predator urine - Ask Extension
My nursery sells coyote urine and a few other predator urine scents as a squirrel deterrent. I need some kind of deterrent to stop squirrels from di...
Knowledgebase
predator urine #876636
Asked July 10, 2024, 11:10 AM EDT
My nursery sells coyote urine and a few other predator urine scents as a squirrel deterrent. I need some kind of deterrent to stop squirrels from digging in my garden; nothing has worked (red pepper, chili spray, various planted shrubs and herbs). Do you have experience with these urine scents? Do they work, and will they be obnoxious to humans?
Multnomah County Oregon
Expert Response
First, I'm assuming you're encountering tree squirrels - Please correct me if instead we're talking about ground squirrels.
I don't expect that urine, without regular interaction with the predator (sights, sounds, chases, etc.), would actually deter the squirrels. I do not have direct experience trying any of those products, but that's because I wouldn't expect them to work.
The squirrels are digging as part of their innate foraging behaviors that they have to do in order to make a living within their home range- They're likely caching (hiding food already found) or digging for food (likely fungi, but could be grubs & other invertebrates), or both. Therefore, the rich soil of your garden provides an excellent resource from the squirrels' perspective.
Excluding the squirrels from the garden beds will provide the most success. What tools and approaches by which to achieve that really depend on the size of the area from which you need to exclude them. Fencing of some form might be the answer, but we would need to consider size/scale of the area, whether overhanging trees would enable breaching your protected area, and things like that. Another potential tool might be a water scarecrow - Those are motion-triggered jets of water from an attached hose. That tool can help exclude lots of potential pests (turkeys, deer, etc.), but in that case siting is an issue - You can't use that tool where its motion detector and reach would have it blasting folks on a sidewalk for example.
Feel free to write back with more info, a picture, or a diagram, and let's see if we can formulate a plan that will work for you.
I don't expect that urine, without regular interaction with the predator (sights, sounds, chases, etc.), would actually deter the squirrels. I do not have direct experience trying any of those products, but that's because I wouldn't expect them to work.
The squirrels are digging as part of their innate foraging behaviors that they have to do in order to make a living within their home range- They're likely caching (hiding food already found) or digging for food (likely fungi, but could be grubs & other invertebrates), or both. Therefore, the rich soil of your garden provides an excellent resource from the squirrels' perspective.
Excluding the squirrels from the garden beds will provide the most success. What tools and approaches by which to achieve that really depend on the size of the area from which you need to exclude them. Fencing of some form might be the answer, but we would need to consider size/scale of the area, whether overhanging trees would enable breaching your protected area, and things like that. Another potential tool might be a water scarecrow - Those are motion-triggered jets of water from an attached hose. That tool can help exclude lots of potential pests (turkeys, deer, etc.), but in that case siting is an issue - You can't use that tool where its motion detector and reach would have it blasting folks on a sidewalk for example.
Feel free to write back with more info, a picture, or a diagram, and let's see if we can formulate a plan that will work for you.
I see that details would help. I live in a townhouse with a very small yard, and I am doing flowers and a few vegetables in large pots. I have a large tree in the front that houses a smart, fearless guy. He leaves the big stuff alone and likes to dig up the little things. I am having a little luck with chicken wire and it sounds like that is the best solution - just building a barrier above the rim of the pot until the plants get big enough. That would leave me just worrying about bird feeder and snails. (I've had good luck with Sluggo, which is just magnesium; it has really knocked back the snails.)
More chicken wire! More sharp edges!
S
