Today I ran outside to chase a squirrel about to dig in one of my beds. The little creep was totally surprised and in its panic it ran right into the pool! Great I think, I'm gonna have to rescue the blasted thing. As I run for the net it pops up out of the pool in a blind panic and runs right back into the pool. Darn it! Then I actually see it swimming!!! I had no idea squirrels could swim. Once it got to the other side it popped out, shook off, and took off.

Now I'm wondering if gangs of the little creeps have pool parties when we aren't home

They don't swim as well on the inside of a submerged have-a-heart trap.

Jennifer I wish you had a video of the squirrel it sounds very entertaining.

I wish I had video too! But it all happened so fast!

Not trying to be political but we has a president (of these United States) who didn't know rabbits could swim and look how that turned out.

"Now I'm wondering if gangs of the little creeps have pool parties when we aren't home"

That is quite a visual!!

I don't think I've ever had a problem with squirrels digging in any of the plantings, just eating the bird seed... and I gave up on that situation a long time ago and just decided to buy more seed!

You are lucky, Sandy. Squirrels will dig into anything and everything, looking for food. They mostly make a mess disturbing my mulch in their digging. I am going to have to start trapping them again. I have a new "pack" and they are beginning to get into my orchids and other tropical plants. I can tolerate their digging but not destroying my orchids and orchid inflorescents.

One of our sons gave us a squirrel feeder so of course we had to feed them. My DH got all this corn on the cob from my brother a farmer. At first it was fun to watch the squirrels eating then one of them decided to play farmer and buried the corn all over my garden. Guess what happened the corn grew and I ended up having to pull out corn plants.

Yep

Who knew we had such well-behaved squirrels here??

Lucky, lucky.

For me generally they are the biggest headache in the fall when they are frantically getting ready for winter. But they are a pain all but winter. The thing that really gets my goat is how they will make a huge mess of my planters. Digging everything up and scatter the dirt all out of the container. My husband wants to get a pellet gun and just harass them enough so they hang out some place else. In this day in age I don't think running around the yard with even a toy gun is a good idea.

Toy gun? Not any more!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?...

Has anyone ever tried using cayenne pepper to discourage the squirrels? I've read that you can sprinkle it in with the bird seed (the birds don't mind it) to keep them out of it, but have never tried it... Maybe it would work in planters and stuff, too ?

Squirrels definitely don't like pepper but it would take a awful lot of it if someone (like me) has lots of plants/planters.

You'd have to buy it in the big restaurant-size containers... but I wonder if it would keep them from digging in a planter, anyway, or if it only works if it's on something they want to eat?

I have only used it for the suet blocks and know the squirrels won't touch the suet.

If their "dainty" paws touch the cayenne pepper and then put the bird seed (or whatever you put the cayenne pepper on) to their mouths that the shock of the heat gets to them. So they move away briefly but still do return.

jvdubb said:Today I ran outside to chase a squirrel about to dig in one of my beds. The little creep was totally surprised and in its panic it ran right into the pool! Great I think, I'm gonna have to rescue the blasted thing. As I run for the net it pops up out of the pool in a blind panic and runs right back into the pool. Darn it! Then I actually see it swimming!!! I had no idea squirrels could swim. Once it got to the other side it popped out, shook off, and took off.

Now I'm wondering if gangs of the little creeps have pool parties when we aren't home

Did you really think (consider) to rescue the squirrel from your pool?

My thoughts... This pool is more useful than I thought!

frankrichards16 said:

Did you really think (consider) to rescue the squirrel from your pool?

My thoughts... This pool is more useful than I thought!

Even though they drive me crazy I don't think I could stand by knowing it was drowning. Yes, I want them gone. But to be present for the death not sure on that one.

Yes the pool has taken care of many many voles and some baby bunnies too