Squirrels...are they vermin?

Carmine · 16-08-2005, 16:30

Can anyone tell me what, if any, the laws surrounding the trapping and killing of grey squirrels are around here?

Suffice to say that I'm not offing the little critters myself but have contact with someone who is and aside from being disturbed by the idea, I want to know if they're breaking the law or not by doing this.

SV500 · 16-08-2005, 16:36

ONLY THE GREY ONES,
never the reds as we are trying to reintroduce them at the mo,but cant tell ya where,
id get someone who knows what they are doing to shoot them,not "somebody with an airgun",
also pass it by the council first see how they might help,
JJ..

Carmine · 16-08-2005, 16:40

Quote:

Originally posted by SV500
id get someone who knows what they are doing to shoot them,not "somebody with an airgun"

Uncanny...you suggest the exact opposite of what the person in question has done.

Twiglet · 16-08-2005, 16:46

Grey squirrels are vermin, they eat baby birds and eggs. They are often culled in conservation areas because they kill trees by gnawing through the bark and making them susceptible to infection and fungus. They lowered the native population of red squirrels by out-competing them for food and space because they are larger and stronger.

I'm a sucker for cute furry animals but not for these ones. Most are no longer afraid of people and will sometimes bite even when unprovoked. It's perfectly legal to kill them. The only law surrounding Grey Squirrels is this:

Quote:

Grey squirrels are listed on schedule 9 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981. This makes it an offence to release, or allow escape, into the wild any grey squirrel. It is also an offence, by an Order under the Destructive Imported Animals Act 1932, to keep or import grey squirrels except under licence.

So if squirrels are caught in a live trap they must be killed and not released. However, they must be killed humanely.

alchresearch · 16-08-2005, 17:42

Quote:

Originally posted by Twiglet
It's perfectly legal to kill them. The only law surrounding Grey Squirrels is this:

So if squirrels are caught in a live trap they must be killed and not released. However, they must be killed humanely.

Oh no, here we go again, just like with the magpies....

While we're at it, what's the law regarding hedgehogs because they tend to come into my house when we leave the back door open.

Grim · 16-08-2005, 18:13

squirrels are apparently a bugger to kill with an air gun, better off with a trap of some sort.

WintersMist · 16-08-2005, 18:29

Maybe they are vermin and maybe it is legal - but I still think its sick to shot them. My Dad like to shot them. He thinks its funny to stand at his back door and look out at the woods and choose 'which furry ass to pop next?' 'Vermin!' he spits. I think its sick. I play hell with him, but doesn't stop him, he just does it when I'm not there, then tells me about his so called glory. He once even threatend to stuff them all and stick them between the spokes in the banister rail going up the stairs.

Hmmmmm................I think he needs help

WM

cgksheff · 16-08-2005, 18:48

There are some here that could use some serious extermination!!

Greybeard · 16-08-2005, 19:30

It's perfectly legal to trap them, but you have then to kill them humanely within a few hours of capture. - ISTR the RSPCA have some guidlines on this. In my garden I catch them in a live cage trap and take them down to a local farmer, who shoots them in the head at close range.

Grey sqirrels are now a major concern to the nature conservancy groups. They have caused so much tree damage in the New Forest that there is now a project under way to eradicate them completely because the woodland is unable to regenerate.

I'd say squirrels are a much greater threat to songbirds than Magpies, unfortunately they are 'cute little critters' and most people enjoy watching their antics in suburban gardens and parks, so they enjoy quite a lot of sentimentalist protection.

Grissom · 16-08-2005, 19:47

Quote:

Originally posted by alchresearch
While we're at it, what's the law regarding hedgehogs because they tend to come into my house when we leave the back door open.

Just checked and subsection 5, paragraph 10, of the 1908 Prickly Creature act says 'close your door stoopid !'

Seriously though, if they are coming indoors during day they may be unwell according to this :

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/2942851.stm

Twiglet · 16-08-2005, 20:12

Shooting them might seem a bit sick and there may be the time when non-lethal shots hit the squirrel, but its more humane than poison (which is actually Warfarin which prevents blood clotting, so the squirrels eat it, knock themselves somewhere and then slowly bleed to death). With poison there is also the risk of other non target animals being killed. Pest control officers will use airguns to kill rats, and I don't think they're trained marksmen either!

silverfish · 17-08-2005, 07:10

anyone know where to buy a squirrel trap?

owdlad · 17-08-2005, 07:18

Quote:

Originally posted by silverfish
anyone know where to buy a squirrel trap?

Try here http://www.trap-man.com/squirrel-traps.htm

H.P · 17-08-2005, 07:28

We have two greys in the trees at the bottom of the garden. I had no Idea that they steal eggs and chicks.. this would explain why the magpies were going crackers the otherday.I cant work out whos nest it is in the tree. I thought the magpies were trying to get the squirrils young from the nest, but maybe it was the other way round.

willman · 17-08-2005, 07:50

i'm sure they are vermin.
but they're cute.got a couple near my stbales that are a pleasure to watch.

Abdul · 17-08-2005, 07:56

Quote:

Originally posted by honeyplanet
We have two greys in the trees at the bottom of the garden. I had no Idea that they steal eggs and chicks.. this would explain why the magpies were going crackers the otherday.

Me neither. I always thought squirrels were herbivores

H.P · 17-08-2005, 08:02

Quote:

Originally posted by Abdul
Me neither. I always thought squirrels were herbivores

Well yes I did too Abdul, I have been bitten by an injured grey before I still have the scars (they have lockjawyou know)
I leave monkey nuts out for the two in the trees and they sit and eat them on the wall.. Maybe I should leave them a couple of eggs instead

willman · 17-08-2005, 08:38

they are herbivores however they do apparently raid the odd nest for eggs. not sure if thats all of them or the ones that have learnt to do it thru neccessity.

Abdul · 17-08-2005, 08:53

Quote:

Originally posted by willman
they are herbivores however they do apparently raid the odd nest for eggs. not sure if thats all of them or the ones that have learnt to do it thru neccessity.

If it only the eggs they go for and not the chicks, that would makes sense, I suppose. They're vegetarian, not vegan

spinny · 17-08-2005, 09:05

Catch them then set them free in the in the botanical gardens.

I only ever seen them hear and it such fun to watch them run arround wile you have your picknick and throw nuts to them so they dont nick your food

But no i think they are vermin but are sweet to look at,Better lookin then some other vermin we have hear.