How do I stop squirrels from chewing holes in the wood trim or stucco on my house?

Sometimes squirrels will chew the trim on a house for unknown reasons, particularly in the winter. The cause may be a mineral deficiency, but no one knows for sure. The solution is to spray Ropel (found at some garden stores or can be ordered online from Burlington Scientific Corporation at www.gardeningdepot.com or you can call 631-694-4700 to find a local distributor) or Miller's Hot Sauce (call 800-233-2040 to find a local distributer) on the affected areas to prevent any chewing. It is a good idea to pre-test the repellent on a small section of the trim or stucco first if you are unsure of the paint used on your house. Some repellents can cause discoloration of latex paint if the paint has been mixed with certain ingredients. Photo credit: Chris Clark Q: How do I keep squirrels out of my bird feeder? A: The best thing to do to prevent squirrels from eating out of your bird feeders is to keep them away from the beginning – once they become accustomed to food they will be ...  more