I'm putting this in the companion animal forum, but the squirrels are not really my companions, they are just friendly neigbors. I love squirrels.

They walk around in my yard, my trees, climb off the roof, down my window frame, onto the window ledge, then onto the ground. If i am washing dishes in the kitchen and one drops by, near the kitchen window, I open the window and yell hello. Then I run outside and to talk to it, and start talking to it, gesturing broadly. "Hello Squirrel!" I say. I wave my arms about. I yell "hello squirrel, how are you? How are you today. What squirrily things have you been doing today, you squirrilizer. Hey, squirril, I want to talk to you, you squirrilistic squrirrelizer."

I think this is normal behavior, but I am worried tho that the neigbors won't, and that they will call the police and the police will bring me to the mental ward for observation. Should i stop talking loudly and gesturing wildly, to the squirrels? i wouldn't dream of keeping a dog or a cat or a rabbit as a "pet" -- I like to talk to animals who have the freedom to ignore me. That way, I know that if they talk back, it is because they want to, not because they have to.

Yes, sometimes the squirrels stop and look at me. This is way more rewarding to me than having a domestic animal notice me.

i talk to koalas
they ignore me mosly
its nice when one doesn't
they don't move anywhere near as fast as squirrels tho
i don't know if u or your neighbours r normal
i'm probably not
i must agree that its nice to have a 'conversation'with a wild animal
makes yer day

Squirrels are awesome. So cute! I always say hi when I see one. I say "Hi squirrely!" They're all named squirrely to me. I think talking to them is ok. I don't know about talking so loud or the gesturing though. You might scare them! :)

I have always loved squirrels - and they do seem to take notice when you try to engage them in conversation. Sometimes I stop and talk to them when I'm on my morning walk. When they know they are at a safe distance, they almost seem to respond with their eyes.

Several years ago, the remnants of a hurricaine came through this area right when the squirrels were nesting. A lot of nests were blown from the trees. I found three babies hiding under a bush in the yard. I watched them from a good distance for a couple of hours and when no mother appeared, I took them in. They went to a wildlife rehabilitaor the next day. They were so cute! They had their eyes open, but the tails weren't bushy yet, so they looked a little funny. I gave them water from an eyedropper. They had absolutely no fear, and seemed so relieved to be rescued. It was nice having them for just one day - but I never called to see how they fared - I didn't want to know if they hadn't survived.

i also love squirrels - i don't think talking to squirrels is that strange...there was one who used to visit the bin outside the restaurant i worked at, he was quite tame but would watch me with one beady eye incase i got too close.it probably wasn't even the same squirrel but i named 'the bin visitor' Oscar.i miss him :(

I'm putting this in the companion animal forum, but the squirrels are not really my companions, they are just friendly neigbors. I love squirrels.

They walk around in my yard, my trees, climb off the roof, down my window frame, onto the window ledge, then onto the ground. If i am washing dishes in the kitchen and one drops by, near the kitchen window, I open the window and yell hello. Then I run outside and to talk to it, and start talking to it, gesturing broadly. "Hello Squirrel!" I say. I wave my arms about. I yell "hello squirrel, how are you? How are you today. What squirrily things have you been doing today, you squirrilizer. Hey, squirril, I want to talk to you, you squirrilistic squrirrelizer."

I think this is normal behavior, but I am worried tho that the neigbors won't, and that they will call the police and the police will bring me to the mental ward for observation. Should i stop talking loudly and gesturing wildly, to the squirrels? i wouldn't dream of keeping a dog or a cat or a rabbit as a "pet" -- I like to talk to animals who have the freedom to ignore me. That way, I know that if they talk back, it is because they want to, not because they have to.

Yes, sometimes the squirrels stop and look at me. This is way more rewarding to me than having a domestic animal notice me.
I love this post. Haha, now I don't feel so silly for talking to them myself. I always say "hi squirrelly" and sometimes when I'm at the park with my dog, I'll sit under a tree and some squirrel will be squeaking above me and I'll squeak back just to be social. My favorite time of day is in between my 2 classes on T-T's. I'll sit and feed the campus birds & squirrels. The campus squirrels are down right brazen. If you even walk past one while digging in your bag they automatically think you have food and will come right up to you and stand in begging stance. It's cute, but bothers me because most people feed them complete junk food, not realizing that this is awful for them. I feed them actual bird & squirrel food that I bought specifically for them. They flock around me. I look like freakin Snow White with critters all around. People pass me by and giggle at the squirrels sitting right beside me munching on a peanut. So, yeah, I enjoys me some squirrel time too.:)

Satya If you even walk past one while digging in your bag they automatically think you have food and will come right up to you and stand in begging stance. It's cute, but bothers me because most people feed them complete junk food, not realizing that this is awful for them.

I do not think that the begging stance that I saw this obese squirrel display, when I visited Manhattan, about a year ago, was cute, at all. I didn't even know squirrels did that, until then. I found the situation to be repellant; I found it no more cute than when humans do it. I think it is sad. I never feed them.

If I were to feed them, how would I know whether they are being friendly because it is the food they want, or because they like me and care about me? Your true friends will stay beside you, even if you run out of food.

In the 57 years I have lived on Long Island, east of the New York City line, I have never seen a squirrel beg for food. I have a number of oak trees near me, and the squirrels seem to have more acorns than they know what to do with. But Manhatten's parks seem to have more than adequate food, growing naturally in the parks, for squirrels too, and I don't think that they need people to feed them. Where i live, they (1) do not seem to have an excessive population and (2) they all look lean, athletic, and healthy, and also have a healthier attitude toward people. I never knew fat begging squirrels existed, until I visited Union Square Park.

I'm fond of squirrels too, but talking loudly or making large motions with your arms or hands would scare them, I think (as Oriecat posted).

I wish I knew more about what the sounds and motions they make mean- I'd like to understand their "language".

About feeding them: in the spring, they seem to really go for the seeds from the silver maple tree right next to my property, and in the fall, the walnuts from the black walnut tree by my front gate. I haven't really been feeding them, although I would if it seemed they needed it. But feeding can also cause problems. Someone on another board once posted how some people where he worked were feeding squirrels, but some of the squirrels had mange, and he thought that feeding them would cause them to concentrate in a rather small area and the mange might spread from squirrel to squirrel more quickly. And disease can be a problem when feeding any wildlife (if it isn't done properly).

Soilman-
I never said they were fat. I'm actually surprised that they aren't. They're pretty lean for how much junk I assume they eat. They look like the squirrels at the park. And yeah, I have wondered if my feeding them is the right thing to do before. I figure that if they are going to be fed, it should be food that is as close to thier natural diet as possible. I've stopped a few people from feeding them Snickers and chips, but I also see them dig in the trash and pull out french fries. Campus squirrels are different than wild ones. Unfortunately they have been some what domesticated from so much human contact. They will actually grab food from your hand. I can see how feeding them can be problematic though; having so much food they populate more while becoming dependent on handouts and if the handouts were to suddenly cease, they would starve. ALthough there doesn't seem to be an over-population problem that I can see. MAybe I should try to get the school to enact a 'don't feed the animals' policy. :think: There is so much I want to change on that campus. They have little to no veggie options in their cafeterias. That's something I've been meaning to do something about. Not to mention the fact that they use nothing but styrofoam. :furious: Drives me nuts.

Satya Soilman-
I never said they were fat.

I know.

Maybe I should try to get the school to enact a 'don't feed the animals' policy.

This is a general societal problem, and not a problem specific to your campus. Working to change the situation on your campus, would only change the situation on your campus. I think a better use of time would be spend it on educating people, all over, regarding different types of relationships humans can have with animals, and regarding opinions of whether, or how much, or what, to feed them.

By the way, I am not saying never offer a single tidbit to an animal. A gift of food now and then, might even be a good thing. But a "welfare state" for animals -- that is what I see happening, too often.

There is so much I want to change on that campus. They have little to no veggie options in their cafeterias. That's something I've been meaning to do something about. Not to mention the fact that they use nothing but styrofoam. :furious: Drives me nuts. Yea, those are things that sounds like they could easily be worth working on, to change.

At my house we buy huuuge bags of peanuts and feed them all to the squirels. Somtimes we get more than 20 squirells in our yard at the same time and some trust us enough to take the peanuts right out of our hands. I dont think it is odd at all...they are animals, we talk to our household companions, why not the squirells?! They are adorable!

Are peanuts a good food for squirrels? Squirrels supposedly eat nuts, and peanuts are not nuts.

I say "hi" to them but dont acually hold a conversation. I have on occasion yelled at them for digging up my tulips and munching on my freshly carved Jack-o-lanterns. Does that count? = )

"Hello Squirrel!" I say. I wave my arms about. I yell "hello squirrel, how are you? How are you today. What squirrily things have you been doing today, you squirrilizer. Hey, squirril, I want to talk to you, you squirrilistic squrirrelizer."

Soilman, you are mad, absolutely mad I tell you, mad. But I like you anyway. :nana:

I like squirrels, too, and I greet them witha "Hi, squirrely!" OK, call me crazy, but they don't seem to flee as readily from me since I stopped eating meat! Maybe I'm imagining it... or maybe they can smell that I no longer reek of dead meat! :idea: :lol:

The squirrels in areas where they are fed regularly can be absolutely brazen. In college, I used to feed them (I know, not a good idea, and I wouldn't do it now), and there was one I would feed every day at lunch... just a few nibbles. She totally lost her fear of me and would take food from my hand, and she was very polite doing it. One day she missed the food and let her teeth close on my finger instead... very carefully and gently. Oops! She let go and took the food instead. What a sweetie!

Then there was the one that climbed my arm to get the cookie I was holding up over my head. Thieving little bandit! Fortunately I was wearing a flannel shirt at the time, or she probably would have shredded me.. their claws are razor-sharp. I did have a friend who made a point of chasing them because he objected to the rampant taming of them that went on around campus.

I like squirrels, too, and I greet them witha "Hi, squirrely!" OK, call me crazy, but they don't seem to flee as readily from me since I stopped eating meat! Maybe I'm imagining it... or maybe they can smell that I no longer reek of dead meat! :idea: :lol:


Hey! I've noticed that too, but I figured the theory was sorta iffy so I never mentioned it. But yeah, not only mammals but reptiles & insects seem to greet me in a friendly way. For example, if someone is freaking out because of a wasp, I can always step in and gently escort the wasp out of the area (they love to perch on your finger, altho they tickle like hell). Anyway, if you're brave enough, give it a shot. It's a cool party trick.

And yeah, I talk to wasps. I say, "Hey waspywasp. Hey waspywaspywaspereeno! Bzzzzzzzz bzzzzzzz bzzzz." I think they find me entertaining. :o

I talk to 'em, sure. I don't do it loudly or gesture at them, however; I'd be too self conscious about my neighbors. But you do what you think the squirrels, like, Soilman!

My squirrels drink from a bowl of water that I've put on my porch. Originally it'd been for the birds, but along came chipmunks (so cute!) and squirrels too, so now it's the official watering hole around here, I think. I have to fill it up all the time! I love sitting on the porch while reading a book and looking down to see chipmunks or squirrels less than a foot from me, drinking. I don't know why, but it makes me feel one with nature.

If someone is freaking out because of a wasp, I can always step in and gently escort the wasp out of the area (they love to perch on your finger, altho they tickle like hell). Anyway, if you're brave enough, give it a shot. It's a cool party trick.

So if I learned to do that, I'd have a cool party trick? Keen!! I don't know if I have the nerve, though. I do have a small wasp nest in my patio and they make pretty good neighbors so far. They're always quiet and calm, and they don't seem to mind me walking right under their nest to water the plants. I wish my human neighbors were as easy to live with.

BTW, DM, you are SUCH a goober. Waggling your butt at the dogs, buzzing at the wasps... totally nutzo. But I like you anyway! :lol:

So if I learned to do that, I'd have a cool party trick? Keen!! I don't know if I have the nerve, though. I do have a small wasp nest in my patio and they make pretty good neighbors so far. They're always quiet and calm, and they don't seem to mind me walking right under their nest to water the plants. I wish my human neighbors were as easy to live with.

BTW, DM, you are SUCH a goober. Waggling your butt at the dogs, buzzing at the wasps... totally nutzo. But I like you anyway! :lol:

Harhar, you oughta see the way I talk to snails! ...well... maybe not... it involves a lot of mucus...

:o

My squirrels drink from a bowl of water that I've put on my porch. Originally it'd been for the birds, but along came chipmunks (so cute!) and squirrels too, so now it's the official watering hole around here, I think. I have to fill it up all the time! I love sitting on the porch while reading a book and looking down to see chipmunks or squirrels less than a foot from me, drinking. I don't know why, but it makes me feel one with nature.
Thanks for bringing this up. I was just about to mention water. If one feeds squirrels a lot of nuts & seeds they should also provide some water because it makes them thristy. I know I get real thirsty after having any type of nuts & seeds. :beer: The fact that you attracted more animals than you thought is evidence how much they need a good water source. I friend of mine lives in a really nice community and behind his garage is an alley way leading to several garages and it used to accumulate about an inch or so of water after a good rain and the birds would drink and bathe in it, but some of his uptight neighbors complained about it, I think it probably splashed there fancy cars or something and now it doesn't accumulate water anymore. I was so dissapointed for the birds. :-/