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Cat Forum / Health and Behavior / October 2005Squirrel Friend Shock. Lil guy is alive
Okay, I feel really stupid now after getting all friggin worked up. This morning was one of those mornings during mournings when you wake up fine, then suddenly you remember the Horrible Thing that just happened. I went downstairs to start to work, and looked out the front window. A small squirrel. I hopped up and grabbed my bag of pistachios, then went into the front yard. I crinkled the plastic, and sure enough he came hopping up to my feet, waiting for his treat. If I could have hugged him without getting squirrel teeth in my arm I would have. So this guy is okay, and we've drained and removed our recycling tub. Some little John Doe squirrel gave his life to teach us how to keep his comrades safe. I still can't believe it. The drowned squirrel seemed to be the right size, but I think I just panicked and misjudged. An Emily Litella moment. Sorry to be so dramatic. BLink > I still can't believe it. The drowned squirrel seemed to be the right > size, but I think I just panicked and misjudged. > > An Emily Litella moment. Sorry to be so dramatic. Those damned squirrels all look alike, don't they? :) > Okay, I feel really stupid now after getting all friggin worked up. > [quoted text clipped - 21 lines] > > BLink Well, that's good news about your little pal. I was thinking, why not drill some holes in the bottom of the recycling bin so it doesn't retain water? > So this guy is okay, and we've drained and removed our recycling tub. > Some little John Doe squirrel gave his life to teach us how to keep [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] > > An Emily Litella moment. Sorry to be so dramatic. I'm glad your little friend is safe but...and sorry to also be dramatic...still, one life of equal value was still lost...maybe not equal value to you but a life is a life. It's just as sad, really. Candace >So this guy is okay, and we've drained and removed our recycling tub. >Some little John Doe squirrel gave his life to teach us how to keep >his comrades safe. >I still can't believe it. The drowned squirrel seemed to be the right >size, but I think I just panicked and misjudged. Oh, that's kind of sweet, but sad for John Doe squirrel too. I'm really glad your squirrel is OK though. I know how you feel -- we used to have a baby squirrel that teased my cats mercilessly. He was so cute and I took tons of pics of him. After a terrible storm with straight line winds, we saw the baby squirrel didn't survive and was thrown out of his tree. Stacia > Okay, I feel really stupid now after getting all friggin worked up. > [quoted text clipped - 19 lines] > > BLink Hey, Brian. Glad your little guy is OK, but make sure he remembers to "squirrel away" some of the nuts you're giving him, and not get to complacent about the hand outs. When I was in graduate school at the University of Texas, we'd literally see squirrels pounding on the glass doors to the research library with their little squirrel fists during spring break. It seems they were hungry with the students mostly gone, and their only way to get food was to beg it off people. Your friend has a long cold winter ahead and he needs some stuff saved up in his hide away. On the other hand, maybe he could move in :-) My last winter in Minnesota, I had a chipmunk living in my house. My cat Thackeray brought him in and then lost interest. The chipmunk liked it inside and wouldn't leave even when he had a chance. So we just all coexited. >> Okay, I feel really stupid now after getting all friggin worked up. >> [quoted text clipped - 34 lines] >brought him in and then lost interest. The chipmunk liked it inside and >wouldn't leave even when he had a chance. So we just all coexited. Hm.. Becky the harpist? BLink big snip >> On the other hand, maybe he could move in :-) My last winter in >> Minnesota, I had a chipmunk living in my house. My cat Thackeray [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] > > BLink Yep, it's me >big snip > [quoted text clipped - 8 lines] > >Yep, it's me What a small world - I think I even remember that chipmunk story. Hope all is going well. Send some triple-harpists up north, we're out of em. BLink >Okay, I feel really stupid now after getting all friggin worked up. > [quoted text clipped - 21 lines] > >BLink Trap and cage it. Check with the zoo, but I don't think gray squirrels resist captivity one bit if they are well fed and cared for. They just need an exercise wheel like most rodents. I got bit by a tame chipmunk as a kid and the animal had to be quarantined for a month. It adapted easily and didn't seem to want to be released when the time came. I think a squirrel would be just the right mascot for your household. Charlie > Trap and cage it. Check with the zoo, but I don't think gray > squirrels resist captivity one bit if they are well fed and cared for. The zoo people are going to tell you wild animals belong in the wild.  SignatureWeb site: http://www.slywy.com/ Message board: http://www.slywy.com/phpBB2/ Journal: http://slywy.diaryland.com/ > > Trap and cage it. Check with the zoo, but I don't think gray > > squirrels resist captivity one bit if they are well fed and cared for. > > The zoo people are going to tell you wild animals belong in the wild. But .. would the zoo people at least feel hypocritical if indeed they did? >> > Trap and cage it. Check with the zoo, but I don't think gray >> > squirrels resist captivity one bit if they are well fed and cared for. [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] >But .. would the zoo people at least feel hypocritical if indeed >they did? You can't argue with a bumper-sticker mentality. Charlie > You can't argue with a bumper-sticker mentality. Or someone who has experience, apparently. SignatureWeb site: http://www.slywy.com/ Message board: http://www.slywy.com/phpBB2/ Journal: http://slywy.diaryland.com/ > > > Trap and cage it. Check with the zoo, but I don't think gray > > > squirrels resist captivity one bit if they are well fed and cared for. [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > But .. would the zoo people at least feel hypocritical if indeed > they did? No, the zoo people generally don't take animals out of the wild (and haven't for years) unless there is an urgent conservation need and it's approved by a governing body. They also have expertise in the nutrition, management, husbandry, and enrichment of animals. Most people who take in perfectly happy wild (and common animals) end up wondering why their "pet" became aggressive or died. There's quite a bit of difference. SignatureWeb site: http://www.slywy.com/ Message board: http://www.slywy.com/phpBB2/ Journal: http://slywy.diaryland.com/ >> > > Trap and cage it. Check with the zoo, but I don't think gray >> > > squirrels resist captivity one bit if they are well fed and cared for. [quoted text clipped - 10 lines] >in perfectly happy wild (and common animals) end up wondering why their >"pet" became aggressive or died. There's quite a bit of difference. Well, Diane, that is why I suggested that Brian contact the zoo and talk to an expert. Are you an expert? I don't think so. There's a difference between a know-it-all and a real expert, and it's not that hard to spot. I'm not an expert either, but I had a reason for making the suggestion I did. I have had a lot of interaction with biologists who rehabilitate wild animals at Wolf Hollow Wildlife Rehabilitation Center in Friday Harbor WA. Baby seals get swept up in the current and separated from their mothers at a tender age, and it is unpleasant to watch them slowly dehydrate and starve so I take them in. These people stress the importance of not taming any wild animals. An animal trained to accept food from human hands is thereby rendered less likely to survive in the wild. Squirrels tend to be unwelcome at bird-feeders, and plenty of folks have a pellet gun to deal with them. Brian cares about this squirrel, but he has trained it to be suicidal in its quest for human handouts. That is why I suggested he capture it. Gray squirrels are charming and friendly as pets but highly destructive if given a chance. This I have seen first-hand. However, it may be unlawful in the state of Minnesota to capture any wild animal for the purpose of making a pet out of it. Charlie > Well, Diane, that is why I suggested that Brian contact the zoo and > talk to an expert. Are you an expert? I don't think so. There's a > difference between a know-it-all and a real expert, and it's not that > hard to spot. Well, Charlie, I worked with experts for several years, and we had this discussion many times. And I told the OP exactly what the experts told me. I get the feeling you just like to argue for the sake of it. Your loss. SignatureWeb site: http://www.slywy.com/ Message board: http://www.slywy.com/phpBB2/ Journal: http://slywy.diaryland.com/ >> Well, Diane, that is why I suggested that Brian contact the zoo and >> talk to an expert. Are you an expert? I don't think so. There's a [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] >discussion many times. And I told the OP exactly what the experts told >me. Bah. Who are these experts? Do a little research on the web. Squirrels in captivity can live 20 years, but they are lucky to make it four or five in the wild. They are up against mites, bott flies, infected wounds, guns, dogs, cats, cars, poisons, electricity... a slew of lethal forces, many of which involve a lingering and painful death. Another thing that escapes your attention (apparently) is the fact that squirrels are vermin, an undesirable species. They clog up rain gutters and chimneys. They get into outbuildings and make a mess. They keep birds away from bird-feeders. People kill them indiscriminately for these reasons, usually with air guns. Here are a couple of links to educate your naive and sheltered mind: http://home.comcast.net/~pelletgunn/sqr.htm http://www.antisquirrel.com/ >I get the feeling you just like to argue for the sake of it. Your loss. You took issue with my suggestion, but you gave no reason. That invites a skeptical response. You also ignored the reasons why I think it might be a good idea to make a pet out of this particular animal. I call that "snip and snarl." It is the recourse of shallow-minded people who don't know what they are talking about. Charlie > You also ignored the reasons why I think it might be a good idea to > make a pet out of this particular animal. No, I didn't. I don't like to argue for the sake of arguing as you apparently do. But those reasons weren't particularly good reasons. Animals can be taught aversion -- I've seen wildlife experts do it when it needs to be done. Besides, squirrels in urban/suburban areas are all used to humans to varying degrees. I've had them crawl in my lap, on my shoulder, on my knee. But I didn't turn them into "pets," nor did anyone else. You also selectively ignore the dozens of reasons not to turn wild animals into pets, but they don't fit your argument. Whatever, Charlie. You keep telling people to take in "pets" that don't need to be taken in to your heart's content. SignatureWeb site: http://www.slywy.com/ Message board: http://www.slywy.com/phpBB2/ Journal: http://slywy.diaryland.com/ >> You also ignored the reasons why I think it might be a good idea to >> make a pet out of this particular animal. [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] >Animals can be taught aversion -- I've seen wildlife experts do it when >it needs to be done. Besides, squirrels in urban/suburban areas are all Yeah, it's easy. Scare your little friend away after he's gotten used to visiting and getting food. That may be good stewardship, but it's pretty darn cold. Have you ever had an orgasm, Diane? Probably not. I'll bet that is why you have this attitude of wanting to inflict suffering on the world in the name of some higher morality. It is a tendency I have observed in quite a few nuns, especially old ones. >used to humans to varying degrees. I've had them crawl in my lap, on my >shoulder, on my knee. But I didn't turn them into "pets," nor did anyone >else. No one else? Who put up all these web pages about pet squirrels? Why does some guy sell supplies especially for pet squirrels? Was I hallucinating pet squirrels as a kid when I played with them at a friend's house??? I don't think so, Diane. You are entirely ignorant about this subject, and it's inexcusable when good information is just a few clicks away. >You also selectively ignore the dozens of reasons not to turn wild >animals into pets, but they don't fit your argument. List the first three dozen. >Whatever, Charlie. You keep telling people to take in "pets" that don't >need to be taken in to your heart's content. I will do so. This discussion has convinced me it's not even necessary to call the zoo. Who really cares? It's a goddamn gray squirrel. For a few bucks you can get a hunting license in Minnesota that allows you to bag seven a day, every day. So cry me a river about tampering with nature or whatever your thinking is on this subject. You have proven you are ignorant and want to stay that way. Brian, trap that squirrel and make a pet out of him. You'll be doing him and the world a favor. Charlie > You are entirely ignorant about this > subject Oh, not entirely. But rant away all you like. No one's listening. :) SignatureWeb site: http://www.slywy.com/ Message board: http://www.slywy.com/phpBB2/ Journal: http://slywy.diaryland.com/ |
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