Are You Feeling Squirrely Today?
January 21, 2011 2:18 PM Subscribe
Today is National Squirrel Appreciation Day. Here are seven ways to celebrate. Here are squirrel FAQ's. Here is a cute squirrel video.
Are they really in danger of extinction? That would be sad, but it won't change my opinion that they're pesky little bastards that'll chew right through your screen and ransack your kitchen. All I'm going to appreciate is their stubborn dedication.
posted by Hoopo at 2:33 PM on January 21, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by Hoopo at 2:33 PM on January 21, 2011 [1 favorite]
There are one hundred ways to love your squirrel
one hundred loving ways....
posted by hippybear at 2:35 PM on January 21, 2011 [5 favorites]
one hundred loving ways....
posted by hippybear at 2:35 PM on January 21, 2011 [5 favorites]
I want to be mad at them for raiding my bird feeder, but they are so dedicated and resourceful that I just can't. We just coexist now.
posted by fixedgear at 2:35 PM on January 21, 2011 [2 favorites]
posted by fixedgear at 2:35 PM on January 21, 2011 [2 favorites]
I approve of this post.
posted by sciurus at 2:36 PM on January 21, 2011 [2 favorites]
posted by sciurus at 2:36 PM on January 21, 2011 [2 favorites]
louche mustachio: "1) Feed them pizza"
One hundred loviiiiing waaaaaaaaaaaaaays!
posted by The Lurkers Support Me in Email at 2:37 PM on January 21, 2011
One hundred loviiiiing waaaaaaaaaaaaaays!
posted by The Lurkers Support Me in Email at 2:37 PM on January 21, 2011
And this article confirmed their long-standing status as my favorite animal.
posted by oneironaut at 2:40 PM on January 21, 2011
posted by oneironaut at 2:40 PM on January 21, 2011
As I write these words, our squirrel "Filbert" is in a nice big cage to my right, cuddled into his nest.
He was a rescue squirrel, and now he has a wonderful life with us, with lots of time to play, a comfy cage, and all the nuts and other goodies he could ever want. It still never ceases to amaze me how wonderful it feels to have a squirrel climb onto your shoulder and casually eat an almond, with none of that squirrelly fear of humans...
There are times we wish he had a life in the outside with all the other squirrels, but then we see their little bodies on the street on a daily basis, and we're grateful that he lives with us, in the warm, and doesn't have to struggle for basic needs.
We had another rescue squirrel named "Zippy", who we released 2 summers ago...he was gone for a few days, and finally came back to the backyard, looking emaciated. He happily came back in the house with us, where he had another week with us before he had a seizure and died... a little less than a month later, my wife found another baby squirrel along the side of the street, being played with by a cat. He came home with us, where he remains happy and healthy, over a year later!
Here's a video I made of Zippy : http://blip.tv/file/2340849
posted by newfers at 2:46 PM on January 21, 2011 [5 favorites]
He was a rescue squirrel, and now he has a wonderful life with us, with lots of time to play, a comfy cage, and all the nuts and other goodies he could ever want. It still never ceases to amaze me how wonderful it feels to have a squirrel climb onto your shoulder and casually eat an almond, with none of that squirrelly fear of humans...
There are times we wish he had a life in the outside with all the other squirrels, but then we see their little bodies on the street on a daily basis, and we're grateful that he lives with us, in the warm, and doesn't have to struggle for basic needs.
We had another rescue squirrel named "Zippy", who we released 2 summers ago...he was gone for a few days, and finally came back to the backyard, looking emaciated. He happily came back in the house with us, where he had another week with us before he had a seizure and died... a little less than a month later, my wife found another baby squirrel along the side of the street, being played with by a cat. He came home with us, where he remains happy and healthy, over a year later!
Here's a video I made of Zippy : http://blip.tv/file/2340849
posted by newfers at 2:46 PM on January 21, 2011 [5 favorites]
no recipes?
posted by me & my monkey at 2:58 PM on January 21, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by me & my monkey at 2:58 PM on January 21, 2011 [1 favorite]
An ancient Mimi Smartypants post introduced me to the topic of "lumpy squirrels" and now I long to scar others. The pictures here aren't....enough....to produce the effect that the original page she linked to had, but I submit them as a gesture in the direction of appropriate horror.
posted by Diablevert at 3:00 PM on January 21, 2011
posted by Diablevert at 3:00 PM on January 21, 2011
About nine months after I moved out on my own my Dad found an abandoned baby squirrel. My Mom, who has always had a soft spot for animals, took care of him. His name was Mr. Chips, and the bond he and my Mom shared was quite wonderful. He lived to be 7, and pretty much ran my parents' household. Spoiled beyond belief.
In the 10 or so years since Mr. Chips came into my Mom's life she has gained a reputation in my hometown as 'the squirrel lady.' She has taken care of around 50 squirrels, mostly abandoned babies but a few that have been injured. The majority of them live to adulthood, and were released back into the wild. Only three stayed permanently: Mr. Chips, Pud (who has some problems) and David, who was released but came back. It seems he likes being domesticated.
I know a lot of people don't like squirrels, but they are wonderful little animals. Funny, independent, and loving. They've brought endless enjoyment to my Mom (who was bringing cookies to her work today in celebration of Squirrel Appreciation Day), and there are very few things quite so cute as seeing a baby squirrel being fed with an eye dropper.
posted by helloknitty at 3:10 PM on January 21, 2011 [3 favorites]
In the 10 or so years since Mr. Chips came into my Mom's life she has gained a reputation in my hometown as 'the squirrel lady.' She has taken care of around 50 squirrels, mostly abandoned babies but a few that have been injured. The majority of them live to adulthood, and were released back into the wild. Only three stayed permanently: Mr. Chips, Pud (who has some problems) and David, who was released but came back. It seems he likes being domesticated.
I know a lot of people don't like squirrels, but they are wonderful little animals. Funny, independent, and loving. They've brought endless enjoyment to my Mom (who was bringing cookies to her work today in celebration of Squirrel Appreciation Day), and there are very few things quite so cute as seeing a baby squirrel being fed with an eye dropper.
posted by helloknitty at 3:10 PM on January 21, 2011 [3 favorites]
My favourite news headline as well as the name of my future prog-rock band:
Squirrels on Crack (not the exact article I read originally, but close enough).
I don't approve, but I appreciate.
posted by slimepuppy at 3:22 PM on January 21, 2011
Squirrels on Crack (not the exact article I read originally, but close enough).
I don't approve, but I appreciate.
posted by slimepuppy at 3:22 PM on January 21, 2011
Then by corollary, it is Squirrel Girl Appreciation Day as well.
posted by jabberjaw at 3:40 PM on January 21, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by jabberjaw at 3:40 PM on January 21, 2011 [1 favorite]
This is one of my favorite squirrel videos.
Squirrels are awesome. That is all.
posted by wildcrdj at 3:43 PM on January 21, 2011 [4 favorites]
Squirrels are awesome. That is all.
posted by wildcrdj at 3:43 PM on January 21, 2011 [4 favorites]
On the day before the winter solstice, my wife and three year old decided to celebrate by feeding the some of the many birds that live in our 'hood. My wife bought some peanut butter and seeds, plastered it in the nooks and crannies of a sugar pine cone and attached a piece of red yarn to the top as a hanger. The next day they hung it up on the spindly vine maple outside our front window.
When I got home later that day, they proudly showed me their handiwork. I was oohing and aahing over it when a squirrel showed up. He climbed up the vine maple -- no mean feat, since it's essentially a network of skinny, swaying branches -- maneuvered himself to just the right spot, and then the little sh*t chewed through the yarn and made off with the entire bird feeder.
So, no. I am not inclined to celebrate squirrels today.
posted by vverse23 at 4:41 PM on January 21, 2011 [1 favorite]
When I got home later that day, they proudly showed me their handiwork. I was oohing and aahing over it when a squirrel showed up. He climbed up the vine maple -- no mean feat, since it's essentially a network of skinny, swaying branches -- maneuvered himself to just the right spot, and then the little sh*t chewed through the yarn and made off with the entire bird feeder.
So, no. I am not inclined to celebrate squirrels today.
posted by vverse23 at 4:41 PM on January 21, 2011 [1 favorite]
I guess no one on Metafilter has a peach tree.
posted by kozad at 4:46 PM on January 21, 2011 [3 favorites]
posted by kozad at 4:46 PM on January 21, 2011 [3 favorites]
fuck squirrels, squirels are vile, evil, hateful things, like mice, rats, magpies, and fox news broadcasters
posted by PinkMoose at 4:50 PM on January 21, 2011
posted by PinkMoose at 4:50 PM on January 21, 2011
I just sent this off to my two old roommates. I know they will appreciate this.
We lived together in Seattle over the summer. Our common interests included usual early 20 year old dude things, like cheap gin, old school rap, getting high a lot, and playing Magic the Gathering while enjoying our other common interests.
We were all really really poor, so we eventually just started making decks online, and printing them off.
I wasn't as dedicated as my other roommates, and eventually decided to use MTG as an excuse to fuck with them. Meaning, I wanted to beat them using the most ridiculous means possible.
This is what lead to my INVINCIBLE SQUIRREL ARMY.
I designed a deck that, given the correct 3 cards, (for those interested...Earthcraft, Squirrel Nest, and Thousand-Year Elixir) would instantly allow me to generate near limitless amounts of squirrels. Not only that, but given another card, I could give them limitless attack and defensive power (Coat of Arms).
Meaning, the first time I declared (in my best gin-soaked evil overlord voice) that I was creating ONE BILLION squirrels, each with BILLION attack power each, my roommates fell out of their chairs.
All this to say that, in another dimension, I have conquered the universe with my squirrel legions. For that alone, I must appreciate.
Happy Squirrel Appreciation Day.
posted by justalisteningman at 5:10 PM on January 21, 2011 [5 favorites]
We lived together in Seattle over the summer. Our common interests included usual early 20 year old dude things, like cheap gin, old school rap, getting high a lot, and playing Magic the Gathering while enjoying our other common interests.
We were all really really poor, so we eventually just started making decks online, and printing them off.
I wasn't as dedicated as my other roommates, and eventually decided to use MTG as an excuse to fuck with them. Meaning, I wanted to beat them using the most ridiculous means possible.
This is what lead to my INVINCIBLE SQUIRREL ARMY.
I designed a deck that, given the correct 3 cards, (for those interested...Earthcraft, Squirrel Nest, and Thousand-Year Elixir) would instantly allow me to generate near limitless amounts of squirrels. Not only that, but given another card, I could give them limitless attack and defensive power (Coat of Arms).
Meaning, the first time I declared (in my best gin-soaked evil overlord voice) that I was creating ONE BILLION squirrels, each with BILLION attack power each, my roommates fell out of their chairs.
All this to say that, in another dimension, I have conquered the universe with my squirrel legions. For that alone, I must appreciate.
Happy Squirrel Appreciation Day.
posted by justalisteningman at 5:10 PM on January 21, 2011 [5 favorites]
I like squirrels. They're bright, curious, dedicated, industrious, nimble, bold and playful. These are fine things for a mammal to be.
Granted, I've never had to keep them out of an attic.
posted by loquacious at 5:24 PM on January 21, 2011 [2 favorites]
Granted, I've never had to keep them out of an attic.
posted by loquacious at 5:24 PM on January 21, 2011 [2 favorites]
because they were squirrels!
Reeeeeeeal squirrels!
and there were thousands...
this isn't some kind of metaphor.
Goddamn, this is real!
posted by brevator at 6:05 PM on January 21, 2011
Reeeeeeeal squirrels!
and there were thousands...
this isn't some kind of metaphor.
Goddamn, this is real!
posted by brevator at 6:05 PM on January 21, 2011
Ooh! Is this where we post our grandmother's squirrel recipes?
Not that I have twenty-two of them or anything
posted by honeydew at 6:45 PM on January 21, 2011
Not that I have twenty-two of them or anything
posted by honeydew at 6:45 PM on January 21, 2011
I'll start!
Squirrel in gravy, over rice
2 squirrels, cleaned and quartered
1/2 c oil (plus 2 tbsp)*
1/2 c flour (plus some for dredging)*
1 small yellow onion, diced
2 stalks celery, diced
1 green pepper, diced
4 toes garlic, diced
a splash of dry white wine/vermouth
1 c light stock (this usually means game or poultry stock)
1 bay leaf
1/4 tsp sage
a handful of fresh parsley, chopped
Salt, pepper, and cayenne to taste
Heat 2 tbsp oil in a skillet. Rinse the squirrels, pat dry, and dredge in flour. Fry for two minutes on each side, then remove from heat. Combine remaining flour and oil in the skillet and stir continuously over medium-high flame until you have a light brown roux. Add the onion, celery, pepper, and garlic to the roux and cook about 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Pour in a splash of wine and decrease to low-medium. Add stock and spices, stir well, and cook uncovered for 20 minutes. Add the squirrel and cook another 10, or until sauce is not too thick. Serve over rice, with file powder.
posted by honeydew at 7:39 PM on January 21, 2011 [2 favorites]
Squirrel in gravy, over rice
2 squirrels, cleaned and quartered
1/2 c oil (plus 2 tbsp)*
1/2 c flour (plus some for dredging)*
1 small yellow onion, diced
2 stalks celery, diced
1 green pepper, diced
4 toes garlic, diced
a splash of dry white wine/vermouth
1 c light stock (this usually means game or poultry stock)
1 bay leaf
1/4 tsp sage
a handful of fresh parsley, chopped
Salt, pepper, and cayenne to taste
Heat 2 tbsp oil in a skillet. Rinse the squirrels, pat dry, and dredge in flour. Fry for two minutes on each side, then remove from heat. Combine remaining flour and oil in the skillet and stir continuously over medium-high flame until you have a light brown roux. Add the onion, celery, pepper, and garlic to the roux and cook about 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Pour in a splash of wine and decrease to low-medium. Add stock and spices, stir well, and cook uncovered for 20 minutes. Add the squirrel and cook another 10, or until sauce is not too thick. Serve over rice, with file powder.
posted by honeydew at 7:39 PM on January 21, 2011 [2 favorites]
This whole thread has made me happy. We need more squirrels in the world.
posted by PixieS at 8:14 PM on January 21, 2011
posted by PixieS at 8:14 PM on January 21, 2011
In celebration of National Squirrel day, a big shout out to my favourite fictional medium sized rodent, Squirrel Nutkin.
posted by Bron-Y-Aur at 12:34 AM on January 22, 2011
posted by Bron-Y-Aur at 12:34 AM on January 22, 2011
Around here we refer to squirrels as cat tv. I throw cereal out on the patio and there are a couple of squirrels who come eat it while the cats stare INTENTLY through the glass patio door. The squirrel will come right up to the window to stare at them nose-to-nose and do a little nyah-nyah dance at them.
During nicer weather when the patio door is open, the squirrel will occasionally climb right up on the screen door when he sees me coming with the cereal. He's adorable. I don't get why people are so determined to feed the boring birds that they get all incensed about the squirrels getting into the feeders. Why not just give it up and call it a squirrel feeder and enjoy the acrobatic show?
posted by Serene Empress Dork at 2:58 AM on January 22, 2011 [1 favorite]
During nicer weather when the patio door is open, the squirrel will occasionally climb right up on the screen door when he sees me coming with the cereal. He's adorable. I don't get why people are so determined to feed the boring birds that they get all incensed about the squirrels getting into the feeders. Why not just give it up and call it a squirrel feeder and enjoy the acrobatic show?
posted by Serene Empress Dork at 2:58 AM on January 22, 2011 [1 favorite]
No mention of Sugar Bush Squirrel? She is, after all, the world's most photographed squirrel. Also one of the most politically aware, albeit with a somewhat mixed-up right-wing world view. Here she is as Benazir Bhutto, a WW2 Red Cross Nurse, Saddam Hussein, and the President of the United States.
posted by essexjan at 3:41 AM on January 22, 2011 [3 favorites]
posted by essexjan at 3:41 AM on January 22, 2011 [3 favorites]
Signed!
posted by londonmark at 6:16 AM on January 22, 2011
posted by londonmark at 6:16 AM on January 22, 2011
My brother in law and I go "turkey hunting" in a state forest in the southeast part of Minnesota. I use scare quotes because we are rather half-assed about it; each of us has gotten one turkey in ten years of doing this. About five years ago we were down there for the fall hunt and noticed that the woods seemed a little quieter than usual, and by the second day we had pinpointed it: there were remarkably few squirrels there.
Later that day, the friendly neighborhood ranger stopped by to check our permits, and we started talking to him about the state of the forest. He was a chatty salt-of-the-earth type, and our obvious whiteness meant he soon started oversharing.
"Well, I gotta be honest with you, it is small game season, and that's fine, but it's them Asian hunters that been cleaning out the squirrels."
(we look at him a bit askance)
"See, what they do is they shoot the squirrels, then I seen 'em, they shove a stick straight up the ass, and then use a blowtorch to burn off all the fur, then they just roast 'em on an open fire."
(by now we're staring at him with amazement)
"Last time I saw this there was a couple of round-eye kids at the campground, and they're just staring at 'em like 'what the hell is going on here'. So I'm pretty sure that's what's going on with the squirrels."
Ever since then we've marveled at the fact that the only real epithet the ranger used, despite his obvious feelings of antipathy towards this group of patrons, was the term "round-eye", referring to his fellow honkies.
Carry on.
posted by norm at 7:27 AM on January 22, 2011 [3 favorites]
Later that day, the friendly neighborhood ranger stopped by to check our permits, and we started talking to him about the state of the forest. He was a chatty salt-of-the-earth type, and our obvious whiteness meant he soon started oversharing.
"Well, I gotta be honest with you, it is small game season, and that's fine, but it's them Asian hunters that been cleaning out the squirrels."
(we look at him a bit askance)
"See, what they do is they shoot the squirrels, then I seen 'em, they shove a stick straight up the ass, and then use a blowtorch to burn off all the fur, then they just roast 'em on an open fire."
(by now we're staring at him with amazement)
"Last time I saw this there was a couple of round-eye kids at the campground, and they're just staring at 'em like 'what the hell is going on here'. So I'm pretty sure that's what's going on with the squirrels."
Ever since then we've marveled at the fact that the only real epithet the ranger used, despite his obvious feelings of antipathy towards this group of patrons, was the term "round-eye", referring to his fellow honkies.
Carry on.
posted by norm at 7:27 AM on January 22, 2011 [3 favorites]
I really like squirrels , any animal that can shut Down the Stock Exchange i'd some kind of awesome! As for dictinal squirrels, my favorite is Rocky of 'The Rocky and Bulleinkle Show'
posted by Katjusa Roquette at 8:23 AM on January 22, 2011
posted by Katjusa Roquette at 8:23 AM on January 22, 2011
I found a baby squirrel once (she was absolutely adorable - she was tiny but her tail was already puffed out since it was cold when I found her). After unsuccessfully trying to find any squirrel kin, I took her home. She stayed with my husband and I for what what was probably one of the best 24 hours of our lives. We feed her grape Pedialyte (as instructed by the internets), which she was nuts about (ha!), and she sat on my husband's shoulder while he read comic books. I think she imprinted on him. She was so sweet and so unafraid of us. She had clearly not learned to fear humans yet.
We wanted to keep her in the worst way but in reading all the info about rescued squirrels online, all the "squirrel experts" seemed to agree that squirrels would go crazy when they became teenagers and make your life a living hell and a lot of people ended up having to euthanize their squirrels because they could no longer keep them but the squirrels could not fend for themselves in the wild. So we miraculously found a squirrel rehabber living on the South Side to give her to. We thought it was the right thing to do, but now I wonder if we could have kept her.
newfers, did your squirrels not have the crazy adolescent squirrel stage? Oh, how I wish we could have kept our Clicky.
posted by Jess the Mess at 8:48 AM on January 22, 2011
We wanted to keep her in the worst way but in reading all the info about rescued squirrels online, all the "squirrel experts" seemed to agree that squirrels would go crazy when they became teenagers and make your life a living hell and a lot of people ended up having to euthanize their squirrels because they could no longer keep them but the squirrels could not fend for themselves in the wild. So we miraculously found a squirrel rehabber living on the South Side to give her to. We thought it was the right thing to do, but now I wonder if we could have kept her.
newfers, did your squirrels not have the crazy adolescent squirrel stage? Oh, how I wish we could have kept our Clicky.
posted by Jess the Mess at 8:48 AM on January 22, 2011
I did not know squirrel's tails were so amazing. Nice vid. Squirrels are cool.
posted by chance at 9:30 PM on January 22, 2011
posted by chance at 9:30 PM on January 22, 2011
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posted by louche mustachio at 2:23 PM on January 21, 2011