How to keep squirrels from chewing thru the screens

Try mixing cayenne pepper with water in a spray bottle and spritz it on the screen. I hope that works for you swuirrels can be relentless once they find something they like.

Here is another combo to try and spray on the screen: In a spray bottle, mix one part vinegar to two parts water, a drop of dish soap, and add the essential oils to it. Squirrel-repelling oils are garlic, red pepper, lemongrass,thyme, cinnamon and clove.

Thanks, we'll give that a try. Maybe on the windowsill too.

Squirrels, as any pest, need to domesticate and trust a homeowner, but moreso they need to Respect Humans.

The Squirrel does not trust or like you is among problems, but certainly he does not respect you.

You need not spray your screen.

Doubtful it will help better than a marble in the critters rectum from a slingshot, or a policeman shooting it.

I say this as it very likely has Contracted Rabidoses.

It is a pity really, because the following are Likely :

A. rat poison killed, deformed or diseased either a spawn, or sibling and he/she is getting vengeance or

B. he/she is rabid.

I suggest that: you cannot rule out B, and it is better safe than sorry.

Being kind to a Rabid animal is not within Animal Rights nor Human Rights, but instead: Crazy Jeopardization of Infants, Children, Women, Gamelands and Pets by a Lunatic who may need 50 needles in their stomach to comprehend where Animal Rights End.

As assuredly, you are very unlikely alone in this, and also, if you and your neighbors do not employ a solution soon, you will have gnarly spawn to deal with too, either way: A or B. Because of a great likelihood of B, you can legally get your Police or Game Management involved in the extermination, and should, [especially when you do consider: 'Rabidoses may be an attempt to intentionally spread that to people's pets, almost indiscriminately, by someone without sense and likely to not have pets', Police may indeed need to do an investigation and keep the Rabidoses or Animal Wastes as Evidence].

Also, Because of B, use extreme caution: You must cleanse that screen thoroughly, and with Gloves, a respirator Mask, and Eyewear as Essentials when cleansing any rabidoses tainted spit from anywhere.

Honestly, I would just burn and dispose of that screen, but that is me, I am over-defensive when it comes to disease.

[You think this is bad, you should see me in the bedroom...]

Other Precautions for cleaning Rabidoses are online, at the

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Rabies Precautions Website

Paste that into Google Search.

Read and Obey All of those listed precautions to the letter.

As assuredly, none are alone in Wild Game Control, and also, if neighbors or the community do not employ a solution soon, this results gnarly spawn to deal with too, you are advised to inform police to ask around, and inform neighbors.

However for others who do not have to deal with a rabid small game, and defend infants, children, women and pets from harm and disease, these have other options, listed below.

Other Options

A good rule of thumb is always to Keep any pest and pest deterrents at the farmost perimeters or even contribute to one at the edge of your hometown.

Domesticating these to eat something else, like peanuts in the Shell, will gain the squirrel's trust, however, in some cases, it is already too late for that option, or it may be a brain damaged squirrel, rabid or a birth defect, which are pesty and always better off dead before they mature enough to reproduce or spread disease to humans, wildlife and pets.

Squirrels do not by nature prone to vandalism or terror.

Raccoons and Skunks may, but usually even those limit to terrorizing a garbage can, usually by eating garbage out of an uncovered garbage can, they sometimes topple and chase down the street.

Same applies to any Rodent, [excepting rats]: these know we kill pests, and some people even buy cats, so basically what occurs is: when these are of no use to their family or useless to peers, or old, the peers coerce they to be pests, just like ants do, or they undertake that because they are in pain and suicidal or diseased of rabidoses.

I stress:

Being kind to a Rabid animal is not within Animal Rights nor Human Rights, but instead: Crazy Jeopardization of Infants, Children, Women, Gamelands and Pets by a Lunatic who may need 50 needles in their stomach to comprehend exactly where Animal Rights End.

Yeah, sometimes an aluminum pie pan on a string works better than a scarecrow, and Yeah, you can call your nearby exterminators or shoot them yourself too, or ask police to do, but then you repeatedly have to deal with orphaned spawn too, and that vengeant spawn consequence costs you dollaroonies too in either: baits, or ammunitions one way or the next by tax, or pie pan on a string becomes a mere amusement, thus, when the pest is neither hazardly nor rabid, can conserve cash, and should duly

A. gather the whole neighborhood to unite and expend some cash on a community effort either:

1. a Solar Stake with an Electronic Pest Deterrent, which seldom cost more than $30 each, even for one that maintains a 1000 foot radius.

2. A homemade scarecrow with old bluejeans, an old shirt, a 5 foot tall cross made of 1 qty 2×4×8, and some straw.

3. Buy a garter snake or a domesticated boa constrictor.

If these do not involve you yet can:

B. Go it alone, only when it is a last resort, to:

1. Buy a garter snake or boa constrictor.

2. Rent a Goat, [not kidding, you can do this]

3. Construct a scarecrow. [See A.2]

C. Any combination of B with A, reliant your scenario.

Very likely A1 or A2 is the best resolve for all involved, even if you need to take to the streets with an initiative and walk around town with an Empty soup can, before you need B1 to manage against any gnarly spawn.

However, keep in mind:

Often a community, has Solution A, already in place, but does not realize: these are effective only on out-of-towners and these perimeter controls can sometimes Keep Game In, rather than keep Game Out. This results in the need to capture those, to arrive they caged to a place outside of the town perimeter controls

So you may need to attend a town meeting to educate the town leaders about: 'Any Fence works both ways, Keeping out or keeping in; Out-of-towner games differ from in Town Game, whom need be placed out of town for an outside deterrent to work, rather than keep them in town'.

If you also have a sill or ledge outside, I'd place mothballs there(wear gloves) but only if you don't have pets. I used tacks pointy side out and very close and glued them on my downspout so they couldn't climb that to get to my windows.

Thanks everyone for your input. Think I'll keep to the simplest of options offered here.

Windowsill area is brick, so I can't use tacks. No pets here. thanks for the thought. We have new gutters being put on this week, but the downspout won't be anywhere near the window the squirrel seems to favor. Thanks.

If you put a rectangular planter on your window ledge, you can put soil in it or florist foam from the dollar store. Get some bamboo skewers...also at the dollar store, and put these skewers in the dirt or foam, sharp end up. The squirrel should get deterred and go elsewhere. This worked very well in my planter of petunias that mr. squirrel was digging in.

We cannot utilize a planter because the windows crank open out, but thanks for the thought. I might try that in some other pots that he seems to like rummaging thru.