I didn't sleep well last night, despite going to bed at an early hour, waking up many times because one of the local squirrels decided to SLEEP on my window ledge, a real first. Of course, the cats had to check on it constantly, reaching through the slats of my shutters. I knocked sharply on the window to try to scare it off but it was either in a deep sleep or just chose to totally ignore me. It is very much alive, as I saw its chest rising and falling regularly as it slept, curled up in a tight little ball, tail completely encircling its little body. It may be one of the juveniles. I don't understand why it chose the ledge; don't they have nests??? It wasn't even a particularly cold night. They used to huddle there in the winter, during the day, protected from the wind and cold, with the sun beating down on them but never, ever all night. I saw 3 of them on the ledge yesterday morning, grooming, and I am beginning to get concerned. I like being able to watch them up close once in awhile but I don't want this to become a place that's too comfy for them yet I fear that's exactly what's happening.

I will have to try to figure out what I can put on the ledge to discourage them. I may call pest control and ask for suggestions; the maintenance guy from our condo board is a jerk of gargantuan proportions and if I tell him, he will probably put out poison, even if it's not allowed and I DON'T want that, no matter what. Sigh. Although I have a sinking sense that absolutely nothing will work, if anyone has any suggestions, I'd be glad to hear them. Besides the real issue of the cats breaking my shutters, and my not being able to sleep through the night, uninterrupted, I am honestly concerned that they (the squirrels) may start to do damage out there (chew the wood around the window, maybe even be tempted to try to get into and under the roof).

Anyone...?

Oh no! They're moving in!!!

I just peeked out again and the squirrel is gone but guess what is there, in the corner of the ledge, next to the wall? If you guessed something edible, I'd have to say that was a good guess but it's wrong. This time, there's a crumpled up page of a newspaper!! What's he thinking, a little light bedtime reading? What's next, the couch and a mini tv??? Can the remote be far behind..... :rolleyes:


Maybe I should be charging rent.

They like you. They really like you! LOL Those squirrels have good taste!

~~~ruth~~~

Wish I could help out, Shelley, but my squirrels usually hang out in the trees rather than on my window ledges. (Umm...come to think of it, I really don't have any window ledges for them to hang out on.) The squirrels did climb the brick walls of my mother's house, though, and not uncommonly made appearances on her substantial window ledges. Of course you could say that she encouraged them, though, as she always had in-the-shell peanuts on these ledges as a treat for the squirrels or birds, especially the blue jays.

As Mother's Day is approaching, I like to think back fondly to some of my memories of my mother's interactions with squirrels and birds. She called all "her" squirrels 'Squeak' (sort of like all the Georges in George Foreman's family, I'd guess) and all the blue jays were known as 'Blue'. They must have known their names, though, as whenever she called out, "Here Blue", or "Here Squeak", a blue jay or squirrel would appear out of nowhere, anxious to take advantage of a peanut treat. (At times I was amazed to watch one of the blue jays fly in from some unknown location well across the street and in some field or woods off in the distance.) Squeak actually took nuts from my mother's hand (perhaps a risky thing to do) and although I can't recall Blue doing the same, he would get within a few feet of my mother as he snatched the nuts from the front steps or landing. One time the front screen door was left ajar and we were startled to find one of the little squirrels on the living room rug looking around seeking the nut cache.

Mourning doves frequented a side window ledge which my mother used as a seed feeder for them or other interested parties. Although most of us know how notoriously poor mourning doves are at nest building, one of my mother's visitors actually topped the poorly constructed nests that I've seen in my yard. This mourning dove actually laid an egg on the bare brick ledge with no signs of a nest at all--on Mother's Day, no less. Sounds like she had better go back for a refresher course in Nest Building Skills 101. :rolleyes:

Okay, I've strayed a little, haven't I? One other squirrel-related story I have took place two years ago when a blue jay single-handedly(actually he used his beak and feet) disassembled a squirrel's nest in in the upper reaches of my tall maple tree. He kept tossing bits and pieces of the nest through the branches of the tree and down to the ground below. Meanwhile a very distraught little mother squirrel was pacing the ground making all kinds of loud and unhappy squirrel sounds. I don't know why this blue jay had picked on this particular squirrel's nest, but it may have been the same jay who took on the nesting chickadees last spring.

Good luck with your recent squirrel activity, Shelley. Providing live-squirrel entertainment for your kitties is all well and good as long as the activity doesn't interfere with your sleep habits or general quality of life. <img src="/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

Leequi

I know that this is easy for me to say and hard for you to live with.. I think the squirrels and you need to find a way to "live together", in peace. They seem to be attracted to you. I don't have a real solution, but maybe you can place some small rocks on ledge so they won't be comfortable to hang out there.
anywho atleast they are cute.
good luck, happy squirrels!

I was doing a little online squirrel research and came across a site that contained some unusual info about squirrels in Russia. Although I don't think the articles will give you any help, Shelley, you may find them of interest. <img src="/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

Scary Squirrel site

Leequi

Hi Montana1!! I totally agree. Shelley and squirrels are one of those age-old hero/villain love/hate relationships, LOL. I'm sure if she found a solution to THIS problem, more squirrel-related trickery wouldn't be far behind.

Shelley, I do have a couple of suggestions, though. You could put up some cardboard or a decorative wallpaper type border on the window to hide the lower half from your cats. As for the squirrels, you could put "porcupine wire" on the ledge (makes it uncomfortable for them) or you can place wood or metal sheeting at an angle to prevent them from nesting. I have also seen the suggestion of stretching a slinky toy across the ledge, but I'd be too afraid they'd get caught in it and, well, that image is just too yucky to me.

Marian

Marian, I thought of the same solution you did with the slanted board. It wouldn't look too good, but you'd probably just need it there for a while until they learned that the spot is gone. I don't think I'd try the slinky trick. That could be harmful to the little critters. You could also put up some kind of wire mesh around your window ledge to block it off. But you'd also have to cover the top or they'll just nest down inside. They'll think "Oh this wonderful human has set up a nice safe place for us to build our nest in."

Shelley, I think these little guys like you and just want to be near you. I don't think they're taunting you or your cats. I think that you're their goddess and they are leaving you sacrifices. However, they are not pleasing you are they?

You guys are hilarious!! Ruth, I nearly fell off my chair when I read your comment!!! <img src="/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" /> . Leequi, who knew?! <img src="/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" /> Did you click on the squirrel pics in that article to hear their *comments*? Too funny!

As for the rest of your suggestions, I have to admit, I've thought of them all. The only one that I think might actually be effective is the slanty thing but there are some inherent problems that I'd have to work out. First of all, only my top windows open, not the bottom ones and the ledge, obviously, is at the bottom of the window. This would make it difficult for me to access the ledge from the inside. Also, while my windows open, the screen does not. I'd have to remove it altogether, which of course, is possible but a pain in the you-know-what. I am actually looking into buying new windows this summer because these in the bedroom are old, and don't keep the draft out in the winter and one of them is somewhat warped, as well. So that may solve part of the problem.

I also would not put a slinky or any wire or anything that might do any harm at all. Yes, those little rodents are my nemesis but I still do like to watch them up close and I would never ever want to cause harm to any living thing. As for blocking off the bottom windows with cardboard, as Marian suggested, that is an idea I hadn't thought of and may work somewhat but I don't mind that the cats observe them. I'd hate to block off the window, though because it's just about the only window accessible for them to look out of when I'm not home and I'd rather they look out this one than the living room window, because of the long curtains there (claws...you know!).

Anyhow, they moved somewhere else for the night last night and we all slept better....for now.... <img src="/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

Thanks for all your help!

Welcome, Montana! Hope you stick around

And guess what's on the menu tonight?? I see out on the window ledge this evening that the locals are serving up some corrugated cardboard and some plastic-and-flannel tablecloth stuffing, compliments of the homeowner's patio table covering.....over easy....

Can't wait for the main course..... :rolleyes: