Help dealing with Foxer in the Dark

[tomcics]

I had something happen here with one of the foxers and wonder if anyone ever had this happen there and if you could offer any advise. It gets dark about 5:15 here in Michigan. I usually have two or three greys (1 morph) that come to front door until dark and I don't mind because they never cross the street.
About 5:00 one of the chunky foxers showed up (I seen him coming from churchyard area across street) and I thought OK, he just wanted a late snack. He took the nut and crossed street (which around this time is a bit dark and made me concerned). He kept doing this over and over and finally it was pitch dark, he was just burying the nuts, not eating them. I put on my coat (cold here) and made sure he crossed safely but it was starting to become like Russian roulette with the cars and I was starting to get real worried. I tried going inside and closing door but he would not leave porch. I then tried to coax him inside but he would not cross door threshold. If I went outside and got near him, he would wait in my tree until I went inside and then he would follow me to door. It was so very dark at that point. I was going to try to trap him and keep him inside for the night but I gave him one more pecan at the door and he crossed street in dark and then ran towards residential area (which I hope is his home). I was wondering would he do this late at night if something was wrong with his nest? I could not figure the behavior out because foxers tend not to come late anyways. It was really scary with the car situation but even when I didn't feed him he would still cross the street and sniff around in churchyard and come back. Ever have to deal with this kind of thing?This Chunkie squirrel's MO is normally to come early in day and eat most/all pecans, burying very few.

[Nancy in New York]

I just needed to bump this up....I am dying to hear from the experts what this is about....:dono :dono

[UDoWhat]

I have had this happen with my greys sometimes. I don't have any foxers in my area. I wonder if this is a newbie that maybe has been chased out of an area and now feels like he needs to build up his stash since he may be displaced. Do you know this squirre??l Is it a regular or is it new?? Or can you tell?? The greys that do this to me are younger ones that I feel are most likely chased away from the food when the stronger, more dominant squirrels are eating.:dono Just a guess.

Marty

[SammysMom]

I do have a wild gray (aka Tom the Glom) who has 2 or 3 times been at the door begging and then burying the nuts in the dark. Fortunately, there is no street where he goes. I too am curious about the experts opinion on this subject! :shakehead

[tomcics]

Thanks Nancy for "bumping this up".

Thanks SammysMom, now and then the greys here will stay after dark too but fortunately never cross the street in front. I am sure they are burying the nuts but I never see where.

Thanks UDoWhat, yes I do know this particular foxer, he comes often enough but always during the morning or lunchtime. As a rule, the foxers tend to come early although I have had late arrivals but never after dark. I was wondering if something happened at his nest that made him behave in this manner, maybe not knowing what else do but get some free pecans :dono He did finally leave but not until he gave me many scares crossing my street that gets busy with people coming home from work about that time. I was also worried about people walking their dogs at that time. Not sure the reason behind is behavior but hopefully it was just a fluke.

[UDoWhat]

Thanks Nancy for "bumping this up".

Thanks SammysMom, now and then the greys here will stay after dark too but fortunately never cross the street in front. I am sure they are burying the nuts but I never see where.

Thanks UDoWhat, yes I do know this particular foxer, he comes often enough but always during the morning or lunchtime. As a rule, the foxers tend to come early although I have had late arrivals but never after dark. I was wondering if something happened at his nest that made him behave in this manner, maybe not knowing what else do but get some free pecans :dono He did finally leave but not until he gave me many scares crossing my street that gets busy with people coming home from work about that time. I was also worried about people walking their dogs at that time. Not sure the reason behind is behavior but hopefully it was just a fluke.

It does sound like maybe a nest disturbance of some kind. If it was commandeered from him and he could not go home he might just be confused as to what to do and where to go. Collect pecans sounds like a good idea to him. :sanp3

Marty

[tomcics]

UDoWhat, that was the kind of feeling I was getting , that something was happening at home (ex. Nest disturbance) and he was not sure what to do next, so he chose to visit me. I am hoping he just lost track of time and his nest is OK. So many things to worry about with these little fuzzers. So I wonder what the average squirrel would do if it lost it's nest during the night, just sleep in branches :dono, invade another nest, I guess there are quite a few options. Hope I see him tomorrow during daylight.

[UDoWhat]

UDoWhat, that was the kind of feeling I was getting , that something was happening at home (ex. Nest disturbance) and he was not sure what to do next, so he chose to visit me. I am hoping he just lost track of time and his nest is OK. So many things to worry about with these little fuzzers. So I wonder what the average squirrel would do if it lost it's nest during the night, just sleep in branches :dono, invade another nest, I guess there are quite a few options. Hope I see him tomorrow during daylight.

I do hope you see him tomorrow. Let us know. I have heard that squirrels will share a nest with others for warmth. I have seen it happen in my own backyard. A squirrel will enter another squirrel's nest and a lot of grumbling and fighting going on and then the other squirrel will just enter the nest quickly and stay. I wonder if foxers will do that??

Marty

[tomcics]

Thanks Marty.

This pudg-kin did come back today, eating at normal time. I could not get a very clear pic of him but here is a couple, the second very blurry but shows him close up at my foot.

[Bravo]

That does seem unusual... he seems outwardly fine in the photos. :thinking

[UDoWhat]

Well he doesn't seem like he had a cold night out, anyway. I hope he will "get with the program" and eat at the normal times and NOT scare us all. Go home before the sun sets cute little (huge) Foxer!! :nono

Marty

[Nancy in New York]

Hey tomcics, how is your little night stalker doing? Has he been around....:dono
Love the pictures of him.....awe!
:grouphug

[tomcics]

Hi Nancy, so funny you should ask today, just prior to darkness, he showed up again and when I opened the door, two more foxers came running up behind him chasing one another in my bushes in near dark, growling at one another (not quite a growl, kind of lovely but some sort of agression, maybe mating season?) the whole time. A pecan for all seemed to do the trick, the chunky boy went up my tree and the arguing couple took their pecans and left and never came back. Chunky came back for a second pecan and crossed over to the churchyard, it was rainy and dark by then so I closed door and went upstairs to look out window that overlooks chruchyard. I opened door about 5 minutes later, luckily no sign of him.
Maybe the whole thing can be chalked up to a case of 'pecanightis', an overbearing urge to eat pecans in the evening.

I was going to write 'pecanitis' but that word is already taken, found this on internet:
Pecanitis - from CatDog, affects dogs who eat pecans; can take effect in a variety of ways. In Dog's case, it causes a large pecan tree to grow out of his head.

[island rehabber]

Maybe the whole thing can be chalked up to a case of 'pecanightis', an overbearing urge to eat pecans in the evening.

:jump

[sdreamcatcher]

I watch foxers here all the time. Normally they DO go to bed early; occasionally one will be out late. Sometimes it does seem nesting is an issue; as they will try one nest, get chased off, and head somewhere else. It is also mating season here, so lots of quarreling and chasing going on. I was worried about the orphans but they seem to be able to hold their own, though I think their leaf nests did get destroyed....they normally sleep in a branch hollow together, sometimes an older juvenille joins them.


Years ago we had a frightened youngster "stuck" in our apple tree after dark. Luckily it was warm then and as far as I know the baby slept in that tree all night. I was worried about him/her but all turned out well.

The #1 reason I don't usually give Star (wild Mommy girl) peanuts is she loves to take them across the street to bury. We live on a residential side street, but people drive crazy up and down our street :shakehead . If she doesn't bury them across the street, she tries for the yard with the cats and a lab, or even on the other side where two dogs live :dono .

Glad your buddy is ok; hopefully he will go home early from now on. I feed my wilds the last day's meal around 2pm; then around 3:30pm I feed the orphans in their tree. I go back around sunset to pile up food for their morning meal, since they wake up before 7am. I have noticed if I feed too late with the others, they seem reluctant to go to bed, lol. So maybe moving up your feeding time may help? Gradually, if possible?

[sdreamcatcher]

Forgot to add, your little buddy is cute; reminds me of Star, lol. She climbed my pantleg the other day :Love_Icon :Love_Icon . But it's very common for her to get as close as your guy and she often follows me in the yard.

[tomcics]

:D :wave123 I.R.

Thanks for the info/advise Sdreamcatcher, I find my wilds get very antsy about one hour before dark and mob the porch (front & back), as if the world was going to end at sundown and they want to make sure they get their last meal. I got a chance to read some of your Butchie/Joey posts, such very cute squirrels to watch (and yes I did hear some chattering going on in the videos :))

[Nancy in New York]

Hi Nancy, so funny you should ask today, just prior to darkness, he showed up again and when I opened the door, two more foxers came running up behind him chasing one another in my bushes in near dark, growling at one another (not quite a growl, kind of lovely but some sort of agression, maybe mating season?) the whole time. A pecan for all seemed to do the trick, the chunky boy went up my tree and the arguing couple took their pecans and left and never came back. Chunky came back for a second pecan and crossed over to the churchyard, it was rainy and dark by then so I closed door and went upstairs to look out window that overlooks chruchyard. I opened door about 5 minutes later, luckily no sign of him.
Maybe the whole thing can be chalked up to a case of 'pecanightis', an overbearing urge to eat pecans in the evening.

I was going to write 'pecanitis' but that word is already taken, found this on internet:
Pecanitis - from CatDog, affects dogs who eat pecans; can take effect in a variety of ways. In Dog's case, it causes a large pecan tree to grow out of his head.

:rotfl :rotfl :rotfl Interesting tomcics that you and I found that same definititon for Pecanitis....:D
Well I just hope little Foxer stays home in the dark. It's bad enough them crossing the street in daylight, but at night now too....Oye!
Do all of your squirrels refuse peanuts? I only see you throwing the expensive ones....:D When I used to feed here, I would have so many that would just snub their noses at peanuts....:shakehead .
Now with Fluffer being re re released again, I have stopped outside feeding, since one of the girls beat him up....he doesn't need that competition in his own yard....:nono Now I go way behind the house and put their food out....but I don't tell Fluffer....:nono

[Skul]

Rocki used to do the same thing.
Found out, she just wanted to be walked back to her nest.
She'd take a nut with her and then go up and stay.

[tomcics]

:wave123 Skul, I wish I knew where one single squirrel actually lived, I have no clue, I have followed them and been given the slip many times. Most have their nests on next block(s) over (safer from hawks).

:wave123 Nancy, I had one newer foxer accept a peanut today (actually I threw it to the jays and he found it), so I posted it as a 'Ripley's Believe it or Nut'. Mine actually will spit out unshelled hazelnuts if they see me come to door after they take them. I am not exagerating when I say some actually spit out/snub smaller pecans and come back to the door for a larger pecan. I always recall my special Nick (Sr.) being so spoiled he refused everything and would just look at me waiting for something new or different:shakehead .
Hope your Fluffer is doing well and avoiding the bully females. Let's hope Fluffer doesn't catch you feeding the enemy.
Same Chunky foxer came back at darkness and I fed him two pecans and he sat at foot of one of the bushes and ate them and then got freaked by something, ran in tree and then ran down towards another tree and that was last I seen of him.

[Nancy in New York]

:wave123 Skul, I wish I knew where one single squirrel actually lived, I have no clue, I have followed them and been given the slip many times. Most have their nests on next block(s) over (safer from hawks).

:wave123 Nancy, I had one newer foxer accept a peanut today (actually I threw it to the jays and he found it), so I posted it as a 'Ripley's Believe it or Nut'. Mine actually will spit out unshelled hazelnuts if they see me come to door after they take them. I am not exagerating when I say some actually spit out/snub smaller pecans and come back to the door for a larger pecan. I always recall my special Nick (Sr.) being so spoiled he refused everything and would just look at me waiting for something new or different:shakehead .
Hope your Fluffer is doing well and avoiding the bully females. Let's hope Fluffer doesn't catch you feeding the enemy.
Same Chunky foxer came back at darkness and I fed him two pecans and he sat at foot of one of the bushes and ate them and then got freaked by something, ran in tree and then ran down towards another tree and that was last I seen of him.

Well tomcics, I must say, I do think that you have the MOST spoiled squirrels on this board....are you kidding me that they will drop a pecan for a LARGER one, now that's funny!!!!!
A newer foxer with a peanut, hope you got a shot of that, not sure if you will ever see that again....:rotfl
A few years ago, when my grandson was in daycare, I would stop and pick him up on my way home from work (worked part time), and there were always squirrels in their dumpster looking for treats or ANY kind. I often thought to myself, do my squirrels...or tomcics squirrels KNOW how lucky they are....:dono Can you imagine yours fighting a left over PB and J sandwich....:shakehead I don't think so.....:rotfl
Chunky foxer back at night....did you see him through the day, and he also comes at night....or is he just a night owl.:dono

[Fireweed]

Tom doesn't even have an NR and he is completely :owned. :rotfl

I just found this thread, Tom. This behaviour reminds me of what Brat did when I first met her. She was coming around to our yard, staying past lights out, and crying in a tree outside our door. Sometimes she would try to get into Meemor's nestbox. I thought she might be a young homeless squirrel looking for a warm place for winter and/or food. I tried to put boxes up for her all over the place and I fed her by hand thinking that's all she'd need...but eventually she ended up fighting with Meemor, hurting him, and taking over his nest box and territory. :shakehead


A newer foxer with a peanut, hope you got a shot of that, not sure if you will ever see that again....
:rolf

[tomcics]

:wave123 Nancy, Late this afternoon was the first I seen of Chunky today but there were several or more foxers around all day. It may have been my own fault he came so late because I was whistling to see if White Ears was still in area as she is usually the last one to door and inside too. Chunk may have been responding to whistle. Many of them in area know my whistle and will come running (reminding me of dogs at times), even if I am in my car they will come to the whistle.

I think of that (how lucky our squirrels are) here too, I see them in dumpsters in other neighborhoods and feel so bad for them to have to do that. Even a peanut would be a big treat for those squirrels. I wonder too what the squirrels in this area think as many/most of them that come to door came since they were juvies and think this is normal, right. It is just something they have grown up doing so it is not unsual for them. I also often wonder how they think of me, what am I to them (besides a nut), how they differ me from other humans in the area. Some of the kids here are outright mean to wild animals so I know they have learned to be fearful of our species.

White Ears is the only squirel I ever knew that comes in and seems totally unafraid of me being around although I don't touch her. She has checked my closet out multiple times, roamed my living room and basically snooped around, a real joy. Not sure why she is different than the others this way. She is still wild though and I don't try to handle her. This is her favorite thing to do when she comes inside, stand or sit between my legs and look up at me, even if there is a nut nearby. I think she sees me as protection too as I notice she comes after the other squirrels leave and is not a fighter.

[tomcics]

That's interesting about Brat FireWeed, Chunky seems very capable of handling himself too, I would love to know where he lives but he keeps throwing me curves, crossing street and going across churchyard late at night but then also going inside apartment complex late at night, then again I remember Peter (I think it was Peter) saying foxers usually have multiple nests (as other species do too). I tried to coax Chunk inside again by dropping nut inside my door (this sometimes illicits an automatic reaction to track it) but he is very cautious little (little, that's funny) guy, he stops right at the door and waits fro me to pick it up and place it outside door.

[redwuff]

Aren't we the richest people in the world to be able to share just this little bit of connection with these little fuzzers.

The picture of white ears inside your legs just brought a lump to my throat. How trusting is she.

[tomcics]

Good point Trysh, I do feel richer being able to know and share connections to the fuzzer world, much richer.
White Ears has worked herself into my heart quickly, the problem with that is because she is outdoors, it is a constant fear that she will be harmed but that is something many of us feel constantly about them all, even when it is windy outdoors, I can't help but to worry.

[JakesLittlePrincess]

She is such a sweetie! I love how you went out and made sure they crossed the street safely!

[tomcics]

:thankyou JakesLittlePrincess, the foxers always worry me when they cross street as sometimes they just go without looking. This past year has been a major improvement over previous years, police have set up speed measurements (at my request) on my street and I have changed some feeding times to try to minimize feeding them when cars are parked on street (ex. for church services). There have been some very close calls though.

Luckily today Chunk was on a normal schedule, maybe 3 p.m. feeding time. It was funny as he was leaving door, another foxer came up my walkway and he got in his face and let him have an earfull.

A lot of people don't know Chunk's background, in school sports he was known as 'Chunk Casillas' for the moves he could make with a pecan while atttacking a goal, he still practices when the mood strikes.

[Nancy in New York]

Oh no, don't tell me that you are a soccer dad!!!!!
Do you yell out from the stands? Do you embarrass Chunk? Has the coach
needed to remove you from the field? Does he go to away games too?
Looks like he is getting in some much needed extra practice....little stinker...:Love_Icon

[JakesLittlePrincess]

:rotfl :rotfl :rotfl :rotfl
Looks more like he ate the ball!!!!

[SammysMom]

White Ears is adorable! Of course so is Chunk :)
Isn't it funny how one of them decides to cross the barrier of the doorway? My regular is "Tom the Glom" who spends plenty of time in the dining room without a care in the world. He does just what you have pictured. Stands right in front of you looking up at your face. Of course, though it started as one crossing the barrier, the crowd that comes in if the door is left open has increased to more like 4 or 5 at a time.:sanp3
Tom remains the friendliest most trusting though. My husband was outside yesterday to feed him and he sat on his lap to eat the nut. Ken came in and said "we should trade that little jerk Sammy for Tom. Tom is nicer and more gentle!".
Although I do love Tom, that is not a trade that will be happening!:soapbox

[sdreamcatcher]

Tomcics, I love your posts and pictures about your squirrels :). I also love how much you care about them; I have been really quite obsessed with the ones in my area since being gifted with Butchie and Joey. I too am so afraid Star and others will trust the wrong person, especially Star, because I am not completely sure with how our neighbors feel about them, and they can be aggravating little pests sometimes. My Mom isn't keen on them and is a bit afraid of Star because of her boldness (I have heard from neighbors who say she has approached them as well; had to be her they were describing). Most do keep a healthy distance and I don't hand feed, but still they seem to know I am a softie (sucker??), and get pretty close. Maybe they smell the boys on me? The wild orphans are quite wary, thankfully, as was Flower, their Mommy, until about two weeks or so before she died.

[Fireweed]

What a cute chunky monkey doing some pretty fancy footwork with that pecan. :alright.gif
"He still practices when the mood strikes"...I'm guessing by the looks of him that mood doesn't strike too often. :rotfl

[tomcics]

:D :wave123 Nancy, the foxers seem to have a special interest in that soccer net and I have actually seen one sit under a tree and watch the young girls play in the summer time. I remember worrying it would get harmed and sure enough after the game some very young kids chased it aound (it was very trusting of them initially) while screaming at it (as parents stood there laughing at the terrorizing).
I posted a pic of Chunk heading home today (taking short cut I guess)

:thankyou JakesLittlePrincess & FireWeed, Chunk is probably best suited for a goalie position.

:wave123 SDreamCatcher, I know exactly what you mean, I can sense some of my neighbors are not exactly thrilled with the little fuzzers hanging around but they really don't harm anyone (but do leave some shells behind :D ). Hand feeding can be very tricky as some are gentle but once you learn who is gentle, you can easily mistake the gentle one for a hand jumper. I have been scratched quite a few times but never bit. They have keen sense of smell so they probably do smell Butchie/Joey. Good luck with little Star, hope can always be safe there.

:wave123 SammysMom, Tom the Glom does sound a lot like White Ears, it is so fascinating how one can be so trusting, unlike the vast majority. Very cool that he sat on your husbands lap, make sure hubby is careful as sometimes they get unpredictable when other squirrels come around. Sometimes the others don't care for that kind of comradery :D either.

[tomcics]

Had another late night incident with Chunky last night, I happen to open door after dark (to bring water in since it freezes at night) and who is standing there begging. So I put on my jacket and fed him few pecans outside and he went in all 4 directions before finally going home. This was after 6 (pitch dark). Luckily today Chunk came at reasonable time so I was able to feed him early and that was that.

I think Chunk needs a partner, so all you young female squirrels out there, I would like to introduce you to Bachelor #1, Chunky is looking for that someone special who likes to take late night walks, can enjoy a good tree climb and isn't put off by a male who likes to show off the size of his pecan.

[astra]

OMG! These photos are just too much - this chubby face, with the pecan and those chubby squidgeable little paws tucked in like that!!!!!
Seeing someone like that live must be unbearably cute and adorable!

I LOVE that photo of the foxer on the wire against the winter sky and sun! - what a beautiful photo!!!!!!!!!!!!