At the end of last season my pool umbrella started getting chewed on by a rodent of some type. There was a gradually increasing number of holes at the bottom of the pool umbrella, with the umbrella closed. It actually looked like it was getting shot with a shotgun, but the holes were gradually increasing. I am assuming it was a pack rat, but it could have been a squirrel or normal mouse. We live in the forest, so we are surrounded by teeming hordes of rodents. Getting rid of them all is not realistic, we just do our best to keep them out of the house.
Now that a new umbrella is on the way, any ideas on how to keep the varmits from chewing on this one? I hesitate to keep the umbrella up, winds will likely destroy the umbrella. I heard they dislike crinkly plastic, has anyone had luck wrapping a plastic bag around the umbrella pole - above the table? Any other ideas to keep my umbrella safe?
My setup is a metal table and chairs with a hole in the table that the umbrella fits through. Umbrella base under the table. I keep the umbrella closed except for when we use it. Table is on a cement patio between the pool and house, but the trees and rodent happy land is about 20 feet away.
Now that a new umbrella is on the way, any ideas on how to keep the varmits from chewing on this one? I hesitate to keep the umbrella up, winds will likely destroy the umbrella. I heard they dislike crinkly plastic, has anyone had luck wrapping a plastic bag around the umbrella pole - above the table? Any other ideas to keep my umbrella safe?
My setup is a metal table and chairs with a hole in the table that the umbrella fits through. Umbrella base under the table. I keep the umbrella closed except for when we use it. Table is on a cement patio between the pool and house, but the trees and rodent happy land is about 20 feet away.