Dogs are active, playful creatures. Once they get excited, it is quite difficult to keep them calm. It doesn’t matter how obedient or loving they are; they will run off if they find something worth getting distracted by.

At that moment, it wouldn’t matter whether you are on a peaceful walk or getting some exercise. Keeping them under control will be near impossible.

These impossible situations often occur due to furry rodents. One moment everything is calm, but the next moment your dog will run after it, dragging you along too.

One of the favorite critters that your dog would love running after is squirrels. A sight or even the smell of squirrels will drive them crazy, turning up the desire to chase. So, why do dogs love chasing squirrels?

[Read more…]

If you’re a squirrel lover like me, no doubt you enjoy the amazing antics of these little creatures. Watching their death-defying leaps from branch to branch is a fun way to spend a lazy Saturday afternoon with the kids.

However, there can be times when they’re a real nuisance — especially if I’m trying to keep the squirrels away from a place they want to be.

I once watched a squirrel inch across a branch that was far too narrow to support its weight, and then dangle from its hind legs and drop at least a foot onto a second-story windowsill bird feeder. I have no idea how it got back down after enjoying its feast, but I had to respect the effort.

Faced with crazy skills like this, a lot of homeowners either tear their hair out and give up, or they consider going the chemical extermination route. But you don’t have to kill your rodent adversaries to protect your home and garden. Here are a few good squirrel repellents that actually work:

[Read more…]

It is common to see squirrels running around backyards and parks in the morning.  They live in large numbers across pretty much the entire country and are one of the most well recognized wildlife creatures.

A very common question about this abundant wildlife species is, “Where Do Squirrels Live?”.

Most species of squirrels such as the Grey, Flying and Red squirrels live in trees utilizing either nests or dreys for shelter.  Some species of squirrels, like the aptly named Ground Squirrels, live in underground burrows.

Where Do Tree Squirrels Live?

The type of squirrels that you see in parks are almost always tree squirrels with Grey squirrels being the most populous.  Tree squirrels make their homes in trees using either nests or dreys for shelter.

A drey is a loose collection of branches, leaves and other insulating nesting materials that is constructed between supporting branches in a tree.

[Read more…]

Very few animals draw such vastly different emotional reactions from people than squirrels. Some people think squirrels are absolutely adorable and love to feed and nurture them.  Other people think squirrels are nothing but nasty rats with fluffy tails.

Part of the love/hate relationship with squirrels concerns where exactly they fall in the animal kingdom. Almost everyone HATES rats and we are taught early on that rodents should be avoided.  But what about our furry tailed tree squirrels?

“Are Squirrels Rodents Like Rats?”

Squirrels are absolutely rodents.  While squirrels are rodents there are five SubOrders in the Rodentia class and squirrels and rats are in different SubOrders.  This means that rats and squirrels are loosely related but are separate species that cannot interbreed.

 

[Read more…]

Hawks are amazing and beautiful predators that are essential in nature’s food web.  One part of the food web is the role that squirrels play in the diet of hawks.  If you have ever wondered, “Do Hawks Eat Squirrels?” then this article will help you understand that:

Yes, hawks do eat squirrels.  Hawks are one of the top predators of squirrels and the species that eats the most squirrels is the Red Tailed Hawk. 

Let’s take a closer look at the differences in the types of hawks that live in the United States to gain a better understanding of their respective diets.

[Read more…]

Squirrels are busy animals. When it is nice outside, it is hard to go anywhere or spend more than a minute looking out your window without seeing a squirrel.  While these animals are busy throughout the warmer months, I started to wonder about how they got through the winter.

More specifically I wondered, “Do grey squirrels hibernate?”  I did some research and found that the answer is:

Grey squirrels do not hibernate.  Grey squirrels use multiple mechanisms to survive the cold including group warmth, shivering, food caching and bulking up for winter.

[Read more…]

If you are thinking about feeding the squirrels in your backyard then, just like feeding birds, there are quite a few things to consider.  You need to have a handle on the proper foods to put out, how to attract squirrels and how to make sure the squirrels can safely enjoy the snacks that you are providing.

Let’s get started and take a look at everything you need to know about feeding squirrels!

[Read more…]

We have a lot of fun feeding squirrels at our house.  If you are just starting to feed squirrels then here is a strong chance you are trying to figure out inexpensive foods that they will love.  

One common question I see about feeding squirrels concerns their choice of food, specifically people want to know, “Do Squirrels Eat Corn?”

Do Squirrels Eat Corn?

The answer is, “Yes.  Squirrels love to eat corn, either fresh or dried.  Squirrels will typically eat the germ portion of the kernel and discard the bran.”

[Read more…]

Like other small mammals, squirrels are also susceptible to attacks from a wide variety of predators. These predators vary according to the types of squirrels. Different species of squirrels have evolved to adopt various defense mechanisms against predators, but they still tend to make vulnerable targets. This is also why squirrels live longer in captivity than they do in the wild.

Have you ever wondered, “What Eats Squirrels?” I did and this is what I found!

[Read more…]