From

Location

Message

Date Posted

Woburn, Ma

I have a problem with something knawing on my vines and I think it's a squirrel. I have had them bite pumpkins before but never bother the vines. I have been finding several vines knawed on for the last few days. Sometimes completely biting off the end of a vine or sometimes chewing along about 7". I went out and bought rabbit fencing thinking it was a maybe a woodchuck. I have fenced the entire area in but the next day it happened again. I know that nothing like a woodchuck or rabbit has gotten in through the fencing. Yesterday I thought I had seen a squirrel walking along he fence but couldn't tell if it was on the inside or outside. By the time I got outside the squirrel was wondering away into the wetlands so I don't know if that's what is doing it or not. I have never heard of a squirrel chewing the vines. Yesterday I sprayed the area surrounding all my plants with a Gerry Baker recipe that was made with: Ammonia,urine,dish washing detergent and caster oil. I checked today and there doesn't seem to be any sign or new damage but still... if this keeps up I won't have vines left..... I have already basically lost one plant and the other plants won't have any side or secondaries to give any strength to anything growing. Has anyone dealt with this kind of a problem before?.. Thanks.... blaine

7/8/2011 9:51:22 AM

Menomonie, WI (mail@gr8pumpkin.net)

Sounds like a no good for nothing Whistle Pig, Ground Hog, Wood Chuck,son of a #$%^&# vermin. Set a live trap and teach them how to swim in the trap.

7/8/2011 10:14:40 AM

Topsfield, Ma.

Blaine...woodchucks most likely, got a hav-a-hart trap for you to borrow anytime. You gotta act fast before they end your season. Bait it with pruned secondaries if you got any left and they can't resist! Give me a shout if interested.
Duff.
978-887-5256
asselinduffy@aol.com

7/8/2011 7:25:40 PM

Bristol R.I. USA

Blain, Last year I had issues with a woodchuck with an attitude. What I did was get dirt over the silt fence to discourage the rat, spread critter ridder all over the perimeter of the patch, get some bobcate or coyote urine at agway and put it a little past your patch. Next set up have a heart traps around the area where you think they may enter. The protect the main vine with laundry baskets, you can get them really cheap at a dollar store. all these things will discourage the critters from trying to enter the patch. The only thing that will stop them is trapping and relocating. all the other things will discourage them hopefully enough to move on. I did this last season after getting my plants almost destroyer. it seemed that the critters decided to move on and they did. I hope this helps

7/8/2011 10:06:37 PM

Ohio

Blaine, if your sure the ground hog isnt getting through the fence then Id say its a squirrel, a squirrel will do alot of damage to your vine tips.
I think the reason they naw on the vines and tips is to get the water from the plants. Glen Dixon has had trouble with them over the years, check out his past years diaries under 'north shore boys'

7/9/2011 5:20:44 AM

Mill Bay, British Columbia

Brooks is right...squirrels have ruined a season or 2 for me by chewing off growth tips on mains and secondaries....they will even chew at the base of leaves and fall them like a beaver falls a tree.

They are a pest and are not tolerated in our patch. Havahart trap with 1/2 an apple smeared with peanut butter hung inside over trip mechanism will do the trick....and Shannon is also correct that none of them get a second swimming lesson once caught.

http://www.bigpumpkins.com/Diary/DiaryViewOne.asp?eid=85510

http://www.bigpumpkins.com/Diary/DiaryViewOne.asp?eid=86374

http://www.bigpumpkins.com/Diary/DiaryViewOne.asp?eid=162524

7/9/2011 11:58:06 PM

Long Island,New York

My experience is woodchucks eat...squirrels shred......

7/10/2011 6:28:39 AM

long Island

I have squirrel`s all over the place. Not a day goes by that I don't see one, two, or three running around the ground and in the trees.
So far I have never had one come near my plant.
After seeing NSB`s pictures, I am now very nervous about them.
I have one of those traps and maybe I should set it up and attempt to catch them.
No swimming lessons on Long Island, just a nice ride to the park, about 2 miles away.
I have always wondered if those little bastards would eat my grow tip. Maybe I have just been lucky so far.
I guess I better get started trapping every squirrel in the neighborhood. My guess is there must be about 100 of them.

7/10/2011 10:15:21 AM

Woburn, Ma

Yep.... it was a squirrel... can you believe it!!... I meant to post a follow up sooner. About 3 hours after I posted my message I saw 6 squirrels wandering around in the back yard and one was walking along the edge of the fence trying to figure out how to get in. By the time I got outside and out to the field he was at one of plants. My son later was laughing at me because he said I looked hilarious chasing that squirrel around in that fenced in area. My son doesn't realize how all that damage has affected my plants....lol..and I probably did look like a crazy man....anyway, there was a fresh vine that he had knawed on so I'm sure it was this squirrel. I sprayed the vines with bifen (which I hadn't been doing every 10 days) so I hoping maybe that will help also. I also covered all the fencing with white plastic (do you know how much I had to use?) because the plastic might make it hard to to climb. I went out this morning so now that's two days with no new signs of any damage. I'm keeping my fingers crossed. Thanks everyone for the advice and offers.

7/10/2011 10:20:15 AM

Mill Bay, British Columbia

Your right Glenn, the squirels dont eat...they just rip and tear looking for something.

7/10/2011 1:13:27 PM

long Island

I had no idea that squirrels could wreck my plant.
I am going to have some job trying to rid my neighborhood of all the squirrels. We had a raccoon in the beginning of the season, but I trapped him in one night and he is long gone.
I live in a kinda rural part of Long Island. We are only about 25 miles from the Queens border. There really is no "wildlife" here. I have never seen a deer in my life, No rabbits, no chipmunks, no woodchucks, no mice, nothing.
We got bugs, and we got a lot of squirrels.
Anyway, when do the squirrels damage the plant?
During the day, or at night?

7/10/2011 4:02:53 PM

South Hero, VT

Contact Norm Gansert(abbynormal) and find out how he caught 5 of the little b******s this year so far.

7/10/2011 5:06:40 PM

Joliet, IL

I am now convinced after chasing a damn squirrel out of my patch after twice bitten on main vine that is was squirrel and not rabbit. Pics in my diary of top eaten vine on the 1209. First was a 2 to 3 inch slash like staddling vine and scraping with teeth. More narrow. The pictured worse bite was 3 inches and the top half of main eaten off. No problems since moth balls and coyete urine animal repellent.

7/10/2011 6:05:13 PM

Mill Bay, British Columbia

I caught 9 in one day a few years ago. The are territorial so when you rid yourself of a family and start feeling safe...another family will try and move in.

http://www.bigpumpkins.com/Diary/DiaryViewOne.asp?eid=50408

http://www.bigpumpkins.com/Diary/DiaryViewOne.asp?eid=42204

http://www.bigpumpkins.com/Diary/DiaryViewOne.asp?eid=42571

Without a trap and my trusty cat...I could not grow pumpkins.

7/10/2011 7:09:56 PM

Bloomington, IN

I would recommend a good quality bb gun rifle that you would need to pump. Like this:
http://s5.thisnext.com/media/largest_dimension/2CC6099C.jpg

One pump will scare the crap out of the squirrel, ten pumps will kill it. How many pumps you use depends on your mood. :) Just be sure to align the sights right and practice shooting it that way you don't miss when your aiming at a critter. Most places you can target practice with a bb gun right in your back yard, even in a suburb.

7/11/2011 3:32:36 AM

long Island

Trap is the only option for me. I can not shoot a squirrel.
After looking at the pictures from NSB, I am now totally hating squirrels. The trap is going out today.
Thanks everybody, for the heads up.

7/11/2011 9:49:09 AM

Denver, CO

After a nasty squirrel attack last week, I set out a product called "Uncle Ian's Mole Repellent"...seems to be working so far, but I guess only time will tell.

Unfortunately I can't trap or shoot...squirrel is an adopted pet of the next door neighbor, who took him in as a baby. What a nut job.

7/11/2011 11:19:09 AM

Woburn, Ma

Guess I spoke to soon.... I found another vine knawed on yesterday. I don't think I have one pumpkin now that isn't growing on a damaged vine. Why can't it just go and eat my garden... I wouldn't care if it ate my garden. I have a trap out there but it hasn't bothered going to it. My patch is now full of laundry baskets and wire cages trying to protect vine tips.

7/12/2011 8:42:16 AM

Woburn, Ma

North Shore Boyz.... Just checked your photos out... That's exactly how my vines look!!!!

7/12/2011 8:45:53 AM

Simi valley, ca

Wait until neighbor is not home// Dont tell your kid !! BAM !!

7/16/2011 11:54:09 PM