Love Squirrels, but I've created a situation. Help!

[FattyPants]

Hi Everyone. This board is amazing and I'm hoping that you can help me adjust a situation that I created.

I love all animals (including squirrels) and I volunteer at an animal shelter, so I try to follow best practices with all animals, but I think I messed up with my wild squirrels.

I've lived in my house for 17 years and have fed the squirrels the entire time I've been here. I didn't look into squirrel nutrition until just now, so of course I've been feeding them what my parents always fed our yard squirrels...critter mix, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds and roasted peanuts in the shell. I used to only have a few squirrels, but over the past year the colony has blown up to about 16-20. They are now getting destructive.

They've chewed through my screens, and now finally some chewed a hole in our roofline and got into our attic over the weekend. I called some wildlife control companies and you know what they wanted to do... trap and euthanize. Fortunately, after crowdsourcing with my shelter connections, I found a company in Chicago that doesn't trap. They get the squirrels out with a one way door and patch up any other entry points or likely targets for squirrels trying to get back in. They have a 1 year guarantee. Of course, this will be very expensive, more expensive than trap-kill, but the humane solution is the only one for me no matter the cost.

So, how do I reverse what I've done with my wild feeding? I'm assuming that I need to move their feeding platform away from the house (it's 15 feet from my front porch now). Is there any documentation on the proper protocol of how much to feed, what kind of feeders and how to keep the population from getting dependent and getting so large? Do I need to start weaning them off the amount of food and types of food that I've been giving? Of course, it's right at the time where the weather is getting very cold, so I want to do this responsibly without continuing the process of bringing in so many squirrels that they get destructive.

I look forward to your advice!

[Fireweed]

Tough love. :grin2

Ok, I am really interested in this topic. I used to feed the birds and squirrels the same things/way as you. But I started noticing: lots of bird diseases because of the amount of birds congregating, more birds hitting the window, more squirrels fighting and getting serious injuries, squirrel fur looking terrible, really fat and unhealthy squirrels, way too many squirrels in one small area, too many squirrels fighting for territory right around my house, squirrels destroying my things, tons of predators... etc.

So first I decided to wean everyone off the bird seed in the spring and I did that by simply feeding less and less until there were lots of new growth, when I removed the buffet-seed for good. While weaning everyone, I started figuring out where all the individual squirrels lived and I would go to these places to feed them HHBs, chowballs or good nuts. I would only feed one or two things - never leaving more than that.

I would go to the area they lived, find their nest, and call them. At first, they might've been scared of me. But I would place the treat in the tree they were in and leave. If I watched from a distance, I could see most of them would come down soon enough and retrieve the treat (they can smell it easily). As the days went on, they would get more and more brave and come down the tree while I was there. Sometimes I'd have to leave it at the base of the tree. Then, eventually, they'd come down to the base of the tree when I arrived and I could throw it to them. Sure enough, after many visits, I could get them to come down to a branch and take the treat from my hand. So each squirrel gets their treat (usually twice a day) at their tree/territory.
Oh, and to 'train' them like this I am really consistant. I dont' ever give them treats anywhere else but at the base of their tree or wherever it is I decide to feed each individual. This way they know that when I call their name, it's treat time, and they will come running from wherever they are to that particular spot to meet up with me.

During the summer months I only feed pregnant mamas, injured and other-wise compromised squirrels, and my releases. In the cold winter months I might feed up to 14. Right now I am only feeding 9 because the squirrel population has spread out again and they aren't packed in right around my house.
I also feed the passing birds in the really cold months - but from an area where the squirrels wouldn't go when it's cold out. And from a feeder I can remove with ease once it warms up a bit.

I noticed several things after feeding this way: way less squirrel fights, less injuries, really good looking fur, healthy weights, rare to see a bird looking ill, no squirrels destroying my things/house, healthier babies, less predators, not packed in like sardines around my yard/house, and not hanging around house as much because there's no food here!...etc. etc!

Buy rodent blocks and make some chowballs (there are many recipes around here) and buy some HHBs and feed those as, well. Get hazelnuts, walnuts, almonds, even pecans, too.

Well, I've rambled enough. Good luck! It's tough to wean them and I was so worried to do it myself but I couldn't be happier with the outcome. I think my squirrels are FAR happier and healthier because I did it. :dono

[Charley Chuckles]

Some things you already answered your on question, like move food away from the house. As far as one way door, as long as they are not nursing their babies, I guess past that this time of year. I am not sure but they might just find a another entrance :grin2 I hear running in my attic all the time, sometimes day sometimes night/during the day it may be squirrels, night must be rats :grin3 I just say, sweet dreams :tilt How about putting nest boxes in your trees, just trying to figure this out, and food by the nest boxes and trees :thumbsup Good luck keep us posted and :Welcome

[FattyPants]

Thank you both for taking time to respond! Your info is very helpful.

I have good news to report so far. The squirrel eviction company got the squirrels out by putting an "excluder" on the entry/exit hole. They also put wire mesh over any other chewable wood they found on my roof. The squirrels have been out for 2 days and they do keep coming back and trying to get back in but have been unable to.

I've moved my feeding location away from the house and the squirrels adapted very quickly. I will start weaning them off the bad stuff and once that is gone, I will be prepared to give them better food spread out over a wider area and more targeted to where the squirrels live!

Thanks again! I'm enjoying reading this board and learning so much.