Cute or vermin ?

[biggs682]

Simple question for you all this morning do you rate the squirrel as a vermin or just cute

 

[Spinney]

Cute - until they cause property damage.
A few houses ago, neighbours needed major rewiring after the little buggers ate wiring in the loft.

 

[ianrauk]

Vermin.
Tree rats.

 

[PK99]

Vermin.

Nightmare with bird feeders.

Strip the enormous walnut tree overhanging our garden long before the nuts are ripe.

Bury food stores in the lawn.

Dig up bulbs.

Etc

 

[Keith Oates]

Cute as far as I'm concerned.!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[summerdays]

Vermin.... In a previous property they did lots of damage in the loft and to the soffits, and each year a new batch would arrive ....

Now the red ones are definitely cute!

 

[winjim]

[QUOTE 4225432, member: 259"]They taste nicer than rabbit, but there are tons of bones.

[/QUOTE]
Warning: may contain nuts.

 

[hopless500]

Cute vote from me.
Even if they do raid the bird feeders and nick my bulbs.

 

[Vapin' Joe]

Mobile air gun targets.

 

[PeteXXX]

Ask a red squirrel how cute they are!!

 

[Arjimlad]

I shoot them on sight where I can due to forestry damage and songbird nesting etc. I have no illusions that in my part of the world, doing this will in any way assist the embattled red squirrels though. Yes they can be cute but that doesn't mean that they don't need to be controlled.

 

[Andy_R]

Squirrel stew on a recent Scout camp........

 

[raleighnut]

^^^^^^^^^^+1

The Grey Squirrel was introduced from North America..........................................................As food.

 

[nickyboy]

Not sure why people regard them as vermin (whatever that actually means). Is it because they are not an indigenous species and are out-competing the Red Squirrel? Or is it because they are perceived as doing damage to homeowners' property? I get badgers digging up my lawn, does that make them vermin as well?

I don't particularly like the Grey Squirrels I get in my garden because they have been successful in the past at getting the seeds I put out for birds. But I wouldn't shoot them for that. I just make the feeder squirrel-proof and the problem is solved.

 

[Cubist]

[QUOTE 4225511, member: 9609"]yeah right - people who love killing things with guns pretending they care about wildlife. what a load of bollocks[/QUOTE]
Binary thinking I'm afraid.