hi and question from newbie

[exsquirrelliarmus]

hello, i've recently (past two weeks or so) noticed a squirrel (looks to be an adult, here he is saying hi this afternoon https://imgur.com/a/CT5w06j) hanging out on my double-hung windowsill. sidenote: i got one of those U-shaped air conditioners this past summer, and since most of the window can stay closed, i decided to leave it installed during the winter this year. normally that space would be closed completely during the winter months.

he (or she?) is relaxing in the space between the main window and the storm. i don't mind at all, but he seems to be chewing at the insulation foam a/c side curtain things. (they look like this https://imgur.com/a/wyshRwx) i'm worried he might chew all the way through and come into the house (not ideal, esp since i have an almost 18 year old dog who would probably be pretty confused/upset), so I'm thinking of replacing the foam with some wood panels.

but other than the concern about him coming inside, i love the little guy and would like to help him feel comfortable out there! i'm just wondering whether it's detrimental for him if i leave him snacks and stuff since I'm unable to bring him indoors. should i just leave him be? sorry i tried searching around for advice but found lots of conflicting information about ruining his ability to survive in the wild, some posts about how I'd be inviting massive destruction onto my house by not immediately shooing him away, etc, etc. thanks for any guidance!

[Charley Chuckles]

:Welcome
Sounds like he's looking for warmth but they also love to chew plastic rubber not sure wood would make it better 🤔
If you decide to put food out keep it well away from your AC unit or he may think he found the best airB&B in town 🤣

[exsquirrelliarmus]

:Welcome
Sounds like he's looking for warmth but they also love to chew plastic rubber not sure wood would make it better 🤔
If you decide to put food out keep it well away from your AC unit or he may think he found the best airB&B in town 🤣

okay thanks very much! i hate to deprive him of the foam insulation things, but i thought wood panels might be more durable. it sounds like those might not work either, though. any ideas to keep him from accidentally chewing his way into my bedroom? the window is right above my bed where my elderly dog sleeps. i want to keep him safe, too. maybe I'll have to take the ac out if there's not a better option. 😕

[Charley Chuckles]

If you do put up wood even if he chews on it he probably wouldn't get through before he got tired of chewing. It very well might be the foam he's attracted to. I know my little guy loves chewing through the top of my water bottle something about plastic 🤷
If putting the wood up is easier than removing the AC unit I would try that 👍
You could put a feeder up for your friend I'm just saying once you start feeding them they never will let you stop and they will bring all their friends 😁

[exsquirrelliarmus]

oh okay, i see! yes, I'll try the wood first and see how that goes. if he does like the spot for warmth (and not just foam!!), I'd want him to be able to use it when he feels like it. thank you again!

[CritterMom]

So you keep calling it "he." Are you sure of that? I bet if you do some hunting on youtube you will find more than one person who had a FEMALE make a nest using leaves between their windows and proceeded to have babies and raise them there, being photographed and videoed the whole time!

Plywood is quite hard and relatively cheap to use in your window. Don't use interior pine - they like to chew things that produce a mess and hard wood won't but pine will. Any hardwood scrap you might have available - oak, maple, etc, is good. But bang for your buck is plywood.

[exsquirrelliarmus]

oh for sure! i originally wrote he or she i think but then i just shortened to he for convenience. you very well could be right! i couldn't find anything around the house, so I'll grab some plywood at home depot tomorrow. thank you for the tip!

[CritterMom]

They sell small pieces so you won't need to buy a ton of it. If you have the measurements, HD will cut it to size for you while you wait.

[exsquirrelliarmus]

i love that. makes things so much easier