Talk:Squirrel

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[edit] As pets

I just heard that squirrels were popular pets in the late 18th century, at least in England and America. Pet squirrels appear in portraits from the period. I don't know if they were popular as pets at other times as well. It'd be great if someone who knows more added a mention of this phenomenon. 67.189.219.32 01:58, 24 January 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Pictures

These are some squirrel pictures (some not used in the article, but I don't know if there should be a squirrel gallery :)

[edit] Fox Squirrel

Here is another one (in fact, a fox squirrel):

I took this photo myself, so I will not just put it here on the main article. If, however, you also find that the anatomy of the animal is displayed rather nicely on the picture (mind the claws!), then feel free to use it instead of the current picture. I also like the current main picture, but the features of the squirrel are not so clear. --Markus Krötzsch 00:42, 14 Jul 2004 (UTC)

Of course, even more pictures are available at Eastern Gray Squirrel. --Markus Krötzsch 00:48, 14 Jul 2004 (UTC)

That is a fine photo! I have a squirrel's nest in my backyard, and I've snapped a few pictures, but none with quite that clarity. -- Funnyhat 06:38, 23 Mar 2005 (UTC)

This new photo is far better. Put it up, I say. Lib3rtine 21:24, 12 August 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Eastern Gray Squirrel

in Oak Park, Illinois

an eastern gray squirrel (Sciurus carolinensis) in Oak Park, Illinois
Photograph taken 25 May 2004 Oak Park, Illinois
Photograph and upload by John Delano, of Hammond, Indiana

Use them if you want.
--Kalmia 10:28, 13 October 2006 (UTC)

[edit] one syllable

The claim that squirrelled is one syllable in American english slanderously promotes the position that all Americans sound like cowboys, decidedly non-NPOV. Oh, and squirrels are cute.

Um, I say it as one syllable and I'm no cowboy. I think to say it as two syllables sounds more like a cowboy or a southern accent. I mean, I'm from Southern California and everyone I know says it as one syllable. Don't be so ignorant.

[edit] rabies?

I've been told by multiple sources that squirrels can't carry rabies. I have been unable to get anyone to explain why, although I speculate that either they don't catch it, or it kills them before it becomes contagious. I found a quote on the CDC website (which I will link into the article eventually) which indicates they are low risk, but again, does not explain why. --ssd 03:26, 27 Apr 2004 (UTC)

They can carry rabies, they just don't represent a frequent source for transmission of the disease to humans. From a CDC page: "Rabies is seldom reported in smaller rodents, presumably because of the high degree of mortality and severe trauma that usually result from an attack by a rabid carnivore; however, Wyoming reported a case of rabies in a ground squirrel (Spermophilus sp) in 2000." [1]. Another interesting article, though it doesn't directly address the question: Woman bitten by rabid squirrel - Nunh-huh 03:36, 27 Apr 2004 (UTC)

Well, it's certainly something we don't have to worry about in Ireland, or Britain for that matter. Nice that. Tetanus is the only thing to worry about if you get bitten by some creature.

Zoney 07:52, 27 Apr 2004 (UTC)

What's that about them carrying plague? Honestly Squirrels in general carry no more desese than any other wild animal... the artical makes it seem, that they are swarming with desese... as Zoney said, we don't get that sort of thing here in Britain.

Zikar

I've discussed the rabies issue with a number of rehabbers, who seem to agree that the only way a squirrel could live long enough from the wounds involved in contracting rabies for the disease to fully gestate is if the animal in question is bitten by a bat. Which is pretty unlikely in its own right, considering squirrels are diurnal and bats are nocturnal. In any case, if they article hadn't confirmed that the animal had rabies I'd be crying foul. A squirrel will bite anyone that touches it if its wounded. As for other diseases, I agree. Squirrels are hardly the disease carriers this article seems to portray them as. Still, if bitten by a squirrel, a tetanus shot is a damn good idea. It's in these guys nature to dig in the dirt all day long.--Arkcana 03:42, 16 November 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Squirrel Rat

Is it possible for a squirrel and rat to reproduce?

exceedingly unlikely. They are very different taxonomically (and therefore, unless we have the taxonomy wrong, genetically). Almost all hybrids occur within a single genus; squirrels and rats aren't even in the same family, the next level of classification up. So while it's always rash to say something could never happen, if it did happen, it would require us to rewrite an awful lot of biology that looks very well established. seglea 20:17, 9 Jun 2004 (UTC)

[edit] Behaviors

Since squirrels are quite common creatures it might be nice to have a section on behavioral patterns so it would be easy to identify certain actions. Here is a page that has some info, maybe permission could be obtained for use. jvstein 20:59, 13 Mar 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Mating

It would be cool to get some info on the mating rituals of squirrels. I've tried to find the information from online sources, but as everyone thinks they are right, there is a lot of conflicting information. jvstein 20:59, 13 Mar 2005 (UTC)

Well, I've spent a lot of time observing fox squirrels mating in our back yard. They seem to pair bond for a while during mating; I've seen a male and female foraging for food together. One couple would visit our feeder box and sit in it together. I've also seen squirrel couples licking and grooming each other, before and after sex. On one occasion the male's attentions were rejected, but the couple groomed each other for a while, then lay together in the sun on top of a tree branch. Metamatic 22:22, 8 May 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Human consumption

I was watching something on TV and it presented squirrel for regular dining. It's actually being served in a few restauraunts in London actually. --Madchester 22:27, 18 November 2005 (UTC)

Squirrel is a cooking ingredient in cajun recipes, common in Louisiana. In fact, the US supermarket brand Zatarain has a recipe for squirrel sauce on their web site. I live in Austin, TX, and a local cajun restaurant does "squirrel melts". Metamatic 15:32, 10 September 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Feeding squirrels

- If you have a squirrel looking for food in your backyard, you can only feed the squirrel(s) if you can feed the squirrel(s) as long as you are living. This is because the squirrel(s) will become dependant on you, and they will not look for their own food. They will just come to you. If you are feeding a squirrel, I suggest white bread with a very, very thin layer of peanut butter. The squirrels like that. However, do not feed the squirrel by hand. Make sure that the squirrel sees the piece of bread, and throw it out. Feeding squirrels by hand is not recommended.

Deleted from article page. Palmiro | Talk 21:45, 24 November 2005 (UTC)

Too add to that I changed the "Feeding squirrels is not recommended" to "Hand feeding squirrels is not recommended". I did this because there is no physical danger of tossing a squirrel a peanut then standing back to watch it nibble away. It's also because I personally like feeding squirrels and am amused by their nibbling. Evan-Los Angeles-CA, USA

Well no physical danger to you... Studies are showing that peanuts contain a trypsin inhibitor that if they get too much of will cause MBD. It's a fairly frequent problem in the rehabber world. Well meaning people find an "abandoned" baby squirrel and feed it cows milk and peanuts... Either the squirrel dies from malnutrition or it gets to the rehabber in a sad state and months are spent trying to save the animal. If you like watching them nibble on those, try throwing them walnuts. Especially ones in the shell, throw them on a hard surface like a sidwalk so that it makes a lot of noise. They go crazy over that. I got one that will see me two blocks away and come running because they know what I'm carrying on me.--Arkcana 03:50, 16 November 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Fear the terrible blood-squirrels!

In Soviet Russia squirrels eat dog: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/4489792.stm

I read that this morning. Easily one of the best news stories of the year, even though it doesn't seem to have been reported anywhere else so I'm yet unsure on its truth. Still, it is the BBC. Glad to see it's been placed in the article, though I doubt it'll stay long with just the one (possible) case. Jellypuzzle 22:02, 5 December 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Do squirrels hibernate?

Seriously, do they or do they just squirrel away food?

They don't hibernate. (10 January 2006)

Ground squirrels do hibernate, but not tree squirrels. 61.230.78.158 10:15, 28 June 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Hibernation? I don't know....

Somebody told me that squirrels hibernate, but I really don't think they do. I have heard other people say they hibernate and some say they don't. So if you would, tell me the truth about this!

Ground squirrels hibernate, tree squirrels don't. Ground squirrels include chipmunks while tree squirrels include grey squirrels and variants. (January 16, 2006)

[edit] Smell not Memory

Recent studies have shown that squirrels use sense of smell not memory to find food that they have earlier buried. Researchers showed that squirrels found nuts that humans had buried just as often as the nuts that the squirrels had buried themselves. This should be reflected and changed in your main article. http://www.hww.ca/hww2.asp?id=89

In Bellingham's Western Washington University there is also a colony of black squirels, can these be western greys?

As far as I know, there are no melenistic versions of the Western gray, just the eastern gray. That, and Westerns are so rare in Washington you're not likely to see them in an urban area. Those are the domains of the easterns.--Arkcana 03:55, 16 November 2006 (UTC)

Dennis Owca of Apple Valley Minnesota has a concise and factual website to add from: http://www.squirrels.org/t_faq.html

[edit] cleanup: diet & feeding behaviour?

This section is rather large and seems poorly organized. I added some material to it, (notably about what squirrels can digest, and some more details about food sources) but then I noticed a lot of stuff in this paragraph that maybe deserves a category of its own? Anyone have any ideas of how we could break this up? There is a lot of good stuff in this section and I feel it's too much information for one section, but I'm not exactly sure how to proceed. One thought I had would be a "squirrels as a pest" heading. Also, we could separate something about squirrels intelligence, ability to be trained, adapt, etc. into another paragraph? Cazort 17:58, 30 April 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Sleeping

Where do squirrels sleep? How come pictures never show a squirrel in any sort of "nest" or "burrow", or a sleeping squirrel anywhere else? Do male squirrels sleep in the same places as female squirrels? I’ve lived around squirrels my entire life, but nobody ever seems to mention where squirrels go at night.

For example, birds sleep in trees. I can look up into the tree and see bird nests, but I have never seen a squirrel nest.

Good question. Squirrels sleep in their burrows (for ground squirrels, chipmunks, prairie dogs, and marmots) and nests (for tree squirrels and flying squirrels).

Burrows are typically hollowed out or natural holes in sheltered ground areas. Ground squirrels and especially prairie dogs tend to be more social than other types of squirrels and more than one adult may share burrows (along with offspring). Prairie dogs actually live in complicated underground "towns" with multiple tunnels and exits.

Tree squirrels will use pre-existing knots in large trees as nests, but it is more typical for tree squirrels to build their own nests by knitting together branches. If you watch tree squirrels closely, at certain times of the year they rush around collecting branches and then hauling them up high. Tree squirrels prefer nests that are quite high. If you wander around an area with multiple squirrels, look very high up in large trees and you'll eventually spot one of their nests. The nests are larger than typical bird's nests, and they are enclosed, unlike bird's nests. I used to know whether they built their nests with one or two exits, but I can't remember exactly now. Shortly after birthing season (around now in many areas of the country), you can sometimes spot young squirrels peeking out of squirrel nests in tree knots, with the mother squirrel returning every so often. It's cute. For some videos of mother and baby squirrels inside their nests, this site is probably the best on the web: http://www.squirrelhouse.com/ --Chris Thompson 07:14, 4 May 2006 (UTC)

Around people they often live in the attic. They can easily climb a power pole and readily walk a power line to a house roof. With their sharp teeth they can enlarge a small hole until they can get into the attic. I have had several eperiences trying to eradicate them.

I'm pretty sure that a squirrel 'nest' is called a drey. Has anyone else heard of the term? I came across it in a book on red squirrels, but that was a while ago and I don't have the reference anymore... 84.176.114.107 21:01, 1 January 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Where do squirrels get water?

I have been researching many sites and can't seem to find any information on how squirrels stay hydrated. Obviously rain water comes to mind but what if theres been no rain or any other obvious source? Do they ever die of dehydration? Is this a stupid question? Should I be putting water out along with the seeds and nuts I feed them? Any info or opinion would be appreciated.65.30.180.210 14:29, 17 June 2006 (UTC)[User:Britt La Galbo]17 June 2006

I don't know about squirrels in general but I've seen them drinking out of the pond in my backyard daily. They seem to be attracted to running water. It probably rains enough in their range that they're alright, but if you're feeding them anyway, putting out water can't hurt. -HKMarks 04:00, 8 September 2006 (UTC)

Yes, squirrels need a source of fresh water. Here in Texas you see clusters of squirrels living near rivers and lakes; you don't see them in drier areas. Even around the UT campus, squirrel density is focused on areas with water nearby. Personally, I bought a water dispenser from a pet store and attached it to a tree in our yard. The squirrels can make the trek to the nearby creek if they have to, but in hot weather they appreciate having water near the food. Metamatic 15:37, 10 September 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Life expectancy

I came here to learn the life expectancy of a grey squirrel. Could someone please add this information to the article? —Theo (Talk) 08:29, 25 June 2006 (UTC)

  Please include also stages from birth, youth, adolecence, and maturity.  Thanks

[edit] Funambulus palmarum specific statement in article

I've removed the following statement from the mess of a trivia section in this article as it pertains to a specific species instead of squirrels in general. When the species article is created it may be applicable there. --Aranae 16:01, 7 September 2006 (UTC)

The Three-Striped Palm Squirrel (Funambulus palmarum) has three distinct stripes on its back. As per the Hindu epic, Ramayana, the squirrel acquired these stripes when Lord Rama stroked a squirrel's back with affection as it helped him build a bridge to Sri Lanka when he was in exile.

[edit] Just to note there is this controversy.

I am not taking sides either way. But it should be addressed here on the talk page, what are the reasons for thinking squirrels have poor memories, and which studies (if any) indicate they do remember specific hoards. -- Cimon Avaro; on a pogostick. 11:04, 25 September 2006 (UTC)

I think the only validity to this argument has nothing to do with the quality of their memory but how they deal with nut catches. I can argue till I'm blue in the face about the inteligence of these animals. I have one here that was raised in the wild and is starting to respond to her name. As for how they find the nuts they bury, I've heard this "they have scent glands in their feet that they use to mark where they bury their nuts," and "they have great spatial memory." I've heard studies done that found that squirrels aren't indescriminate, they will dug up nuts that were burried by humans just as they would their own or other squirrels. I've actually witnessed a squirrel watch another squirrel bury a nut, and when that squirrel left to find another, the first squirrel went up, dug up the nut and ate it. Funny as hell to watch, but I don't know that it proves anything. I think the only thing that can be said is that if there is food, they'll eat it. (or bury it)--Arkcana 07:54, 7 December 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Pets?

Can squirrels be kept as pets or bought in pet shops?—The preceding unsigned comment was added by [[User:{{{1}}}|{{{1}}}]] ([[User talk:{{{1}}}|talk]] • [[Special:Contributions/{{{1}}}|contribs]]).

Some people do keep them as pets, but I don't think it is legal in many areas, but I am not sure. I think they would need to be familiarized with humans early in life. There are some semi-feral squirrels that are almost like pets where they live outdoors, but interact with people and are fed by people. Look at the pictures that I posted of the gray squirrels. They are very tame. I noticed this in a park when they were coming up to me. I later saw a man hand-feeding the squirrels. --Kalmia 09:05, 13 October 2006 (UTC)

In many states in the US keeping a squirrel, or any wild animal for that matter is illegal. I have heard of squirrels being sold in shops, but there are still a lot of problems with owning one. For one, they get especially territorial and established with specific people, and if "tamed" will attack strangers who enter their territory. The best way to keep one as a pet is to raise one from early babyhood, which is not easy either. If you're looking for a running list of states where its illegal/legal to keep them as pets, check out [[2]].--Arkcana 04:04, 16 November 2006 (UTC)

malissa

I also believe (but am not entirely sure) that with the proper legal documents it is possible to own a squirrel as a pet. I know for a fact this applies to skunks and domesticated skunks have to get tjeir scent glands removed. This may or may not apply to squirrels. But it is never wise to take an animal from the wild and attempt to domesticate it. 67.72.98.46 05:51, 31 March 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Recipes

Why can't we have external links to squirrel recipes on this page? If we can have links to pages about rehabilitating delinquent squirrels and so on, then it's only fair to have links to pages about how to properly cook them. —The preceding unsigned comment was added by 203.11.72.4 (talk) 07:05, 7 December 2006 (UTC).

First of all, look up cow and explain to me why you don't see a bunch of recipes for beef. Second, this is the 21st century and most people find that sick and offensive. Third, it's illegal in 44 states. Fourth, I've seen the edit history and I think there's enough consensus to say that this topic doesn't belong at all on this page.--Arkcana 08:03, 7 December 2006 (UTC)

I find nothing wrong with eating squirrels depsite the facts it's illegal in 44 states. The only people who are going to find it offensive is PETA people, and anyone who is uneducated when it comes to survival of the fittest. That's my opinion. 67.72.98.46 06:06, 31 March 2007 (UTC)

Survival of the fittest? How do you figure that? We've got probably several dozen game species available for hunting here in the US, that as you would so affectionally put it, only PETA people would have problem with (a group with which I have no affiliation, nor sympathy to). And you've got a problem with people who think it's disgusting to eat a rodent that is thought of as a diseased pest in most states? I mean come on. How many recipes for rat do you see out there. I mean I know, my uncle catches sidewinders and rattlesnakes and eats those. Swears they taste like chicken. But tell me how that fits into a serious wikipedia article. My point is, your only intention here is to compromise the validity and quality of the article by taking it completely off topic. I mean if you want to start another article on unorthodox wild game hunting, and archive a list of recipes there, maybe theres an idea. But this is an encyclopedia, not a cook book.--Arkcana 01:41, 3 April 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Unusual squirrel colors?

Xpehbam 20:33, 11 December 2006 (UTC)Anybody notice a link between unusually colored squirrels and university campuses?

Only if you belong to a university!

No, the melanistic variety I assume you are talking about are pretty frequent on the northern east coast and Canada. I know of a couple of rehabbers in New York that have taken in pure black grays from all over. If anything I would say there is more of a link between university campuses and editing on Wikipedia.--Arkcana 06:05, 12 December 2006 (UTC)

[edit] More photos

I happened to get a lot of photos of a squirrel who wandered onto my deck this afternoon. Contact sheets are [3] [4] [[5] [[6]; all images are 3888x2592 in the original. Drop a note on my Commons talk if anybody thinks any of these would be useful. (The leaping one on the fourth sheet is not well-focused, unfortunately.) Kelly Martin (talk) 03:59, 18 December 2006 (UTC)

[edit] removed excessive links

Guten Tag! In ordinance with Wikipedia:External links, I have removed some uniformed resource locators.

Here are the URLs I removed:

Cheers

--Starionwolf 06:03, 19 December 2006 (UTC)

Good work. I removed the rest of the external links. This article doesn't need any. Please go through the text and cite references for each fact. Please try to cite the most WP:RS reliable source you can find, most likely that will NOT be a commercial wildlife control web site. I think there are plenty of academic works and news articles about squirrels. Please help us control spam, join WP:WPSPAM. Jehochman (^Talk/_Contrib) 12:50, 19 December 2006 (UTC)

I'm not sure why this article needs to be external link free. That's a rather strong stance to take. Since when did wikipedia commons and wikispecies qualify as linkspam? --Aranae 17:49, 19 December 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Page has been clearly vandalised

I'm not an editor at wikipedia, but i can tell theres no such thing as an arti farty biedendach...instead of squirrel, all the words have been substituted for that... —The preceding unsigned comment was added by 82.37.7.94 (talk) 17:35, 10 January 2007 (UTC).

Thanks! Reverted Stephenb (Talk) 17:37, 10 January 2007 (UTC)

[edit] "Clijster?"

I recently removed:

Although squirrels are not social animals and do not live in groups, the word "clijster" (pronounced "cly-ster") is in general use as the American colloquial term for a group of squirrels.

I can't find any reference to this term in any English dictionary or on the Internet, but the editor who added it (Special:Contributions/68.174.123.113) has made a couple of constructive edits, so perhaps it isn't vandalism. Has anyone ever heard of the word? -Three white leopards 18:09, 30 January 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Lead in a landfill?

What does lead in a landfill have to do with squirrel meat? Just would be helpful to have it pointed out.

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