Just been taking down our outside Christmas lights and it seems the
squirrels have chewed through the wires of the string along the fence and a
projector in the front lawn. I have heard about the damage they can cause
to wiring in lofts is it they sense the current or do they have a
particular liking for PVC?

Richard

On Sun, 1 Jan 2023 13:08:36 -0000 (UTC)
Tricky Dicky <tricky.dicky@sky.com> wrote:

> Just been taking down our outside Christmas lights and it seems the
> squirrels have chewed through the wires of the string along the fence
> and a projector in the front lawn. I have heard about the damage they
> can cause to wiring in lofts is it they sense the current or do they
> have a particular liking for PVC?
>

It's simpler than that: like other rats, they will eat, or try to eat,
anything.

--
Joe

On 01/01/2023 13:08, Tricky Dicky wrote:
>
> Just been taking down our outside Christmas lights and it seems the
> squirrels have chewed through the wires of the string along the fence and a
> projector in the front lawn. I have heard about the damage they can cause
> to wiring in lofts is it they sense the current or do they have a
> particular liking for PVC?
>
> Richard
>
PVC. It is EXACTLY right for rodents - whose incisors never stop growing
- to trim their teeth on.

It's less the taste than the consistency

--
Religion is regarded by the common people as true, by the wise as
foolish, and by the rulers as useful.

(Seneca the Younger, 65 AD)

On 1/1/2023 8:50 AM, The Natural Philosopher wrote:
> On 01/01/2023 13:08, Tricky Dicky wrote:
>>
>> Just been taking down our outside Christmas lights and it seems the
>> squirrels have chewed through the wires of the string along the fence and a
>> projector in the front lawn. I have heard about the damage they can cause
>> to wiring in lofts is it they sense the current or do they have a
>> particular liking for PVC?
>>
>> Richard
>>
> PVC. It is EXACTLY right for rodents - whose incisors never stop growing - to trim their teeth on.
>
> It's less the taste than the consistency
>
The wire strands provide the friction they're after.

During the foraging season, chewing everything in sight during
that time, keeps the incisors in check. In winter, pickings
are a bit slimmer, so chewing on stranded copper comes in handy.

"Home sweet home"

https://www.wildlifeonline.me.uk/assets/ugc/gallery/grey_squirrel_drey01.jpg

Paul

On Sun, 1 Jan 2023 10:05:46 -0500, Paul <nospam@needed.invalid> wrote:

>On 1/1/2023 8:50 AM, The Natural Philosopher wrote:
>> On 01/01/2023 13:08, Tricky Dicky wrote:
>>>
>>> Just been taking down our outside Christmas lights and it seems the
>>> squirrels have chewed through the wires of the string along the fence and a
>>> projector in the front lawn. I have heard about the damage they can cause
>>> to wiring in lofts is it they sense the current or do they have a
>>> particular liking for PVC?
>>>
>>> Richard
>>>
>> PVC. It is EXACTLY right for rodents - whose incisors never stop growing - to trim their teeth on.
>>
>> It's less the taste than the consistency
>>
>The wire strands provide the friction they're after.
>
>During the foraging season, chewing everything in sight during
>that time, keeps the incisors in check. In winter, pickings
>are a bit slimmer, so chewing on stranded copper comes in handy.
>
>"Home sweet home"
>
>https://www.wildlifeonline.me.uk/assets/ugc/gallery/grey_squirrel_drey01.jpg
>
> Paul
>
>

Those furry little fuckers can be extraordinarily tenacious and
single-minded when food is on offer:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FgDa_cpgHWs

On Mon, 02 Jan 2023 04:42:42 +1100, Cursitor Doom <cd@notformail.com>
wrote:

> On Sun, 1 Jan 2023 10:05:46 -0500, Paul <nospam@needed.invalid> wrote:
>
>> On 1/1/2023 8:50 AM, The Natural Philosopher wrote:
>>> On 01/01/2023 13:08, Tricky Dicky wrote:
>>>>
>>>> Just been taking down our outside Christmas lights and it seems the
>>>> squirrels have chewed through the wires of the string along the fence
>>>> and a
>>>> projector in the front lawn. I have heard about the damage they can
>>>> cause
>>>> to wiring in lofts is it they sense the current or do they have a
>>>> particular liking for PVC?
>>>>
>>>> Richard
>>>>
>>> PVC. It is EXACTLY right for rodents - whose incisors never stop
>>> growing - to trim their teeth on.
>>>
>>> It's less the taste than the consistency
>>>
>> The wire strands provide the friction they're after.
>>
>> During the foraging season, chewing everything in sight during
>> that time, keeps the incisors in check. In winter, pickings
>> are a bit slimmer, so chewing on stranded copper comes in handy.
>>
>> "Home sweet home"
>>
>> https://www.wildlifeonline.me.uk/assets/ugc/gallery/grey_squirrel_drey01.jpg
>>
>> Paul
>>
>>
>
> Those furry little fuckers can be extraordinarily tenacious and
> single-minded when food is on offer:
>
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FgDa_cpgHWs

Interesting the way it whips its tail around while preparing to jump in
the next video

On 1/1/2023 1:40 PM, Rod Speed wrote:
> On Mon, 02 Jan 2023 04:42:42 +1100, Cursitor Doom <cd@notformail.com> wrote:
>
>> On Sun, 1 Jan 2023 10:05:46 -0500, Paul <nospam@needed.invalid> wrote:
>>
>>> On 1/1/2023 8:50 AM, The Natural Philosopher wrote:
>>>> On 01/01/2023 13:08, Tricky Dicky wrote:
>>>>>
>>>>> Just been taking down our outside Christmas lights and it seems the
>>>>> squirrels have chewed through the wires of the string along the fence and a
>>>>> projector in the front lawn. I have heard about the damage they can cause
>>>>> to wiring in lofts is it they sense the current or do they have a
>>>>> particular liking for PVC?
>>>>>
>>>>> Richard
>>>>>
>>>> PVC. It is EXACTLY right for rodents - whose incisors never stop growing - to trim their teeth on.
>>>>
>>>> It's less the taste than the consistency
>>>>
>>> The wire strands provide the friction they're after.
>>>
>>> During the foraging season, chewing everything in sight during
>>> that time, keeps the incisors in check. In winter, pickings
>>> are a bit slimmer, so chewing on stranded copper comes in handy.
>>>
>>> "Home sweet home"
>>>
>>> https://www.wildlifeonline.me.uk/assets/ugc/gallery/grey_squirrel_drey01.jpg
>>>
>>>    Paul
>>>
>>>
>>
>> Those furry little fuckers can be extraordinarily tenacious and
>> single-minded when food is on offer:
>>
>> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FgDa_cpgHWs
>
> Interesting the way it whips its tail around while preparing to jump in the next video

There are also the catapult videos, where the squirrel reaches
for the food and gets launched into space.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QWOIokz4pjc

One of the other videos done the same way, claims
the squirrel seems to enjoy it, and might be
coming back for the launch as much as anything else.

It's better for the squirrel, if the trajectory takes
the squirrel through a tree on the landing side, as
sometimes they can grab a limb on the tree and make
a good landing. The squirrels know when the thing
they're grabbing, is too weak to hold their weight, but
is better for gradually decelerating. You don't
really want to run into a four inch thick branch at speed.

And they handle a ground landing, about as well as
a cat does. (Cats have fallen from apartment buildings,
and as long as they land on grass, and pancake into the
grass, they survive. It doesn't end so well for them
on pavings.)

Paul

On Mon, 02 Jan 2023 06:24:28 +1100, Paul <nospam@needed.invalid> wrote:

> On 1/1/2023 1:40 PM, Rod Speed wrote:
>> On Mon, 02 Jan 2023 04:42:42 +1100, Cursitor Doom <cd@notformail.com>
>> wrote:
>>
>>> On Sun, 1 Jan 2023 10:05:46 -0500, Paul <nospam@needed.invalid> wrote:
>>>
>>>> On 1/1/2023 8:50 AM, The Natural Philosopher wrote:
>>>>> On 01/01/2023 13:08, Tricky Dicky wrote:
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Just been taking down our outside Christmas lights and it seems the
>>>>>> squirrels have chewed through the wires of the string along the
>>>>>> fence and a
>>>>>> projector in the front lawn. I have heard about the damage they can
>>>>>> cause
>>>>>> to wiring in lofts is it they sense the current or do they have a
>>>>>> particular liking for PVC?
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Richard
>>>>>>
>>>>> PVC. It is EXACTLY right for rodents - whose incisors never stop
>>>>> growing - to trim their teeth on.
>>>>>
>>>>> It's less the taste than the consistency
>>>>>
>>>> The wire strands provide the friction they're after.
>>>>
>>>> During the foraging season, chewing everything in sight during
>>>> that time, keeps the incisors in check. In winter, pickings
>>>> are a bit slimmer, so chewing on stranded copper comes in handy.
>>>>
>>>> "Home sweet home"
>>>>
>>>> https://www.wildlifeonline.me.uk/assets/ugc/gallery/grey_squirrel_drey01.jpg
>>>>
>>>> Paul
>>>>
>>>>
>>>
>>> Those furry little fuckers can be extraordinarily tenacious and
>>> single-minded when food is on offer:
>>>
>>> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FgDa_cpgHWs

>> Interesting the way it whips its tail around while preparing to jump
>> in the next video
>
> There are also the catapult videos, where the squirrel reaches
> for the food and gets launched into space.

> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QWOIokz4pjc

Yeah, and with the first shot, its clear why they evolved
with such big tails, so they get to steer a bit while flying.

> One of the other videos done the same way, claims
> the squirrel seems to enjoy it, and might be
> coming back for the launch as much as anything else.

Think it was rbowman in the other group who said
that when he got pissed off enough with the cat that
adopted him, he put it in a paper bag and tossed it
off the balcony, with the cat coming back to the
balcony basically saying 'that was fun, lets do it again'

> It's better for the squirrel, if the trajectory takes
> the squirrel through a tree on the landing side, as
> sometimes they can grab a limb on the tree and make
> a good landing. The squirrels know when the thing
> they're grabbing, is too weak to hold their weight, but
> is better for gradually decelerating. You don't
> really want to run into a four inch thick branch at speed.

> And they handle a ground landing, about as well as
> a cat does. (Cats have fallen from apartment buildings,
> and as long as they land on grass, and pancake into the
> grass, they survive. It doesn't end so well for them
> on pavings.)

Yeah, when covid started in china and the story got around
that they got covid too, some chinese tossed them out of
their big multistory buildings onto the hard pavememt
below, ending up with a splat cat. Corse we didnt see the
ones that landed fine.

I think its the pvc, as I've had an old wire out in the garden and something
has gnawed it, and its not been powered for two years and it was alright
back when I stopped using it. It was only low voltage in any case.

Brian

--

--:
This newsgroup posting comes to you directly from...
The Sofa of Brian Gaff...
briang1@blueyonder.co.uk
Blind user, so no pictures please
Note this Signature is meaningless.!
"Tricky Dicky" <tricky.dicky@sky.com> wrote in message
news:tos0kk$1di2e$1@dont-email.me...
>
> Just been taking down our outside Christmas lights and it seems the
> squirrels have chewed through the wires of the string along the fence and
> a
> projector in the front lawn. I have heard about the damage they can cause
> to wiring in lofts is it they sense the current or do they have a
> particular liking for PVC?
>
> Richard
>

On Sun, 1 Jan 2023 13:08:36 -0000 (UTC)
Tricky Dicky <tricky.dicky@sky.com> wrote:

> Just been taking down our outside Christmas lights and it seems the
> squirrels have chewed through the wires of the string along the fence
> and a projector in the front lawn. I have heard about the damage they
> can cause to wiring in lofts is it they sense the current or do they
> have a particular liking for PVC?
>
It's similar to chewing grass (which is particularly abrasive) to grind
their teeth - rabbits do the same, and will reduce a run of cable to a
row of little pieces. Mice seem to try stripping the cable rather than
just slicing it.

On 03/01/2023 20:05, Rob Morley wrote:
> On Sun, 1 Jan 2023 13:08:36 -0000 (UTC)
> Tricky Dicky <tricky.dicky@sky.com> wrote:
>
>> Just been taking down our outside Christmas lights and it seems the
>> squirrels have chewed through the wires of the string along the fence
>> and a projector in the front lawn. I have heard about the damage they
>> can cause to wiring in lofts is it they sense the current or do they
>> have a particular liking for PVC?
>>
> It's similar to chewing grass (which is particularly abrasive) to grind
> their teeth - rabbits do the same, and will reduce a run of cable to a
> row of little pieces. Mice seem to try stripping the cable rather than
> just slicing it.

Major cause of failure in older vehicles is mice and rats nesting under
the bonnet and chewing through cables.

--
"An intellectual is a person knowledgeable in one field who speaks out
only in others...”

Tom Wolfe

On Tuesday, January 3, 2023 at 10:04:02 PM UTC, The Natural Philosopher wrote:
> On 03/01/2023 20:05, Rob Morley wrote:
> > On Sun, 1 Jan 2023 13:08:36 -0000 (UTC)
> > Tricky Dicky <tricky...@sky.com> wrote:
> >
> >> Just been taking down our outside Christmas lights and it seems the
> >> squirrels have chewed through the wires of the string along the fence
> >> and a projector in the front lawn. I have heard about the damage they
> >> can cause to wiring in lofts is it they sense the current or do they
> >> have a particular liking for PVC?
> >>
> > It's similar to chewing grass (which is particularly abrasive) to grind
> > their teeth - rabbits do the same, and will reduce a run of cable to a
> > row of little pieces. Mice seem to try stripping the cable rather than
> > just slicing it.
> Major cause of failure in older vehicles is mice and rats nesting under
> the bonnet and chewing through cables.
>
> --
> "An intellectual is a person knowledgeable in one field who speaks out
> only in others...”
>
> Tom Wolfe

Yes a squirrel used the small enlosure we have for a garden water pump to store his cache, and left the evidence after him.He then proceeded to chew his way though the pump cable
Lucky for him the pump was out of commision to avoid frost damage