Lady & Viv

[Pointy Tale]

K, Put a drain hole in the bottom of the container with your screw driver or even a scissor and try to reaffix the plastic container or plastic cup to the tree, I think this will help. You could also try to affix a small plastic flower pot, it already has drain holes. I wouldn't worry about the water container yet, although a simple saucer from a flower pot could work as well for this or even something fancy like a bird bath can be put into place. Another suggestion could be to take a bucket, any bucket or pail and turn in upside down so Lady can have a platform at the base of the tree and then perhaps jump to a less soggy part of the yard to collect nuts from the neighbor? Let me know what you think about these suggestions.

[Pointy Tale]

PT: Sent you PM at same moment you posted this. Thank you so much for being there, as usual. Will make drainage hole. That makes sense. Will also get longer screws from hardware store. I mentioned my height in yesterday post bec. I not tall & ladder would be too dangerous in soil. Lady cannot go w/o getting to food. And taking her away as Nancy sugg. is not option. She & neighbor have bonded. Neighbor sits by open backdoor & Lady , before, rain, started to come closer. Lady gets around in every other way. Separation is not the way to go. I will keep at this until, her food needs in wet weather are met. Thank you again for helping us.

Understood about the bond. Please go back, I have written a couple of posts here this morning about ideas/suggestions with questions of course. So please go back to read them for me. Also, I'm sorry, but I am a slower typer, LOL.

K, don't worry, we're here to help make sure that Lady gets the help she needs.
Be well and stay dry. Oh, Don't worry about your height, that is more than fine!

[Katherine]

PT: Neighbor in my bldg. gave me bunch of longer screws. Also, called local hardware store that has gardening supplies. They have stones that can be put down. Am going to that store first, then to screw container back on with drainage hole. Be back in about 1/2 hr.

[Pointy Tale]

K—you are Angel to your local squirrel population. You are one of the most dedicated squirrel lovers I have read about! Good luck at the hardware store and please be careful, don’t slip or fall or get ill trying to help. Just do the best you can for today and fix the rest on a day with better weather—please, seriously, Diggie needs you too. By the way, how long are your screws?

[Katherine]

PT: Here's what has happened. Went to hardware store. Know owner, since I've lived here 13 yrs. Told him what we're trying to do with Lady (he is animal lover). Got battery operated cordless screwdriver to give me more power than my hands have. He gave me 2 containers, similar in shape to butter barrel but thicker & clear. Thought your idea of drainage good, so he made holes. Gave me appropriate screws & started them thru container. Re: stones, he has them for gardeners. Knows neighbor since he has delivered to her in past. We called her for ok to dliever, at no chg., 5lbs. stones, between 5 & 6PM today. I have to be out doing nec. things, but she also knows them & no problem to let him in. Then went to backyard. Soil just damp now-drizzle stopped. Screwed in 1 container (also thought of holding off on water cup, right now) . Definitely, more secure. Young Lady was watching me. She is just so sweet. Left neighbor sitting anxiously at backdoor to see if container holds & Lady eats. Am crossing my fingers...K

[Katherine]

PT. Forgot to say that your idea of bucket is excellent. Stupid me forgot to do it. There's one in her basement. Will stop by when I go out after & put in place. Platform for Lady sounds good. K

[Katherine]

PT: Neighbor called. Lady has eaten from container & it has held. Test will be when rain comes again. She wants to know if she should feed Lady also from backdoor or just get her used to eating from container. My thought: until I know this container or any other will work, it is good give her whatever food she wants. Has been dry for many hrs & Lady makes it near where backdoor is when dry. Problem is only after soil gets muddy. Do you agree or disagree? Thanks, Dr. PT. Don't know what my squirrel family would do w/o you..K

[Pointy Tale]

K: I quickly read, but will respond later to all posts here, but must take care of family now. Be well, and stay dry. You are a good person to all of these things.

[Pointy Tale]

Hi K—glad to know the owner of the hardware store helped you out today, what a kind person and even put in the drainage holes and started the screws in the container, awesome! Oh my goodness, owner delivered 5lbs of stones at no charge—that is more than nice. I am worried about you doing all of this manual labor, installing a squirrel feeder for Lady, installing stones to make it easy for Lady to get down from her tree, you are working very hard. Oh my goodness, just noticed you’re getting the bucket from the basement too! I wonder how that will work out.

K—great news that Lady has taken food from the container, now she knows, good job! I think your neighbor can continue to do both feeding from backdoor as she normally does—this allows her to interact and have joy with Lady and put food in the squirrel feeder on inclement weather. Agree—give whatever food she wants. Yes, K—totally agree, container for when it’s muddy, but perhaps the stones and the bucket or either of them may help Lady to navigate to the backdoor. I guess another wait and see. Keep us posted.

[mindy65]

That is good news and I'm glad the hardware owner helped you out. There are some good people left in this world. So happy that lady is eating from the containers and everyone is happy. Its going to be along winter, and can't wait for updates on both squirrel families. min

[Katherine]

Update: Container attached as described in above post 25 has held firm, even thru rain, which we've had on & off since Sat. eve. It is raining lightly even now. Lady maneuvers herself in such a way as to eat from it with no problem. Yes, PT, neighbor is continuing to throw food when ground is not soaked. Lady comes closer to her, esp. when she sits at open backdoor. When rain is too heavy, they actually seem to be looking at each other from door to tree. I am replenishing food on days of inclement weather, such as yesterady & today. The upside-down bucket is great. It gets very muddy at base of tree. At first Lady just looked at it , of course, not knowing what it was. Yesterday, rain stopped around noon. I went out back just close enough to throw a nut on it. Lady heard it, I backed away. She came down, hearing noise & cautiouly went on, took nut back up tree. Neighbor told me, later she used it as bridge to help her over mud. I have 5lbs of stone. Not sure what is best use for them.
PT & Min: Can't thank you both enough for offering solution & having compassion for a sweet little squirrel who just needed help to survive in this world!!!

[mindy65]

Thank you K for being there for Lady also. Glad everything is taken care of for the moment and hopefully will make it through the winter. min

[Pointy Tale]

K—great update, very informative. Glad to know Lady can use bucket as Bridge! Just make sure that there is No Standing Water that accumulates on top of bucket—this can cause mosquitoes—and if a squirrel gets bit they can get a very bad virus, don’t want that—so just be mindful of “standing” water. As for the stones, you can place them where the muddy areas are and perhaps Lady can walk over them as not to sink in mud. Yes, it is hard not to have compassion for any squirrels—they live in a tough environment but they are strong—thankfully!

[Katherine]

K—great update, very informative. Glad to know Lady can use bucket as Bridge! Just make sure that there is No Standing Water that accumulates on top of bucket—this can cause mosquitoes—and if a squirrel gets bit they can get a very bad virus, don’t want that—so just be mindful of “standing” water. As for the stones, you can place them where the muddy areas are and perhaps Lady can walk over them as not to sink in mud. Yes, it is hard not to have compassion for any squirrels—they live in a tough environment but they are strong—thankfully!

PT: Another stupid city-girl question. Should I try putting stones around base of tree & below upside-down bucket so that Lady can step from bucket to stones? Does this question make sense. Worded another way: Should I put them just below the bucket top & make straight path with them so as to have her follow a straight path rather them approaching tree base from all angles. This is not clear. I think it best if she learns to go from stones to bucket & up-tree & vice versa. If there are stones all around tree base, she may not always go up bucket platform, Neighbor has called me & said she uses it each trip Up & down & don't want to confuse her. In a short period of time Lady has gotten used to her "step-ladder". Isn't this cute.. You should patent this idea. If I've made no sense at all, which is most likely, how would you place stones? Going there first, then to park. Am adjusting schedule to earlier sunset. Did I mention that Diggie turned his tree clock back 1 hr? (yeah sure)...K

[Pointy Tale]

K—yes makes sense, good use for stones—sounds like a good plan. Are you up to that job—labor intensive. Right, I wouldn’t necessarily make stones all around the tree, but as sort of a single direction path from tree/bucket to backdoor, right? Yes, it is very cute that she has gotten use to her step—ladder! Yes, we should patent the idea—please begin process under Pointy’s name! Thank you.

[Katherine]

K—yes makes sense, good use for stones—sounds like a good plan. Are you up to that job—labor intensive. Right, I wouldn’t necessarily make stones all around the tree, but as sort of a single direction path from tree/bucket to backdoor, right? Yes, it is very cute that she has gotten use to her step—ladder! Yes, we should patent the idea—please begin process under Pointy’s name! Thank you.

Yes, you are saying what I was trying to say in my unclear post re: stones. "single direction path from tree/bucket to backdoor." Will do this a little at a time. Don't know how far stones sent over will go but hardware store owner said he will send more if needed. Today, supposed to be good weather. Will start this afternoon, working my way from bucket. Everytime, I do something in yard, both neighbor, & esp. Lady, sit & watch. So, I am well supervised! K

[mindy65]

Can you tell where lady sleeps up in the tree? just curious. Or is this a hollow tree? Maybe in the future someone else can make a box to hang in the tree for lady. min

[Katherine]

Can you tell where lady sleeps up in the tree? just curious. Or is this a hollow tree? Maybe in the future someone else can make a box to hang in the tree for lady. min

Min: It's hard to tell but Lady sleeps in the curve of a branch attached to tree with what looks like old leaves or pieces of nest. There are only 6 small trees in yard , neglected, due to neighbor's inability to care for them. Now that she has Lady, she wants to bring somone in the spring to spruce up the area. She thought other squirrels live there but the only ones I've seen just run thru there on the way to some place else. I see no cavities or nests. I think it's good that there are no other ones, since they might give Lady some problems. Agree? K.

[Pointy Tale]

Hi K—be careful not to hurt yourself when moving all of the stones! It is labor intensive and don’t want you to get hurt. That is so funny about neighbor and Lady watching! Now, I feel real bad for you. Oh, she lives in a leaf drey, I wonder if they can live in a leaf drey in the winter, I don’t know, I wonder who she will snuggle with at night, should be interesting to find out. Well, it’s probably better that only Lady lives on the property, more private time for neighbor and Lady, yes?! Yes, just saw what you wrote. I do like Min advice about the nest box, but it would have to be hung at least 15’ and I’m not sure you could do that on your own and no guarantee that lady would use it either, I just don’t know. Great update!!!!
Be well have a great day!

[Katherine]

Went over for a while to start putting down stones , beg. at bucket. It is tedious, so decided to take a break for a bit, then go back. I want to complete at least 1 square section, so that Lady does not have to go from stone to soil & so forth. When she changes surface type, she tends to lose footing, if that sounds clear.