As the photo show I just wrap my trees using heavy duty aluminum foil. I know that you’re going to tell me that the foil would not stand up to the teeth on those annoying critters. It shouldn't but for some reason they do not eat my trees including the 22 I have over wintering in my garage. The photos show the area around my property and from those photos you can see it is a great place for varmints to hang out in.

I unwrapped two of the trees I had covered to show no damage at all.

To prove to you that those animals do reside here, the wife and I arrived home late the other night and I opened my garage door to access the house. The light must have burnt out in the door opener unit so we just made our way into the garage then entered the kitchen area. The next morning early I noticed our dog making its way over to the entrance door that leads to the garage. She was doing something but I could not see her very well. Then she would walk over to me making jesters with her mouth and tongue. The wife entered the room and went over to the floor and spotted a dead vole on the throw rug where the dog was acting funny. It was dead, Can't say if the dog killed it or it just passed away at that spot. I have garden snakes enter my basement before but have never seen a vole in doors in 38 years living here. So I know they are around. So I ask why does the aluminum foil seem to work for me.

Regards all.

Lou

Lou,

Have you even eaten aluminum foil, and experienced the funny flavor and metallic/electric affect? The animal may well have the same response because of the chemistry involved.

Can I ask why do mice and other animals chew on fig trees? I don't know much about fruit trees, but I have never heard of this with any regular trees.

Hey Lou. I don't have a clear answer as to why it works exactly either. Jon may be heading in the right direction though.

I do know that aluminum has a tendency to react with various oxidisers such as pool chlorine, some fertilizers & drain cleaners. In fact, mixing water, Al foil & sodium hydroxide (comercial drain cleaner. aka lye) will cause water to release hydrogen gas. I don't reccommend trying this at home though. The gas released is pretty nasty & explosive. Nasty because the gas will also still contain trace amounts of the caustic NaOH. 

Just trying to make a point about how al foil can be reactive under certain circumstances. This could give us a clue about what's going on. Al foil may have some mild effect when it comes in contact with saliva (acidic). This effect could be more pronounced with mammals much smaller than ourselves.

Whatever is actually going on, I really like the idea. It's simple & inexpensive (the best solutions to a problem usually are). I'm certainly going to give it a try on my trees. Thanks for the tip Lou :) !  

71GTO- I could be wrong, but I think mice eat the cambium at the base of the plant where it is thickest and has sap and sugars, when they can't find anything better. Protecting trees creates shelter for the tree and the mouse, then when it gets snowed in that is all there is to eat. Or maybe they are starving because of overpopulation, I doubt tinfoil would save trees during a mouse plague in Australia, but it is certainly not salt and pepper!

I knew there was a reason to be saving my tinfoil, excellent idea!

Thanks!