Squirrel shopping at Lowes

raylo32 · 02-02-2012, 09:59 AM

I was at Lowes yesterday looking for a long hook to attach to my deck to hang my new squirrel proof bird feeder from and in the process went in and out of the doors to their outdoor/plant area a few times. Doors are on motion sensors. Anyway, I stopped inside to look at a display near the doors and I hear them open but I don't see anyone walk by. I look down and see a squirrel running out! Little bugger came in to get at the bird seed that was nearby, no doubt, and then made his escape though the automatic doors. The only thing he lacked was a little squirrel shopping cart to take stuff home.

And it's not like there is any real woods right there by the store. So not sure where he lives. Maybe my feeder will be somewhat squirrel proof but Lowes sure isn't! Damn, they are too smart.

Red Squirrel · 02-02-2012, 07:47 PM

Hahaha that is awesome. Was the squirrel actually the one triggering the sensor? That's hilarious.

concretemasonry · 02-02-2012, 09:19 PM

Was the cute little squirrel wearing a red hat with a white tassel and white trim? If so, it could be a Red Squirrel that posts frequently.

Dick

raylo32 · 02-03-2012, 06:09 AM

No, if it had been I would have said hi. It was just one of our local greys and yes, near as I can tell he tripped the door sensor himself. There was no one (and no other critter) around.

Quote:

Originally Posted by concretemasonry

Was the cute little squirrel wearing a red hat with a white tassel and white trim? If so, it could be a Red Squirrel that posts frequently.

Dick

sdsester · 02-03-2012, 09:02 PM

I really have to admire the critters for their creativity. I have posted before that a brilliant University of Illinois pres brought one small box of the suckers over to beautify the campus. With no predators and yet another warm winter? They are everywhere. They don't bite or seem to carry diseases but they take out wiring in cars for nesting materials. Or maybe they have a squirrel gang that recycles copper. They get into attics. My cats went balistic when tiny squirrel paws finally made it through ceiling drywall.

I had a work study student terrified and convinced a squirrel was stalking her on the Illinois Institute of Technology campus. Of course I told her it was most probably true and I mentioned I had shared her home address.

I've stared them down inside homes I was renovating. My mentor has two giant, gorgeous setters that would race through projects and clear them out for a day. They fear nothing.

The worst is they have to be among the dumbest animals on Earth. Next to University Presidents. They bury things and do not remember where. You plant things in the Spring and they assume your fresh digging is where they left things. Your pepper or tomatoe plants are upended.

sdsester · 02-03-2012, 09:12 PM

Main attraction for me ever being in CU was my aunt and uncle and my godparents. Uncle Ray loved birds flowing in and out of the yard and before all the construction there were lots.

His quest, before they finally moved, was to find a way to feed birds and not squirrels. Made me laugh for decades. Ray never quite found anything that worked and he tried things they could not possibly climb, pepper in with the seed, Perpetual motion machines that let the bird feeders float in mid-air with no way a squirrel could get to it. Defeated every time to the point I laugh about it just writing this.

sdsester · 02-03-2012, 09:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by raylo32

And it's not like there is any real woods right there by the store. So not sure where he lives. Maybe my feeder will be somewhat squirrel proof but Lowes sure isn't! Damn, they are too smart.

Dumb as rocks actually, silent and fast. I remember being startled when one jumped out the trunk of my Accura years ago. He was from Central Illinois but crossbred and lives with the Blue Blooded inbred mainliners in Phildalphia now!

chrisn · 02-04-2012, 05:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sdsester

I really have to admire the critters for their creativity. I have posted before that a brilliant University of Illinois pres brought one small box of the suckers over to beautify the campus. With no predators and yet another warm winter? They are everywhere. They don't bite or seem to carry diseases but they take out wiring in cars for nesting materials. Or maybe they have a squirrel gang that recycles copper. They get into attics. My cats went balistic when tiny squirrel paws finally made it through ceiling drywall.

I had a work study student terrified and convinced a squirrel was stalking her on the Illinois Institute of Technology campus. Of course I told her it was most probably true and I mentioned I had shared her home address.

I've stared them down inside homes I was renovating. My mentor has two giant, gorgeous setters that would race through projects and clear them out for a day. They fear nothing.

The worst is they have to be among the dumbest animals on Earth. Next to University Presidents. They bury things and do not remember where. You plant things in the Spring and they assume your fresh digging is where they left things. Your pepper or tomatoe plants are upended.

Irish, English, Gordon?

chrisn · 02-04-2012, 05:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sdsester

Main attraction for me ever being in CU was my aunt and uncle and my godparents. Uncle Ray loved birds flowing in and out of the yard and before all the construction there were lots.

His quest, before they finally moved, was to find a way to feed birds and not squirrels. Made me laugh for decades. Ray never quite found anything that worked and he tried things they could not possibly climb, pepper in with the seed, Perpetual motion machines that let the bird feeders float in mid-air with no way a squirrel could get to it. Defeated every time to the point I laugh about it just writing this.

I don't think there is anything that works. I tried all of the above and then some. Finally bought a little pellet gun and plink then in the butt, that works best, but I still have to be here.

raylo32 · 02-04-2012, 07:13 AM

I have my bird feeder on the rail of the deck just off my townhouse's kitchen. Deck backs to the woods that is full of squirrels. The squirrels use the series of decks in the row of houses like a superhighway... or as I call it the Ho Chi Squirrel Trail. They attack feeders, dig in plants, all those destructive squirrel activities.

So I got one of these that I put on my deck and I can operate it from the kitchen while watching the action through the windows. It makes for some great entertainment and really scares the buggers. But only works when I am here to run it.

http://www.thinkgeek.com/geektoys/rc/6279/?cpg=clrss

sdsester · 02-04-2012, 08:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chrisn

I don't think there is anything that works. I tried all of the above and then some. Finally bought a little pellet gun and plink then in the butt, that works best, but I still have to be here.

My neighbor to an old railway worker house I was restoring in East Urbana was 98. She used to ride her three wheel bicycle with basket to the grocery store and back since "fools" yanked her driver's license. Her family took away her guns that had bullets but left her a really loud pop gun. Ethyl could be heard at all hours blasting that thing off to scare rabbits and squirrels.

Ethyl finally bought the farm. One day she just ran out of oomph and couldn't get the bicycle up the gentle sloped driveway. It, with her on it, rolled backward, tipped over and took out a hip. She didn't make it through surgery. Out of respect family and neighbors did an hilarious pop gun salute at the funeral. Rabbits and squirrels have lived much easier with Ethyl gone.

sdsester · 02-04-2012, 08:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by raylo32

So I got one of these that I put on my deck and I can operate it from the kitchen while watching the action through the windows. It makes for some great entertainment and really scares the buggers. But only works when I am here to run it.

http://www.thinkgeek.com/geektoys/rc/6279/?cpg=clrss

So Bubba you think this is funny! You call me and my boys when you realize you are in over your head and mixing toys and squirrels is not going to help matters!

Play with your squirrels. This is the one we want and have been hunting for decades. We get him we slow populations growth considerably.

This one keeps getting in the way though. We have made kryptonite bullets and are ready. Don't try to handle either of these on your own. Leave it to those of us with rather specialized training in our pasts to deal with them.

sdsester · 02-04-2012, 09:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chrisn

Irish, English, Gordon?

Never thought to ask. And I am a pound mutt person when it comes to animals. Great dogs though. Even if they were inbred.

sdsester · 02-04-2012, 10:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sdsester

Never thought to ask. And I am a pound mutt person when it comes to animals. Great dogs though. Even if they were inbred.

There is a "teacup" puppy mill not far from me and where the St. Valentine's Day Massacre happened. I feel so sorry for the little dogs. You would need six or seven and a glue gun to make a real one. They look blazing inbred dumb and twitchy through window glass. And come on, a slobbering lab that fits in dinner service cannot be natural!?