Meryl The Squirrel Part II

Meryl The Squirrel Update Part II

If you care to catch up, read:

http://joeh-crankyoldman.blogspot.com/2017/04/my-new-little-friend.html

and

http://joeh-crankyoldman.blogspot.com/2017/05/meryl-squirrel-update-part-i.html 

The night after I closed the hole, I heard no scratching.  Meryl did not return and apparently there were no other family members.  So I thought.  In the morning, I went to double check the covered hole.  There were aluminum chips all over and the hole was exactly as it was before I covered it.  (pic)

Did Meryl chew his way out, or chew his way back in? 

“Scratch, scratch, scratch” Question answered…the little dickens.

I waited again for Meryl to leave.  At one point I heard no scratching and then I saw Meryl approach the screen door. 

“Ah ha! He is out!”

I again went to cover the hole, but first sprayed some rabbit/deer repellent in and around the hole.  A squirrel is a rodent like a rabbit, this stuff should discourage him…I hope.  While I was doing this, Mrs. C must have told me at least three times.

“He will only chew his way back in if he wants.”

And I explained to her at least three times,

“But if any squirrels are in the nest I know they can get out and if it remains un-chewed, I’ll know no squirrel decided to return.”

“It’s going to take something stronger to keep them out!”

“Yes, but…never mind, just let me try this one more time.”

“OK, but it won’t work.”

“…”

Sometimes rather than explain something one more time to someone who does not want to listen, the best answer is, “…”

Patched hole

Now I wait.  Hopefully there will be no more scratching, and in the morning the aluminum will be undisturbed showing that the repellent works.

Fingers crossed.

Dang

He chewed back in at night. 

OK, so now I completely removed the screen that he uses like a Velcro ladder.  He is a squirrel and if he wants it bad enough he will find a way to leap across fences and onto the eave to get back in, but no reason to make it easy for him.  When I am sure the eave is empty I will block it with something more sturdy.  Along with the rodent repellent, I threw in a fist full of mothballs, another known deterrent.  This time I just stuffed a plastic bag in the hole.  If the bag was still in place in the morning I will assume he has given up and then use a more permanent un-chewable hole cover.

Fingers crossed.

In the morning, the bag was still in place.  With all the repellent, and no scratching I am sure there are no squirrels in the eave.  Either the repellent or the “ladder” removal or both has done the trick.  

I closed up the hole with a steel plate and we emailed the association to have someone come and do the job more professionally.  But I am sure my new friend Meryl has been evicted.

Fingers crossed.

If you think I am mean, this was my fraternity friend Capt. Don’s solution:



Two days later, Meryl has been successfully and mercifully evicted.