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Callimaco
09-24-2008, 01:12 AM
Let me tell you my story, and then I've got a few questions.

I’ve known for a while that a squirrel had a nest up in my attic, but I hadn’t heard anything up there in many months, and I assumed the nest was abandoned. But when it turned cold last week, I heard him up there again. I did a little research and I guess it’s not uncommon for Douglas squirrels to have different winter and summer nesting sites.

I checked the nesting site and there were no babies or anything, and from what I've seen of him and read, I suspect he's a boy anyway. But he really made a mess of things up there and I felt I had to get him out of there. Plus, I can't imagine that the fiberglass insulation made for a healthy winter nest.

But I had grown fond of the little guy and didn’t want to just kick him onto the street, so to speak. So before I blocked off the holes I made a nesting box, stocked it with some old fleece and attached it way up in the fir tree that (judging by all the cones he's been cutting off it) is at the very center of his territory. I was hoping he’d move in there permanently.

Nesting box or not, he was very upset for the next couple days, gave me all kinds of angry looks (I had no idea squirrels were capable of that!) and spent a lot of time trying to get back in the attic.

I don't know what he did the first night. But the second day I decided to put a few nuts just outside the hole in the nesting box. That definitely got him to check out the box and that night I saw him go in there at dusk and I never saw him leave. I assume he slept there all night. The third day I saw the same thing. Now I knew he had moved in.

But today I accidentally spooked him. I wanted to make sure the box was still snug on the tree. I didn't see him up there and thought the coast was clear. So I got out the ladder and went on up. Well, apparently he was way up at the top of the tree and ran straight down screaming at me. I went back down the ladder as quick as I could, but it was too late. He got down to the box, stopped for a moment, and then turned around, ran back up and went from one treetop to another until he was out of sight. I was worried that I had spooked him for good and I felt really bad about it. But then, like clockwork, the sun started going down and he came down the tree and went into his box. He's sleeping there right now.

So I'm feeling pretty good about this. He doesn't seem interested in the attic any longer and he appears to be happy with his new home. But I've got a few questions.

1. He's always cut down a lot of cones from the pine and fir trees around the house. But this year it's really extraordinary how many he's dropping. (Maybe he thinks it's going to be a long winter!) We get a whole lot of snow here. I never noticed before, but I hear Douglas squirrels actually store their cones under the snow and tunnel down to get them. Is that true? I'm a little worried that I'm going to disturb his cache or collapse his tunnels when I use the snowblower.

2. I'd like to know what I can feed him. I assume pretty much any kind of nut is OK. Right now I've given him unsalted peanuts and pinenuts. (He prefers the pinenuts.) I read somewhere that you shouldn't give squirrels anything salted. But I've looked here, and I can't find a definitive confirmation. So is that true?

3. Assuming he’s as happy with his new nesting box as I’m thinking (hoping) he is, should I expect him to try to get back in the attic in the future? Or is that the kind of thing where as long as he has the nesting box he probably won’t go looking for anything else?

4. I’ve become really fascinated by this creature. Are there any books you would recommend for someone looking to educate himself about squirrels in general and Douglas squirrels in particular? (The more scientific and arcane the better!) I find myself wondering what his various calls mean, what his behaviors are all about and basically how he makes his way out there in the wilds of my backyard.

5. Is there anything I should definitely know or search for on these boards? I don’t intend to make him a pet (I guess it’s actually illegal in CA), but I’d like to see if I couldn’t make him a friendly neighbor.

Finally, there’s a picture below. It's a little dark, but I only see him there at dusk.

Thanks for your thoughts and help!

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y63/brl/DSC03520.jpg

Frickster
09-24-2008, 02:41 AM
i know there's a list of nuts in order (like which are good and which are not so good)...definitely nothing salted though. peanuts are pretty low on the list. almonds and pecans and such are better. a lot of people put out a little bowl of fruits and veggies too. you might just make a new buddy by giving him some things he can't get anywhere else. :) as far as books, i dunno...but i know there is TONS of information as well as access to several rehabbers right here. AND 9 times out of 10...any question you can come up with has already been dealt with by someone just a click away. there are some recipes on here for healthy treats for the little fuzzy butts too. not sure if you're into baking, but it seems to be a big hit in all the little squirrel communities.

Callimaco
09-24-2008, 02:47 AM
i know there's a list of nuts in order (like which are good and which are not so good)...definitely nothing salted though. peanuts are pretty low on the list. almonds and pecans and such are better.
Thanks for pointing that out. I found it. No more pinenuts for him!

a lot of people put out a little bowl of fruits and veggies too.
Hadn't thought of that. Are there particular fruits and vegetable that worth trying or avoiding?

Frickster
09-24-2008, 03:07 AM
there's a list in the nutrition section of TONS of fruits and veggies that are ok and then a list of the ones to avoid.....since this little furball is outside it's not as imperative. the listed items is the diet for squirrels that are inside being cared for...so anything ok for them is just a bonus for your little friend. i would definitely start with something you like so if it's a bust...you've got snacks for yourself! frick LOVES snowpeas. not a big fan of a lot of the veggies, but seems to enjoy her fruits.

Callimaco
09-24-2008, 04:07 AM
since this little furball is outside it's not as imperative. the listed items is the diet for squirrels that are inside being cared for...so anything ok for them is just a bonus for your little friend.
Good point, but all things being equal I figure if we're going to give him a treat it ought to be a healthy one.

My first question of concern is...Are you sure it's a boy, and it wasn't a Mommy that might have had babies in the nest in your attic?
100% positive there were no babies.

First, he's been active around the house all summer, but I only started hearing him in the attic when it got cold. So it's not like he was in there regularly before I shut him out. Wouldn't he have been there more during the day if there were babies? As it was, he was just there at dusk and then back out by dawn. In fact, there were nights I know he wasn't in there at all because I was in there half the night cleaning things up and repairing stuff.

Second, I went all through that attic. I picked up all the insulation, checked every corner. No babies. I had read that it's better to leave them in place if there are babies so I wanted to make sure there weren't any and that I didn't overlook anything.

Third, I've actually gotten a couple decent looks at his belly. I understand that the teats of a female Douglas squirrel become pigmented with her first pregnancy and remain pigmented for life. I didn't see any evidence of that, or even any evidence of teats. That said, those couple times I saw his belly I couldn't really see his scrotum, so I suppose there's no absolutely incontrovertible evidence yet for his being a boy. But it seems likely to me.

Squirrels are known to have 2-3 different nests.
Hmm. I was thinking he must have had another since he's been around all summer but hasn't been in the attic until recently. But I looked at every tree around here and didn't see anything that resembled a drey (or at least fit my image of one). Maybe it's extremely high up (but I read they don't do that because it gets too windy if they go too high, and given the blizzards we have here I don't imagine you have to go very high for it to be too windy). Or maybe there's a hollow in a tree that I can't see. Also, I have a pretty good sense of his territory because I've actually followed him around a bit and I can see where he's burying and eating pine cones. He doesn't seem to stray too far from his big fir tree. If he has another nest, I can't find it. Perhaps I'll have to look again.

And that's the list I found with Frickster's help. I agree, healthy is always better.

Anyway, I've got one more picture. Again, it's a little dark.

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y63/brl/DSC03522.jpg

Jackie in Tampa
09-24-2008, 04:46 AM
:Welcome
We have only greys where I am, so I am enamored with your little furball...precious!:Love_Icon
S1 will be here shortly to fill you in on sqs and locations!:alright.gif
GB has given you the healthy dos and don'ts!:wahoo
4Skwerls has a dynamite recipe IF you do like to bake!:wott
Sounds like your little friend stumbled into a nice warm cozy winter arraingment!:thumbsup
Good Luck and welcome to The Sq Board!:Welcome
we love pics!:Love_Icon

Abacat
09-24-2008, 06:11 AM
:Welcome What a very nice thing to do for your fuzzy friend. :thumbsup
I have a soft spot for my red squirrels, don't have douglas here, or foxers...just eastern grays, red (pine) squirrels, and flyers. Mine are "cousins" to yours. :D He sure is very handsome.

Pine squirrels are very vocal compared to other squirrels, anyone that has them around can attest to that :rotfl . They are very protective of their domain, and will not hesitate to tell you that. :)

Here's a link to a book I have...interesting info about their lives (and all mammals of North America.) There's a section on vocalizations. :thumbsup It really is an excellent book, however a bit pricey.
http://books.google.com/books?id=-xQalfqP7BcC&pg=PA271&lpg=PA271&dq=sympatric+sciurids&source=web&ots=XOj6Dy_347&sig=eyjfi6cgqdSY5H_RJz9NRp_uUdU&hl=en&sa=X&oi=book_result&resnum=6&ct=result

Sarabi
09-24-2008, 10:44 AM
:Welcome What a cutie pie, Sorry to be the one to tell ya, But you are so hooked! They have a way of wiggling into your heart!:Welcome to the TSB!! And good luck, looks like he knew what he was doing!

Callimaco
09-24-2008, 09:50 PM
Today I gave him a slice of my nectarine. He much preferred it over the almonds I also gave him.

Skul
09-26-2008, 08:30 PM
Very nice nestbox.:thumbsup
Handsome little squirrel.:)

Callimaco
09-30-2008, 02:36 PM
Very nice nestbox.:thumbsup
Handsome little squirrel.:)
Thanks!

And I'm sure the squirrel would thank you too!