Out to Lunch
Ventor
Some years ago, in Canada, I lost the war. They'd dig-up our potted plants. So, every time we'd leave the house, we had to put the plants inside. It was a total surrender. Last year, I visited Canada, and while waiting for my wife to come home, a squirrel, probably a General in their Army, climbed on my knee and ate a nut...just to rub it in.
willie_901
Veteran
A squirrel chewed through the facia in our home to take residence in a space between the roof and the attic. It cost about $500 to remove the squirrel and repair our home.
It is practical to trap squirrels and release them many miles away in a rural wooded area. A mean cat and, or frisky dogs work well too.
The electrical damage you experienced is unfortunate. I have experienced similar issues when automobile accidents caused power lines to flicker off and on repeatedly and when lightening hit on a tree near our home (which also came close to setting out attic on fire!) Both cost me a lot of money and inconvenience.
There is a simple reliable solution to eliminate damage from electrical glitches (but probably not lightening strikes). Consumer uninterruptible power supples (UPS) range in cost from $60 for a small unit to protect one or two electronic components up to more than $300 to protect numerous units (usually computer gear located together). The AC line voltage its rectified to charge a DC battery which in turn drives a voltage inverter to generate AC. AC power voltage sags, spikes and other instabilities can not affect equipment plugged into the UPS. This is much more effective than consumer level surge protectors. An UPS will keep things running until you can turn them off safely. When the battery depletes the AC output is automatically switched off safely. By default, laptop computers, phones and tablets have UPS built in - but no one calls it that. Typical consumer UPS run for 10-30 minutes after power is lost. More expensive units can run equipment for several hours. During a black out if you disconnect an UPS immediately it can be repurposed to charge portable electronics, flashlights or provide some degree of lighting (especially useful with AC powered LED lamps).
Besides the initial cost, UPS take up floor or shelf space. The batteries have to be replaced every 3-5 years.
The total cost for UPS is much less than replacing damaged equipment. It's a form of self-insurance. I never heard of anyone who regretted using an UPS, but I sure have heard sad stories from people who didn't use them.
It is practical to trap squirrels and release them many miles away in a rural wooded area. A mean cat and, or frisky dogs work well too.
The electrical damage you experienced is unfortunate. I have experienced similar issues when automobile accidents caused power lines to flicker off and on repeatedly and when lightening hit on a tree near our home (which also came close to setting out attic on fire!) Both cost me a lot of money and inconvenience.
There is a simple reliable solution to eliminate damage from electrical glitches (but probably not lightening strikes). Consumer uninterruptible power supples (UPS) range in cost from $60 for a small unit to protect one or two electronic components up to more than $300 to protect numerous units (usually computer gear located together). The AC line voltage its rectified to charge a DC battery which in turn drives a voltage inverter to generate AC. AC power voltage sags, spikes and other instabilities can not affect equipment plugged into the UPS. This is much more effective than consumer level surge protectors. An UPS will keep things running until you can turn them off safely. When the battery depletes the AC output is automatically switched off safely. By default, laptop computers, phones and tablets have UPS built in - but no one calls it that. Typical consumer UPS run for 10-30 minutes after power is lost. More expensive units can run equipment for several hours. During a black out if you disconnect an UPS immediately it can be repurposed to charge portable electronics, flashlights or provide some degree of lighting (especially useful with AC powered LED lamps).
Besides the initial cost, UPS take up floor or shelf space. The batteries have to be replaced every 3-5 years.
The total cost for UPS is much less than replacing damaged equipment. It's a form of self-insurance. I never heard of anyone who regretted using an UPS, but I sure have heard sad stories from people who didn't use them.
Ambro51
Collector/Photographer
Yum. Squirrel Stew with Dumplings. (Ozark Style). 3 squirrels cleaned and quartered. Salt and pepper sear in hot cast iron Dutch oven. Add potato’s carrots and onion. Add chicken stock. Bring to boil simmer 1- 1 1/2 hours. Add spoon dropped bisquick dumplings on top. Simmer another 15 minutes. ....enjoy! 
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BillBingham2
Registered User
It will get worse as the fires move closer to you.
Be safe, stay healthy, backup to the cloud, be ready, have fun.
B2 (;->
Bill Clark
Veteran
Do you get cell phone service?
4G works fine with mine.
5G is going to bring opportunities and making decisions, the over used cliche’ “game changer.” No more satellite tv or cable for tv or internet. Soon as equipment settles in. Right now I receive 35 digital tv signals with an $18.00 antenna from Amazon.
4G works fine with mine.
5G is going to bring opportunities and making decisions, the over used cliche’ “game changer.” No more satellite tv or cable for tv or internet. Soon as equipment settles in. Right now I receive 35 digital tv signals with an $18.00 antenna from Amazon.
BillBingham2
Registered User
Having moved to the middle of no-where I miss the days of antennas. I had to change cell services to get a reliable signal (not good mind you, just reliable and usable when we traveled out of state), 5G is though of by many around hear as BAD and has been the topic of much teeth gnashing, multiple service providers and technology but no, sorry, should be NO competition.
B2 (;->
Bill Clark
Veteran
Bill,
Is your phone wi-fi capable?
I use iPhone 6s about 4 plus years old and it is wi- fi capable. I have it set up with my carrier and use it in certain situations. No extra charges.
Just a thought.
Is your phone wi-fi capable?
I use iPhone 6s about 4 plus years old and it is wi- fi capable. I have it set up with my carrier and use it in certain situations. No extra charges.
Just a thought.
Dogman
Veteran
Yum. Squirrel Stew with Dumplings. (Ozark Style). 3 squirrels cleaned and quartered. Salt and pepper sear in hot cast iron Dutch oven. Add potato’s carrots and onion. Add chicken stock. Bring to boil simmer 1- 1 1/2 hours. Add spoon dropped bisquick dumplings on top. Simmer another 15 minutes. ....enjoy!
I grew up in the US South and squirrel dishes were often served. I learned to dislike squirrels while eating that stuff. Especially when it was seasoned with 12 gauge squirrel shot pellets. Same for raccoon and venison. No matter how seasoned....Can't handle it.
BillBingham2
Registered User
It works, but with the cap of my plan it's good for about 1/2 a month. Could spend more, my wife is slightly Amish with respect to getting her iPhone to screen mirror to the Apple TV.......
Her favorite camera was an AE-1 Program......just saying........
B2 (;->
nbagno
Established
Squirrels
II am in Danville too. Our neighbor just had some electrical damage caused by these tree rats.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
II am in Danville too. Our neighbor just had some electrical damage caused by these tree rats.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
markjwyatt
Well-known
Here is an interesting side story. My daughter took her Hyundai Elantra in for service. They said a mouse was chewing on the wire harness. In the end it turns out it did a lot of damage, and it ended being a $5k+ job (fortunately warranty/insurance covered it).
The lesson (for materials engineers) is that the wire insulation was "green"- produced from soy. Unfortunately, the mouse detected that, and in fact the wire insulation was food! This is apparently a big issue with the new green food based plastics.
The lesson (for materials engineers) is that the wire insulation was "green"- produced from soy. Unfortunately, the mouse detected that, and in fact the wire insulation was food! This is apparently a big issue with the new green food based plastics.
Bill Blackwell
Leica M Shooter
nikon_sam
Shooter of Film...
We have squirrels, rats, gophers, rabbits, raccoons, coyotes and a neighborhood Bobcat...so far this year I've trapped/killed several gophers and rats (caught one today) I also have trapped three squirrels, for the squirrels I use a Live Trap and relocate them a mile away...I have yet to trap a raccoon (you can't relocate them)
The gophers and rats are killed in a trap so I leave the bodies in the horse trail for the coyotes...
I also need to mention that we have Red Tail Hawks, Kestrel Falcons and this year a family of Great Horned Owls so we do get a little help from nature...
The gophers and rats are killed in a trap so I leave the bodies in the horse trail for the coyotes...
I also need to mention that we have Red Tail Hawks, Kestrel Falcons and this year a family of Great Horned Owls so we do get a little help from nature...
charjohncarter
Veteran
You are more on it than I. I like the birds of prey, I saw a hawk (Red Tail) flying home with a mouse while I was out for a walk. Is there a natural predator of raccoons (can you get a service dog to kill raccoons, that might be legal in California)?
BillBingham2
Registered User
Bad Bad Leroy Brown, baddest man in the whole dam town, had a 32 gun in his pocket for fun.........you're in California, 22LR sub-sonic round out of a revolver with a covered hammer (e.g., Ruger LCR). But again, you're in California too close to a city.
Tasmanian devils were just reintroduced to the Australian mainland, really hungry mountain lion perhaps.
I got nothing seems the government stocked up on regulations when they were on a BOGO sale a few years back.
B2
Ronald M
Veteran
Pellet gun with pointed pellets 177 caliber. Sufficient
farlymac
PF McFarland
An apartment I once lived in was invaded by a squirrel in the attic, so my landlord had his maintenance man take care of it. Now this guy had a ladder that should have been chopped up for kindling, so that tells you just what a fly-by-nighter type he was. He found the place the squirrel got in, through some rat poison in, and boarded it up.
Needless to say, after a week the landlord had to let me out of my lease so I could move to an odor free abode (and definitely not one he owned). I kept driving by the place every so often, and it was five months before he was able to rent my old unit again.
I still like the little buggers.
Wasena Park 14 by P F McFarland, on Flickr
PF
Needless to say, after a week the landlord had to let me out of my lease so I could move to an odor free abode (and definitely not one he owned). I kept driving by the place every so often, and it was five months before he was able to rent my old unit again.
I still like the little buggers.
Wasena Park 14 by P F McFarland, on Flickr
PF