Working around S17 today and saw a trapped squirrel in a cage. Poor thing didn't look too happy. The trap was set up next to a very fancy anti squirrel bird feeder(which i presume doesn't work).

:mad: did you report it to the RSPCA? :(

yes it is .same as shooting 'em.

grey squirrels are classed as vermin,they drove the native red squirrel out.they can demolish anything made of timber (a bu**er if they get into the roofspace (a friend of mine had to fork out two and a half grand to have the roof reinforced after an attack by these creatures)

i used to think they were lovely,until they started digging in my bonsai dishes,i'd get home and there would be little trees all over the garden,not in their pots,quiet a few died as the roots had dried out:rant: .

john.

I think its not only legal to trap them, but its also illegal to release them into the wild!!!

(I don't mind being corrected on that one if i'm wrong btw)

Not sure of the credentials of this,but...
http://www.martleyelectronics.co.uk/squirrels.htm

Whereabouts was this i have only seen one trapper around here (i live in s17) are they on the increase >?

Right, so we know all about the legalities of the red and the grey, but what is government policy on the black squirrel?

Can you teach the little critters to dance?

I can see it now... 'Meaks' Travelling Squirrel Circus' :hihi:

Originally posted by Meaks
Can you teach the little critters to dance?

I can see it now... 'Meaks' Travelling Squirrel Circus' :hihi:
Scroll to the bottom!!! (http://www.trap-man.com/squirrel-traps.htm) :hihi: :hihi:

A lot of people refer to the Grey Squirrel as a tree rat. I find it hard to think of the grey squirrel as vermin though, I love to watch them hopping from branch to branch as they are collecting food ready for winter, they look so cute.

People need to be careful handling squirrels. They are a prime carrier of rabies. As you may have heard we are having a lot of trouble over here with rabid animals, particularly raccoons and squirrels. I don'r think you have the same problem, or at least I hope not . They will attack small children without warning and with deadly results. Skunks are OK though, no kid in his right mind will go near one.

Originally posted by em3978
I think its not only legal to trap them, but its also illegal to release them into the wild!!!

I heard this too. They are a disease carrying vermin (sounds harsh, but it's a fact), and unfortunately cuteness doesn't factor into vermin status these days :(

Originally posted by Hels
A lot of people refer to the Grey Squirrel as a tree rat. I find it hard to think of the grey squirrel as vermin though, I love to watch them hopping from branch to branch as they are collecting food ready for winter, they look so cute.

Not so cute when they steal very cute baby birds out of nests and eat them!

Originally posted by Twiglet
Not so cute when they steal very cute baby birds out of nests and eat them!

That's just called nature.

Originally posted by rinty
That's just called nature.

Not when they are a species which were artificially introduced to this country and shouldn't be here anyway!

Many things have been introduced to this country for good and bad. You can't just kick out the problem ones.
The law on squirrels is that you can trap them , but not rerelease them.
The law says you should kill them once trapped by knocking them on the head. They can pass on tetanus. If you get bitten go and have the jab straight away.
I am watching squirrels in my garden as I type. At the moment they do look picturesque. However, if they take over and cause damage, I don't think I could kill one.

Originally posted by Floe
Many things have been introduced to this country for good and bad. You can't just kick out the problem ones.
The law on squirrels is that you can trap them , but not rerelease them.
The law says you should kill them once trapped by knocking them on the head. They can pass on tetanus. If you get bitten go and have the jab straight away.
I am watching squirrels in my garden as I type. At the moment they do look picturesque. However, if they take over and cause damage, I don't think I could kill one.

why not?

cuteness is just some wishy washy emotional response we have to things, it has no relation to much of anything.

And wasn't this thread done less than a month ago, learn to use the search facility.

Hugh Fearnley Whittingstall has a great recipe for bbq'd squirrel... And I'm not joking, it's in his cook on the wild side book:loopy:

On a more serious note, I prefer slow cooked badger

"And wasn't this thread done less than a month ago, learn to use the search facility."

Well, Cyclone, I was replying to the "New Posts" items.
I have no idea what came up months back as I wasn't a member.
I assume that the "New Posts" are the ones interesting members today.
:confused:

Originally posted by Floe
"And wasn't this thread done less than a month ago, learn to use the search facility."

Well, Cyclone, I was replying to the "New Posts" items.
I have no idea what came up months back as I wasn't a member.
I assume that the "New Posts" are the ones interesting members today.
:confused:

that wasn't directed at you, it was directed at the original poster who should have done a search before starting this topic.

Oh dear!
My son enjoys giving the squirrels pea nuts in our backyard! We have a large apricot tree in the back garden and so get a lot of grey squirrels hopping around our fence and collecting food for winter. They have got a bit bold now and come into the conservatory to ask my kid for nuts when he is there! It is a lovely site and since we dont have pets due to my sons eczema he is delighted when he sees the squirrels .
With the bees and the butterflies having nearly completely disapeared, i dont think i would be keen to get rid of the squirrels!

Just make sure he is up to date with his tetanus jabs.
:thumbsup:

Originally posted by Twiglet
Not when they are a species which were artificially introduced to this country and shouldn't be here anyway!
so were chickens & horses plus ,many other of our "natural" breeds.

Originally posted by Twiglet
Not so cute when they steal very cute baby birds out of nests and eat them!

tahts usually only whne there is no other food around.eggs & meat are not part of their staple diet.

we are always interfering with nature and it causes many more problems than it cures. We should learn to just keep out of it. There is a simple food chain involved and a survival of the fittest. If we remove squirrels we will be left with the remaining 2 alternatives which are pigeons or RATS. Where ever scruffy human society lives and thats 99% of us then there will be vermin as we call them. If there was not enough food they would not breed so much. Nature is a much more powerfull resource than us humans and all we do is alter its delicate balance by interfering. WILL WE EVER LEARN BEFORE ITS TOO LATE. We tear up the land and destroy nature at every turn. WE ARE OUR OWN WORST ENEMY. Today squirrels tomorrow pigeons the day after rats if theres food theres wildlife SIMPLE.
:mad:

If I have the time I sometimes go wandering around the Botanical gardens with a bag of peanuts. The grey squirrels there are quite accustomed to being fed like this and are so tame that they will often take them out of your hand and I've even had them run up my leg and sit on my shoulder enjoying a peanut.
Little children are fascinated and when I've had my friends kids with me I'm quite happy to let them feed them but am also re-inforcing the idea that they shouldn't try to stroke them as a squirrel bite hurts a lot.
So I think they are cute and wouldn't wish harm on them but then I also find little cows and piglets and lambs cute but I'm not turning vegetarian.

Originally posted by NUCAD
we are always interfering with nature and it causes many more problems than it cures. We should learn to just keep out of it. There is a simple food chain involved and a survival of the fittest. If we remove squirrels we will be left with the remaining 2 alternatives which are pigeons or RATS. Where ever scruffy human society lives and thats 99% of us then there will be vermin as we call them. If there was not enough food they would not breed so much. Nature is a much more powerfull resource than us humans and all we do is alter its delicate balance by interfering. WILL WE EVER LEARN BEFORE ITS TOO LATE. We tear up the land and destroy nature at every turn. WE ARE OUR OWN WORST ENEMY. Today squirrels tomorrow pigeons the day after rats if theres food theres wildlife SIMPLE.
:mad:

I think you've missed the point.
If the gray squirrels are removed then the red squirrle population will grow again and replace them. So there would be no concommitant increase in rat or pigeon population (do they even compete for the same food source???).

WB - maybe you could use poison nuts and do your bit to kill the vermin.

It's a pest !!

http://www.europeansquirrelinitiative.org/introduction.html

'missing the point' _ yeah right

The point is WE KNOW NO BETTER almost all the time we interfere we just make it worse. Its unlikely that red squirrels will ever return in numbers and guess whos fault that is >>>>>>>>>>yep humans some arrogant human introduced them now they are wipeing out red squirrels is that the grey squirrels fault or the HUMAN fool who interfered.

Can someone maybe point out when human interference has ultimately benefitted the animal kingdom and that doesnt include last minute saves that were originally caused by humans.

More like we interfere because some suffering on their part will gain HUMANS somehow and not because we care about animals.

As maybe apparent im very animal friendly and despise the so called do gooders who kill animals FOR THEIR OWN GAIN because 'the damn squirrels are eating the nuts (their diet) ''I" put out fot the birds.'

We cant live together as humans hence bombings etc so how can we possibly live alongside the animal kingdom.

Re link supplied

I dont disagree with the threat that the greys represent what i disagree with is joe public taking on the role of pest control.

If they represent a threat as is highlighted then the control should be left to those trained and educated in these matters who do the job properly not like most amatuers who actually just catch them and either leave em to starve to death or something as despicable or take them somewhere else and let them go in the 'well at least its not in my garden' idea.

Wouldnt it be nice if we actually took the responsible attitude ??

Good rant, but try for a little more coherence, it will really add impact.

If the main pressure that is reducing red squirrel numbers is the grey squirrel, then removing that pressure would allow the red squirrel to expand back into the niche it originally filled, quite simple logic really.

NO - if only it was that simple.

Turning back time would be the only real answer and unless someone designs the time machine thats not likely.

On these matters a happy medium is never reached i have said my peace and it is not intended to insult anyone specific but to THINK before we act.

I am drawing a line under this as far as im concerned as i dont want to get into a long debate over differences in opinions and thank all for their comments.
:)

Does that mean you can't actually find a problem with my logic, but won't change your opinion anyway?

The only potential problem I can see is that if all the grey squirrells disappeared tomorrow there would be a gap left (a ecological niche if you like) that the red squirrells would be unable to fill rapidly (probably within 4 years at a guess).

That 4 years would be an opportunity for another organism to fill that niche.
But given that the red S was most suited before the grey was introduced here, it seems reasonable to assume that the red is still most suited were the grey to disappear.

Originally posted by Cyclone
Does that mean you can't actually find a problem with my logic, but won't change your opinion anyway?

The only potential problem I can see is that if all the grey squirrells disappeared tomorrow there would be a gap left (a ecological niche if you like) that the red squirrells would be unable to fill rapidly (probably within 4 years at a guess).

That 4 years would be an opportunity for another organism to fill that niche.
But given that the red S was most suited before the grey was introduced here, it seems reasonable to assume that the red is still most suited were the grey to disappear.

the red wasn't most suited it was an isolated species that was allowed to develop.
how do we know it wouldnt naturally decline in numbers?
or fall victim to other introduced carnivorous critters i.e mink

Originally posted by willman
the red wasn't most suited it was an isolated species that was allowed to develop.
how do we know it wouldnt naturally decline in numbers?
or fall victim to other introduced carnivorous critters i.e mink

if it wasn't most suited then it wouldn't have been there.

It was most suited, until the grey began displacing it, which was introduced by us.

Originally posted by NUCAD
Re link supplied

I dont disagree with the threat that the greys represent what i disagree with is joe public taking on the role of pest control.

If they represent a threat as is highlighted then the control should be left to those trained and educated in these matters who do the job properly not like most amatuers who actually just catch them and either leave em to starve to death or something as despicable or take them somewhere else and let them go in the 'well at least its not in my garden' idea.

Wouldnt it be nice if we actually took the responsible attitude ??

I would agree with this but the debate was started about someone who, as far as we are aware, had legally trapped a squirrel. Leaving them to starve to death, letting them suffer, or letting them go are all illegal and can be dealt with.

The punishment should be getting locked in a cage just like the poor animals potential fate (whatever animal it may be).

For the benefit of Cyclone the following is taken from a report by Animal Aid in 2001 regarding red squirrels.

'the cherished red squirrel was for manny decades, persecuted by foresters and game keepers. They used to be known as tree rats and there was a price on their head. Just one so-called 'squirrel club' in the highlands killed 85,000 reds in the first 30 years of the last century. As well as being hunted, the red was a victim of climate changes, disease, woodland destruction and the cessation of hazel coppicing since the second world war. They were already in decline before the grey was introduced 100 years ago as an ornamental species. The greys have flourished because they have been better able to adapt than the red. They are more sturdy, opportunistic and faster at breeding.'

So we culled the reds they started demising even more we introduce the grey now blame the grey.
Cyclone give it up or let us all look in your mystical future ball.

Humans should just leave well alone as time will show we WILL only make it WORSE as we ALWAYS do.

MY BIGGEST CONCERN is inline with the initial topic starter which is someone is trapping these NEAR ME.
If found they will getting investigated by the RSPCA so they had better be handling the situation within the guidelines as the penalties are usually severe for cases of cruelty to ANY ANIMAL.

Life is life whatever form it takes since when did we become gods !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I must apologise to cyclone (the knowledge god) for not using the search facility on here before i put my first post on here.

hes such a caring and friendly chap :loopy: :suspect:

Originally posted by shepcanon
I must apologise to cyclone (the knowledge god) for not using the search facility on here before i put my first post on here.

it tells you quite clearly to do it before you post a new topic. It's right at the top in big letters.

the greys have flourished because they have been better able to adapt than the red. They are more sturdy, opportunistic and faster at breeding.

So - remove them and the reds will not have a more adapative cousing to compete with and so will repopulate the areas vacated by the greys.
Of course then we can class them as vermin and go around culling them as well.

My crystal ball tells me that no amount of logical argument will make you change your view NUCAD as you aren't interested in discussion.

Originally posted by Cyclone
if it wasn't most suited then it wouldn't have been there.

It was most suited, until the grey began displacing it, which was introduced by us.

why is an isolated species most suited?
it had few predators & survived on easily found food stuff. it could have been left here from when the continents split leaving it in isolation, or been introduced later by travellers.
its just a question of survival & adaption after that.
just because it is a "native " species doesn't give it any preferential rights.

Originally posted by willman
why is an isolated species most suited?
it had few predators & survived on easily found food stuff. it could have been left here from when the continents split leaving it in isolation, or been introduced later by travellers.
its just a question of survival & adaption after that.
just because it is a "native " species doesn't give it any preferential rights.

I say it was most suited simply because it was so populous before the grey was introduced.

I'm not saying that red squirrels have any moral right to be here, just that until we changed things, by the fact that it was the most common animal filling that niche, it was QED the most suited to that niche (of the species present at the time).
Clearly at the moment the grey is more suited, that's why it's driving the red towards extinction.

Whether we have responsibility for that and should make an effort to revert things to the status quo is another question really.

Is it a question of colour?Would the grey squirrel be more acceptable if it were red?
The red fox has adapted to its urban environment and is regularly seen in our gardens these days.
Some people are happy to leave food out, thereby encouraging it, others fear for their hens and regard foxes as vermin.
Would the red squirrel, in numbers, cause the same amount of damage as its grey brother?
Nature has its own way of dealing with overpopulation.
In time the grey squirrel will drop in number through disease, hunger or a drop in birthrate. :(

grey squirrels cause damage to young tree's which I have been lead to believe red squirrels do not, although they were obviously also considered vermin in the past.

ask yerself this...... after you have just forked out ££££ for yer house to be rewired, because you had squirrels in yer loft. these animals teeth are constantly growing so they need to gnaw to keep the teeth in shape. other than xmas tree, what else is in yer loft... roof joists, electric cables. need i go on.

it is illegal to trap a grey squirrel, then release it elsewhere !!!

Originally posted by Cyclone
grey squirrels cause damage to young tree's which I have been lead to believe red squirrels do not, although they were obviously also considered vermin in the past.

And they nick the best conkers!!

I'm afraid the sad fact is that the countryside is absoultely full of unwelcome visitors, damaging the area, forcing out local species, and rapidly taking over.

But enough about tourists, how much do these squirrel traps cost?

Sorry, I don't know about the traps, but, I have just checked on the Internet as to why the grey squirrel is outdoing the red in England.
The grey thrives in broadleafed woodland, while the red needs conifers. Eight grey squirrels can survive in one hectare where only one red can.
In many areas in England the conifer is being fased out as it ruins much of the indigenous flora and fauna!
Also the grey carries a poxvirus, which kills the red in 15 days, but the grey itself has antibodies to protect it.
Scotland is trying to protect the red squirrel, but last year there was evidence that the virus had crossed the border.
Sad tale really.

Last summer me and my friend was sat having a lazy beer on my garden when suddenly a "steven the tree rat" wondered across and started giving us dodgy looks!! For the rest of the afternoon when had a hard, fast and thrilling game off "sqwerl fishing" if anyone wants the rules, please feel free to ask!
Anyway, we got very drunked! the " tree rat got fed " we dint catch him once, clever little bugger! and we all lived in peace and harmony with each other!!!

ill catch him next time!

Can you eat squiirel if you're hard up for food?

Originally posted by sarahhartley
Can you eat squiirel if you're hard up for food?

Squirrel recipes (http://www.backwoodsbound.com/zsquir.html)

just try'd Squrriel dumpling, awesome!! highly recomended!!