The ones that live near us have gnawed though two of my propane barbeque hoses. They also have the habit of starting fires by eating electrical cables and creating havoc with the hoses and wires in our vehicles.
I caught two squirrels today with peanut butter. This is a good time because Eastern gray squirrels breed twice a year, December to February and May to June. The first litter is born in February to March, the second in June to July. Normally, two to six young are born in each litter, but this number can be as high as eight. The gestation period is about 44 days. The young are weaned at seven weeks and leave the nest after 10 weeks. So if I catch them now and release them a mile or two away, I won't lose any sleep over starving baby squirrels.
Gray squirrels make several thousand food caches each season. If they feel themselves being watched they will pretend to hide food by digging a hole and filling it up while actually concealing the food in their cheeks. I suppose that the squirrels know why they like to destroy propane hoses, but they're not talking....
Anyway, the squirrels have been relocated about a mile East....I need to start coloring them to see if they are finding their way back or if I need to release them further away.....
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