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| I have inherited a house...but it has a backyard littered with tall pine trees...and four of the branches on 3 of those trees are allowing squirrels to enter into the house in the attic...would it be okay to cut those limbs off or do I need to cut down the those three trees? |
Follow-Up Postings:
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| Squirrels can and will climb up the side of your house to enter your attic. They will also gnaw holes in order to gain entry. Patch the holes and use aluminum cladding if needed. Be aware though, the squirrels are probably raising young in the attic now and while many like dead squirrels more than live ones, they can stick when dead & rotting. The tree branches are a different issue....I like the shade and reduced air conditioning while others feel it is a risk to life and limb. |
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| smivies is right, cutting down the trees would be like throwing out the baby with the bath water. Find out where the squirrels are getting in and patch it up. You've inherited a house with mature trees, that would be a dream for many new home owners. |
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- Posted by dav_usmc_recon none (My Page) on Tue, Apr 24, 12 at 22:20
| Thanks Mr. Smivies of Ontario. and Mr. Sam MD of Maryland. I have noticed 4 areas where they have gained entry and possibly a fifth the chimney.. the house was vacant for four years after being on the market for $560k I got it for $225k but it is four story with triple tier patio forty pine trees in the backyard...a maple front left side of the lawn and an oak other side far right..I patched where I could reach but my ladder only went 30 fr but my roof is taller than that |
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- Posted by toronado3800 Z6 St. Louis (My Page) on Wed, Apr 25, 12 at 1:16
| dav_usmc_recon, sounds like you have a pretty nice place. I have a few random sentences of sometimes conflicting thought. Tree, even large limb removal has long term effects. I cut down a fifty foot tree, my kid will life long enough to see it replaced. Shade was more valuable in the past. Electricity is cheaper now, air-conditioning works better. A tree falling into your house is one of your preventable opportunities to die in only mildly bad weather. Yup, medium wind, large tree into your bedroom or your kid's bedroom.... Shade may become more valuable in the future. Nuclear reactor blows, coal energy gets more expensive, the economy which made your home more affordable gets worse... ya never know but geeze, there was that weird KAL flight over Russia. Well just proceed slowly, make the right and educated decision for your property and likes. |
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- Posted by ken_adrian z5 (My Page) on Wed, Apr 25, 12 at 8:00
| the tree is too close to the house .. it HAS TO GO ... but that has nothing to do.. as per above.. with the squirrel situation ... and if you bring in the tree dudes.. most likely.. they all have to go .. meaning its cheaper once they are there to do the complete job.. plant your own nightmares.. instead of saving the history of the prior owners nightmares ... those cute little one foot trees.. all of a sudden.. will kill you in your sleep ... in a good storm... who planted a forest tree that close to the house???? what do you have.. a telephone pole in the making right there??? i understand you inherited.. but you are now the owner.. so forgive whomever made the planting mistake.. but do NOT keep it just for the memories ... make the hard decision.. to correct the error ... ken |
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| What kind of pines are they? I am envisioning either Loblolly or Short-leaf. Generally pines tend to lose branches or tops break-off in high winds or ice, oak trees tend to uproot. I prefer the pines when they have been grown more in the open and are more spreading than when they are bunched up and grow tall for around a house. Sounds like you have the tall ones in a cluster. That said you should be able to trim off a few branches without killing the trees. |
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| The risk of being killed by a falling tree is about 1 in 20 million. |
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- Posted by wisconsitom 4/5 WI (My Page) on Wed, Apr 25, 12 at 18:26
| Eh hem....someone here gets a little reactionary whenever someone reveals that there is a tree within 500 ft. of their house! I'd guess the trees will be there after everyone reading this thread have gone on to, uh, wherever they're going when they die. And yes, of course you can remove a few limbs. From your description, it sounds like a not very drastic thing you are contemplating. Then get a bigger ladder! If you're going to live there, you're going to need it. +oM |
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- Posted by dav_usmc_recon none (My Page) on Wed, Apr 25, 12 at 19:11
| Thanks everyone...I am going to purchase a few traps today for the squirrels I went into both attics and saw about 3 of them...I didn't want to shoot them so neighbor suggested I trap them...but then what I don't want to release them to come back...I am going shopping for a ladder taller than 30 ft. so I can begin repatching where they have re-entered...someone mentioned young and I think that is the issue as I saw food being transported by one...I normally don't say this but squirrels have got to go...and yes they are tall pines do not know the name just know they are quite tall and if it were not for their branches then the squirrels may never have entered and now they are chewing on important wires...but a good thing the raccoons never came back! |
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| There was an elderly man in Gatesville, Tx who captured a pesky squirrel in a cage. Took him out to country to release him and fell down steep rocky creek bank and broke a leg (guess he was going to release animal by bank of creek). One of the guys at the office said he noticed the car there. When it was still there after work the next day he stopped by and could just barely hear the man hollering for help (he was hoarse). Called in for sheriff and ambulance. All this just to help a pesky squirrel get a new start! |
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| I'll bet the squirrel made it back home before the elderly fellow did. dav_usmc - if you'll search this forum (and the Fruit & Orchards forum) for 'squirrel', there have been numerous - and sometimes long-running discussion threads on controlling the bushy-tailed tree rats, with some rather inventive ideas about ways to eliminate them. Vigilant trapping and termination seems to be the most effective means, but it's a constant, ongoing battle to keep the rascals at bay. |
Here is a link that might be useful: Kania squirrel traps
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