Rue is making a new noise and seems listless. Can anyone help?

[JulieCSchultz]

This is a new noise, and I am wondering if anyone has insight? This sound is NOT the "Holy cow, there is a huge hawk in the yard." This is more somber, quiet, and forlorn. Is this heat? She is probably six-eight months old. Any ideas will be so appreciated.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EytSeTHXmmY&feature=youtu.be

[muggsy'sgm]

Would be awesome to know what this sound means! Muggsy (grey, six months old) had started making this very sound a couple of months ago...but no longer does so.

Good video, and good question!

[stepnstone]

Check out this link and turn up the sound.... :great

https://www.wired.com/2014/06/squirrel-alarm-calls-are-surprisingly-complex/

[island rehabber]

Check out this link and turn up the sound.... :great

https://www.wired.com/2014/06/squirrel-alarm-calls-are-surprisingly-complex/

:goodpost Excellent link, step -- and also a good basis for a new Round Table Topic at the Gathering: Alarm Calls ain't Just for the Heck of it!

[TubeDriver]

That would be a fun and educational discussion.:great Maybe we could require participants to simulate/demonstrate squirrel calls? :grin2



BTW, Thaddeus McRae is an excellent name for a squirrel! :great

[muggsy'sgm]

That would be a fun and educational discussion.:great Maybe we could require participants to simulate/demonstrate squirrel calls? :grin2





ONLY if there is someone videoing said demonstration...for those of us who aren't there in person.

[muggsy'sgm]

Check out this link and turn up the sound.... :great

https://www.wired.com/2014/06/squirrel-alarm-calls-are-surprisingly-complex/

Very nice. I've heard Muggsy do a combination of the quaa and the moan...once. He was definitely more agitated at that time (generally speaking), and over-grooming. I thought it was in response to the wilds...but maybe he heard or saw something new and simply hasn't been that freaked out since then. At least not freaked out enough to issue an alarm.

So what do y'all think is going on with OP's girl?

[LR]

This is the sound I had two babies making this past summer calling for Momma. Youngsters were probably 10 - 11 weeks old when we found Momma laying in ditch at the side yard. Such a sad sound.

I'd say Rue is worried about something outside

[Diggie's Friend]

According to "North American Tree Squirrels" by iMichael Steele & John Koprowski, on pg 124,

Table 9.1 Vocalizations of Adult Squirrels

Moan: Startled or mild distress.

As to what is the cause is on an individual basis. This could be hearing a sound of another animal, or the scent of something that is irritating to the squirrel.

What we witnessed one time with our Fox squirrel, was unlike the barks and other high energy sounds including protest, and food sounds we were well familiar with, was a mournful, distressed sound, with the squirrel very focused to the point of even petting it and speaking to comfort it didn't deter the song for over 3 minutes. Like the gray in the video this squirrel was also lying and still, continued to make what to us "sounded like" a song, not to anthropormorphized it, but rather describing the vocalization as having a change pitch, that denotes concern, disturbed, or unsettled overing something.

[TubeDriver]

I have heard my squirrels make that sound or one similar when a hawk was nearby.



This is a new noise, and I am wondering if anyone has insight? This sound is NOT the "Holy cow, there is a huge hawk in the yard." This is more somber, quiet, and forlorn. Is this heat? She is probably six-eight months old. Any ideas will be so appreciated.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EytSeTHXmmY&feature=youtu.be

[stepnstone]

I have a male that does that same pathetic cry that Rue's doing when his brother bully's him
keeping him away from the food dish. Sometimes I've often thought he purposely does this
for me because he knows I'll come right in and correct the situation so he can eat. :dono

[Mel1959]

I have a male that does that same pathetic cry that Rue's doing when his brother bully's him
keeping him away from the food dish. Sometimes I've often thought he purposely does this
for me because he knows I'll come right in and correct the situation so he can eat. :dono

I have a couple of wild squirrels that intentionally alarm to get my attention inside the house so I will come out and give them a treat. :shakehead:shakehead

[JulieCSchultz]

That article was AWESOME! Rue stopped making that noise, so perhaps we will never crack the code!

[JulieCSchultz]

That would make for an awesome interactive game among squirrel lovers. You have to guess what I'm doing based on the noises or movements I make. Although biting would be frowned upon in this game. ::laugh::





That would be a fun and educational discussion.:great Maybe we could require participants to simulate/demonstrate squirrel calls? :grin2



BTW, Thaddeus McRae is an excellent name for a squirrel! :great

[JulieCSchultz]

Yes! And the bloopers would be the best part of said videos! ::hahahah:::



ONLY if there is someone videoing said demonstration...for those of us who aren't there in person.

[island rehabber]

According to "North American Tree Squirrels" by iMichael Steele & John Koprowski, on pg 124,

Table 9.1 Vocalizations of Adult Squirrels


This is a most EXCELLENT book and I recommend it for all rehabbers and squirrel lovers. I read it while I was doing Grand Jury here in the Bronx....in fact over the 5-week period I read it twice. It kept me sane during days full of drug busts, armed robberies and whatnot!

[muggsy'sgm]

This is a most EXCELLENT book and I recommend it for all rehabbers and squirrel lovers. I read it while I was doing Grand Jury here in the Bronx....in fact over the 5-week period I read it twice. It kept me sane during days full of drug busts, armed robberies and whatnot!

Just ordered on Amazon! Arrives tomorrow...and I cannot wait!

[Rocky1]

Poor Rue. Maybe something awful happened. She might need comforting.

[Rocky1]

I just had another thought. How long has Rue been inside? Any chance she has babies out there? I once heard a similar, yet much warmer version of that sound, coming from a mother squirrel who was talking to her babies. The sound was not exactly like the one you provided. It wasn't a sad sound. It was a very warm sounding tone with sort of a tongue rolling sound almost like a purr at the end, a happy warm calm greeting. Have you looked out the window to see if there is another squirrel out there she might be talking to?

[GGnWallie]

How long did it take her to stop the noise?? My girl has been doing this all day. She’ll be 2 in July. She had her first heat, July of last year, her second was January. And right now, her belly is and looks full, kinda bloated. Her lady parts are all swollen and darker pink than usual. I’m wondering if it’s another heat. I thought this was happening a couple weeks ago, but turned out to be her snack stash she was sounding and attacking for.

Today however, she’s been crying for hours and hours, making the same sound as Rue. It’s such a sad sound. Then she’ll start kuking and doing flips in her cage (thats open) or sprinting in circles, jumping on all of her shelves, and running up and down her little tree/jungle gym. I’m so confused.

Now that I think about it, I always keep the shades open during the day and I had my window slightly cracked for fresh air, and now that is spring, I wonder if she could smell everything outside. Ugh, I don’t know. I feel bad though, she is eating too!

[Diggie's Friend]

Also recommended, "The Natural History of Tree Squirrels". by (Gurnell)

There is a chart on what the sounds of various species of Sciurids mean also.

I've never seen so much data in one book super references source to have in addition to N.A.T.S.

Gently used copies are available on Amazon.com, the price of new is otherwise an investment.