Here is the plan... squirell food

I have a red tail boa that EASILY eats the biggest rats I can find.

I also have an over abundance of squirrels that keep harassing my bird feeders despite my best efforts... and I believe one has moved into my roof.

So, my plan is to use a live trap to catch some squirrels... then euthanize them with my CO2 death box (that I normally use for rats). Then I figure I will vacuum seal and deep freeze them for a week or two to kill off any critters or bugs they might have. Then thaw and feed.

Anyone see any issues with this that I may not have thought of? Only thing I can think of is the remote possibility of an animal eating poison, then getting caught in my trap. I really think the odds of this being the case are slim to none... and I can always keep them alive in a cage for a day or two to make sure they are good.

The only thing I could think of is the fact it may be illegal to trap and kill them, and that they may be poisoned.

I have been trying to research the legality of it online and am not finding much. It looks like the use of poison outside would be illegal. It looks like using a live trap, then humanely putting them down is legal (based on what some say on various web sites) but I can't find any Florida laws to support it one way or the other.

There is normally a "squirrel season" in areas. So check the game laws for hunting. If squirrels have no bag limit, then you might be fine.
Nov 4- march 7 seems to be the Florida squirrel season? 12 per day(possession limit 24)
Prohibited methods for taking game do seem to include traps. But "furbearers" can be trapped using live traps.. are squirrels "furbearers"?

http://myfwc.com/docs/RecreationActi...egulations.pdf

I think that since squirrel is considered a game animal, the laws regarding hunting takes full precedence. But this is all just my best guess. Trapping squirrels to use as food may indeed be prohibited, even if they are nuisances.

Thanks for the link wolfy... I have been looking for that page for other reasons :).

It clearly lists when you can hunt squirrels using weapons for sport... but I am sure somewhere there is a completely separate set of laws dealing with home pests, and their extermination. Can't find it though.

Nuisance wildlife and trapping. It doesn't seem to comment on squirrels and mentions licenses for trapping wildlife, so it might be best to contact and ask?

http://myfwc.com/License/Permits_NuisWild.htm

https://www.flrules.org/Gateway/View...asp?id=8392069

Which seems to state that nuisance wildlife may be trapped in live traps if the traps are visited more often than 24 hour periods, and may be euthanized within 24 hours in a humane manner approved by the authorities.

Hope this helped!

after looking at that second link I am even more confused on the subject!

apparently if you do trap an animal it is illegal to move it somewhere else... and to commercially remove animals with a steel trap, you have to have a permit. So does that mean you DONT need a permit as a homeowner?

Wait, this seems to me to say it is ok...

"Nuisance wildlife is wildlife that...

* causes (or is about to cause) property damage,
* presents a threat to public safety, or
* causes an annoyance within, under or upon a building."

and


"With certain exceptions explained below, you do not need to notify or obtain FWC authorization to take destructive or nuisance wildlife from private property with the consent of the property owner. Likewise, property owners may take nuisance wildlife, as long as the animals are destroyed humanely. Relocating nuisance wildlife to another property is prohibited.

The exceptions apply to the taking of nuisance alligators; deer; bears; bats, most migratory birds, their nests or eggs; turkeys; bobwhite quail; or state-listed or federally listed species of special concern, threatened or endangered species. Additionally, anyone possessing or transporting live venomous reptiles is required to have a License to Possess or Exhibit Venomous Reptiles and/or Reptiles of Concern. "

Yep, the way I read it(which may or may not be accurate!) it seems to say you CAN trap nuisance wildlife(squirrels are wildlife) and humanely euthanize them. You wouldn't be able to trap and sell, or trap and keep.

The regulations are a bit convoluted!

Sooooo, you're gonna trap these here squirrels ya say? Gonna do a humanity like job of it as well, ya say? Hmmmmm. Nuisance, yes, given that, they certainly are, and allowed to trap, yes yes, that's all good.....but, the .... shall we say expatriation... of these furry burritos, perhaps some .... discretion, as it were, in telling just who just what would serve you well in the long run. Providing of course that there IS a long run.

Does anyone really need to know what you're going to do with them? If no one needs to know, and someone knowing could just gum up the works in a fouler and stickier fashion than normal, why tell them?

Sure, if someone asks, don't lie. But why open that can of worms, the eventual and final stop of those fine and bushy tails, once they've been liberated from the problematic landlord/tenant relationship they've forced upon you, if it's not necessary.

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Originally Posted by wolfy-hound

The regulations are a bit convoluted!

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Yeah, as you know that is often the case in Florida...

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Originally Posted by wilomn

Sooooo, you're gonna trap these here squirrels ya say? Gonna do a humanity like job of it as well, ya say? Hmmmmm. Nuisance, yes, given that, they certainly are, and allowed to trap, yes yes, that's all good.....but, the .... shall we say expatriation... of these furry burritos, perhaps some .... discretion, as it were, in telling just who just what would serve you well in the long run. Providing of course that there IS a long run.

Does anyone really need to know what you're going to do with them? If no one needs to know, and someone knowing could just gum up the works in a fouler and stickier fashion than normal, why tell them?

Sure, if someone asks, don't lie. But why open that can of worms, the eventual and final stop of those fine and bushy tails, once they've been liberated from the problematic landlord/tenant relationship they've forced upon you, if it's not necessary.

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LOL, I think i got it the 5th time I read it....

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Originally Posted by Mike Cavanaugh

LOL, I think i got it the 5th time I read it....

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LOL i think he was saying take the 5th :rofl:

The conversation I'd prefer to have were my preferences preferred.

"So I catch them in these traps, put them in a CO2 chamber where they are killed just like the shelter does, then I dispose of the body."

In a neat and tidy world that would be the extent of my conversation with the Man in Uniform.

Should he have nothing to do with his long and boring afternoon or if he be of a garrulous nature in general and therefore prone to conversation for its own sake, he may come back with, "Why do you have a CO2 chamber?"

"I breed african soft furred rats. You ever see one of those? No tails, or none to speak of anyway. For sure not enough to grab hold of. And they're fast with big teeth. Can't feed em live, they may chew on the snake. The easiest and quickest way to kill them is with CO2. That way I'm responsible, I know it's done right. Then I freeze the extras and never run out of frozen rats."

To which our Man in Uniform would hopefully answer, "Oh," and give you your permit while he was wondering why he never got the alligator in a swimming pool calls.

I think you get the idea by now anyway.

I do. :gj:

Back towards where I was headed with the original question... Is there any reason (other then possible legal issues) why I wouldn't want to feed squirrels to the boa in the first place?

NOt worried about imprinting (having her in the future refuse to eat anything but squirrels...) she will pound ANYTHING I offer.

As long as you're sure no poison is being put out by anyone your precautions seem adequate.

If the long furry tails seem to give any trouble, you can always chop those off too. LOL. Or.. shave the tails and tell the nice officer that it's just Norway rats, which are totally unprotected(like pigeons!).

A guy that shaves squirrel tails.... now THAT'S a guy I'd like to know.

i'd be worried about the parasite load those guys would carry, and mites and ticks and whatnot. But thats just me. *shrug*

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Originally Posted by cinderbird

i'd be worried about the parasite load those guys would carry, and mites and ticks and whatnot. But thats just me. *shrug*

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Originally Posted by Mike Cavanaugh

Then I figure I will vacuum seal and deep freeze them for a week or two to kill off any critters or bugs they might have.

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That should pretty much do the trick.

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Originally Posted by wilomn

Sooooo, you're gonna trap these here squirrels ya say? Gonna do a humanity like job of it as well, ya say? Hmmmmm. Nuisance, yes, given that, they certainly are, and allowed to trap, yes yes, that's all good.....but, the .... shall we say expatriation... of these furry burritos, perhaps some .... discretion, as it were, in telling just who just what would serve you well in the long run. Providing of course that there IS a long run.

Does anyone really need to know what you're going to do with them? If no one needs to know, and someone knowing could just gum up the works in a fouler and stickier fashion than normal, why tell them?

Sure, if someone asks, don't lie. But why open that can of worms, the eventual and final stop of those fine and bushy tails, once they've been liberated from the problematic landlord/tenant relationship they've forced upon you, if it's not necessary.

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I was thinking the same thing. If someone shoots a squirrel out of a tree, or a bird, the whole world isnt going to know. In this case Capture a squirrel that may or may not be considered a nuisance to the resident.


ANYWAYS, how are you planning to get these out of the cage? Last time I check squirrels are fast.

Mike are you sure that deep freezing kills everything? Also what if they are infected with rabies??? I know that squirrels are sometimes one of the bigger carriers. Now I have NO idea how that equates to snakes....I would think that it doesn't affect them...but I would want to make sure.

I want to preface this with I know NOTHING in regards to this....just some things that crossed my mind.

I think that just the vacuum sealing will kill everything? The freezing is just an added bonus.

To the op. Have you ever caught a squirrel in a live trap? I'll put it this way, you better have speedy gonzalas and a bear suit ready when you open that cage up lmao.

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Originally Posted by Jeremy78

I think that just the vacuum sealing will kill everything? The freezing is just an added bonus.

To the op. Have you ever caught a squirrel in a live trap? I'll put it this way, you better have speedy gonzalas and a bear suit ready when you open that cage up lmao.

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:rofl: OMG...yeah huh! For lil guys the are pretty bad ass!!

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Originally Posted by Jeremy78

To the op. Have you ever caught a squirrel in a live trap? I'll put it this way, you better have speedy gonzalas and a bear suit ready when you open that cage up lmao.

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Originally Posted by Beardedragon

ANYWAYS, how are you planning to get these out of the cage? Last time I check squirrels are fast.

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Originally Posted by BPelizabeth

:rofl: OMG...yeah huh! For lil guys the are pretty bad ass!!

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HOLY CRAP!!!! You guys weren't kidding!!!!

I was very surprised by how nasty, aggressive, and scary a live caged squirrel was in person! LOL, for someone who has 1,000 + ASF's in his garage, the live tree rat i encountered today (my first) TOTALLY freaked me out! It's giant black eyes.. its giant black claws... and its unbelievable speed and aggression! These things make ASF's cuddley teddy bears!

I have hunted squrrels before with guns... so I knew what they looked like dead, but I had NO IDEA what they were like up close, alive, and trapped! I will have no hard feelings seeing it get swallowed.

I tried several times to get it out of the trap with no luck. In fact, I came VERY close at one point to accidentally setting it loose. The trick at the end that did the deed was putting the entire trap in a garbage bag and turning on the CO2. It took more CO2 then I liked thoug so I haqve to find a more efficient way of administering it in the future.

Smaller traps to put in the bag? :P That was my first thought when you posted this, I on one hand have dealt with them before...and never want to again!

Hahahaha yeah man. I was very curious about how you were gunna do this. Glad it all worked out for yeah :-).

P.s. A squirrel and a bush Martin are the only two things I've ever let out of a live trap that have turned around and came back to get a piece of me.

kinda late for this but i think to insure no poision (sp), you might want to let the squirrle live for a day or so to monitor to see if its acting sick or possibly dies....

Sounds like a big procedure, you maybe be better of shooting the buggers.

just trap em kill em freeze em feed em and dont tell any of the bumbling overreacting fwc idiot brigade and youll be A OK ..... i mean, how are they gunna even know? no one is gunna miss a few annoying squirrels

edit: glad to see it worked out, do you have a big cooler that the whole trap would fit in? should be easier than the bag

I would make a funnel out of wood to fit over the end of the trap that will go to a smaller cloth bag. You could then quickly transport this to your secure Co2 containment system.

I agree about the letting them live a few days. to see if you yill have any issues with poison. You will of course have to do this in an area away from your ASFs to prevent the spread of parasites.

I knew a guy once who claimed to keep his boa alive for years on road killed squirrels. He just kept a styro cooler in his trunk and loaded it up with squirrel pizzas whenever he came across one while driving. He took them home and froze them and then fed whenever necessary. He claimed to never have a problem.

another possible way to make a co2 chamber works is get some dry ice and just let the garbage vcan fill up and just lower the squirrel and cage in as one go, replace lid comeback a few mintues later. I guessign dry ice a lot mre common to get cheap??

I know about a squirrels lol they got nuts once trapped. I almost lost a finger once to one as i was caughting them and relocating them to the woods. cause they were chewing on everything inthe neighbors shed. and after 2 eletrical fires ( break blows and burnt squirrel smell she would ask me ot dispose of them cause she could not walk wit ha cage in one hand and the cane in the other. I too kthem 10 miles away and dropped them off. in a wooded lot. I was not allowed to kill them were her words.

it got really bad one time cause she had the traps outside and caught a large skunk oh man was her yard a stinking mess for weeks. lol ( skunk sprayed her shed and the tree that night by the tiem I got there in the morning I used the rake carriedan old towel and ocovered the cages and threaten to toss the skunk and cage out the truck if it sprayed in the back of my pick up.

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Originally Posted by MarkS

I knew a guy once who claimed to keep his boa alive for years on road killed squirrels. He just kept a styro cooler in his trunk and loaded it up with squirrel pizzas whenever he came across one while driving. He took them home and froze them and then fed whenever necessary. He claimed to never have a problem.

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:8::8: I think us snake keepers are probably the only people in the world who wouldn't find this mildly disturbing.