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Squirrel Control Devices

05/14/2008 2:00 PM

Does anyone have experience in using electronic frequency injection devices such as Riddex that injects a frequency pulse into a Power Utility substation area to get rid of squirrels? (Riddex is made to inject frequencies into house wiring to get rid of rats in the home... can it be used in substations?)

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#1

Re: Squirrel Control Devices

05/14/2008 2:22 PM

I don't believe that the home version is of any use either. Rats adapt to just about anything.

Cayenne pepper used carefully in areas frequented by squirrels works well as a deterrent. They eat with their front paws, so if they walk though it they get it on their food and it burns their mouth. They eventually learn that if they go somewhere else, that doesn't happen.

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#2

Re: Squirrel Control Devices

05/14/2008 5:01 PM

I second the effectiveness of the cayenne pepper as a squirrel repellant. I am currently using it with great success after having tried a number of different ideas.

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#3

Re: Squirrel Control Devices

05/14/2008 9:45 PM

Yes, indeed.

I have experience with the "crispy-crittered" squirrel left in the middle of the burning substation transformer. (Well, actually I can only imagine that the blackened skeleton was there for a brief period before that transformer blew up.)

Here is one (not mine. Looks a lot alike. All that oil.....)

I don't know much about rats and what affects them, and really nothing about the riddex device. I know we had a problem with rabbits, until an owl took up residence. Perhaps you could get an owl to stay near your substation. Seems like squirrels would find that a source of concern. You would want to train it to stay away from the insulators. Maybe if you painted snakes, or mongooses, or whatever it is that eats or bothers owls on top of the transformers....

I bet you're thinking it would be too hard to attract and train an owl, aren't you? Well,, actually the one that ran off the rabbits was plastic (shhh... don't tell the rabbits!) It is possible it would work with squirrels....

a "Bobbing head owl." Not a screech owl. (Would look better with glasses.)

Maybe it is a spray away..... ?

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#11
In reply to #3

Re: Squirrel Control Devices

05/15/2008 2:21 PM

They also make things called "scare eyes" and rubber snakes but all of these things have to be moved around a bit to be effective.

It is possible to encourage raptors to set up housekeeping in some areas. That would keep the squirrel nut zippers under control to some extent. But I don't know of any foolproof solution for squirrel problems.

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#4

Re: Squirrel Control Devices

05/15/2008 12:14 AM

Loud Rock'nRoll music from an annoying DJ.

20 years ago, I had squirrels in the attic. I left a loud radio in the attic for a week, the squirrels moved out, and I spent the week end sealing and repairing the soffit and facia openings into the attic.

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#5

Re: Squirrel Control Devices

05/15/2008 1:41 AM

It must be working no sign of Kris

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#9
In reply to #5

Re: Squirrel Control Devices

05/15/2008 11:15 AM

Oh yeah ?

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#6

Re: Squirrel Control Devices

05/15/2008 7:52 AM

I've never had any luck with those things. I've always had to resort to lead injection devices instead of frequency injection.

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#7

Re: Squirrel Control Devices

05/15/2008 8:33 AM

Sure, lead injection works very well on a squirrel by squirrel basis, but that's too labor intensive. Various electric fence inspired ideas worked temporarily but these dudes are very clever! In time they found 'workarounds' for nearly every concept.

But the cayenne... now that was a different story!

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#8

Re: Squirrel Control Devices

05/15/2008 10:26 AM

My Squirrel Control Devices: BB gun.

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#10

Re: Squirrel Control Devices

05/15/2008 1:35 PM

I have a dachshund that is 100% effective.

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#12

Re: Squirrel Control Devices

05/15/2008 6:37 PM

They don't get rid of spiders, ground hogs, mice, snakes, bats or lousy neighbors either!

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#13
In reply to #12

Re: Squirrel Control Devices

05/16/2008 1:53 AM

They do rid your wallet of those pesky excess dollars!

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