Tips to keep pesty vervets at bay

If you feed wild birds in your garden, do it at random times so there is no routine the vervets can get accustomed to, otherwise they will be waiting for you at your bird table each day.

Vervets will enter homes to eat fruit and other food kept on counters, tables, etc. Keep fruit and other food concealed.

If your house is left unattended, doors and windows should be kept closed or only slightly ajar to prevent vervets gaining access.

Dog food left out all day may attract vervets.

Use your hosepipe to squirt them. They hate being hosed and will run away. A water pistol or squirt bottle aimed and squirted at the monkeys is very effective.

Vervets are easily shooed away simply by walking towards them and waving a small towel or similar item.

Monkeys are naturally wary of snakes so realistic rubber snakes can discourage them.

Pointing a gun-like object at them will usually send them scurrying away.

Dogs can be a deterrent to vervets. However, if a dog does catch a vervet this could result in serious injury to the dog and vervet. Dogs should be trained not to physically attack the vervets.

Vervets usually fear men more than they do women so, if possible, the vervets should be chased away by men.

One or two strands of electric fencing are effective in keeping vervets out of gardens, homes and crops.

Insect-proof screens on windows and doors serve an additional function of keeping vervets out of homes. Plastic mesh on windows and security doors/gates are easily fitted and effective.

Vervets have a keen sense of taste and smell. They can be discouraged from eating flowers, fruit and vegetables by spraying or brushing these with a liquid containing quinine, chilli, insect or pet repellent or any other distasteful but non-lethal substance that can be washed off.

Prevent foraging in refuse bins by securing the lids with a convenient but vervet-proof clip or strap. Sprinkle Jeyes Fluid in and on refuse bins and bags.

Vervets can easily be chased out of fruit or access trees by installing a burglar alarm siren in the tree and activating it when the vervets are there.

This can prevent vervets from using the tree to gain access to a roof, upper window or another tree, and can protect fruit and flowers.

Source: www.monkeyhelpline. co.za