I told my wife, an avid gardner, that I would write this blog. She has a chip on her shoulder about people feeding squirrels. We have a conflict of sorts. She likes to garden and has a green thumb. I like to feed the squirrels. This fellow below I consider to be one of my dependents -- although in all honesty I am still arguing with the IRS about the legality of that deduction, his having four legs and a bushy tail and all.
The big problem the wife has is gardening competition from squirrels. It is not that they eat her stuff. What they do is plant, plant, plant. We have struck a compromise. Over the years, experiments have found that if you give the squirrels either sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, or a mix of the two, they sit right there and chow down. All they leave is chaff. On the other hand, if you give them peanuts in the shell -- most commonly sold as squirrel food -- they will 100% of the time take them out and bury them. I guess in their tiny little squirrel minds, a peanut in a shell is a better thing to store underground and save for a rainy day. Bottom line: If you feed the squirrels, skip the peanuts in shells. Give them some squirrel fast food that they do not feel obligated to stash in the pantry. Follow this advice and you will have fewer volunteer peanut trees littering your pots, lawn, west garden, east garden, south garden, north garden, patio, gutters, etc. Another one of my federal tax deductions. Steven L. Smith Bellingham WA Home Inspections
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Steve, if you took all the hair off its tail would you still feed it? Would the bushy-tail rats still be "cute?"
Charlie,
I don't buy the rats with tails. I have had long conversations with some of these squirrels and they find that whole theory offensive.
Steve,
When I was a boy we use to put our food scraps out for the Raccoons, Possums and squirrels. It was alot of fun as a kid to watch their behavior and quite frequently see the babies.
Sean Allen
Sean,
We see the baby raccoons. We also have the possums and squirrels in the back yard. Add to that skunks and you got quite a mix. We used to see baby skunks, very cute but smelly.
Now I understand the remark about your talking to squirrels. I was told the other day by a guy who feeds them that if you give them a whole pecan they bury it. If you give them a cracked one, they eat it right then. Pretty smart critters.
Barbara, Steve eats them shells and all
Charlie,
PLEASE take your medication, a whole pill at a time. We need to double the dose.
Charles B and Barbara,
How dare you imply that I have a screw loose for being a squirrel whisperer. My wife has me whisper things like: run in front of that car; fall off the power line; gee, jump in the green garbage compactor truck. To get my point across, that this is a proud tradition and has been since your childhood, I will direct you to a film clip from your favorite TV show and your favorite singing group of all time.
Steve, I went to that singing group and enjoyed seeing the sisters again. I never heard them sing anything because I was too busy trying to figure out which was the sweetest, cutest one of them all. I assume that since you are pushing this video that you are one of the dancing animals and my guess is it is the one on the left. Charles and I called it well when we said you talk to the squirrels, didn't we?
P. S. I went to your web site and took that test on doing my own home inspection. Not only did I flunk it but you insulted me with every wrong answer. I'm thinking of consulting my attorney because my self-esteem has been badly damaged.
Barbara,
I did not insult you. I made fun of you. That is different.