I have to vent, every year I decorate for Halloween and this year I bought some wonderful orange LED lights 35 to a string for a mere $9.99 and yesterday they must have decide that they were food and chewed thru 3 of the 4 strings, that has never happened before. They were around the deck railing and there is nothing on the deck now but 2 chairs and a bench, I AM SO MAD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! has anyone tried ROPEL? I have to spray the strings with something and I am at my wits end to say nothing about being out $30.00. I have no bird feeders up, HELP!

i hope you mean squirrells, there are two good places for them. In a stew pot or a frying pan.

I'd give them swimming lessons...like in my pond They sure can cause a lot of damage can't they? If you keep the lights plugged in & on, maybe they will fry when they chew into them
I would gladly loan you a trap...I trapped 56 squirrels this summer!!! This time of year, they go crazy - digging & chewing.
Try hot red pepper powder as last resort. They hate it, but rain will wash it away. If you don't find a good spray, like I said, I'd keep the lights on so they get zapped when they chew thru them.
I feel for you...it's amazing how much damage they can do. Do ya have a dog?
Anyway, it's nice to see you back here --it's been awhile.

Well I came home yesterday and no more damage, but I have never had that happen so... not sure what's got into them this year, very frustrating to say the least. I don't think I would like to eat one considering all the junk they try to eat... YUK! Thanks everyone for letting me vent...

You could have made several batches of gumbo with that squirells.

I have had decent success in the last couple of months with this blue square rat bait from Lowes. I put the entire package out and it was all gone the next day. The next thing I know a few days later my golden retriever puppy (but the size of Clifford), would come in bouncing with joy dropping a 5 pound dead rat on the floor. She was very proud of herself.

Phillip

WOW, that's a big rat Phillip!
Joan, that would be a good idea -- to put out rat bait. Squirrels will eat anything. I might try that too, and hopefully they will go die in a neighbors yard.

I like the "Just One Bite" bar type bait for squirrels.

Well they managed to polish off the last string of the new lights Wednesday. Knocking on wood they leave the rest alone, the only thing I can think of is they were attracted by the type of light, don't know but....I live in a townhome community and there is lots of space between homes and a large green space infront of my deck. I have noticed some hawks around on occaision and I get nervous about poisons as I don't want to create a poison chain, squirrel dies, hawk eats squirrel, it gets sick etc.
Squirrel gumbo, YUK. Oh well, maybe I need to start drinking wine to make me forget the squirrels and not give a rip!!! Would that be a red or a white?

Red wine goes well with meat that you have a hard time swallowing,

Watch out Joan, Joe got me on the wine part too in my "backyard critter" thread!
I haven't had wine for months, but I have 5 gal. of elderberry that's been ready to bottle for quite some time. C'mon over so we can drink & do "squirrel talk" (I trapped another one this A.M.)

Sounds like a plan to me! I find it interesting that they haven't touched( knock on wood) the other strings with the normal holiday lights on them. I guess they are discriminating squirrels and have expensive taste!