Critters damaging G scale layout and buildings?

[-bbbb]

I'm curious about your experiences with critters damaging your G scale buildings and outdoor layouts. I was going to make a permanent layout outside with buildings and such, and realized that I have squirrels or something which likes to chew on things.

My irrigation filter housing has these chew marks :

The stray nerf darts also end up well chewed.

I would hate to make my Pola buildings Squirrel chew toys. Have any of you had wildlife damaging your G-scale stuff, and did you come up with any working solutions?

 

[Gavin Sowry]

I'm curious about your experiences with critters damaging your G scale buildings and outdoor layouts. I was going to make a permanent layout outside with buildings and such, and realized that I have squirrels or something which likes to chew on things.

My irrigation filter housing has these chew marks :
View attachment 276415
The stray nerf darts also end up well chewed.

I would hate to make my Pola buildings Squirrel chew toys. Have any of you had wildlife damaging your G-scale stuff, and did you come up with any working solutions?

Try lead poisoning. Cheap, comes in various sizes such as .22, .308 or even 45 (will kill anything, anytime, any where according to Clint).

 

[-bbbb]

I'm not quite rural enough for those.. I've used wooden clubs and lawnmowers successfully on some less noble critters. I have a sword ready for subterranean ground hogs. But shooting a rabbit between the eyes with a nerf gun might have been the most effective and keeping the rabbits away. I thought I was only having fun with the kids during the night hunt to protect the garden, but after the rabbit was shot, unharmed, it looked perplexed for a bit, then left and didn't return. The squirrels here are somewhat aggressive, and large... they eat birds.

 

[Martino]

I have had squirrels attack some of my resin buildings, particularly in the spring. Mostly young squirrels. I have used an anti squirrel spray, although you do have to reapply after rain. They don’t seem to attack during the summer, fall or winter!
Also having two smooth Collies seems to keep them away too!

 

[Gavin Sowry]

I have had squirrels attack some of my resin buildings, particularly in the spring. Mostly young squirrels. I have used an anti squirrel spray, although you do have to reapply after rain. They don’t seem to attack during the summer, fall or winter!
Also having two smooth Collies seems to keep them away too!

Distract the critters, heaps of corn over the road......

 

[dunnyrail]

Have regular squirrels visiting my Garden, thus far no damage but if I leave the Shed open they do come in and take a chew on the concers that I have in there to discourage spiders.

 

[Paul M]

You could always over feed them

 

[-bbbb]

I feel like supplying them with more food would only encourage more of them to be in the area. There's already a lot of stuff they rob from the garden. My sunflowers don't last a day past the maturing of seeds; the squirrels ravage them ASAP. Availability of food hasn't stopped them from chewing on nerf darts and irrigation stuff. My poor old dog is too blind to chase them anymore. The anti squirrel spray sounds interesting, but I'm thinking I may need to start trapping and deporting them, or relocating them to the underworld. I have seen some sort of aiming sprinkler with a motion sensor, so it will spray water in the direction of movement; I guess it's used against cats.

 

[Gizzy]

Squirrels aren't a problem here in England (even though they are imported US grey ones and not cute red tufty ones).

Though I do get annoyed with foxes carping on my layout....

 

[LGB-Sid]

I get a lot of Squirrels in my Garden but since the trains went in they mostly run along the fence top now, much to the anoyance of the Boxer's they would love to teach the Squirrels its not safe to play near trains

 

[John Le Forestier]

I had more problems from wood-eating bugs than from squirrels, 'though there are plenty of squirrels around here too.

I have solved this for both bugs and squirrels, and also for buildings getting blown away by the wind as well.

First, I adopted an aesthetic that favours unpainted, naturally weathered homemade wooden buildings. I don't believe in painting outdoor stuff and then having to do it over and over again as sun, ice and snow strip the paint away. My buildings look fine behind the trains.

Next I shifted my emphasis from buildings made of wood to buildings made of floor tiles that look like wood.

Of course any tile that suits you would be fine, but I like the weathered wood-look. They don't get eaten and they don't blow away. Tile buildings are completely at home outdoors and since my railway is also partly indoors, the wooden buildings still have a home.

Arm yourself with a tile saw and ceramic tile drills. Tiles can be cemented or wired together. I use small tiles or pieces of tile to represent doors and windows, and simply cement these to the buildings' front surfaces. I'm not too fussy as my attention is on the moving trains and the buildings are in the background. All these techniques create structures that are good enough, 'though you can refine the whole procedure as much as you like.

Cheers. Hope this helps!

 

[Paul M]

I had more problems from wood-eating bugs than from squirrels, 'though there are plenty of squirrels around here too.

I have solved this for both bugs and squirrels, and also for buildings getting blown away by the wind as well.

First, I adopted an aesthetic that favours unpainted, naturally weathered homemade wooden buildings. I don't believe in painting outdoor stuff and then having to do it over and over again as sun, ice and snow strip the paint away. My buildings look fine behind the trains.

Next I shifted my emphasis from buildings made of wood to buildings made of floor tiles that look like wood.

Of course any tile that suits you would be fine, but I like the weathered wood-look. They don't get eaten and they don't blow away. Tile buildings are completely at home outdoors and since my railway is also partly indoors, the wooden buildings still have a home.

Arm yourself with a tile saw and ceramic tile drills. Tiles can be cemented or wired together. I use small tiles or pieces of tile to represent doors and windows, and simply cement these to the buildings' front surfaces. I'm not too fussy as my attention is on the moving trains and the buildings are in the background. All these techniques create structures are good enough, 'though you can refine the whole procedure as much as you like.

Cheers. Hope this helps!

Sounds like a good idea, any pictures please?

 

[-bbbb]

Sounds like a good idea, any pictures please?

I second the request for pictures.

 

[Derailed]

In the Spring, something stole off with all the "tools" I had glued to my buildings. I am guessing it was birds thinking they were sticks for the nests. So far that is the only damage. Now, my buildings are a bit less detailed.

 

[-bbbb]

Spring seems to be a common factor... It seems feasible to take the buildings in during spring. But has anyone experienced critters chewing on LGB sleepers?

 

[dunnyrail]

Spring seems to be a common factor... It seems feasible to take the buildings in during spring. But has anyone experienced critters chewing on LGB sleepers?

In 36 years of using LGB Rail outside nothing has ever taken a chew at my LGB Sleepers.

 

[melph1]

I think my 75kg (11 stone) dog is going to be more of an issue on my layout than the 200gm Squirrel

 

[dunnyrail]

My dog BARNEY is a mere 30kg but he has caused no damage to the railway, perhaps because he is not a jumping type of dog and the line is 3ft-4ft high.

 

[melph1]

Mine is technically still a puppy so has that very playful frame of mind. My main station / buildings will be behind a fence. Sections out side of this will be ground level with no buildings until he is much older.

 

[dunnyrail]

Mine is technically still a puppy so has that very playful frame of mind. My main station / buildings will be behind a fence. Sections out side of this will be ground level with no buildings until he is much older.

Big puppy, love to see a pic of him. This is Barney with his Mexican Hairless friend Toby that visits us frequently.