Squirrels

Fuzzballs or marauders, you decide

Whether you love them or hate them, squirrels are a part of North American urban life. Gray, black, red or flying - anywhere you go, there's bound to be a squirrel population in your neighborhood, waiting to raid your feeders, taunt your dog and chatter at you from on high while you shake your fist at them.

Okay, so not everyone hates squirrels - in fact, many people actually like them and want to see them running around their yards. If you're one of these people, then this section is for you. Many people get tired of seeing their bird feeders emptied by these little rodents, so they go one step further and provide the squirrels with a feeder of their own. There are even people who like to hand-feed squirrels, although this is generally frowned upon because it makes the animals trusting of humans and aggressive if they don't get food when they expect it.

If you want to feed squirrels, you can put up a squirrel feeder, which is like a bigger bird feeder that you can fill with squirrel food. This will hopefully discourage the squirrels from raiding your bird feeders and houses. Normally, if squirrels have a food source, they will leave other animals and birds in the yard alone.

Squirrels are excellent at finding places to nest - especially when it's on your roof, in your attic or under your porch. But because of their constantly growing incisors, squirrels have an unfortunate habit of chewing on any wooden surface they find. To discourage them from ruining your house and porch, you can install a squirrel house in your yard to give them a place to nest and raise a family. These houses are wooden boxes that squirrels can easily nest in, and they offer you easy cleaning access when the squirrels are gone.

If you decide finally that you just can't put up with squirrels any longer, it's time to discourage them from coming into your yard. Why not try squirrel repellent? There are many natural and commercial repellents that you can use that won't hurt the squirrels, but will keep them away from your bird feeders and houses. Squirrels quickly will find another yard to hang around in, so you've got nothing to worry about.