Shark Tank Investors Were Shocked By This Pitch & Called The Product Sadistic

"Shark Tank" has seen more than its fair share of bizarre pitches, but rarely are any considered a dangerous proposition. However, on the small list of pitches for potentially harmful ideas, such as the Ionic Ear and Wake N Bacon, Michael DeSanti's plan for pest control was nothing short of nuts to the sharks.

Appearing on Season 4 of the show, DeSanti presents his idea for Squirrel Boss, a specialized bird feeder made to deter squirrels from taking more than their fair share. The way it does this is through a remote control that customers can press to give squirrels and other pests a mild static shock. He compares the sensation to the feeling of receiving an electric shock after walking across a carpeted floor. He wants $130,000 for a 40% equity stake in the company. 

The sharks mostly laugh off the idea. Nevertheless, Robert Herjavec brings up the ethical dilemmas involved, especially if animal rights groups catch wind of the product. DeSanti argues that most organizations prefer his method, as opposed to the lethal options. It does little to change the sharks' minds. Most of them fail to see the business potential in it, while Lori Grenier says, "To me, to zap a squirrel — that's a little sadistic." DeSanti attempts to stand his ground, stating he won't leave without a deal, but he ultimately walks out the door empty-handed. 

At the end of the day, the sharks didn't find DeSanti's proposition an especially electrifying one. But how did that translate to the business' later life? 

Michael DeSanti's Squirrel Boss failed to zap up much interest on "Shark Tank." Most of the sharks saw it as a product for fun more than anything but couldn't get behind the questionable nature of electrocuting squirrels. Likewise, the company's time after the show didn't see much progress. It appears that the only physical retailer where Squirrel Boss was ever available was Costco, as a video of DeSanti promoting the product still exists on Costco's website. Outside of this, the only place it is sold is Squirrel Boss' own website, and the price has gone up considerably since "Shark Tank." While it was $47.47 on the show, it is now $89.99 on Squirrel Boss' website.

According to many Amazon customers, it's best you save your money. The product has received mixed reviews from users, largely owing to its inconsistent quality. Some have found it useful, but a large percentage of reviewers have complained that they received defective products and trying to get in touch with customer service was a hassle. Even those who decently enjoyed it brought up issues regarding the battery life of the feeder, with it needing to be charged roughly every week. Others also noted that squirrels learned they could access the food by climbing onto the bird perches instead of clinging to the feeder itself.

It appears that Squirrel Boss is no longer available on Amazon, which, coupled with its defunct social media accounts, indicates that the company might be hibernating for good.