Rat person needs squirrel advice!

[jadamo00]

Last winter, one individual squirrel built a nest on the top airvents of my 4th floor air conditioner.

You got it: when I turned the AC on this weekend, I could HEAR all the twigs, leaves, and debris that are now caught up in the AC fan. The AC is shot.

Now, if I put a square of plywood on the top of the AC and tie it down with rope: is that enough to keep this boy from doing this again this winter?

I don't mind him chewing through the WINGS of the AC, which he also does. I can replace that with cardboard. But me and my pet ratties are gonna start suffering wwhen it hits 90 degrees. Tomorrow.

:( Please help!

Jane in NYC
The rats: Rattical, Blue, Dee, Orange, Vi, Snoopy

[Rocky1]

I would put balloons on top of the AC to obstruct any nest building. I also wish the title just said, "Need Squirrel Advice!." I misread "rat person" as "rat poison," and it brought back bad memories.

[jadamo00]

Wow. Balloons are interesting. I wonder how long they'll last out there -- how often I'll have to replace them. Which won't be terribly hard because I can mount the balloons on wood, get my hand out from the AC wings and place it on top.

You think he'll get through the plywood?

Thanks for helping!

j.

[jadamo00]

Wildlife rehabber said squirrels are often repelled by Pinesol and ammonia.

What does anybody think? I could staple a tin dish to the plywood and fill it with dripping rags. Then maybe I'll just have to pour some more in every coupla weeks throughout the winter.

j.

[Rocky1]

Wow. Balloons are interesting. I wonder how long they'll last out there -- how often I'll have to replace them. Which won't be terribly hard because I can mount the balloons on wood, get my hand out from the AC wings and place it on top.

You think he'll get through the plywood?

Thanks for helping!

j.

The plywood sounds like another great idea. Flat plywood might not discourage a nest, but my guess is that it would help keep debris out of your ac. I don't think the squirrel would bother to chew through the plywood if I am envisioning your idea correctly, just a flat piece of plywood on top of the ac. Just don't choose a type of wood that squirrels like to eat. For example, see the squirrel food pyramid, and avoid those kinds of wood on the list. I am interested in what the others think of this idea. For the record, I am not a licensed expert, although there are some experts on this forums and some licensed rehabbers.

Regarding the pinesol and ammonia, my only concern would be having a squirrel get it on them. Unlike people and domestic animals, squirrels don't have access to clean water to just wash off contaminants. I think the smells of those products would repel squirrels.

Here's the squirrel food pyramid, http://thesquirrelboard.com/forums/showthread.php?44440-Healthy-Diet-for-Pet-Squirrels

[jadamo00]

Rock, you are my hero. A New York State rehabber says even though squirrels chew through his 1" pin nest boxes, he doesn't think they'll go through the plywood because they won't like the GLUE.

j.