Feeding the squirrels

[ShadowGroover]

If the squirrels come, I will be there.

Being one that live traps red and gray squirrels for relocation, I'll be glad to send them your way. My motto is, "If you think there's just one nuisance squirrel, there's really 80 more." So if you're in the right zip code, I could send you at least 600-700 squirrels.

If you're looking for inexpensive, healthy squirrel bait food, unsalted shelled peanuts are irresistible to them.

 

[Koog]

My nephew and I enjoy feeding the squirrels.

Please don't feed them anything that is salted or full of junk of any kind.

Koog

 

[iiipopes]

Whew! For a moment when I saw the title of this thread, I thought it may have been about what the bass player did that caused him to have to buy beer for the guitar players!

 

[DrBnz]

TIP of the day.... you can't afford to feed squirrels pistachios. The trick is to go to your nearest Tractor supply store and get the big ole 25lb box of unsalted peanuts. The Blue Jays and sometimes the woodpeckers and Cardinals will swing by to steal one once they see how the game is played.

I "had" a nice collection of squirrels and blue jays that I used to feed. Until I got my dog who loves chasing them down.

Bird feeders attract unwanted birds (huge black crows, etc). They make a huge mess on the ground and they're expensive to keep filled up. Keep in mind you're only out there for a couple hours a day. Them critters are eating 24/7

 

[LordRyan]

While outside try going barefoot. Rub your feet briskly on the grass. You should feel something like an electrical charge through your feet and into your ankles. Studies have shown that this reduces any inflammation you might have in your body. I got an old-fashioned un-powered lawn mower and mow the lawn barefoot which is also good exercise.

 

[Gopherbassist]

This project continues today. The plan is to go out later, when it is hopefully cooler, and see if the squirrels are more active. At the suggestion of @Koog I won't be dropping salted nuts.

But something is amiss! What I have on hand are salted pistachios. Out of respect for the healt of our furry friends, I will be rinsing, soaking and flushing them over the next few hours to remove the excess salinization.

Do squirrels mind watered down nuts?
We shall see...

 

[bass12]

I used to feed the squirrels that would frequent our backyard. I stopped at a certain point because I didn't like the idea of them becoming dependent on my handouts (some of the squirrels started bringing their kits to get fed). I'd encourage anyone considering feeding wildlife of any kind to do some research on the pros and cons and to make a decision from there.

 

[waynobass]

My doctor says I need to spend more time outside..... Thing is, there's not much for me to do outside.

Can't you go walking or bicycling? Are you confined to your yard?

I too have heard you shouldn't feed wildlife. Especially raccoons; had a friend who fed a few, until she had to stop when a few turned into 30.

 

[Gopherbassist]

Can't you go walking? Are you confined to your yard?

I too have heard you shouldn't feed wildlife. Especially raccoons; had a friend who fed a few, until she had to stop when a few turned into 30.

There's no reasonable walking routes where I live. I live on the corner of two major roadways, and the streets that lead into the neighborhood are spread out to keep through traffic from flooding in. If I wanted to walk around the block, it would be about two miles. That's nice on a trail, but on concrete sidewalks in a boring neighborhood? Not my kind of thing

 

[Gopherbassist]

Update on the washing process: I've rinsed, soaked and flushed the nuts several times. I detect no salt flavor in the soak water, but because squirrels are quite small and may more sensitive, I'm doing one more soak and flush.

I'm also very surprised at how dirty the pistachios are. I've done the initial rinse and about four soaks now, and they still leave some kind of dirt or silt in the water. Comparing that to beans (which grow in actual dirt) thats a lot more stuff coating them. Beans usually take two rinses to see clean water, three at most.

Will this stop me from eating piatachios? Not for a second.

 

[MJ5150]

Update on the washing process: I've rinsed, soaked and flushed the nuts several times. I detect no salt flavor in the soak water, but because squirrels are quite small and may more sensitive, I'm doing one more soak and flush.

I'm also very surprised at how dirty the pistachios are. I've done the initial rinse and about four soaks now, and they still leave some kind of dirt or silt in the water. Comparing that to beans (which grow in actual dirt) thats a lot more stuff coating them. Beans usually take two rinses to see clean water, three at most.

Will this stop me from eating piatachios? Not for a second.

They might be moldy. Be careful. Your comment reminds me of this.....

I can see it now, a random old guy sitting on his porch eating moldy pistachios while squirrels yell at him to stop.

-Mike

 

[Gopherbassist]

I used to feed the squirrels that would frequent our backyard. I stopped at a certain point because I didn't like the idea of them becoming dependent on my handouts (some of the squirrels started bringing their kits to get fed). I'd encourage anyone considering feeding wildlife of any kind to do some research on the pros and cons and to make a decision from there.

I'm not going to be giving them anywhere near enough food for them to become dependent on it. These will be snacks.

 

[Gopherbassist]

They might be moldy. Be careful. Your comment reminds me of this.....
View attachment 7495928

I can see it now, a random old guy sitting on his porch eating moldy pistachios while squirrels yell at him to stop.

-Mike

I've eaten many a pistachio in my life, and have come across several the were moldy or otherwise infected by fungus. I think this is shell dust that accumulates during processing, based on the color. It's a little darke than the shells, which makes me think there could also be dirt.

 

[JamesGrant]

I think the squirrels will very much appreciate your gifts - jolly decent of you! I love squirrels, and pigeons. My good lady wife likes the little birds. We have peanuts and mixed birdseed out all the time. The squirrel has taken to laying on the fence in the sunshine with his legs dangling either side of the fence. He gets up, has a leap onto the feeder, has a nibble and runs off. Then returns a short while later and has a little lay down. He knows we are only a few metres away (but indoors mostly), I think he likes the human activity (from a safe distance!). He’s unbothered by the birds and the pigeons don’t mind him - the robins get very annoyed!

 

[Gopherbassist]

The game is afoot! The nuts I threw out yesterday have been claimed by someone or something. Now we wait...

Fun fact about pistachios: pistachio nuts, especially when packed in large quantities, must be shipped as hazardous materials. Why? Because they have a tendency to spontaneously combust! But not just that, when they burst in to flame, their tendency to pop and crack means there is a chance they can explode!

This is not due to any particular volatility of the nuts, but because of the peculiar way the arrange themselves when piled up. Because of their shells, with the gap between the shell and the meat, and the gaps that form between one nut and another, pistachios can achieve a fuel-air mixture which creates optimal conditions for a fire to form without heat from an outside source or friction between the nuts.

 

[5StringBlues]

Fun fact about pistachios: pistachio nuts, especially when packed in large quantities, must be shipped as hazardous materials. Why? Because they have a tendency to spontaneously combust! But not just that, when they burst in to flame, their tendency to pop and crack means there is a chance they can explode!

This is not due to any particular volatility of the nuts, but because of the peculiar way the arrange themselves when piled up. Because of their shells, with the gap between the shell and the meat, and the gaps that form between one nut and another, pistachios can achieve a fuel-air mixture which creates optimal conditions for a fire to form without heat from an outside source or friction between the nuts.

Oh God, another existential threat.

 

[Ostie]

I tolerate the little beggars as long as they scavenge the sunflower seeds that the birds drop from the feeder. I’m a bird watcher, not a squirrel watcher.

 

[definenredefine]

White squirrels are native to Western NC around Brevard.

Following up on this, there are black squirrels in Detroit, and black squirrels with brown tails in VA outside DC.

 

[Captain Comet]

You mentioned beans. Do you garden? That will definitely make you spend more time outside than most would ever think.

Then you will be fending off the squirrels trying to poach your harvest. I have to put mesh bags around my cherry tomatoes or I wouldn't get any of them. The little thieves have figured out how to open the bags sometimes. All my stuff is grown in containers, Florida soil is challenging.

 

[Gopherbassist]

Following up on this, there are black squirrels in Detroit, and black squirrels with brown tails in VA outside DC.

There are black squirrels in western Iowa as well. They seem bigger than other varieties.