Bushy-tailed tree rats

[Alpo]

I know there's a thread about them somewhere, but I couldn't find it.

 

 

This is two episodes of the Discovery channel. So oneWHEN thatIT starts winding up and showing the ending credits, it's only half over. This thing lasts 42 minutes I think.

 

The first one is about fighting the gray squirrel in England. Trying to keep them out of their bird feeders. The gray squirrel is an invasive species brought over from America with, apparently, no natural enemies.

 

The second episode is mostly about here in the states, and people that make pets of them.

[Pat Riot]

Squirrels in England are the result of the bad blood over taxation and the crack down after the Boston Tea Party and a pirate named “Dread Pirate Macaroni”. 
 

Macaroni was famous for smuggling American products into England in the late 1700’s and early 1800’s. His famous trademark was he always had two squirrels on his shoulders when he manned the prow entering port in his trademark stance (later stolen by Capt. Morgan) with a squirrel atop each shoulder. 
He was always seen entering port with his squirrels but soon after and when he departed the squirrels weren’t to be seen

Rumor has it that he left the squirrels behind to propagate and overrun the nation over time. 
 

You won’t find much about Pirate Macaroni in the history books. His story is lost in time but still known by just a few folks. I know about it because, well, because I have an “in” with many folks that know things. Lots of things. That’s all I will say on the matter. 

[Cactus Jack Calder]

My folks lived in Mobile, AL in their later years. One time when we visited my Dad said he needed help to replace the cover for the sewer vent pipe on the roof. It was made of lead set over an iron pipe and bent down into the iron to seal rain out of the roof. It seems the local grey squirrels had been gnawing on it and the fold over had been breached so rain had leaked into the attic. No major damage at that point. My younger brother was with us that trip, so we went down to the local big box store to get another lead shield. As we were searching for the shield, and not having any luck, an older gentleman asked us if he could help us find what we were looking for. We explained the situation and he led us to the right place. He then said, “You’re going to need some roofing cement. Once you have the shield installed slather the outside of the pipe all over. The squirrels hate the stickiness and will leave the vent shield alone.” IT WORKED!

 

CJ

[Chickasaw Bill SASS #70001]

best served with fried taters and onion 

 

  CB 

[Cypress Sun]

14 hours ago, Cactus Jack Calder said:

My folks lived in Mobile, AL in their later years. One time when we visited my Dad said he needed help to replace the cover for the sewer vent pipe on the roof. It was made of lead set over an iron pipe and bent down into the iron to seal rain out of the roof. It seems the local grey squirrels had been gnawing on it and the fold over had been breached so rain had leaked into the attic. No major damage at that point. My younger brother was with us that trip, so we went down to the local big box store to get another lead shield. As we were searching for the shield, and not having any luck, an older gentleman asked us if he could help us find what we were looking for. We explained the situation and he led us to the right place. He then said, “You’re going to need some roofing cement. Once you have the shield installed slather the outside of the pipe all over. The squirrels hate the stickiness and will leave the vent shield alone.” IT WORKED!

 

CJ

 

If the little fuzzy tailed rats get into your attic...look out. They will do some major damage to your electrical wiring, ac ducts and damn near anything else that they can gnaw on. Used to get paid REAL good money to repair it.

 

They should be called fuzzy tailed grounded seagull rats.