A neighborly question

[tvguy]

Nobody around here has fed the squirrels in several years. Our lawns are a mess because they still bury stuff in them. So nothing wrong with no longer feeding them but I hope your neighbor realizes it probably won't change anything. Are they burying the nuts you give them, or one's they harvest on their own? The squirrels around here are burying acorns like crazy.

 

[Southernmiss]

Stop feeding them for a while and see if they still tear up his yard.

I bet they will.

Then you can give a big I told you so and go back to feeding them.

 

[penn19]

Squirrels are just rats with cuter outfits-Carrie Bradshaw

 

[PrincessShmoo]

Here is where I am torn. If he can ask me to stop feeling the squirrels would I then be right in asking my neighbors to stop using their fire pits? I am allergic and have to go inside and shut all my windows when they decide to light up.

Well, that's a different situation. I'd ask for a time when you could have a calm discussion with the neighbors and let them know about the allergy. Some questions would need to be answered:
What, specifically, are you allergic to? (is it the type of wood they burn?)
Was the fire pit next door when you moved in?
Have the neighbors always used the fire pit? Every night? (maybe a compromise on when to use it would work).

 

[lifesavacation]

My dad’s girlfriend loves to feed the squirrels. She calls them her pets. They ended up getting a rat infestation because of it.

 

[EMom]

I’d feed the squirrels, but then I’m known as a soft touch by all the local wildlife.

 

[Disneylover99]

I’m not a fan of feeding wild animals. Squirrels can be destructive. They get in your attic and chew insulation and electrical wires. I wouldn’t do anything to attract them.

Definitely agree. We've always had lots of squirrels around us. But they've been particularly nasty this year. They no longer run away when I enter my backyard. It's as if I'm encroaching on their territory the way they stand their ground and stare at me. lol. They've bit through our outdoor electrical cords in multiple spots and tore up a cedar tree this past week to get branches to make a nest on our roof. They've become a huge pain in the butt recently and I've been wondering myself if one of my neighbours has been feeding them. They are continuously coming up to my back patio door like they're waiting for me to give them a meal.

 

[disykat]

I don't think using a firepit and feeding/attracting wild animals are equal in any way. I hate when my neighbors build a fire because I am also allergic to wood and have trouble with smoke due to my asthma. However, I deal with it by closing my windows and turning up my hepa filters. It is what it is. If they were building fires that could easily be moved to a part of the property where they wouldn't bother me and I had a good relationship with them I might ask, but some things are just part of having neighbors. I personally have a problem with smoke, but I can still see that smoke is a reasonable expectation from a fire pit.

Feeding and attracting animals (even if they are cute) really doesn't fit my definition of what is reasonable to expect or tolerate from a neighbor.

 

[usnuzuloose]

I doubt it is only his yard with shells or what ever else they drop. The squirrels tease my dogs all the time. I like squirrels. Your yard do what you like.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

Here is where I am torn. If he can ask me to stop feeling the squirrels would I then be right in asking my neighbors to stop using their fire pits? I am allergic and have to go inside and shut all my windows when they decide to light up.

Eh now it just sounds like a tit for tat situation and while I understand the smoke thing it would come off IMO as petty to be like "yeah well you could just not use your firepit and that would be great"..

I wouldn't feel wildlife because well...they are wildlife so personally I would stop feeding them. They'll get the food someway or another. The destruction they do is another story. We have a bunch of them, we have a bunch of trees, the nuts (various kinds) make their way around the lawn and then get imbedded in it but well we just deal with it. I'll take that over the years where the moles are plentiful..now those things are awful for the lawn worse than the nuts. So I don't think you stop feeding them will just magically solve the issue but it might take away some of the attraction they have to the area, maybe that will help a wee bit on that front.

 

[cobright]

The squirrels run to me when I'm out in my yard and I find them very cute. It would make me sad to stop feeding them.

What would you do?

Switch to dried corn. Problem solved. Squirrels get a treat but nothing to bury.

Other than the destruction squirrels cause when burying nuts, most of the "Don't Feed" arguments fall flat. In the eastern half of the US anyway, there are three types of squirrels to deal with.

• The Red Squirrel (that we always called Pine Squirrels) is the little guy. Just a bit bigger than a chipmunk. Red is an aggressive jerk, not playful at all, but he also doesn't really go after the larger shelled nuts anyway.
• The Eastern Gray. This is the bread and butter tree rodent. Depending on what's around to eat, this guy will be either gray or black or some combination.
• Fox Squirrel. The Lizzo of the squirrel family. Voluptuous, Beautiful, and entertaining.

What any born and bred Michigan squirrel hunter (I gave it up early, but was good at it in my day) will tell you is that squirrels are terribly territorial and they self police their local populations. Putting out feed will not lead to infestations. It will lead to squirrels from all the nearby territories making sorties on your feed and then taking it back to their home turf. The red squirrels are actually quite mean about it but the rest end up looking like they are engaged in a very serious game.

Despite being rodents, and really just like most free-dwelling rodents (outside rodents living outside) they carry little risk of rabies. And you aren't inviting them to chew their way into attics, that's something they would be doing anyway.

 

[Skywalker]

If I was doing something that really wasn't that important in the scheme of things, but that bothered my neighbour, as well as possibly bring destructiveness to their house/yard...I would stop doing it. I think it's great to have a cordial relationship with neighbours though. If you really think the squirrels in your area are starving you could bring some nuts down the local park or something.

 

[cobright]

Stop feeding the squirrels. Although, I wouldn't be feeding them in the first place.

https://animals.howstuffworks.com/mammals/should-we-feed-squirrels.htm

This link links to the American Humane Society's page on the subject, which offers the advice of maybe just feeding the squirrels.

An alternative approach
Consider a specialty feeder for squirrels themselves—more people are opting for the "if you can't lick 'em, join 'em" strategy. When you kick back and enjoy squirrels along with their feathered friends, they double the pleasures of watching your wild neighbors.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

This link links to the American Humane Society's page on the subject, which offers the advice of maybe just feeding the squirrels.

If you don't have anyone else to worry about where one lives that would be great advice if one enjoys the activity. As is there are other people around the OP so probably should consider that salient aspect

 

[SarahM1987]

It's your property, but I would stop feeding them due to some of the issues that people have already mentioned. In addition, squirrel's and chipmunk's can also do major damage to vehicles that sit outside. I know people who have had their vehicles wiring chewed on and insulation destroyed.

However, my problem is with what your neighbor said about "it wouldn't be neighborly to continue" now that you know it upsets him. Its ultimately your decision, but he shouldn't have tried to guilt tripped you like that! Maybe just find something else to feed them if its something that you truly enjoy doing, and if he ever brings it up again, maybe you can mention the burn pit to him and find a positive agreement between you both. Good luck!

 

[emer95]

Fox Squirrel. The Lizzo of the squirrel family. Voluptuous, Beautiful, and entertaining.

Best thing I’ve read on the internet all day!

 

[low-key]

since he was nice about it, I would tell him ok, and then sneak and feed them

 

[fly girl]

If I was doing something that really wasn't that important in the scheme of things, but that bothered my neighbour, as well as possibly bring destructiveness to their house/yard...I would stop doing it. I think it's great to have a cordial relationship with neighbours though. If you really think the squirrels in your area are starving you could bring some nuts down the local park or something.

⬆ This.

Good neighbors are a blessing. I would keep that relationship over the squirrels.

 

[gopher101]

Funny horror squirrel story. At an old job, they tore down a lot of woods across the street to make room for new tollway. A squirrel got into the store and made a home in the ceiling and the office. Would eat though candy, pee on the office chair, fly at you when you came into office. Eventually we chased it out front door with broom, because home office refused to send out to catch it. Than a few weeks later a mama squirrel made a home in same spot with baby. Same thing. I made lots of noise before going into office because mama squirrel. Sad ending, mama died in celling. Stunk up the whole store, HO sent someone out because of complaints on the smell. Than they changed wildlife policy.

 

[LuvOrlando]

I guess it boils down to whether you like the neighbor or the squirrels more, I vote squirrels.