The Pony heard more noises in Pony House on Tuesday. They were not supernatural. They were entirely natural. TOO natural. He heard a squirrel scampering about in the attic, above the door of his Master Bathroom.
Farmer H is eager to solve the problem. He was afraid the squirrels would come back. I still say to pay a professional exterminator like Orkin, but Farmer H says they don't deal with squirrels, but only with insects and mice. What's the difference in a mouse and a squirrel? Just a fluffy tail, I think. I don't really know if Farmer H is correct. I'm pretty sure there are pest control professionals who deal with squirrels.
Anyhoo... Farmer H went looking for those ultrasonic thingies to repel squirrels. We have them in our Mansion for mice. Not that we ever had an infestation, but we do have the occasional field mouse who gets in when the weather turns cold in the fall. And we've had some in the attic. Since Farmer H plugged in our ultrasonic thingies to repel them many years ago, we haven't had a mouse in the house. Only that baby mole in the basement workshop, where there is no ultrasonic thingy.
Lowe's was out of the ultrasonic thingies for squirrels. Or else they didn't say they'd work for squirrels. So Farmer H told me to order one online. Which I did, but I don't know if it will work. $19.99 is cheap enough to give it a try.
While I was researching repellers of squirrels, I found out that squirrels abhor the smell of IRISH SPRING SOAP! Who knew? Not this ol' gal, that's for sure. So now Farmer H is going to get some Irish Spring and some pantyhose. Not to clean himself up and go out on the town, but to shred some soap and hang it around the attic of Pony House. Here's the article.
It may or may not work, but it's worth a try. Funny how Farmer H did not volunteer to take his Irish Spring from home. Neither of us has pantyhose, so he would have needed to buy that, anyway.
The soap will smell good even if it doesn't drive the squirrels away. They are rodents, just bigger. I sprayed my She Shed with peppermint oil. They don't care for that either. I went a step further and planted peppermint in several of my gardens. It can be invasive and choke out other plants. I am hoping it will grow down the ravine. Stop erosion and choke out the grass and weeds that need to be whacked down.
ReplyDeleteKathy,
ReplyDeleteI didn't know about the peppermint until I read it in that article. At least Farmer H isn't trying the white vinegar as a squirrel deterrent in the attic! I'm hoping the peppermint will take hold on the side of your ravine, and be the weed-choker that you dream of.
I wish getting rid of possums was as easy as a certain soap. We have them scampering across the rooftops and through the trees, dropping their droppings everywhere and peeing in the gardens. My own small garden patch smells like a permanent possum urinal lately.
ReplyDeleteRiver,
ReplyDeleteWe had a possum come up on the porch and eat dry dog food out of the pan. I surprised it when I looked out the laundry room door. They hiss! It went away. We saw one once in the BARn field, and found a dead one (not just playing possum!) in the driveway. That has been many years ago. I'm glad we don't have an infestation of possums.
We have a squirrel problem here at the Mansion, too. They run up on the porch rail, and look for dog food. Which we don't leave out anymore. Farmer H just feeds the dogs in a small dish in the morning, then it's gone.