squirrels and pigeons

[WiskeyJaR]

I have squirrels living in trees behind my loft area. They have crawled all over the loft and flight pen on the outside. I know mice and rats are not friendly to pigeons, but will squirrels harm pigeons? I found one inside the flight pen this afternoon, got in threw the pigeons re-entery hole, have fixed that.

Will squirrels attack the birds?

[Charis]

I think they will eat eggs and maybe even baby Pigeons. I would do what you can to keep them out. Don't hurt them though.

[maryjane]

I seem to recall, too, that they will eat the eggs and the babies. Just make sure they can't get back in and you should be fine.

[Columba livia!]

I have lost a squab to a squirrel before. I got rid of it with a "live trap" (no harm to the animal)wich i placed in side the loft. I relocated it three miles away. If you ever relocate your pescky critter, make it more than three miles; I think mine's back!!

[jameswaller]

i have not had problems with pigeon /squirrel interaction,but i would keep them out of the aviary/they will eat pigeon food as well as there own--caught a rat in my aviary-once,.there was no way visible to get in,,my camera with night-vision,thermal detector,and sensors caught the culprit and i know they kill squabs--he sqeezed through the mesh of chicken wire,-could not believe it,that dirty rat,..yea he got what was coming to him..sincerely james waller

[RodSD]

As long as they can't enter your loft, then maybe they are fine. They are probably looking for seeds.

[pattersonk2002]

WE will not know for sure until you write about your bad exsperence, I will add though if you build them a place to eat more will follow. Why take the chance of a heart break, relocate ASAP.

[Msfreebird]

I have ALOT of squirrels! I think I have every squirrel in the woods at my house!
They never bother the birds. They DO try to get any fallen seeds. They crawl all over the loft and aviary, but can't get inside.
My Fantail cage is 4 feet up off the ground with hardware cloth on the bottom. The grey squirrels will hang upside down from the bottom of the cage pulling seed thru. They'll hang there - upside down eating
A couple years ago I did have a red squirrel make her nest up under the roof of the fantails cage. I had chicken wire at the top (under the roofing). One day when I was feeding I heard a strange sound up in the corner. There was a very young red squirrel INSIDE with my fantails. He was too big to get thru the chicken wire though- and seemed unusually tame He let me poke and prod him to help him out, but he was too big to go thru the wire. I ended up having to cut the wire to make a hole big enough for him to exit - and he still didn't want to leave. When I did get him out, he stayed close by the cage.
I figured out what happened - apparently when he was tiny he toddled out of his nest and fell thru the chicken wire into the cage. He had plenty of food and water to grow. He must have been hiding while I was in and out of that cage feeding everyday - but he was use to me. The fantails weren't afraid of him at all and he didn't bother them either which makes me think he had been in with them for a while - growing up!
Happy ending for everybody - and he still hangs around that same cage.

[spirit wings]

yes not good to have inside there, I know at the bird feeder here they pee on it ,and poop, they would be doing the same in your loft, they must of been attracted by the feed and then once they are in can go for the other stuff too. also a tip, take the feed up after eveyone has eaten no need to leave it all day and night as it will attract critters and if they can get in with the chicken wire that is where they will be, spreading disease in the process.

[pattersonk2002]

Originally Posted by Msfreebird

I have ALOT of squirrels! I think I have every squirrel in the woods at my house!
They never bother the birds. They DO try to get any fallen seeds. They crawl all over the loft and aviary, but can't get inside.
My Fantail cage is 4 feet up off the ground with hardware cloth on the bottom. The grey squirrels will hang upside down from the bottom of the cage pulling seed thru. They'll hang there - upside down eating
A couple years ago I did have a red squirrel make her nest up under the roof of the fantails cage. I had chicken wire at the top (under the roofing). One day when I was feeding I heard a strange sound up in the corner. There was a very young red squirrel INSIDE with my fantails. He was too big to get thru the chicken wire though- and seemed unusually tame He let me poke and prod him to help him out, but he was too big to go thru the wire. I ended up having to cut the wire to make a hole big enough for him to exit - and he still didn't want to leave. When I did get him out, he stayed close by the cage.
I figured out what happened - apparently when he was tiny he toddled out of his nest and fell thru the chicken wire into the cage. He had plenty of food and water to grow. He must have been hiding while I was in and out of that cage feeding everyday - but he was use to me. The fantails weren't afraid of him at all and he didn't bother them either which makes me think he had been in with them for a while - growing up!
Happy ending for everybody - and he still hangs around that same cage.

That must have been too cute, I have squirrels in the trees on the fence row and I see them in the yard at times, as long as they all get along they are welcome. I will regret the day if something happens though. The squirrels that I have I took from people that wanted to relocate them from the city to keep them out of there bird feeders. I did this 23 years ago so there is no turning back they are here to stay.

[MaryOfExeter]

I had a squirrel squeeze it's way into my old bird loft yesterday. I don't know how the heck it got in there, maybe though the traps, even though the flaps were down covering it. Well, no matter how it got in, it couldn't get out. I walked in there and it freaked out, jumping all over the place. It came pretty close to running over my birds before I could get him out. The main reason why they've always gotten in there, is for the feed. I also had problems with them getting into my feed bins before I switched to a different kind of bin