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Thread: New old guy

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  1. #1
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    Default New old guy

    Hi. I started My career as a biology teacher. Then a business owner. And retired after 37 years in the fire service the last 21 as chief. I have always loved the outdoors. I just recently researched and built a squirrel box. It has taken three weeks of them exploring it. But now I have two grey squirrels who are frantically caring in nesting materials. Eureka. I am elated. Winters are really cold here and I worry about my little buddies. Any advice from you experts will be appreciated. Chief

  2. 5 TSBers pass along the fuzzy thanks to tfdchief:

    LR (11-08-2017), Mel1959 (11-08-2017), Nancy in New York (11-08-2017), SammysMom (11-08-2017), TubeDriver (11-08-2017)

  3. #2
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    Default Re: New old guy

    That was a really nice thing to do for the wild squirrels. How high up did you place it on a tree, does it have a predator guard in it (style of house) and which direction does the opening face (against the wind and rain?)

    Welcome!

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  5. #3
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    Default Re: New old guy

    Quote Originally Posted by cava View Post
    That was a really nice thing to do for the wild squirrels. How high up did you place it on a tree, does it have a predator guard in it (style of house) and which direction does the opening face (against the wind and rain?)

    Welcome!
    It is about 15 ft up. Wanted higher but that was high enough for this old man with poor balance. It had a guard on the outside and a hallway on the inside. It faces SSE.
    And it has a wrap around porch.
    Attached Images Attached Images   

  6. 8 TSBers pass along the fuzzy thanks to tfdchief:

    cava (11-08-2017), DarkLies212 (11-09-2017), LR (11-08-2017), Mel1959 (11-08-2017), Nancy in New York (11-08-2017), SammysMom (11-08-2017), TubeDriver (11-08-2017), Vox (03-29-2019)

  7. #4
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    Default Re: New old guy

    Sorry my pics are on their side. They were good in my pics. ????

  8. #5
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    Default Re: New old guy

    I'd buy it! It looks awesome and is facing a good direction. If you ever go into business building these for sale let me know....Welcome to TSB!

  9. Serious fuzzy thank you's to LR from:

    tfdchief (11-08-2017)

  10. #6
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    Default Re: New old guy

    Looks great! Nest boxes are in great demand during the winter months.

    One suggestion I would offer is to cut out some hardware cloth and place at strategic locations on the nest box. I usually cover the roof and predator guards and will place a bit on the sides too with hardware cloth (I use heavy duty staples to attach them). This does a couple things 1) it makes the squirrels less likely to chew through and damage the box 2) makes it harder for predators like raccoons to chew their way in and 3) provide a good grip surface for squirrels.

    Also, it is nice to have a panel that can be opened so the box can be cleaned out 1-2x a year! I use screws to keep the panel securely closed.

    You also might want to drill a few ventilation/drain holes in the bottom floor so water can drain out and to provide a little airflow.


    This is a professional built box that I ordered (my woodworking skills are lousy) and I added the hardware cloth.
    See my wild squirrel adventures in the thread "Squirtle's yard!":
    https://thesquirrelboard.com/forums/...quirtle-s-Yard!

    Loving dad to Sir Max, 2017-2018. There is no foot so small that it cannot leave an imprint on this world.

    "Once in a while you get shown the light, In the strangest of places if you look at it right."
    -Grateful Dead

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  12. #7
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    Default Re: New old guy

    I do have drain holes in the bottom and ventilation holes in the side. Didn’t really know how big of holes to drill though.
    Thanks for the advise. Chief

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  14. #8
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    Default Re: New old guy

    You did good ... I'd buy a couple. Welcome Chief !!

  15. Serious fuzzy thank you's to Scott from:

    tfdchief (11-08-2017)

  16. #9
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    Default Re: New old guy

    I love it! Great job and it really shows you care. You're a good friend to the squirrels!

  17. 2 TSBers pass along the fuzzy thanks to cava:

    Scott (11-08-2017), tfdchief (11-08-2017)

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