Fat little bugger!

Discussion in 'Wildlife in the Garden' started by Capt Kirk, Dec 10, 2006.

  1. Capt Kirk

    Capt Kirk Thank a Veteran today!

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    I had a squirel under the bird feeder eating his way to gluttoney! I use a mix of sunflower seeds and cracked corn mixed 50/50. I mix it myself. The sunflower seeds are for the birds that like them and the corn are for the birds that are to big to get the seeds. The nuthatches, Titmice and other birds scratch out what they don't want, which is the corn. The bigger birds like doves, cardinals and bluejays then come in on the ground to get the corn and the occaisional seed that lands down there too. The squirrels come in and get the corn also. But this one hasn't been pushing himself away from the table. He was so fat that when he ran off he wasn't running, he was waddeling! I bet there was no way he could climb a tree!
     
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  3. dooley

    dooley Super Garden Turtle

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    We have a squirrel that steals seed from Frank's(not our gnome) feeder. It doesn't climb trees. Our house is build on piers like a mobile home and that pesky squirrel keeps digging holes and gets under the house. As fast as I discover the hole and fill it he digs another one or digs out the same one if I don't fill it with rocks. As many peanuts as he buries in our yard, I'm surprised we don't grow peanut plants. Dooley
     
  4. eileen

    eileen Resident Taxonomist Staff Member Moderator Plants Contributor

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    Your squirrel better watch out CK. If he keeps stuffing himself so that he can't run he may find himself on someone elses menu. :rolleyes:
     
  5. Jitterbug

    Jitterbug New Seed

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    We have about 8 squirrls that visit daily . They are the big fox squirrls, and they are plenty chubby too. Besides the spilled birdseed, they eat the nuts from our 8 walnut trees. Fat as they are, they can still outrun our Sheltie who keeps them on their toes. The only time they don't show up is if the snow is too deep. I used to think that they were hibernating creatures. Not ours.
     



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  6. cajunbelle

    cajunbelle Daylily Diva

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    We have several also, but I never see them on the ground. Maybe bc of all the cats. They do like to pick at the cats and Nibbler.
     
  7. glendann

    glendann Official Garden Angel

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    I think squirrels are so much fun to watch.They play all sorts of squirrel games that remind you of a bunch of young children.I do like to watch them.
     
  8. Frank

    Frank GardenStew Founder Staff Member Administrator

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    It would be great if you could get a photo of 'Fat Squirrel' Capt. Sounds like it would be a riot :)
     
  9. Capt Kirk

    Capt Kirk Thank a Veteran today!

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    I will see if I can get a pic of him today. But this talk of squirrels reminds me of a squirrel video that was out a couple of years ago. Somebody had gotten tired of the squirrels raiding the bird feeder. So they got a squirrel proof feeder. It was round and was battery operated. Whe the change in weight from a squirrel set it off, it would spin to through the squirrel off of it. The video showed this one squirrel hanging on for dear life as the feeder spun rapidly. His hind feet were stretched out straight behind him. He hung on for a5 or 20 revolutions and then lost his grip and was flung across the yard. When he stood up to run away, he was so dizzy he could hardly walk. The video was hilarious to watch and luckily, no damage to the little guy!
     
  10. Frank

    Frank GardenStew Founder Staff Member Administrator

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    Was it this Capt? :D

    [youtube]l7TEjD6Lhd8[/youtube]
     
  11. eileen

    eileen Resident Taxonomist Staff Member Moderator Plants Contributor

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    I'd love to have seen that video!! Squirrels around here do a lot of damage. I've just had to go and buy two new bird feeders because the little devils had the last ones chewed to ribbons. :( They may look cute but I'd rather they stayed out of my garden.
     
  12. Capt Kirk

    Capt Kirk Thank a Veteran today!

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    Yep, that's the one! Except when I saw it, it ran longer and shoed him trying to stand up. His head kept going around and around. Eileen, I was able to find one that is all metal with glass sides on the hoppers, so there is nothing for them to chew but the seeds.
     
  13. Capt Kirk

    Capt Kirk Thank a Veteran today!

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    Here he is! But his stomach has gone down since yesterday! Must have taken him all day to digest all of it!
     
  14. dooley

    dooley Super Garden Turtle

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    Wow, that is a big one. Our squirrel is gray. Your's is such a pretty color. Dooley
     
  15. Capt Kirk

    Capt Kirk Thank a Veteran today!

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    That is a Fox Squirrel, because of his reddish brown coloring. They get fairly big, a large one weighing between 2 and 3 lbs. They are also good eating too! I used to hunt them when I could get around better.
     
  16. Frank

    Frank GardenStew Founder Staff Member Administrator

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    Yep you weren't lying Capt that's one "Fat Squirrel" :eek: I wonder how long he could hang onto the spinning squirrel feeder? I give him 3 seconds max.
     

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