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Re: Squirrels and cayenne pepper

I haven't heard of their scratching their eyes OUT, but a friend saw a squirrel get some in his eye and said she'd never use that product again. She's not sadistic, even though she was not fond of squirrels. Her address is dxgree@wm.edu, so you see it's not a "friend of a friend" myth. The chile pushers who say many mammals have the same endorphin rush are referring to ingesting chiles, not getting it in their eyes. Some humans can't tolerate eating or eliminating hot chiles, and neither can some animals. Margaret Lauterbach

If anyone has anything to share on this, it would be appreciated...received
it from one of my friends and I don't have any information...

..Hi Donna,

A few years ago there was a story on the above where someone said squirrels
were scratching their eyes out because of cayenne pepper deterrents in the
garden.  I then found scientific info that there were no documented cases of
that happening and in fact I know many mammals have the same endorphin rush
from hot pepper as humans and grow to prefer it (it's in one of the hot
pepper books).

Have you seen anything about the urban myth info as every August on we get
public responses that are a bit irrational.  Animal Control here, and we
have a lot of squirrels, has never seen any case yet.

Kate..

Donna Dawson
Member Garden Writers Association
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