Where are the squirrels?

jujube

jujube

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I think I'm in Florida, but I'm not sure any more.
Our squirrels have disappeared! Usually I look out the front yard and see anywhere between 3 to 12 squirrels doing squirrelly things but for the past three days, there's not a squirrel in sight.

Must be too hot for them and they're holed up in their tree nests, maybe. Perhaps they're getting their acorns from Meals-on-Wheels or Grub-Hub.

As much as I cuss at the little furry long-tailed rats, I rather miss their antics.
 

I don't know what is happening with the squirrels these days. I live in an apartment complex that has been squirrel-less since I moved here 4 years ago. I miss them.

But before that, when I had a home and yard, I remember in the heat of summer days, they would try to stay ground level whenever they could. And that was dangerous for them with all the cats and dogs around.
I felt bad as my dogs would see them in the backyard, and run outside thru their doggy door and chase them away.
 
I saw 2 about a month ago and they were acting quite frisky and chasing each other up and down a tree trunk and across the lawn. I guess we know what the intent was. ;)
Right now I can hardly look out without seeing chipmunks. Overrun with them - they have chewed into the garage foundation and nested in a folded plastic tarp out there. I've also been seeing some really small bunnies lately.
 
We have plenty of squirrels, too.
We usually put out some food for the squirrels, and they also like to sneak up on the back porch if the dog kibble is left outside.
The birds are even worse !
They perch all over by the back door, looking for the Breakfast Buffet.
We put the dog food out when we let the dogs out first thing in the morning, and then bring it back in when the dogs come back inside.
This procedure seems to work fairly well, although we have seen the dogs sitting by the back door, and the birds scarfing down their dog food, right next to the dog.
The dogs won’t let the squirrels do that; but they seem to ignore the birds.

In the evening, the birds go to bed, and then we can leave the dog food out until the dogs have their last Before Bedtime Run and the bologna treats.
My husband was leaving little crackers out on the front porch, and there is one of the squirrels that comes right down for the cracker, even when my husband is sitting right there on the porch.
We like our squirrels, but I do not like that they eat the fruit and berries !
 
My work place backs up to an unbuildable gulch. Homeless camp in it when it's dry. Oh and the trash!!! Anyway, I feed the 3 fixed established ferals that have been there for years. I have 4 water bowls out for them. The smallest is a cup, under a bush. I've noted a Blue Jay drinking out of that and usually by morning in the summer, most or all of the water is gone. Drank by the squirrels and the night time animals that come out of the gulch.
 
Last year, we had deer all over the place. My neighbor counted 12 in his yard. We had a cold, snowy winter. In the spring I saw only one lonely doe wandering around. I see that she has a fawn, now. Apparently, deer have a tendency to over populate an area, and when winter comes, there's not enough food to get them through the hard times. I wonder if squirrels do the same. When I first moved here in the 1990s, I had to clear the land, and there were squirrels running around, but then they disappeared. Later they came back. Also cats and squirrels don't get along, they are mortal enemies. So, if you've got a bunch of pet cats running around, they could spell doom to the squirrels.
 
fuzzybuddy said:
Last year, we had deer all over the place. My neighbor counted 12 in his yard. We had a cold, snowy winter. In the spring I saw only one lonely doe wandering around. I see that she has a fawn, now. Apparently, deer have a tendency to over populate an area, and when winter comes, there's not enough food to get them through the hard times. I wonder if sq
Click to expand...
Deer are found more by themselves from spring until fall, that's common, and as for over-populating a certain area with the birth of little ones, deer are grazers and will move where the food is, even grazing alongside livestock.

Typically when there's a hard winter (lots of snow), deer fall prey more to predators rather than a hard winter.
 
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