I thought this little guy was rather cute. I realize that they can be quite a pest and most people don't encourage squirrels. I was feeding it apple peelings this morning and he was sitting on the deck waiting for more. We don't mind them too much other than the time one tried to move in the under liner of our 5th wheel. Believe me, no was a happy camper that time! More Please ( photo / image / picture from Chrisle's Garden )
Probably not a good idea to feed a squirrel, they begin to associate you with food. If you think like a squirrel and you are hungry, where is the food? Placing food in a tray or receptacle away from the house is an alternative as the squirrel will look for food in that source and not look to you for food. If you keep hand feeding and the squirrel watches where you go(in your house), then the house is the food source. Then bad things happen. :-( Jerry
I have never had a problem with squirrels. I live in a very wooded area, so there's no keeping them away. I even have a pet one named "Knothead" that we raised from a baby. He's kinda back to "wild" and won't eat out of our hands anymore... but still comes back to his "his" tree looking for treats. Because our pecan trees did not produce very well this year, I worry about him and his friends having enough to eat this winter. So I keep putting out peanuts for them. You're little guy is a cutie!
I've moved over 300 now as they eat the birds food and also the birds eggs etc. They just don't fit in with birds.
I know squirrels look cute but I don't want them in the garden. I've now put up squirrel proof feeders which helps but they still dig holes everywhere. I would much rather see our native reds that the greys we have around here.
I find this interesting about how we each perceive and deal with squirrels. I'd would much rather deal with them digging and hiding nuts here and there... than with the armadillos that dig up entire plants and flower beds. And don't get me started on the destruction caused by the wild hogs around here. So I put out bird feed. If the squirrels get in there... that's okay. And if the birds eat the squirrels peanuts. That's okay too.
Very cute picture,..i know the good feeling one gets when something wild comes to us for food or just out of curiosity,..showing they trust us,..in my garden there are a family of Hedgehogs who really only appear towards the end of the day,..they eat the cats dried food,..however i agree that to encourage some creatures,..depending on your location can be a disaster,..its six of one and a half dozen of the other.
I have two bird feeders in the front yard. I started with just cardinals but now there are all sorts of birds. Just once a squirrel climbed the post and tried to eat out of the feeder. It was awkward for him and he fell to the ground. No others have come around. He must have spread the word. A chicken from next door came over the other day and I had to chase it. It came back and Brian chased it and it hasn't been back. Doves eat whatever falls to the ground. dooley
What I imagined him saying: "Please ma'am may I trouble you for a little food? I'm so terribly sorry to impose on you like this but my kids are going hungry and I've tried to be the bestest, nicest, most honest squirrel all my life. I promise I won't be a pest to you and I'll tell all my squirrel pals also. Pwetty please?" *flutters eyelashes* Great shot Chrisle!
Thanks for the replies. Actually we have no problem with the squirrels here. One or two at the most at the same time. I live in a wooded area so in the summer they stay in the woods and we rarely see them. I give them fruit and bread crumbs in the winter. There are not many birds around in winter. There are the small ones but I can't afford to feed them. Of course the crows and blue jays are here. They are quite greedy and don't miss out on very many hand outs.
Used to be inundated with squirrels and chip monks. Now we have 5 outdoor cats that hang around the house. We see them with a chip monk every once in a while, but have never seen them with a squirrel. But they stay away anyhow!
