Squirrels...are they vermin?

[Don_Kiddick 11]

why not just leave them alone....

as mentioned in post #4 old bean

 

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:

 

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

 

 

AKA tree rats

[artisan 10]

It is quite amazing reading this and other threads, the delight that some people get from killing things. One person even said he trapped the animal s and then took them to someone else to blow their heads off! Talk about premeditated.

Also just because something is legal does not mean that you have to do it.

If you have this urge to kill small animals then go into a town centre and start killing all the pigeons they are truly disgusting vermin. (but then again you couldnt do that in secret could you, you would be seen and vilified)

Or failing that get work in an abattoir, they kill animals all day in there.

 

BTW I am most definitly not a vegatarian, I just prefer my meat pre butchered, in a package. Not still looking at me

[fuzzy 10]

That only says humanely, which i agree with, but how??

 

I do not have a gun or know anyone with one.

[Don_Kiddick 11]

I've got one

[Don_Kiddick 11]

It is quite amazing reading this and other threads, the delight that some people get from killing things. One person even said he trapped the animal s and then took them to someone else to blow their heads off! Talk about premeditated.

Also just because something is legal does not mean that you have to do it.

If you have this urge to kill small animals then go into a town centre and start killing all the pigeons they are truly disgusting vermin. (but then again you couldnt do that in secret could you, you would be seen and vilified)

Or failing that get work in an abattoir, they kill animals all day in there.

 

BTW I am most definitly not a vegatarian, I just prefer my meat pre butchered, in a package. Not still looking at me

You couldn't kill pigeons in town because you'd need a pest controll licence.

 

So you don't mind the horror of abatoire deaths on your plate then?

 

You're not being a hipocrit by any chance?

[Madeleine 10]

There are several different species of squirrel in reality. The grey one is certainly American in origin and I think was introduced as an "exotic" - but they escaped and bred like "squirrels!"

 

They are bigger than the red ones which I saw in a natiional trust "red squirrel sanctuary" - and the warden at the NT centre told me that the grey was more predatory than its Birtish Red cousin and its European Black cousins. It also carries some sort of virus or bacteria which can prove fatal to the weaker native reds and blacks in Europe. I do not know about the American Reds - perhaps they are hardier than the European ones.

 

As for greys being "vermin" - I would think a large pack (I do not know the collective for "squirrel") would be a health hazard similar to a plague of rats or other rodents..

 

I do recall seeing a very frightening documentary about an Australian problem in culling rabbits. The film showed literally thousands of wild rabbits devouring crops like a plague of locusts and showed the Australians trying to shoot them... but for each one they killed - they seemed to make no impact. I think they resorted to poison - but I am now 22 and I was about 15 when I saw this documentary on telly.

[artisan 10]

You couldn't kill pigeons in town because you'd need a pest controll licence.

 

So you don't mind the horror of abatoire deaths on your plate then?

 

You're not being a hipocrit by any chance?

 

Of course I am, if you have read any of my posts you will know that!

 

However in the course of my work I have seen how feral pigeons live and it is disgusting. They are the filthiest creatures I have set eyes on.

Give me a squirrel any day. They are amusing to watch and dont crap all over the town centre

[artisan 10]

..

 

I do recall seeing a very frightening documentary about an Australian problem in culling rabbits. The film showed literally thousands of wild rabbits devouring crops like a plague of locusts and showed the Australians trying to shoot them... but for each one they killed - they seemed to make no impact. I think they resorted to poison - but I am now 22 and I was about 15 when I saw this documentary on telly.

 

http://www.rguppy.freeserve.co.uk/myxomatosis%20fact%20sheet.htm

This is probably what you are thinking about

[Twiglet 10]

So if you catch one how do you dispose of it??? As i have 2 i would really like to get rid of.

 

Had htought of trapping them and taking them to school for release in the woods with others, but i wouldn't want to inflict them on others.

 

There was a guy in the news last week who was threatened with prosecution after releasing grey squirrels he trapped in his garden. If you trap them, you have two choices. You can kill them yourself with an air rifle or hand them over to the RSPCA to be euthanised.

[Agent Orange 11]

How about getting someone with a Hawk or some other bird of prey to pay a visit to a site where the grey squirrels are large in number and get the bird to pick em off one by one. I'm not a big fan of grey squirrels, but would much prefer to see the native red squirrels in our parks and woodlands.

[Godzilla 10]

My lurcher used to be master of 'despatch' - quick, clean and virtually painless. We did try to discourage him, but the minute your back was turned, he'd be off in the woods and you'd turn round to find him trotting behind with his trophy in his mouth. He's now 10 and not so bothered, but could this be construed as hunting with dogs?

[artisan 10]

How about getting someone with a Hawk or some other bird of prey to pay a visit to a site where the grey squirrels are large in number and get the bird to pick em off one by one. I'm not a big fan of grey squirrels, but would much prefer to see the native red squirrels in our parks and woodlands.

 

What is the difference. They are both animals and therefore, according to a lot of people on here, are only fit for tearing to pieces. This time for eating tree bark, which must rank up there amonst the greatest crimes of all time.