Having falsely accused the squirrels of digging up the tulip bulbs when the energetic Lab was actually the guilty party, I thought I'd give the critters their own moment of glory. Thanks to my friend at Grey and Red
What should people know about squirrels and getting along with them?
A few simple things will do. Squirrels are wild animals. Cute as they may be as youngsters, and cute and clever as they may be as adults, they are not meant to be kept captive. It is not only illegal but inhumane. These are wild animals
built to live in the wild and they can get into more trouble in captive care because they are not designed for it.
Squirrels are best appreciated from a distance, even a short distance. True, some will approach you, take food from your hands and even sit on your lap (I've experienced this myself), but it's best not to encourage this kind of behavior. You could inadvertently get bitten and you might also get the squirrel accustomed to a kind of behavior not universally welcomed by humans. If, on the other hand, a juvenile squirrel ever approaches you unsolicited and climbs you, it is an almost definite sign the mother squirrel is dead or missing and the little one needs to be taken into the care of a rehabber. This is not normal behavior.
Always remember: squirrels are smart, photogenic, tough and beautiful.
And they are wild, through and through.
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1 comment:
What a well-timed post! It just happens to be national Squirrel Appreciation Week! Thank you for appreciating squirrels with this posting!
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