Nuts For Squirrels!

As they say, one man's trash is another man's treasure. And, if the refuse in this case is a rowdy squirrel, I'll lay claim to him or her in the blink of a "tree-rodent-proof bird feeder!"

Squirrels are entertaining, unique, independent, and basically innocent creatures. They spend their days - starting before daylight and ending up in early evening - trying to find food, and being careful to prevent themselves from becoming food. Anyone who has watched them defeat innumerable pest-deterrent bird feeders knows how clever they are, and how hard they work at finding the Rosetta Stone to the bird-seed kingdom. They are living proof of, "where's there's a will, there's a way."

There are over 365 species of squirrels in seven families, including the tree squirrel, ground squirrel, and flying squirrel. There also are many squirrel-like mammals, such as the gopher, ground hog, and prairie dog.

Missouri squirrels are mainly of two varieties: Red Fox Squirrels and Gray Squirrels. Fox squirrels are considerable bigger and chatter more than Grays. The latter are fidgety and scold more than Reds, rather than chatter. Gray is the most common type in America, and definitely can be called old - they have been around for more than 35 million years, so no wonder they're always scolding.

Squirrels build their nests, called "dreys," of leaves and twigs, high in trees between two strong branches. They're high enough to provide protection from ground predators, but not too high for the nest to be destroyed by wind. Normally, there are two exits in this type of nest, and for comfort, they line their nests' interiors with fur, feathers, and other soft materials.

Squirrels are most active in late winter, when the mating season begins. They will pursue females - as well as chase off other suitors - often at top speed through the trees, performing some of the most breath-taking acrobatics imaginable.

Squirrels run quickly - as fast as twenty miles per hour - and survive jumps from a height of 100 feet because of their padded feet. They also can jump distances of 20 feet, because of strong hind legs and short front legs. Their front legs have four toes and hind legs have five.

Despite having perfect vision as adults, baby squirrels are blind at birth. These babies, called "kittens," weigh approximately one ounce at birth and are about an inch long. They do not have hair or teeth, and are virtually blind for the first six to eight weeks.

Adult squirrels normally live alone but will, in severe cold, share their nests with other squirrels to conserve body heat. Once the temperature rises, however, the "guests" will be on their ways out. Squirrels do not hibernate, they just tend to stay inside their nest during the winter and save their energy.

The male tree squirrel takes twice as long as the female to groom itself, and is considered the cleanest animal in the rodent family.

The lifespan of a squirrel is usually 10 to 12 years, but most die young as lots of predators hunt them; including hawks, foxes, opossums, wildcats, and owls. Apart from their natural predators, squirrels also face dangers from mankind - including significant numbers of deaths due to vehicular traffic.

Squirrels' erratic paths crossing streets are attempts to confuse oncoming vehicles, hoping to make them change directions. However, this obviously is many a squirrel's biggest, and often, last mistake. Also, many people consider them pests and kill them on purpose.

Fittingly, a squirrel's brain is about the size of a walnut. Its eyes are located high on each side of its head, which provides a wide field of vision without looking from side to side.

When you see squirrels collecting nuts in the fall, it's because they are getting ready for winter and want to make sure they have enough food to last. And, yes, they do bury nuts to enjoy later - called "scatter hoarding" - but do not keep the locations in mind. Instead, they find buried nuts by smell. Which means any nut they smell is fair game, whether they put it there or not.

Did you ever wonder how squirrels find their ways back to buried food? The answer is, they lick or rub it on their faces before burying it. This leaves a scent that enables them to find it again after winter is over.

The average adult squirrel eats about a pound of food a week, almost equal to its body weight. Its claws and tail help it find food, which they store underground or inside hollows in trees. Their claws come in handy for digging up food when needed, and their bushy tails provide balance while searching for food among the tree branches.

Adult squirrels have excellent eyesight, since their big eyes are placed on the sides of their heads. However, they have trouble seeing things directly in front of them, which probably is why people complain about getting fingers bitten when feeding squirrels. A squirrel's eyes always are searching for predators, and they rarely focus on what they are eating.

Squirrels communicate through a series of chirps. The frequency, and the duration of the notes communicate everything from laughter to alarm. They produce warning calls to alert their fellow rodents about lurking or flying predators, and the one who initiates the calls - yes, the "good guy" - is likely to be the one to leave last, and put his life in more danger.

When a squirrel senses danger, its first instinct is to stand motionless. If on the ground, it will race to the closest tree or other climbable object to escape. If it is in a tree, it will circle the trunk with its body pressed tightly to the bark.

By and large, squirrels are fascinating little creatures. Why not treat one to a bag of unsalted peanuts or a few nuts today? You'll both feel better about each other!