The I have a bazillionty questions about my new house thread

Fenika · Jul 13, 2011

I figured I should start compiling ~~stupid~~ silly questions and hoping someone has the answer. My new house has a lot of toys and such.

One. Uh. I forgot already. Dire.

Two. My hot tub (!) keeps running. Not the jets, but it gurgles. Is it supposed to do this so algea doesn't grow or something??

Three. When is squirrel season? >>

alleycat · Jul 13, 2011

Squirrel season? You mean to shoot them? In the fall. If the squirrels are damaging your house you can probably shoot them anytime (check with your local officials).

You can buy traps for squirrels.

Chris P · Jul 13, 2011

Check the laundry room for your missing question. I usually leave stuff there and forget it completely.

Hot tub or whirlpool bathtub? I don't have a hot tub, but a whirlpool bathtub shouldn't gurgle.

I used to hunt squirrels from about September to February, but of course that will depend on your state.

Fenika · Jul 13, 2011

The squirrels arent too bad but I'm sure they will drive me crazy come fall and winter. I try to live and let live but squirrels are hell when overabundant!

It's a hot tub and it's in the backyerd. The neighbors say theirs cycles twice a day but mine is almost constant. Hmm.

*checks laundry room* Nope, wasn't anything here. Bugger.

thothguard51 · Jul 13, 2011

Most Hot tubs have a timer that allows you adjust the heater and cycling. Check it. If its recycling constantly, then you are also paying a higher utility bill from this when not necessary.

DO NOT feed the squirrels, (except is query letter hell).

I have used fake owls and put in trees that keeps the tree rats away. But you have to change the location often so they don't get used to it in one spot. You can get them at sporting good stores or on line. Warning, the fake owl might keep other song birds away, so there is a down side...

Miss Moo · Jul 13, 2011

Definitely have the hot tub looked at by your local hot tub doctor. We've had several over the years and they should not run continuously and if it is......you aren't going to like your electric bill!

Oh, another little piece of advice and this is coming straight from personal experience. Do not drain your hot tub to keep curious neighborhood children out of trouble and your electric bill under control while you go to Florida for the winter. It would have been cheaper for us to padlock the lid and pay the electric bills than it was to pay for the repairs!

Fenika · Jul 14, 2011

My house is a bird haven so fake owls arent an option. Most the feeders have proven to be squirrel proof so far, but food drops down ofc.

I think I'm going to sell the stupid hot tub. Its going to give me more grief than joy. It has slime on it and I hate chemicals since my skin is fairly sensitive

And I can find any controls on it other than temperature and jets and more jets

Fenika · Jul 14, 2011

Ps- about how much does it cost to keep a hot tub running??

Chris P · Jul 14, 2011

Boy, a slimy hot tub ought to sell right away! Fill it with bird seed.

Miss Moo · Jul 14, 2011

Fenika said:
Ps- about how much does it cost to keep a hot tub running??

That depends on the time of year. Is it outside? During the warmer months it was only about $1.00 a day but when it gets cold that can double or triple. Everytime I saw steam coming out under the cover all I saw was little dollar signs escaping!

Maryn · Jul 14, 2011

Your bird feeders are attracting the squirrels. There are a few things you can do to discourage them, but they're smart and quick learners, so you have to change it up all the time.

Metal baffles, cones or cylinders, can keep squirrels from climbing poles the feeders are mounted on. Once one squirrel learns to defeat a baffle, though, it will teach others and pretty soon it might as well not be there.
A heavy coating of Vaseline keeps squirrels from climbing smooth surfaces and actually seems to serve pretty well as a rust-preventer on wrought iron. But it picks up grit, bits of grass, and such and has to be wiped off an reapplied every five days or so.
Placing a sweepable surface under the feeders and sweeping up what the birds drop every single day helps. (Flat pavers don't even look too bad, if you choose wisely.) Of course, it's a PIA and doesn't get rid of all of it, just makes less free food for squirrels.
Moving the feeders way far away from the house means the squirrels will be--you guessed it!--way far away from the house. Of course, if you have to shovel snow to reach the feeders part of the year, feeding the birds takes a lot more work.
In many places it's never legal to shoot squirrels, so if you are considering that as an option, know the law before starting. And warn me, because I don't know how good a shot you are.
Poisoning squirrels may also be illegal, FWIW, although a solid fence with a lock may make it okay. But who wants squirrel corpses littering their yard?
Spending what it takes for a platform feeder which both closes when something as heavy as a squirrel sits on its platform and has a lip to contain seed rather than let it drop might be worth it.
It seems counter-intuitive, but feeding squirrels with your bruised or getting-old fruit, cracked corn, etc. well away from the bird area might be an option worth trying. Or it might attract squirrels for miles around, and when they find the food's gone, they'll look to the feeders and think, I could get up there, I know I could!

Maryn, who's got an uneasy truce with the squirrel population

Fenika · Jul 14, 2011

Thanks for the squirrel tips. I found my first question. What in the world is a Rolex trim coil. It looks like siding.

Chris P · Jul 14, 2011

I had to Google it, but I know what it is once I saw it. It's aluminum metal that they form over your windowsills and stuff since that needs to be custom formed, unlike the siding that only needs to be cut to length.

Fenika · Jul 14, 2011

Hmm. I checked the windowsills and stuff and I dont see it. Oh well, maybe I'll spot it later or on the roof or something.
Cheers

The I have a bazillionty questions about my new house thread

Fenika

alleycat

Still around

Chris P

Likes metaphors mixed, not stirred

Fenika

thothguard51

A Gentleman of a refined age...

Miss Moo

Fenika

Fenika

Chris P

Likes metaphors mixed, not stirred

Miss Moo

Maryn

Baaa!

Fenika

Chris P

Likes metaphors mixed, not stirred

Fenika