Posted: 12/1/2010 5:52:28 AM EDT
| Does anyone think this idea is crazy? The SO and I live in the burbs and there are squirrels everywhere. Seriously, they are so overpopulated they are almost a nuisance. I know after the SHTF they will be gone in a flash. Do you guys think it would be possible to catch a few in the live traps I’ve got and keep them for breeding as a renewable source of meat after it happens? Anyone ever considered this? |
|
Quoted:
Just to be clear, I don’t plan on doing this as a hobby or something. This would only be a post SHTF consideration post shtf... sure catch them and breed them.. all bets are off post SHTF... renewable resource, collect acorns off the ground.. sounds like a quirky yet legitimate idea. |
|
I doubt this would be viable.
Many critters simply refuse to breed in captivity. They are too stressed to function and thrive. I suspect that if this were possible (domestic tree rats) someone would have done it already somewhere. As has been noted you'd be MUCH farther ahead focusing on other live stock, namely rabbits or chickens. Both are domesticated. Both can thrive and reproduce. Both can survive nicely on various types of kitchen cast-offs and/or easily secured natural food stuffs. Squirrels are not grazers. Stockpiling a year's worht of acorns is going to consume a lot of work. In addition rabbits and chickens can reproduce with some rapidity. I suspect both of these would give you FAR more potential protien per year for a given amount of labor than you'd ever get out of keeping captive wildlife. I'm usually open to some 'unconventional' thinking. However, I cannot envision this as being any where near viable. Sorry! |
| I've eaten my fair share of squirrels and have to say not enough meat on them to make it worth the bother imho. In SHTF would I shoot and eat one if I had the chance? Sure would, but not a chance i'd try to raise them. Rabbits are the way to go. Breed fast, bulk up fast and easy to raise. I'll tell you another good source of shtf food that folks don't think about but pigeons are another thing to consider. |
|
I raised five baby squirrels onetime; bottle fed them from a few days old to full size; the little bastards grew up and were hell in the house, they'd chew constantly on everything, my mother had silk flowers and they cut all the leaves off to make a nest with, along with pieces of the curtains and back covering of the couch.
kept them approx 10 months before putting them outside, they stayed for a while in the little tree house I built, then moved on to the surrounding trees in the yard. after that experience I wouldn't want to try and raise them for food, even if I kept them caged, too much effort for little return. |
|
The litters are too small to outweigh rabbits. They're not worth the .22 round to dispatch. If you're going to rely on either, keep 10-12 gallons of Veg. oil for needed fat, for the year.
Someone mentioned Canadian geese. (See I capitolized "Canadian" you kooky kanucks...so you now know that I love you  )
These birds don't even leave S.E. New York in the winter anymore. Would be a good option if you have an abundance of #6 shot. Ferchrissakes...they're like rats. |
|
I think rabbits would be the way to go, for all the reasons stated above.
I'm fortunate to live on the shore of a large lake with an abundant fish population, ducks and geese all around, and my yard is always full of squirrels. .22 CB caps out the back door FTW! |
|
Quoted:
I've eaten my fair share of squirrels and have to say not enough meat on them to make it worth the bother imho. In SHTF would I shoot and eat one if I had the chance? Sure would, but not a chance i'd try to raise them. Rabbits are the way to go. Breed fast, bulk up fast and easy to raise. I'll tell you another good source of shtf food that folks don't think about but pigeons are another thing to consider. Pidgeon is squab. Squab is supposed to be a culinary delight. I still say that hunger is the best spice. Squab Recipes OP: I would definitely read up on Squirrels, and how they breed. IIRC, they do not breed as often as you would like to create a sustainable meat source. I could be dead wrong, but I think they only breed once or twice a year. If you are looking for a post-teotwawki source of renewable meat, I'd consider catching and breeding rats. Still again, no matter what critters you choose to raise, you would need to have a reliable and constant source of feed for them. |
|
Quoted:
Just to be clear, I don’t plan on doing this as a hobby or something. This would only be a post SHTF consideration Sorry, Double Post. Sir..if survival ISN'T your hobby now, don't plan on surviving later. Oh, one other thing: the nuts to feed squirrels....? more nutritious to you than...squirrel meat. so while your out getting your nuts to feed those insane rats, I'll get gathering....grass clippings to feed the rabbits. See how that works? 
|
|
Quoted:
Quoted:
Just to be clear, I don’t plan on doing this as a hobby or something. This would only be a post SHTF consideration Sorry, Double Post. Sir..if survival ISN'T your hobby now, don't plan on surviving later. Oh, one other thing: the nuts to feed squirrels....? more nutritious to you than...squirrel meat. so while your out getting your nuts to feed those insane rats, I'll get gathering....grass clippings to feed the rabbits. See how that works? You SIR should work on your reading comprehension, I clearly stated that rabbits are not in abundance in my area. Prepping in general is not a hobby, it’s a lifestyle. I have been prepping for at least twenty years. We have tens of thousands of rounds, dozens of firearms, hundreds of gallons of water with the means to purify thousands more. Solar power, two gas generators and food for at least two years. Countless hours of survival training, from building fish traps to deadfalls, home built bows with handmade arrows, flint knapping etc. etc. etc. Just because someone is new here and hasn’t made 10,000 posts doesn’t mean they are new to survival. I could live off the land like a caveman until the end of days. You should think about how you interact with strangers, and not talk down to them, it could keep you from having serious problems when your MRE’s run out. If you don’t like my idea just say it, you don’t have to be a dick about it. |
|
Quoted:
Capturing wild gray squirrels will NOT work. I've caught lots of them in my box traps over the years and tried to cage a few of the younger ones. They will die in captivety very quickly. They will even try to chew through metal to escape. This. Too high strung. Rat traps, screwed to tree with batt powered screw gun, baited with PB (watch out for woodpeckers,etc) 110s with Dixie cup of PB on trigger LOTS of ways to trap them |
|
Quoted:
Quoted:
Quoted:
Just to be clear, I don’t plan on doing this as a hobby or something. This would only be a post SHTF consideration Sorry, Double Post. Sir..if survival ISN'T your hobby now, don't plan on surviving later. Oh, one other thing: the nuts to feed squirrels....? more nutritious to you than...squirrel meat. so while your out getting your nuts to feed those insane rats, I'll get gathering....grass clippings to feed the rabbits. See how that works? You SIR should work on your reading comprehension, I clearly stated that rabbits are not in abundance in my area. Prepping in general is not a hobby, it’s a lifestyle. I have been prepping for at least twenty years. We have tens of thousands of rounds, dozens of firearms, hundreds of gallons of water with the means to purify thousands more. Solar power, two gas generators and food for at least two years. Countless hours of survival training, from building fish traps to deadfalls, home built bows with handmade arrows, flint knapping etc. etc. etc. Just because someone is new here and hasn’t made 10,000 posts doesn’t mean they are new to survival. I could live off the land like a caveman until the end of days. You should think about how you interact with strangers, and not talk down to them, it could keep you from having serious problems when your MRE’s run out. If you don’t like my idea just say it, you don’t have to be a dick about it. Calling people a "dick" is probably again's some rule around here concerning personal attacks. I give perspective that YOU asked for, and you insult me by claiming I need reading comprehension? In another thread, you claimed I "lit you up" twice, is that what you are talking about? Looks to me like I am not the rude one here. Your MRE comment makes me think you have made some assumptions about me which I assure you are incorrect. Good luck, Sir. |
.......