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FAQ #13057

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What can I possibly do to keep squirrels from eating all of my tomatoes and peppers? A couple of years back, when we had a very small garden, we completely covered all the plants with a netting. It was a hassle, but it worked. This year, our garden is bigger. Any suggestions?

Related resource areas: Gardens, Lawns & Landscapes, Wildlife Damage Management

The old remedy will work this year, too, except it will have to be on a grander scale in keeping with the increased size of your garden.

Trapping and removal of the squirrel or squirrels is also an option if legal in your state. If trapping is legal, you will need to find out if it is legal to relocate the squirrels or if they must be euthanized. Not all states permit the relocation of problem wildlife. Even if relocation is legal, it is not necessarily humane. Additionally, you must have the permission of the property owner, private or governmental, onto whose property you move the animals. If you do not relocate the animals, they must be euthanized in a humane way.

In most states, squirrels are a regulated game species. Don't trap or kill squirrels without checking whether a permit is necessary.

Search other FAQs on this site for more information on squirrel problems and their management.

Online Resources
Euthanizing Wildlife
Relocation not as humane as you think

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