
Human vs. Squirrel: The Battle of Wits Is On - dnetesn
http://nautil.us/blog/human-vs-squirrel-the-battle-of-wits-is-on
======
imjustabill
"Do you know what looks like confetti and candy to small children? Screws.
Know what else they really love? Saw blades. There would be no way I could
both build a feeder that deterred squirrels and keep my children out of the
ER."

Have we become so overprotective of children that we can't even have sharp
objects in the house with them?

~~~
pavel_lishin
I would imagine that a child young enough to try and eat screws would be
defeated by putting a lock on a door.

~~~
mschuster91
It's more about _breathing_ in screws and especially the nuts, which is
unfortunately very common with kids and small objects.

In my city the ER departments in the hospitals regularly deal with kids having
their airways blocked e.g. due to small Lego pieces. I nearly got myself
killed at the age of three or something like this by inhaling a small stone...

~~~
zarify
I came pretty close to choking (whilst home alone) as a young kid when I
thought it'd be a great idea to try to swallow a peach pip.

I like to think I'm not that dumb now, but as a kid I did some really idiotic
things that seriously jeopardized my safety. I'm willing to believe I'm not
alone there.

------
coldcode
I remember reading a battle story where a guy rigged a water gun and a
detector to shoot at squirrels to dissuade them from the feeder. Apparently
the squirrels enjoyed the water until it ran out and then they had lunch.

~~~
kjs3
"Militarizing Your Backyard With Python" \- Perhaps the best presentation to a
programming language conference in history.

[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QPgqfnKG_T4](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QPgqfnKG_T4)

~~~
ams6110
A python of the reptile variety might do a better job on the squirrels.

~~~
kjs3
True, but lacks the geek cred.

------
Cowicide
I was feeding some squirrels with my GF and this guy comes up and tells us
that squirrels are ruining his trees in his yard and how he's been using his
dog to kill them.

I just looked at him funny and told him about the invasive bugs in the area
that've been ravaging the trees and how he's managed to make his own situation
worse by getting rid of the very animals that eat insects like that.

He just walked away stuped in cognitive dissonance.

That said, I do enjoy watching videos people put up that show squirrels trying
to get into bird feeders and getting flung off and stuff. It's interesting and
funny watching squirrels trying to defeat these things.

------
mpdehaan2
In related squirrel news:

The "Daylight Robbery" documentary has some very interesting squirrel obstacle
courses. You can find it on youtube -
[https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=daylight+robber...](https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=daylight+robbery+squirrels)

"Militarizing your Backyard with Python" shows how to build a water-hose-
turret that automatically recognizes and blasts squirrels -
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QPgqfnKG_T4](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QPgqfnKG_T4)

------
blakeja
Easy battle to win - [http://shop.wbu.com/p/wbu-fundamentals-squirrel-proof-
bird-f...](http://shop.wbu.com/p/wbu-fundamentals-squirrel-proof-bird-
feeder?pp=12)

I have been using this feeder for something like 7 years and barring really
weird circumstances, it is 99% effective. And no they cannot chew through it.

Combine this with a baffle - [http://shop.wbu.com/p/wbu-aps-squirrel-
baffle](http://shop.wbu.com/p/wbu-aps-squirrel-baffle) and you will be as
close to 100% effective as possible. Barring squirrels suicide leaping from
trees, which I would not put past them.

~~~
simcop2387
I've seen some do suicide jumps not from trees but from a deck attached to the
house. A good 25 feet up and they'll land on the ground with a small thud and
limp off. They'll usually be back the next day to try again and get a little
closer. Never understood why they KEPT trying to get to the feeder after that
first jump and likely injury.

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percept
My money's on the squirrel.

~~~
chenelson
Yeah, squirrel obviously has a time advantage, is at least motivated by its
appetite...and its offspring either don't eat saw blades or out-reproduce
losses.

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jchrome
Awesome. So the writer writes about how he might not have a story because a
cat moves in next door. Problem solved by kids chasing it away. But, uh oh, no
story because Fall occurs and acorns are on the ground. But that's no problem
because he already has 700 words.

------
beachstartup
well... i can say this much, in the battle of wits between squirrels and my
dog, the squirrels always win.

i don't think any dog ever has caught a squirrel without the help of a human
and a shotgun.

~~~
kjs3
Shotgun is overkill. A .177 air gun is more than sufficient. And effective.

~~~
jchrome
Do you eat them?

According to Uncle Eddy from Christmas Vacation, they're high in cholesterol.

~~~
kjs3
It's not generally considered a good idea to eat urban/suburban rodents. Their
diet/lifestyle includes a lot of things that can potentially be passed along
(stuff sprayed with pesticides & herbicides, exposure to interesting
pathogens, etc).

That said, I have eaten them. Not bad, like rabbit I suppose, but not
something I ever think "you know, I gotta get me some squirrel for dinner
tonight". Not sure about cholesterol; did Eddie drop that wisdom before or
after they replaced his metal plate in his skull with a plastic one?

