Author Archive
The Squirrel in the Camera
Ha! As seen on the Internet somewhere…
Squirrel Emails Part 4
Thanks for sending all of these great messages to the squirrel!
Thank you for taking the time and effort to share the squirrels! Yea I think they are just tree rats too but they are darned cute. It is a wonderful opportunity you were given to witness the beauty of motherhood.I used to raise Great Danes and I loved the whole experience from the pregnancies all the way through to watching to pups grow up and become aware of the world-one thing at a time!
— Kathy
what an adorable website and those squirrels are the cutest things i have ever seen. I love squirrels! so furry and sweet. what a great thing to have this kind of intimate access- i am sure it has made you think about squirrels a little differently. anyway, thanks for putting this on the web- its a great story, and the pics are amazing.
— Kimberle
My daughter Erika found your website and I have come to check it out. I’m a mother of 5, Erika, my 1st born, will be 39 this December!
This is delightful! I loved watching your squirrel mom and the loving care and attention she gives her little ones. I love how they were all over her and how she slept nursing them. I have spent hours and hours doing the same, but we always had a lot more space than she and her babies. Thanks for the great job you have done in sharing this sweet experience that you have been blessed to see through your apartment window.
— Charlotte
Great story and a site that is so nice to look at and friendly, great work. Thanks for sharing.
— Alain
Dear Mrs. Sqirl,
What is it like to see these sqirls grow up and be big kids? What kind of nuts do you eat? Other than nuts what do you eat anything else?
Sincerily,
— Courtney
I have been a fan of squirrels for years! What a wonderful experience you have shared with all of us, I got chills watching the videos. Every winter lots of red and gray squirrels find their way to my patio door, they have spread the word that I am an easy touch for peanut butter sandwiches! Even though we have had 9 removed from our attic (and one baby in a wall) I still find them so cute and entertaining I can’t stop feeding them! Thank you for sharing such a neat experience!
— Peggy
The pictures you have posted are amazing. I can only offer my congratulations to you and the squirrels. Keep up the good work and if you obtain additional pictures, please send them along.
Sincerely
— Phil
Hey Mama Squirrel :-)
Three family in a ‘fire exit’ window ! That’s a pretty good job !
I’m a web designer too, found of squirrels since I was (I am ?) a kid. I guess that’s pretty not hazardous if today, I’m working with a free open source CMS (SPIP) which symbol is… a squirrel ! You guessed it well :-D
But I’m sure you, as a lil’ mom of three, don’t give a damn of webdesign or so called CMSs so I’m not bothering you longer with this but… just as an advice, your nearest neighboor seems to be a WordPress user… beware of those guys, there are so strange :-D
See you later, squirrel lover !
— Loiseau
Thank you for sharing this with the world. As a wildlife rehabber I enjoyed it so much. Just rescued 24 baby squirrels in the month of August so I am very partial to squirrels. You are so luck to be able to enjoy this. What a treat and the squirrel was lucky to pick your home as hers. God Bless.
— Carol
I found your website on my niece, Lizzie Siegel’s Facebook page. How fascinating to watch mommy and her many broods grow up. I have never seen a squirrel nest before and I really enjoyed the piictures.
— Amanda
Many thanks for this incredible documentation!
Years ago, in the 1970’s, 2 baby squirrels were tossed to the ground in a storm at our house in Houston, Texas. Eyes open, but far from able to care for themselves. One had a broken back and was unable to move his hind quarters – both stunned badly. We never saw the mother and after watching a while, put them in a box with bedding and into my station wagon, as we had 6 cats in the house.
I raced to the phone and got in touch with a former Zoo Vet, who indeed had a squirrel formula on file. Thus began 3 weeks of eyedropper feedings every 3 hours, 24 hours a day, in the station wagon. And for Fritzl, our lame one, daily physical therapy and massage for over a year. He did happily regain some movement in his legs, but mostly scooted around, developing very muscular upper body strength and could climb me and the sides of his cage we made for him. Sadly the apparent healthy boy, Thomas we found suddenly dead in his cage at about 1 year, but Fritzl lived in our home for 6 years.
We had many adventures, he was sweet and loving, intelligent, curious and inventive. A lot of work too, but I learned much from him. His diet was primarily sunflower seeds and pecans, didn’t care for acorns much, but adored watermelon, rose petals and fresh picked blackberries.
Thank you for continuing to share your window and documenting their family life.
— Sandra
Please excuse my presumptuousness, but someone told me to check out your site and I wanted to tell you I thought your shots (and story) as well as you taking the time to share it all is really great.
I’ve sent you over a link to a couple of my rodent stories… comments are not being solicited, just thought you might like the read if you have some free time. A lot of litter © by adrian
— Adrian
Squirrel Emails Part 3
Mama squirrel has been getting lots of email! Here’s more of what people have been saying:
Dear Miss Squirrel,
Being a single mother is tough at the best of times, living on a window sill would make it even tuffer. Tell the nice people on the other side of the window, “nice job on the photo’s of your progress.”
Thank you.
— Sydney
Your cousins are very busy down here in Atlanta. They are working the giant Oak tree in our backyard. If you can text them or something, please tell them to chew the acorns instead of dropping the especially big ones on my car.
Thanks!
— Andy
Squirrels Needed
I am a squirrel lover. At our first house, I had many squirrels who brought their babies on their backs, ran up our trees, and ate the corn and nuts I put out. These squirrels grew up, brought their babies, and so on and so on. Then, we moved away. Before I sold the house I told every person who looked at our home that there were many squirrels and I would not sell if they were going to trap them or not feed them. I sold to a very nice single gentleman who also loved squirrels and I left numerous bags of nuts for his first month in the house. At our new home, we have no squirrels — the community is only 6 years old, and our trees are still small and very young. I look for squirrels every day, watch every tree, and just wait. We do have one chipmunk who we feed, so maybe he will spread the word. Please know that you can send your baby squirrels to me and I will love and take care of them — after our trees get bigger. God bless you for taking the time and having the patience to let this miracle take place time and time again.
If there were more “squirrel people” maybe our planet wouldn’t be in the shape it is. More people should take the time to watch the squirrels antics and laugh at them once in awhile. If you ever need any peanuts or corn for all your babies, please don’t hesitate to contact me. Maybe one day I will have my own squirrels in my back yard once again. I’ll be watching and waiting every day. Three cheers to you!!! Lucy and Charlie are also waiting and watching for new friends.
–Ann (Lucy and Charlie too)
I was mom to a beautiful little squirrel who was tossed out of her nest when she was about 30 days old. She has grown into a young mother with her second litter. It was a great treat for me to see what is probably going on with my little girl’s family since her nest is high up in a tree and I can’t see inside. It is good for me to think that she has her own family now and I believe a good mother. She does still come by and sit on my shoulder an eat nuts regularly.
— Sandra
I love this – How awesome that you both get to see it up close.
— JC
Thanks so much for letting her raise her babies outside your window !!
We have a minimum of three dreys in our trees and regularly part of one falls down right into the pond underneath (one time with squirrel, and yes, she can swim, too!). She just rebuilds it and re-uses it :) but we never got to see whats going on inside, so thanks so much for sharing !
— Annette, near San Francisco, CA
As a veteran squirrel rehabilitator, I have to commend you on your excellent website. This is educational material of the best sort and great fun, besides.
— Anita
We have rehabbed 2 separate squirrels.
The first one died at about 8 months of age. Several weeks later, we found the squirrel we now have with us. They were in two totally different places but both showed up after a night of very strong winds. We found Filbert a yr. ago in September and he looked to be about 6-7 weeks old at the time. He had fallen from his nest and was about to become a plaything for a local cat. We raised him on a slurry of puppy replacement milk mixed with strained baby fruits and rice cereal made for infants. Baby squirrels love this mixture and thrive on it. We gave it to him from a dosing syringe with a large tip until he was able to enjoy solid foods. He is strong and sweet and active. Unfortunately, his release time would have been mid-winter when there was no chance he could have survived. So Filbert is with us for the duration. He has a really large cage and I take him out every day into the house for play times. We adore the little guy and give him the best of natural foods we find outside and also give him primate biscuits a rehab site highly recommends. He loves his fruits, nuts, berries and veggies, too. We LOVE your pictures of these beautiful creatures. What a delight! Thank you for sharing with us!
— Christine
hey, mommy! :)
what a wonderful site your friends kenny & michelle have created!!
i was wondering how you got food all those days when you needed to feed the babies, but couldn’t leave them alone… or did you just stock up before that, and live through it?
just wondering–hope your latest kids are doing well!
love,
— jeri
Dear Mommy Squirrel,
How did you lose the baby weight? What do you think of the merits of homeschooling vs. public or private schools? Are organic nuts expensive? Please advise.
— Michelle
Thanks for this beautiful lesson of Love
— Manuela
Came across your site via a friend’s F’book post.
Last year, my neighbor in Jersey City found an orphaned baby squirrel in his yard. For some reason, he brought it to my house. My fiance immediately fell in love, started referring to the squirrel as his son, and named him Seymour the Survivor. As much as it broke our hearts, we knew that bringing him to a wildlife rehabilitator was the right thing to do. We called it Squirrel College but it didn’t make it any easier for us. We still miss him and hope he’s doing well out there. Your pictures warmed our hearts.Thanks,
— Two empty nesters
LOVE the pics and videos! Isn’t nature wonderful and amazing??
Be well,
— Jackie
More Email For the Squirrel
Mama Squirrel (and I) have received more emails!
This first one below is our favorite so far!
I am a dog. As a dog, I am very interested in squirrels. Can you suggest to me a good way to invite my backyard squirrels down from their lofty wire perches and branches so I can get a closer look at them? So far, I’ve tried the whiney pleeeese, the low come-hither and the sharp attention-getting achtung, yet strangely, these all seem to repel the little things. Would you help a nice old Doberman who only wants to be friends?
Thank you.
[My emails are sent by my human, who is a group exercise instructor now specializing in Zumba. She drives me crazy, but I love her still.]
— Sydney
Hi Mommy Squirrel!
I volunteer at the Wildlife Rehabilitation Center in St. Paul, Minnesota, and I LOVE squirrels! I help the baby squirrels who are injured or orphaned. I’m so glad that you take such good care of your babies. You’re a much better squirrel mommy than I am (although I try). Anyway, I just wanted to say Hi!Love,
— Kristin
Dear Mommy Squirrel,
My own mother just sent me a link to this website all about you and your children! Your kids are so adorable. My neighborhood is filled with squirrels, but I have never seen baby ones. How amazing. Congratulations. Love,
— Elise
Greetings from Italy and thanks for rispettto of nature and animals.
— Marina
Kenneth and Michelle, thank you for being so kind to a little squirrel and her babies. People like you make me have faith in the world again! Much love to Mommy Squirrel.
— Myra
I am quite fond of squirrels, and just love this. Thank you for providing the world with something few people ever get to see!
— Heather
Hi there,
Just found your website through a post on Jezebel.com, and I think it’s adorable! My boyfriend and I love watching the squirrels in our neighbourhood (we live in Calgary, Canada). My boyfriend is actually from New Zealand and they don’t have squirrels there, and since moving to Canada he has become absolutly fascinated by squirrels! So I had to send him the link to this website. Very cool… such a great website too (but what else would I expect from a Web Developer?!). Thanks!
— Jennie
This is awesome. Thanks so much for sharing, and doing it so well.
— James
You’re wonderfull, squirrels, and humans too! it was lovely to end my working day reading of you on Repubblica and looking at your blog. love and kisses from milan!
— Paola
very very compliments for your fantastic experience. Thank you for your photos. Bye.
— Fabio
Squirrel Emails
Wow! In the past few days, the Squirrel in Our Window has been making news around the blogosphere here in the USA, and now in Italy too!
I’m told that the images from the photo gallery are featured today on the website of Italian newspaper “LaRepubblica!”
And many squirrel loving fans have been sending emails to mama squirrel via the contact form on this website!
Here are few of the messages that mama squirrel has received:
Hey, look at this, you are on an Italian newspaper! Congrats for your idea and your love for animals…!!!
— Maria
You are a “Diva” in Italy!
— Gianfranco
Dear Mama,
Wow! I can’t believe how much your babes have grown! They actually look like real squirrels now, not aliens! I miss watching you through the poster board..Now set those babies free and go out and have a good time and meet another foxy squirrel.. (you shouldn’t have any trouble w/ that w/ all of your [yoga] poses you do in between the screens.)
Much Love and good wishes,
— Megan
This made my day. Thank you for being so kind to these adorable and much-maligned creatures.
— Elayne
Hello Mommy Squirrel,
I noticed that you are featured on this website as a single mother. Are daddy squirrels absent from the rearing process?
Thanks! Hope you and your many babies are well, warm and enjoying the start of fall.
— Erin
Please thank your Uncle Kenny and Aunt Michelle for these wonderful pictures!
— Emme
One morning while I was sleeping I felt something jump onto my bed. I looked up thinking it was the cat, and there was a squirrel eating a bag of nuts my husband had left on his side of the bed! He stayed to eat about five minutes until my nursing baby looked over and squealed at him.
— Lolo
Mommy,
These are the cutest pictures I have even seen of baby squirrels. I have a feeder especially for my squirrels that holds 8 ears of dent corn for them. And, when I see my squirrels (sometimes as many as 14 at one time) on my front lawn, I go outside and call them over to me so that I can give them peanuts. Some of these visitors are bold enough to come up on my porch and take the nuts right from my hands while others look on with curiosity at the sight of this gigantic monster (me) handing out peanuts. Others who are new to the area and who have not yet conquered their fear of me receive peanuts as I toss them off of my porch to the awaiting throng below. I would dearly love to touch and hold all of these beautiful creatures, but then I fear that they would begin to loose their natural, and healthy fear of other humans.I also have tamed the wild rabbits that visit my property to the point that they will allow me to walk to within 1 foot of them while I fill my bird feeders. Some of these rabbits actually run right up to me when another rabbit chases them. The other rabbits (which I suppose are new visitors) are afraid to approach me and my rabbits stay close to me.
— Tim
Dear Monny Squirrel,
I have enjoyed looking at the pictures and videos of you and your little babies. You are a wonderful mother and take such good care of your babies. You did such a wonder job finding such a nice safe home for your families.When I lived in my house I had a feeder in the kitchen window and loved watching your relatives come and sit on my window sill to eat.
Hope you find a good nut supply to stash for the winter,
— Shern
I am quite fond of squirrels, and just love this. Thank you for providing the world with something few people ever get to see!
— Heather
Pawesome Loves This Squirrel
Momma squirrel just had a great article written about her over at Pawesome.net! Pawesome is a pet website founded by animal lovers Sarah Han and Sonia Zjawinski.
Even though Pawesome usually features stories about cats, dogs, or other actual pets, contributing author Jolene Robichaud found out about the squirrel in the window, and just fell in love.
I love her opening line, “One part ant farm, one part Discovery Channel…” It’s really like that!
Wildlife Holiday Cruise Gets a Guest Squirrel
A Scottish wildlife cruise on a loch (lake, sea inlet) outside of Glasgow usually offers its passengers the chance to “spot porpoises, basking sharks and even the odd whale and… many varieties of birds.”
But this week, the The Majestic Line’s Heritage and Wildlife of South Argyll cruise included a bit of actual wildlife right on board! A Red Squirrel seems to have ‘stowed away’ on The Majestic Line’s Glen Massan, and was spotted on the bow by Canadian professional photographer Steve Boyton.
Local National Park rangers plan to board the boat and safely trap the squirrel. They will release him/her back near the dock where the cruise originates.
The Nice Lady with the Bird
Michelle and I met a nice lady on the subway recently — and she was traveling with her bird in her lap. During our brief chat about the bird and pets, we told her about the squirrels in our window.
Well she has posted a nice article about our encounter, and about the squirrels, on her blog: Lemme Make It
You should check out her site.
Witty Squirrels Practice Tactical Deception
Squirrels may bury and re-bury their food up to 5 times, in an attempt to throw off their competition — who may be watching where the squirrel is digging. Sometimes a squirrel will even fake burying a nut, and then cover over the hole as it holds the nut in its mouth.
According to an article in the NY Times, a recent report in the journal Animal Behaviour showed that…
when squirrels are certain that they are being watched, they will actively seek to deceive the would-be thieves. They’ll dig a hole, pretend to push an acorn in, and then cover it over, all the while keeping the prized seed hidden in their mouth. “Deceptive caching involves some pretty serious decision making,” Dr. Steele said. “It meets the criteria of tactical deception, which previously was thought to only occur in primates.”
Smart!
NY Times illustration by Serge Bloch
Yankees vs. Twins vs. Squirrel
A squirrel briefly delayed play in Minnesota during the Yankees – Twins baseball game.
More here: MLB.com