Evening star., 1945-06-11
This and That
By Charles E. TrdceDeU

BETHESDA, MD.
Dear Sir:
"1 am interested in building squirrel
house and I would appreciate any sug-
gestions which you might be able to
give me. Yours truly, H. NJ W."
Squirrels are very Independent. They
will take to almost any large bird house,
and gnaw the entrance hole large
enough to suit them.
They do very we'll with their summer
nests, large bird nests In the trees. but
will occupy wooden houses put out for
them.
A flicker box will do.
This is made according to the follow
ing dimensions: Floor of box, 7 by 7
inches; depth, Is inches; diameter of
hole, or 4 inches; height Of entrance
above floor, IA inches; placement in
tree, 10 to 20 feet.
The flicker house. when intended for
the bird, should be placed on the side Of
the trunk, but If designed for squirrels
is best placed in crotch.
1t may be realized that almost any
sized house will do for the gray squirrel.
He and his family curl up tightly, and
occupy little space. They can get in
at doors seemingly too little for them.
We once knew learned doctor who
erected what he called a cardinal house
Cardinals, of course, do not occupy
houses, but the kindly man who put it
out did not know that.
He put up a neat house, painted a
dark green, and waited for the cardinals
to come.
Squirrels came, gnawed out the door
and made themselves much at home, to
the satisfaction of all concerned.
When putting out house for f1ickers,
it is good thing to sprinkle handful
of sawdust or shavings in the bottom
Of the box.
If the house is meant for squirrels,
the entrance may be lowered from the
tip to near the bottom of the box. 1t
really makes no difference. But if ma
terial is brought in, the door may be
covered by it when the entrance is near
the bottom.
1t may be realized that the dimensions
of house primarily intended for our
squirrels can be almost any shape or
size desired.
Often the position will determine the
exact size. If the crotch is small, an
almost square box may be made, but If
the placement has greater room the box
can be made as long as desired.
So it is perfectly feasible to make the
box with the greatest dimension in
length, rather than height.
That is, box roughly foot square,
and two feet long, might fit into q cer-
tain site better and give better appear
ance.
The door usually is made too large
Sometimes makers want to make it 6
| inches square. which is entirely too big
Such an entry permits too much cold
| to enter Since the primary intention
is to afford shelter, the smaller the en-
trance hole, the better, provided the
animals can get in. If the box is made
| of soft wood, they will gnaw out the
hole to suit themselves.
AS for painting, a deep brown, green
or gray will be best, but an unpainted
house soon weathers to a perfect shade
and one may suit himself in this regard
If the animals seem chary about tax
ing up their quarters, the place may be
baited with peanuts or the like. Let us
make 1t clear that this type of shelter
Is not entirely natural for such hardy
rodent. Squirrels find shelter in trees
without houses, and occupy their sum-
mer nests, so-called, the year around
II no squirrels apply for lodgings, do not
be disappointed, but permit anything
which flies or walks to occupy it. 1t is
easy enough to make house and de-
clare 1t is for squirrels, but sometimes
1t is not so easy to make them take to
1t. In the same way, houses intended
for bluebirds often become sparrow
houses, and boxes made for tituice are
occupied By Rrens,