Backyard Critters and Projects
Certain times in history saw mass migrations of squirrels, such as in the 1800s, when they swam the Hudson River between Waterford and Saratoga en masse, with many drowning during the journey, and others dying of exhaustion shortly after.
Since then, other migrations have perplexed naturalists who have raised the question: do squirrels migrate often, or do they stay in the same place? Are these migrations commonplace, or are they due to extreme circumstances?
I have a blast watching the antics of the squirrels in my yard. I keep my squirrel feeders filled with peanuts and enjoy seeing them eat a few at the feeder and then grab one to stash for later. For a long time I was feeding raw peanuts but ended up switching over to roasted and unsalted because the squirrels kept burying peanuts in my flower pots and the dang things would spout and turn into peanut plants!
After watching theses critters cache food in my flowerpots and garden beds it made me wonder about squirrels in the wild. Specifically I was wondering , “Where do squirrels hide their nuts?” It turns out that there are several answers to the question depending upon the type of squirrel.
Funny stories about squirrels are always popping up in the news and one of the more recent ones that caught my attention was about a man in Alabama that police claimed had trained a squirrel to attack people. The man in question denied that the squirrel was trained to attack but was simply his pet that sometimes got aggressive around strangers. That story got me wondering about an important question, “Can squirrels be trained?”
The answer is, “Yes, squirrels can be taught to do all sorts of tricks!” Squirrels are crazy smart rodents that are tenacious in their pursuit of tasty treats. This combination makes squirrels great animals to teach how to do tricks. Of course, how long it takes to train them depends upon the individual animal and the complexity of what you want them to do.
Let’s look at some of the more famous examples of trained squirrels so you can get an idea of what it takes to teach them things as well as what they are capable of learning. [Read more…]
Feeding squirrels is a lot of fun and it always puts a smile on my face when I see them munching away at one of my feeders. Squirrels are omnivores that will eat just about anything. However there are some foods that are great to feed squirrels and some others you should avoid.
It is also important to differentiate between what to feed wild squirrels in your backyard and what to feed pet squirrels that are living in your house.
Let’s look at some of your choices!
Putting up a bat house is a great way to help control insects while helping to conserve the bats in your area. There are a lot of bat houses for sale but they are some extreme differences between them.
This article will walk you through:
Let’s get started!
I have been learning a ton while researching different bat questions for this site. One of the things I learned was that I could be a participant in the “Bat Community” without having to muck about in damp caves or musty attics.
It turns out that the easiest and most fun way of helping bats is to Sponsor a rescued bat at the Bat World Sanctuary!
The Bat World Sanctuary is located outside of Cool, Texas and was founded in 1994. They are a 501c non-profit and have the following Mission: [Read more…]
They’re a common sight throughout most of North America, and to many, squirrels are as cute and furry as they are entertaining. They’re small, too—they don’t bark, and they even seem to have personalities all their own.
Granting all of this, it’s no surprise that squirrels are considered by some to be a great pet. But this all sounds too good to be true…can a cute, friendly, furry little critter that scales trees in a flash and hides nuts in its cheeks really be a manageable pet?
In this article, we’ll be exploring the many reasons why squirrels can become great pets. And, we’ll also be discussing the many lesser-known features of squirrels that can present challenges to prospective pet squirrel owners.
Photo Credit: Pierre-Selim on Flickr
Due to their uncanny resemblance to rats and mice, bats are often presumed to be flying rodents, a misunderstanding that furthers the animals sour reputation of being a pest.
But, are bats really rodents? Are they even remotely related to Rodentia, the family of mammals that are classified as ‘rodents’?
No, bats are not rodents. The difference between bats and rodents is based upon their dental structures. The teeth of rodents are highly specialized and have two key features not seen in bat teeth. Let’s clear up some confusion about the subject while also helping to educate people about the true nature of Chiroptera (bats).
Photo Credit: Gilles San Martin on Flickr
There are more than 1,300 species of bats throughout the world. Many of them are threatened or endangered, yet they are all vitally important to the ecosystems in which they live. But, among all of the bats that exist, one in particular serves an especially important role—that bat is The Little Brown Bat.
Why is this ‘little’ bat such a big deal? Aren’t all bats the same, anyway? Not quite. As it turns out, The Little Brown Bat leads a fascinating life that is a crucial link in the overall food chain. In this article, we’ll be explaining why by examining this remarkable flying mammal, it’s behavior, roosting characteristics, and other features.
[Read more…]
When someone mentions the phrase ‘Vampire Bats’, images of Dracula and shrieking human victims might come to mind. Vampire Bats have been an especially spooky element in storytelling and modern culture for decades. What makes Vampire Bats even more intriguing is the fact that they actually exist.
So, what are these bloodthirsty animals all about, anyway? Where do they come from? How exactly do they go about feeding? In this article, we’ll be answering these questions and more, as we take a closer look at these hematophagous flying mammals.
