A White-tailed Squirrel?

You must have a scrappy bunch! But that sure is a sweet little face.

Hi goldfinch! I became pretty fascinated with them this winter. We don't have so many trees that they over run the feeders like I hear they can do. It seemed to me that they were just as fascinated with us too lol. For a while there were one or two that would click on the window with their nails if I was in the room. They like it when you come over and talk to them. If you put your finger on the window they come over and sniff at it. I'll neer forget the time my DH came into the bedroom one morning that he got up first. He said "There is a squirrel knocking on the window at me!" Of course I had to get up and converse with it!

here's a picture of the paws of one. It looks like they have small pads for thumbs. Now that food is plentiful I don't see them as often.

How fun is that to have them knock on your windows! That is such a cute paw picture. We have about 8 regulars and a few that just come occasionally. They never get into the bird feeders though. We're lucky! But they aren't too comfortable around us humans. There is only one that will stay and eat if I'm outside working. Shortly they should be bringing their babies along. That's always fun to watch them play. Unfortunately the babies love to play with my plants too, but they really don't do much damage.

I hope my Grays get as friendly as my Fox squirrels are. Here's a Fox sneaking a peek inside my kitchen door window and when he sees me he stands up like saying "let me in".

Your squirrels sound like mine! They knock at the livingroom window when the feeder is empty. I have one that gets on the front porch swing and actually bangs it around til I come out to see what the ruckus is....see him, then feed them. They have me trained.

That little stubby tail up there could be one of the clutches we have been seeing. They look like that, but have red in them also. I have yet to be able to get them on the camera. The mom however will pose it seems. She looks like a normal grey....the litter was very questionable. I think they met their demise, as I haven't seen any of them in a few days...except Mom who looks very pregnant again. I wonder if they run the previous litter off? My "mom" seems to have two litters during the spring/summer and sometimes a fall one.

Debbie

LOL - how adorable dwdruley! They are so clever and curious.

You know goldfinch, now that I think about it my squirrels are a LOT more afraind of me when they see me outside. Somehow they seem to know that with a window in between them and me they are safe. They even let my cats paw at them through the window.

Hi Debbies daisey! After posting the pictures of the squirrel with the little whisp of a tail I started thinking that I hadn't seen him in a while and wondered if it was because there was more food available now or if he was busy with a family or or if he was gone. Then lo and behold he showed up again on the window sill!! I made sure to get a better picture of his tail.

Lily if you scroll up to May 8th, you will see the "litter" of tailess babies we had two years ago. I never had the opportunity to see them grown, so don't know what happened. It wasn't a cat accident, this had to be from a birth defect, as they were all exactly the same.

My crew of squirrels torment the cats to no end. And, the dog also. I think I am the only person on earth to have an 80 lbs dog who is terrified of squirrels and runs the other direction.

This was last falls litter, you can see the more than normal white, red and some gray in this little stinker.

Hi Debbiesdaisy - That is so interesting that a litter can be born with such an anomaly. I'm sure this one was due to an injury because as babies they hung out at my neighbor's house. One day there were two normal young ones and the next there was only one missing a tail. They are scrappy little things to be able to terrify your dog and cats like that!!

Or my dog could be an enormous chicken...which she is. She doesn't know she is an 80 lb dog....she thinks she is a 8 lbs cat. Sleeps on the back of the couch looking out the window!

But yes, these little guys are very "forward" this season. And are somewhat intimidating. They approach me when I have food, something that has not happened the other years. They would wait up in the tree until the feeders were full, then come down when I was inside.

This is the email I sent to the State Biologist:

Hi Steve,

Some quickie questions on these Gray Squirrels in a white color phase:

A. Is more than likely that they are litter mates? Say, maybe a 90% chance?

B. If so, is it true that they would never mate and breed?

C. Does this also mean that I might lose one or both of them as they
each later go their separate ways to find a mate and possibly a new home?

Bottom line here is my concern that I might lose these adorable critters
and I just plain love having them around.

Thanks,
Dave

...and this was his reply.

Dave,

A. I would say closer to 100 %

B. I would not say never but the chances are very slim. They may be the same sex as well.

C. Yes, it is very possible they may go their own way, but it is just as likely they may breed and stay in the area. With color phases it is also likely they could have similar offspring. So in fact you may have a little group of this color phase for several years. Really hard to say.

Steve

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Debbie (and others) , I guess this gives us a little education.

Dave

Lily, I can't believe they aren't afraid of your cat in that picture!

Dave, I sure hope they mate so you can continue to have more of them. They are really unique. Thanks for sharing this with us.

One of the squirrels that frequents my backyard has quite a red tail. The other day I took some pictures of him either doing yoga or streching before he went jogging lol. My sister has sent me pictures in the past of her black squirrels doing this kind of lounging also. I wonder if they are just resting or what? Anyway, it also shows his red tail off!

It kind of looks like he is stretching his spine.

Ahhhhh, now stretch that way..

one last streaaaaatch...

and rest!

Ohh, you silly lilyfantn ..
Those shots .. are hilariously adorable!
He was simply providin' you a complementary and most comprehensive photo shoot!! .. LOL ..

Some mitey peculiar colored tree rats you guys have posted! I'm enjoyin' every one of your photos ..

I'd certainly be delightfully thrilled to see just one dapperly dressed squirrel cavorting about on our property.

- Magpye

Thanks for a warm, sensitive and delightful pic shoot !

Oh Lily, I love the pictures! Awesome story as Dave said.

Well, guess who I saw today? And guess who I got a picture of...although a bit blurry!

Yep, he blonde tailness.....

I was across the street, there was a house in between us...so I zoomed in...and kept trying to get closer.

There was another one in the tree, that I really couldn't get a good shot of....but he came down for just a minute...they have to be siblings.

Debbie,

I just love the enthusiasm and joy these critters bring you. You make me feel like a excited child and at my age I sure don't get that feeling very often believe me.

Dave

Dave, I think you have found the inner me. I just love new things in life. I want to learn something new every day, and these little guys, with their "blonde" tails....make me laugh, and smile. And all seems right with the world, for just a little while.

Look at this little guy fly!

Have a great day
Debbie

Beautiful !

Debbie,

This is a special pic of mine for you. So special, in fact, to me that I've given it a title:

"Yes, yes.....I know I drink too much"

Dave


This message was edited Jun 3, 2007 7:51 AM

Awww, what cute pictures Debbie!

dw - that is THE BEST squirrel picture I've seen! It looks like he has a tiny little Inspector Poirot mustache lol!

Oh Dave, I love it! He looks so appreciative of that drink of water. I love the markings with the tan around the eyes and such.

Thanks so much for thinking of me and sharing that...your right, it is very special.

Debbie

Debbie,

If getting sharper detail in your wonderfully joyful pictures would make you happy, feel free to D mail me and I will work with you.

Warmly,
Dave

Great pictures again!

Lily, I know our squirrels stretch out like that to cool off, but yours really does look like its posing for a photo shoot!

Ohhhh I am so excited. Look who showed up today at our feeder. This little guy was not afraid of me, I was on the front porch, he was sleeping on the bird feeder. He is very very dark compared to the others....more brown and red in him then gray.

He is very tiny still....and looked alone. Didn't see signs of siblings or Mom.

Here is another view, I zoomed out. He was actually inside of the feeder after this, but I didn't have the camera! Teach me to put it down. Haha

Dave, any advice you have on the picture taking would be welcome. I don't have a fancy camera, a digital Kodak easyshare.

Debbie

Come to think about it, your pics do look sharp when you catch one under 20 mile per hour. Ignore my post - I shoot from the hip (heart). Great pic and what a gorgeous squirrel. I hope he keeps hanging out at your place and you'll give us all more pics of him.

He is really a cutie, Debbie.

Awwww shucks! Thanks Dave, thats real nice. I admit sometimes I move a bit too fast before the critters can get away, and am not too steady. The little white tail above, was two yards away from me and I was trying to sneak up on him (insert looney toon image here of giant bear sneaking up on little mouse).

Thanks,
Debbie

Mr White Gloves gradually feeling more at home....

Dave,

I still say that is one unique looking squirrel. Does he seem to have a favorite dish? We put out corn cobs...specifically for squirrels, and they snubbed it. Apparently they are eating at a better diner around here somewhere.

Here is "mom" I believe, with a huge nut.

This is my first decent pic ever of "Mrs" White Gloves and I learned that she doesn't have the full white underbelly nor white gloves of her much larger boyfriend, litter mate or whomever he/she the heck is. I just went out to get a pic of them eating their favorite food that you, Debbie, asked me about and found her there much to my surprise. She was eating from the suet cage that I hung at the bottom of her tree since that's all the farther she will wander. What she is doing with all her time up that tree I wish someone could help me answer. I've got to believe that she has to be off taking care of babies but what I actually know about squirrels would fit into a thimble. I know my now friend, Steve, the State biologist feels that this is not happening. Could it possibly be that a dedicated career professional with a college degree like his in this field be mistaken?

In any event, their hands down favorite food is Woodpecker Suet. This is expensive stuff and only recently when a WalMart opened a few miles away did I discover that I could buy the equal of it at 1/3rd the price I was paying at the specialty bird seed store. That same deep discount applied to all my BOS seed which is the #2 Gray squirrel favorite. Corn ranks a distant 3rd at least this time of year and is also at half the price. Tho they only carry Safflower in 7# bags, it sells for the same price per pound as I was paying for 50# bags. The only seed WalMart doesn't have is Millet that my Mourning Doves, Chirping Sparrows and House Finches flock to. But it's the cheapest seed one can buy anywhere if I'm not mistaken. WalMart recently had a sale on Woodpecker suet so I loaded up to the point where I had to put 30-40 cakes of it in my freezer.

I've also done my best to provide natural food as well in my backyard wildlife habitat. I planted a Serviceberry tree, for example. What a bargain that is! When those berries come out I have birds going bonkers. Problem is that last year I had no berries at all because of the mysterious bee shortage. I know a lot of wildlifers are concerned about the bee problem. You guys have already seen how I wear my feelings on my sleeve - the bee shortage denying me my Serviceberry bird food just plain makes me angry. My frustration is that I don't know where to target the anger I could harness to where it could do any constructive good.

Another great pic, Debbie. From the looks of it seem that "Mom" is a perfect name for your squirrel. BTW, do you pass out cigars to your friends when your squirrels have babies? I'd like to get on that list. I don't smoke them but I have a neighbor who would be absolutely delighted to get one for a special occasion like that.

Everyone keep posting 'cause all squirrel pics are special. I'm also hoping that folks with more squirrel and bee knowledge than I have will share their ideas on the questions I'm raising, Please post your own fav pics - not so much to please this old man but for the beautiful honorary Granddaughter (guess who?) I've found on this thread.

Dave

Dave, what a beautiful post, and it sure put a smile on my face! I have to say that is one awesome shot of "the Mrs." there. I love the coloring of that belly. Wondering if it comes in a Miss Clariol color kit! haha

As for cigars, no I don't hand those out, but peanuts for the Mom is a sure thing. High energy protien for her! And, last year I thought I was gonna get arrested. We had "tree mutilators" out front going up and down the street trimming. Well, they got to my "squirrel tree" and out I went! Hold on...there are babies in that tree, you can't take it down.

There was major consultation....and we came to a decision. If your going up in that tree, take my pet taxi, and if there are babies in there...you remove them and put in the pet taxi so I can relocate....or you make the decision to come back in a month!

Haha, I won! They didn't want to tangle with me that day, even though there were no babies at the time....a very pregnant Mama let her presence be known. And the guys left her (and me) alone! They came back in October, after doing the rest of the town, knocked at the door and asked how the squirrel situation was. I told them they had an all clear to "trim". And that is what they did.

I have hand raised squirrels many years ago when I was only 12, and we released them back into the wild, also rabbits and many birds. You should hear my mom tell the story of when we first moved to NY, I was about 15, and the black birds had taken a bath in the front ditch....and froze! Well, I took a cardboard box and put the birds in it....and put them in the basement. I was smart enough to cover the box with a big screen from an old door.

Unfortunately for me...and the birds...that didn't hold them. Mom opened the kitchen door to go into the basement and do laundry, and out flies six black birds all over her house! We caught them without any injuries...and to this day she won't let me live that one down.

My joy in life, besides my own pets & kids, is nature and a camera.
Watching new life develope is just such a wonderful thing, the colors are of their own pallet and spectacular.

Back to the squirrels, sorry...I ramble. Seems this Mama only has one baby from what I can tell. I have only seen the little dark brown one I posted above, but will keep an eye out.

Have a great day!
Debbie

Gradually, day by day, feeling more at home and just today claiming what was previously the exclusive territory of the bigger Fox squirrels.

Intimidated? Nah!