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View Full Version : How To Stop Feeding Squirrels?



Gemini
07-08-2016, 12:54 PM
My condo HOA board has decided residents of our condo may no longer feed any wildlife on the property. I have been feeding squirrels for several years on my patio. I am upset about this, but realize I will have to stop doing so or be fined,

What is the best way to stop feeding the squirrels? Cold turkey? Weaning? How would I go about weaning? Will the squirrels be able to find sufficient food? I also have been providing them with water.

Ugh, I really hate that this has happened.

Thanks for your advice.

redwuff
07-08-2016, 01:16 PM
Man, this world gets weirder and weirder.

Sounds like there is no way there you could leave food that is not noticed. I am so sorry. I can not imagine how hard it would be to have someone make a dictate like that.

The only concellation is that this is a time of more abundant food for critters.

Trysh

Lighten-Up
07-08-2016, 03:38 PM
I can only imagine how hard must be for you. I am sorry you are faced with this.

As for weaning or stopping cold turkey, I would ask about your mandate; would you get fined for weaning them off slowly? Must you stop immediately, or have they given you till the end of the summer? If you have wiggle room, I might consider weaning them off. And that would be simply giving less food each day till it is gone. They will pick up on the fact that the food is getting less and less, they will understand that. If you have to stop cold turkey, they will adapt too.

The other made a good point, thankfully, this is summer when food is abundant. That will give them time to get ready for winter.

I will offer a truly wacky thought, if this is too off the wall and weird then please forgive me and let it go, it's just the way I am and how I perceive life, if I was faced with this, I would let the squirrels know what is happening. I would tell them either verbally if I was alone, or mentally if others were around, I would be honest with them, and I would let them know that I care about them and their welfare, and that I would keep feeding them, except that I have been mandated not to. I am not suggesting that squirrels can understand English, but I do feel that as intelligent animals they can and will pick up the essence of your communication, if you take the time to communicate with them. I have experienced several undeniable situations in regards to this, and that is why I offer it, but I know it is probably not a normal answer, so I am a little bit wondering how it will be received. But I care enough that I am willing to risk looking silly. It might make you feel better, and it might allow them to understand that they will need to depend on themselves as they head into the winter. Trying this won't hurt anything.

I do wish you the best...:hug

Rocky1
07-08-2016, 03:51 PM
My thoughts:

-Provide only Kaytee rodent blocks (or similar), which are not delectable, but edible. This way you would sustain them, but hopefully they would favor wild food.

Sneakily weaning them:

-Bury the food (obviously limits your choices of food), "accidentally" miss the trash can, or put squirrel food in a bird feeder if those are allowed. Consider non-typical squirrel food (ie not nuts) so other people don't think it's for the squirrels. Plant a garden (if you have space for that) that includes stuff squirrels eat.

-Encourage planting trees that squirrels eat off of year after year.

But also consider obeying the request. Maybe find out if your area has enough wild food already. The reason I say this is that sometimes a request is made to stop feeding wildlife ahead of more drastic measures like trapping/exterminating. So if large numbers of squirrels showing up is a problem to your neighbors created by feeding, consider how to solve that while doing right for the squirrels - causing the least harm. Weaning sounds like the best option, if it is an option.

Daisey007
07-08-2016, 04:09 PM
Your HOA can DO that?!!! :tap Did they give a specific reason why?

DaSquirrelMom
07-08-2016, 04:17 PM
Weaning them would be less cruel than suddenly stopping their feedings. Take a walk or job around the grass near the condos every evening or early morning with a small hole in your pocket. (Oopsie. All those raw shelled sunflower seeds or walnut pieces just accidentally fell out.)

Spanky
07-08-2016, 04:31 PM
Does the ban include bird feeders? Just curious.

The problem with cold turkey is that the squirrels may actually cause damage to property when you stop feeding them and thus reinforce the HOA's rationale for banning. I have come home after being away on more than one occasion to find my outdoor friends have nibbled (gouged!) a window, a door, etc.

Is there a place nearby where you could re-establish feeding stations? Perhaps a vacant lot or some nearby wood, park, etc.? I have had luck in relocating the yard squirrels' feeding stations by several hundred yards... they find where the new food supply is within a few days. My situation is likely different since it is rural, lots of woods and few neighbors. And definitely no HOA.

Edit: Did they make a rule you could not provide fresh water? :innocent

Radagast
07-08-2016, 07:03 PM
Can you put out plants in containers that maybe contain a few extra things? I was mentioning on another thread how my orphaned squirrel loves hibiscus. I know you can buy potted hibiscus in the most home improvement stores. Maybe if some shelled almonds or other nuts with no shells accidentally found their way into the pot... I mean it's not your fault if you accidentally bought a plant squirrels go crazy for.:dono

Rocky1
07-08-2016, 11:05 PM
Weaning them would be less cruel than suddenly stopping their feedings. Take a walk or job around the grass near the condos every evening or early morning with a small hole in your pocket. (Oopsie. All those raw shelled sunflower seeds or walnut pieces just accidentally fell out.)

Or just put some in your hand like you're eating them and drop or some in the flower gardens so it looks like an accident, and/or before the sun is up enough to see clearly. Just make sure there aren't pesticide flags on the yards.

Gemini
07-10-2016, 03:22 PM
Your HOA can DO that?!!! :tap Did they give a specific reason why?

No reason was given to stop feeding squirrels (actually, the new is that no wildlife may be fed). But I have heard one or two people in the past complain (when I was a member of the board) that others were feeding squirrels. Bird feeders have never been allowed.

I have been getting up earlier and feeding them earlier in the day (around 6 a.m.) hoping no one will see me. My condo does not face other condos. I have stopped putting out sunflower seeds and cracked corn that makes a mess and keeps the squirrels hanging around longer. Now it is just whole wheat bread, shelled nuts and fruit.

My idea is to do it like this until there is a complaint. Perhaps there won't be if I am lucky. If I do get a complaint, I will ask for time to wean the squirrels.

Gemini
07-10-2016, 03:28 PM
I can only imagine how hard must be for you. I am sorry you are faced with this.

As for weaning or stopping cold turkey, I would ask about your mandate; would you get fined for weaning them off slowly? Must you stop immediately, or have they given you till the end of the summer? If you have wiggle room, I might consider weaning them off. And that would be simply giving less food each day till it is gone. They will pick up on the fact that the food is getting less and less, they will understand that. If you have to stop cold turkey, they will adapt too.

The other made a good point, thankfully, this is summer when food is abundant. That will give them time to get ready for winter.

I will offer a truly wacky thought, if this is too off the wall and weird then please forgive me and let it go, it's just the way I am and how I perceive life, if I was faced with this, I would let the squirrels know what is happening. I would tell them either verbally if I was alone, or mentally if others were around, I would be honest with them, and I would let them know that I care about them and their welfare, and that I would keep feeding them, except that I have been mandated not to. I am not suggesting that squirrels can understand English, but I do feel that as intelligent animals they can and will pick up the essence of your communication, if you take the time to communicate with them. I have experienced several undeniable situations in regards to this, and that is why I offer it, but I know it is probably not a normal answer, so I am a little bit wondering how it will be received. But I care enough that I am willing to risk looking silly. It might make you feel better, and it might allow them to understand that they will need to depend on themselves as they head into the winter. Trying this won't hurt anything.

I do wish you the best...:hug

Thank you so much for your response.

I have actually not been told personally not to do this. It is part of a new list of HOA rules for everyone who lives here.

I have been getting up earlier and feeding squirrels in the early morning (around 6 a.m.) hoping no one will see me. My condo does not face other condos. I have stopped putting out sunflower seeds and cracked corn that makes a mess and keeps the squirrels hanging around longer. Now it is just whole wheat bread, shelled nuts and fruit. They eat and leave quickly.

My idea is to do it like this until there is a complaint. Perhaps there won't be if I am lucky. If I do get a complaint, I will ask for time to wean the squirrels.

I will talk to the squirrels if I have to do something drastic (it can't hurt).

Gemini
07-10-2016, 03:30 PM
Can you put out plants in containers that maybe contain a few extra things? I was mentioning on another thread how my orphaned squirrel loves hibiscus. I know you can buy potted hibiscus in the most home improvement stores. Maybe if some shelled almonds or other nuts with no shells accidentally found their way into the pot... I mean it's not your fault if you accidentally bought a plant squirrels go crazy for.:dono




I have been getting up earlier and feeding them earlier in the day (around 6 a.m.) hoping no one will see me. My condo does not face other condos. I have stopped putting out sunflower seeds and cracked corn that makes a mess and keeps the squirrels hanging around longer. Now it is just whole wheat bread, shelled nuts and fruit.

My idea is to do it like this until there is a complaint. Perhaps there won't be if I am lucky. If I do get a complaint, I will ask for time to wean the squirrels.

Gemini
07-10-2016, 03:44 PM
Thanks to everyone who has responded bout this matter. No reason was given by the new HOA Board to stop feeding squirrels (actually, the new rule is that no wildlife may be fed). But I have heard one or two people in the past complain (when I was a member of the HOA board) that others were feeding squirrels on their patios. Bird feeders have never been allowed. Once someone on the board wanted to trap and remove the squirrels, but I fought that hard and it did not happen. I am no longer on the board.

I have been getting up earlier and feeding them earlier in the day (around 6 a.m.) hoping no one will see me. My condo does not face other condos. I have stopped putting out sunflower seeds and cracked corn that make a mess and keep the squirrels hanging around longer. Now it is just whole wheat bread, shelled nuts and fruit. They mostly grab and go, although they sometimes sit on my patio furniture and eat. Or they take it out into the yard or to a nearby tree.

My cat, an indoor cat, enjoys watching the squirrels come and go from inside the patio door window.

My idea is to do it like this until there is a complaint. Perhaps there won't be if I am lucky. If I do get a complaint, I could either lie about it (probably not the best idea) or I will ask for time to wean the squirrels. There is an open field not too far away that is not on condo property and I may, as a last resort, put food out there. This, of course, removes the pleasure I get from watching the squirrels eat on my patio. It will be unpleasant to have to take it out there in the winter in the cold and snow, too.

I have never fed them by hand. I make sure they keep their distance from me because I would not want them thinking all humans are friendly.

I am feeling so sad about all of this.

I simply do not understand why anyone would care. The squirrels cause far fewer problems than many of the people who live here. I do know that rarely a squirrel can be a pest of some kind (people complain at board meetings). But mostly I think some people simply do not like animals.

Gemini
07-10-2016, 03:50 PM
Does the ban include bird feeders? Just curious.

The problem with cold turkey is that the squirrels may actually cause damage to property when you stop feeding them and thus reinforce the HOA's rationale for banning. I have come home after being away on more than one occasion to find my outdoor friends have nibbled (gouged!) a window, a door, etc.

Is there a place nearby where you could re-establish feeding stations? Perhaps a vacant lot or some nearby wood, park, etc.? I have had luck in relocating the yard squirrels' feeding stations by several hundred yards... they find where the new food supply is within a few days. My situation is likely different since it is rural, lots of woods and few neighbors. And definitely no HOA.

Edit: Did they make a rule you could not provide fresh water? :innocent


Nothing is in the rules about water. So I will keep the water out there.

Gemini
07-10-2016, 03:51 PM
Nothing is in the new rule about water. So the water container stays on my patio (behind a potted shrub).

Daisey007
07-10-2016, 07:44 PM
I can't imagine purchasing property and then having others dictate what I can and can't do while on my own property. I understand as far as upkeep and appearances, or use of special facilities but that's about as far as I'd be willing to allow an HOA to go. I'd have to oppose the new rule.

Good luck to you.

Radagast
07-11-2016, 02:23 PM
:hug There are advantages and disadvantages to living in a condo. When my back yard neighbor was trapping squirrels, every year our yards were over run with cicadas. Since my kids and I spoke to him, and so far there is no trap, our cicada, stink bug, and grub population is noticeably less. I wish people would realize what a mess things become when we start killing off indigenous species.