Most years we have an unwanted guest or two at our house. They get between the floor of the attic and the ceiling of our house. From what I understand, they can do quite a bit of destruction in a very short time. The culprit? The elusive Red Squirrel.
Most years my dad live-traps them and take them to a new home by the dam about a mile or so from our house.
I learned something this year ... they can really travel. A co-worker informed me they can find their way back if they don't get taken at least 10 miles away. Really? That seems like an awful long way for such a little animal. I asked around and yup ... he's right. Those little suckers can move!
This year there were two of them spending time in our house. One of them got trapped fairly quickly and is now living out by the dam with us hoping he doesn't return. His little friend hasn't been so cooperative. I think he saw what happened to his little buddy and since he doesn't know there's a nice place by the dam to live, he hasn't gotten near the trap.
Oh Dad's caught lots and lots of squirrels this summer. Some of them are quite friendly. The reason we know this is one of the black squirrels got in the trap and another squirrel came to help him escape. They never did get it figured out, but eventually I opened up the trap, let the black squirrel out and reset the trap. But these two have come back ... over and over again. And worse yet ... they're telling their friends!
Dad used to put nuts out as bait leading up to where the trap gets sprung. He's stopped putting bait up now. Why??? There is one black squirrel who figured out that as long as he doesn't step on the pan, he won't get caught. There was nothing stopping him from coming and eating all the bait. Consequently, there was no point in just feeding him so there is no more bait ... except for on the pan.
For the most part now the trap sits empty ... sad and alone. The red squirrel comes down on the roof of our house over the kitchen and bathroom and chatters at me some mornings. Other mornings I see him in the black walnut tree in our front yard. I think it's his way of laughing at us.
(NOTE: the pics were taken while Dad was still putting out bait.)
