There’s no surefire way to stop squirrels from chewing on materials they find attractive, but you can probably limit the damage.
As you note, squirrels are rodents, and as such, they need to gnaw on stiff materials to wear down their upper and lower incisors, which grow throughout their lives. In the woods, this allows squirrels to crack open nuts and pull out stumps. In a yard, these animals chew on wood, plastic, upholstery, asphalt roofing and more, even soft metals. Squirrel teeth are no match for steel. But squirrels can bite through aluminum patio furniture, aluminum flashing and copper wiring.
When squirrels find their way into attics or other areas of the home, blocking entry holes can go a long way in preventing further damage. You try to protect furniture that is out in the open, at least in good weather. But in either case, a good place to start is to make your yard as inhospitable to squirrels as possible.
Feed dogs or cats indoors. Remove bird feeders, or at least switch to ones designed to keep squirrels away. Rake acorns or other nuts frequently as they fall, usually from late summer to early winter. You can also try to prevent squirrels from climbing trees to harvest nuts that haven’t yet fallen. The Maryland Department of Natural Resources suggests cutting branches to within 6 feet of the ground, then wrapping an 18-inch-long sheet metal cylinder around the trunk with the top of the cylinder about 4½ feet above the ground .
Squirrels generally avoid materials with tastes or odors that they find unpleasant. Besides cayenne pepper, peppermint is at the top of the list. Some people also report success with black pepper, vinegar, garlic and Irish Spring soap. But these scents need to be fresh to have any hope of working. The red pepper flakes you sprinkled around your furniture in the fall before laying down the tarp could have easily gone stale over the winter. Or maybe there was enough ventilation under the tarp to flush the pepper away from the squirrel-chewed parts.
However, during months when you are regularly on the patio, scents may be more effective provided you reapply them frequently, especially after rain. Watch what happens. If a homemade or purchased product works for a while and the squirrels come back, perhaps they have figured out that the smell is not coming from the metal. Try switching to another recipe. Peppermint oil alone or mixed with garlic or hot sauce may last longer than something mixed with just water.
It’s also possible that painting furniture with a finish mixed with cayenne pepper would work, as squirrels would freshen up the smell by gnawing. Rymar Industries, a manufacturer of stains and other finishes for decks, wood siding, log homes and fences, sold 2-ounce packages of Rymar Chew Stop, which it billed as “a natural pepper additive that can help prevent animals to chew.” drink.”
A company representative said the Environmental Protection Agency no longer allows this product to be sold on its own, but Rymar incorporates it into other products.
There is also a long tradition of mixing cayenne pepper into paint for the bottom of boats, supposedly to prevent barnacles from growing there. You may want to experiment with pieces of aluminum – perhaps a jar or two from a Goodwill store. One packet of Chew Stop was enough to treat 2 gallons of paint, which gives an idea of proportions if you’re making your own red-hot paint.
And understanding why squirrels chew might lead you to other smart solutions. Can you make chair and table legs less appealing to chew on by wrapping them in soft material? Cushions can make seat edges less vulnerable. And during the winter, tight-fitting furniture covers might be more effective than tarps. An even better solution for winter would be to bring the furniture into a garage or garden structure – which you monitor from time to time to make sure squirrels haven’t gnawed on it.
Trapping squirrels is another solution, but as with odors, this is usually only a short-term solution. Where there is good squirrel habitat – for example, a yard like yours, with oak trees – new squirrels will move in, even if you remove the animals currently there.
State and local trapping regulations vary. In Maryland, owners need a (free) permit from the state Department of Natural Resources to trap and shoot squirrels outside of hunting season, and permits are only granted when an animal actively causes property damage or poses a threat to public health and safety. . Call the department’s Nuisance Wildlife Hotline at 877-463-6497 for advice and a possible referral to a licensed private wildlife control trapper or exterminator.
If you decide to trap, the question arises of what to do with the squirrels you catch. Hiring a professional solves this problem. WildlifeHelp.org, which in Maryland is supported in part by the Department of Natural Resources, notes that many states do not allow people to move trapped squirrels to another property because of fears of disease spread or release animals where they will not survive. If you trap a squirrel that has entered your attic, quickly sealing the entrance, moving a nest with babies outside (so the mother can move the babies), then releasing the trapped squirrel might make sense. But in most cases, if you trap, it makes no sense to then release the squirrel onto your property.
Do you have a problem at home? Send your questions to [email protected]. Put “How to” in the subject line, tell us where you live, and try to include a photo.
