laughing.
Wonder how many "rides" a squirrel has to take before they figure it out?
Jim
Never underestimate the value of a sharp pencil or good light.
whole nother meaning to "flying squirres"
I want one too, but I'm going to make a target to aim for. How bout a wood chipper?
I'd shoot em at the Canadian Geese.
Hey!! Leave our geese alone!
View Image
So convenient a thing it is to be a reasonable Creature, since it enables one to find or make a Reason for everything one has a mind to do. --Benjamin Franklin
Need any more?
I've got this one to keep squirrels from eating bird seed.
http://www.yankeeflipper.com/droll/index.cfm
The squirrels learned so fast I didn't get to see them. I never see one on the feeder. Wife did get to see one show....
Frank DuVal
Rodents love electrical insulation. Especially squirrels.
They always seem to chew near the beginning of the strand. During Christmas, I never have a problem and there are many more lights at that time.
Maybe your neighbors are chewing on them in retaliation to having to look at them for 8+ months?
Jon Blakemore
RappahannockINC.com Fredericksburg, VA
They are just white lights strung around part of the perimeter. We usually only have them on when outside with friends
If you haven't checked out Gretchen Wilson "Redneck Woman" you ought to. See you at Wal Mart.
I've got a wreath on my front gate year round.