One year later - the squirrel problem in our yard. OR Anyone with advice on outdoor webcams?

[mattkime]

I was surprised to find that the previous thread was nearly a year old -

http://forums.macresource.com/read/1/86164/86277#msg-86277

We have crazy neighbors that feel very passionate about feeding the squirrels to the destruction of the surrounding property. In the past year I put in two complaints to the nyc department of sanitation, i talked to the landlord half a dozen times, and tried every non-confrontational route that i could come up with to resolve the problem. Unfortunately these people have refused to engage in conversation with me from the very beginning. The situation was completely unchanged until recently.

I've put a ton of work into our garden and its not going to go to waste because the inmates are running the asylum. I built myself a 25 ft. pole out of aluminum conduit to poke at the plates the old women out on the fire escape. This has been very effective. They notice what I'm up to and immediately bring the nuts back inside. They've even gone days without putting nuts out at all. At one point the landlord saw what I was up to. I began to apologize immediate but he backed me up in front of the old women and told them to stop.

When squirrels aren't being fed, the difference in the yard is immediately noticeable. Our yard isn't being torn up and nut shells aren't littering the ground.

I've been home sick the past two days. Yesterday, no nuts. Today, nuts. I didn't even have to stick my head out the window to know because i could see squirrels with the kind of nuts that they put out. Apparently this problem is going to need some babysitting.

Does anyone have experience with outdoor webcams? even if i can't knock down the nuts while i'm at work, i could call them when they put them out.

[DaviDC.]

I hate squirrels! I bought a b-b gun just so I could shoot 'em & they tend to steer clear of my yard now (at least while I'm outside).

[Donkey Hotay]

Cats are very good at keeping the local vermin in check.

USB Webcam, eh? Perhaps you need the USB missile launcher from thinkgeek.com
with some (ahem) 'adaptations'...

[Filliam H. Muffman]

A webcam and a X10 controller to remotely turn on a high pressure water jet aimed at where they put the plate.

[Monster]

mole repellent in a super soaker, my brother in law in Michigan swears by mole repellant to keep the squirrels out of the garbage cans.

[tenders]

I doubt a phone call from you saying "my advanced technology tells me that you little old ladies put nuts out on your balcony" is going to fix anything. Little old ladies are notoriously devious and will eventually figure out a way to evade your advanced technology.

I like squirrels in moderation but the fact is that when they are too close to human habitation they, like rats, are a nuisance. In addition to damaging grass and gardens, they wreak havoc in attics, chew through wires, and strew garbage all over the place. By feeding them your neighbors are contributing to and encouraging the nuisance.

Your landlord should be directly receptive to this argument. If he isn't, my approach would be heavy-handed but it would work. I'd invest in some special rodent food, the kind that comes in yellow wedge-shaped boxes, and be scrupulous about leaving it outside only when you can directly supervise it.

[SteveO]

[Blurb]

As to your question about outdoor webcams, you'd be better off using something made for outdoors such as this: http://www.basspro.com/webapp/wcs/stores...reId=10151&catalogId=10001&langId=-1&partNumber=65222&hvarTarget=search&cmCat=SearchResults

There are some that work with night vision as well, but most game cameras are motion-sensitive and quite sturdy for staying outside.

[mattkime]

>>Cats are very good at keeping the local vermin in check.

not here in brooklyn. too easy for the squirrels to just run across rooftops.

>>mole repellent

interesting idea. i may give it a try.

>>Your landlord should be directly receptive to this argument.

They are. The problem is that it would be very difficult for them to take further action. In New York, tenants have very strong rights.

>>I'd invest in some special rodent food, the kind that comes in yellow wedge-shaped boxes, and be scrupulous about leaving it outside only when you can directly supervise it.

Thats not a bad idea.

[mattkime]

>>you'd be better off using something made for outdoors such as this

I agree, i just don't know where to locate such a device. That looks decent but it only saves to SD cards.