Bleeding wild???

[puddinpie]

I feed my wild greys here that frequent my back yard. We get quite a few squirrels here that come to eat, like 9 ro 10. Well a lot of times they get fiesty with one another and chase each other and will even push one another off the fence and my porch.

Well today when I went out to go down to my laundry room I noticed blood drippings on on ground! I mean it was more than just a little drip too. I was looking at all the squirrels in my yard, but could not see one with blood on on him/her. I am kind of worried now. I mean is it normal for them to get hurt like that, or maybe get in tiff's with one another?? Hopefully the one who got hurt is going to be ok. I tried walking around looking for an injured squirrel but could not find any. Maybe it was not that bad, I mean I know it can look like a lot of blood but maybe just because it spreads easy. Hope whovere it was will be ok :(

[stepnstone]

It is mating season and they do and will get in "tiffs" with each other, resulting injurys can be minor to serious. I would keep an eye out just in case one might need intervention...

[puddinpie]

Wow, I did not know it was mating season now. It is the middle of winter. I never thought of that . I thought maybe one pushed the other one off the fence or porch. I have been looking out, but I cannot tell if one is hurt or not. I do not see any blood on any of them. Maybe they cleaned it off or the one that got hurt left. I will keep my eye out though. Hope the little guy is ok. I mean I know they can take a lot. I remember walking in the park a couple blocks from where I live and seeing a squirrel without an ear there, it must have been bit off by another squirrel and I even seen one there that only had one eye! But he was doing fine, I mean he did not seemed Phased by it. I cannot believe they can be so cruel to one another... it is so sad to see..







It is mating season and they do and will get in "tiffs" with each other, resulting injurys can be minor to serious. I would keep an eye out just in case one might need intervention...

[stepnstone]

Wow, I did not know it was mating season now. It is the middle of winter. I never thought of that . I thought maybe one pushed the other one off the fence or porch. I have been looking out, but I cannot tell if one is hurt or not. I do not see any blood on any of them. Maybe they cleaned it off or the one that got hurt left. I will keep my eye out though. Hope the little guy is ok. I mean I know they can take a lot. I remember walking in the park a couple blocks from where I live and seeing a squirrel without an ear there, it must have been bit off by another squirrel and I even seen one there that only had one eye! But he was doing fine, I mean he did not seemed Phased by it. I cannot believe they can be so cruel to one another... it is so sad to see..

Yes, the squirrels are getting busy making spring babies...

Although you may see several eating, burying or gathering nuts in the same area, most squirrels are solitary animals, they are also very territorial and will fight for territory. Mating is a whole new ball game... A female's scent will attract many suitor's but only the bad boy is going to get the date... and well... you know how we guys can be when it comes to throwing that testosterone around. :rofl4

One must also realize that squirrels are prey to many types of wildlife and results from escaping capture is often maiming... and then there is tree cutters, cars....man. :(

Squirrels do have amazing healing abilities as well as extraordinary determination in overcoming disabilities. :Love_Icon

Thank you for caring for our little fuzz butts! :grouphug

[puddinpie]

Oh geez, It is just so awful to see any one of them hurt. I have one now that is disabled. He comes around like every other day and I feed him full of nuts. He is wobbly and looks to be blind in one eye. I am not sure what he has, but I saw one squirrel like this 2 years back and he did not fare well. This little guy will not come close to me, in fact he stays in my neighbors yard and he sits in this like thicket area and I will throw nuts over the fence to him. The only bad part is that I have a lot of squirrels that come here to eat so I have to constantly try and distract the other squirrels with throwing them nuts in a different direction so they wont bother the one with the problems while he eats. But yes, they are indeed resiliant.

I never thought about the blood being from one of the squirrels escaping a predator. I live in the City of Chicago, I am not sure how many predators are around here though. I mean maybe a stray dog, but we dont usually have too many of those around here really. I just dont know. Maybe it was squirrel on squirrel tiff like you said. I just hope whoever the little guy is that got hurt will be ok.. I love these little guys, they are so sweet. :Love_Icon














Yes, the squirrels are getting busy making spring babies...

Although you may see several eating, burying or gathering nuts in the same area, most squirrels are solitary animals, they are also very territorial and will fight for territory. Mating is a whole new ball game... A female's scent will attract many suitor's but only the bad boy is going to get the date... and well... you know how we guys can be when it comes to throwing that testosterone around. :rofl4

One must also realize that squirrels are prey to many types of wildlife and results from escaping capture is often maiming... and then there is tree cutters, cars....man. :(

Squirrels do have amazing healing abilities as well as extraordinary determination in overcoming disabilities. :Love_Icon

Thank you for caring for our little fuzz butts! :grouphug

[stepnstone]

Oh geez, It is just so awful to see any one of them hurt. I have one now that is disabled. He comes around like every other day and I feed him full of nuts. He is wobbly and looks to be blind in one eye. I am not sure what he has, but I saw one squirrel like this 2 years back and he did not fare well. This little guy will not come close to me, in fact he stays in my neighbors yard and he sits in this like thicket area and I will throw nuts over the fence to him. The only bad part is that I have a lot of squirrels that come here to eat so I have to constantly try and distract the other squirrels with throwing them nuts in a different direction so they wont bother the one with the problems while he eats. But yes, they are indeed resiliant.

I never thought about the blood being from one of the squirrels escaping a predator. I live in the City of Chicago, I am not sure how many predators are around here though. I mean maybe a stray dog, but we dont usually have too many of those around here really. I just dont know. Maybe it was squirrel on squirrel tiff like you said. I just hope whoever the little guy is that got hurt will be ok.. I love these little guys, they are so sweet. :Love_Icon

My concern would be for the wobbly one, not good! :shakehead

As far as Chicago predators, bald eagles and red tailed hawks are definitly squirrel predators...

[puddinpie]

Yeah, I do worry about the wobbly one. I am not sure what he has. He comes here every other day or so. He would be impossible to catch too. He will NOT come close to me at all. He does not even live by my house. He will come here and eat and then run off across the street and through an alley. I tried to follow him, but he is just too fast.

We do have a hawk around here, but it does not seem like one of the big hawks, it is a rather small one. Our back yard where the blood was found is kind of hidden and secluded( not a place where a hawk would swoop in for prey). You are likely right, it was probably a squirrel tiff that occured.

What do you think this wobbly one has? Have you ever seen this is a squirrel before? I have been feeding him for almost two months. Someone else on here mentioned Racoon round worm, but I thought that would usually kill them pretty fast.. This guy has been like this for quite awhile now....










My concern would be for the wobbly one, not good! :shakehead

As far as Chicago predators, bald eagles and red tailed hawks are definitly squirrel predators...

[Jackie in Tampa]

red tails are small hawks
and trust me... I have seen them glide right thru thick foilage canopy..
they are good and really good when hungry... usually appetite for them is early in the day when all prey critters are eating/forging..

feeding cracked dry corn will draw the crows ..who will help run off the hawks... mean dang birds!

keep alot of water available for the wilds in protected areas...:thankyou

[puddinpie]

You know what, I was talking to my dad and he happened to be taking pictures yesterday and got a pic of a coopers hawk( at least thats what it looks like). See, we also feed our doves and sparrows. My dad is now thinking that that hawk got a dove and that is what the blood is from. My dad said that first off, the hawk he seen was likely a younger hawk, not a full grown adult. Likley not big enough to grab a squirrel and even if he did grab a squirrel, the squirrel would have fought back and it would not have been pretty. My dad said with a squirrel, he would have just glided in and swooped him away and dropped him when high up so the fall would kill him. Well the blood that was here in my backyard looked like whatever he got( likley one of the birds) well he killed it right then and there and then flew off with it...

Ughh, how horrible it is!!! I also just spoke with a friend of mine and she said red tailed hawks, and coopers hawks kill doves and sparrows and an array of birds. We get A LOT of doves here and sparrows... They like to hang here since we feed them and so do others around the area.. I know it is nature, but it is so greusome.. I mean I am not denying that the hawk a meal, but I dont want to attract him here! What should I do??? I mean if he killed a bird here, he is likely going to come back right?? Any ideas??

[stepnstone]

You know what, I was talking to my dad and he happened to be taking pictures yesterday and got a pic of a coopers hawk( at least thats what it looks like). See, we also feed our doves and sparrows. My dad is now thinking that that hawk got a dove and that is what the blood is from. My dad said that first off, the hawk he seen was likely a younger hawk, not a full grown adult. Likley not big enough to grab a squirrel and even if he did grab a squirrel, the squirrel would have fought back and it would not have been pretty. My dad said with a squirrel, he would have just glided in and swooped him away and dropped him when high up so the fall would kill him. Well the blood that was here in my backyard looked like whatever he got( likley one of the birds) well he killed it right then and there and then flew off with it...

Ughh, how horrible it is!!! I also just spoke with a friend of mine and she said red tailed hawks, and coopers hawks kill doves and sparrows and an array of birds. We get A LOT of doves here and sparrows... They like to hang here since we feed them and so do others around the area.. I know it is nature, but it is so greusome.. I mean I am not denying that the hawk a meal, but I dont want to attract him here! What should I do??? I mean if he killed a bird here, he is likely going to come back right?? Any ideas??


red tails are small hawks
and trust me... I have seen them glide right thru thick foilage canopy..
they are good and really good when hungry... usually appetite for them is early in the day when all prey critters are eating/forging..

feeding cracked dry corn will draw the crows ..who will help run off the hawks... mean dang birds!

keep alot of water available for the wilds in protected areas...:thankyou

:thumbsup

[puddinpie]

Thanks. I just dont like the idea of a hawk preying on the squirrels and little birds.. I mean I know this is nature and the hawk needs to eat too, but I just cant handle thinking about him eating my little guys and the birds too!!!

We dont have many crows over here in my area though. I mean I seldom ever see one over here in my area. I try and keep a watch. I mean I have see the hawk here before not far off sitting in the tree. He must live in this area somewhere as I see him now and then....









:thumbsup