Whac-A-Squirrel

[Buddahaid]

Originally Posted by Rockstar

Ra Ra Rasputin Russia's Greatest Love Machine.

Now about that lawsuit. I want those walnuts individually wrapped too.

Easy, just send him ones with the skin still on...

[ET2SN]

Originally Posted by Rockstar

Now about that lawsuit.

Ok, ok, ok, ok, ok, check this out.

If higher dimensions exist, its more than probable that you have won every game of Whack-a-squirrel that has, or will ever, exist.

This might explain it better:

[Commander Wallace]

^ watches the video and rubs forehead. What does a stroke feel like ?

[ET2SN]

It was the perfect video for the thread and I was lucky to find it.


00:25 - "OK, you lost me there"

00:25+ - It doesn't get any better

Bonus- The thumbnail rocks.

[Skybird]

Unbelievable, this is Germany, January 7th - and I just got the news from fellow squirrel friends they found the first naked squirrel babies, which is way too early! That is no good news, because at this time of the year winter in our region is anything from being over, can even just start with a real sting in February.

The warmth lasted too long last year, and in the years before. Red European squirrelys start mating season - normally - in late Decembre or so, and it takes around 5 weeks for the female to give birth after impregnation. Baby squirrels should not arrive before February, so that they when they are old enough to leave the nest 4-5 weeks later for the first times do not meet ice and snow anymore, hopefully.

The past dry years have made things awful for them, tree nuts often are empty or burnt, rotten, or the trees do not produce nuts at all. The animals then cannot collect in late summer and autumn, because there is nothing to collect, or they hide rotten or empty, dried nuts, and when they dig them out in winter, they have nothing and must starve. It has become dramatic over here in the past few years.

Its the reason why I started to place feeders. Since I video-monitor all activity, I know quite well how many animals come, and which individual comes how often and prefers what times of the day. Times are shifting with the season, and also with social hierarchies changing, which are complex to decypher since not much is known about the red squirrel society and who dominates whom, and when and why. Mothers trump.

In my and our garden downstairs, there come FIVE little friends now, which is for this urban place quite a lot. I meanwhile found two of their nests, and assume two of the other animals come from farther away, which is no good news, since in winter they want to keep distances short. If they nevertehless do long distances, this means they feel the necessity, and that means they have not enough to eat.

And february this year is predicted to become colder than in past years. I managed to get two households up and down the street participating a bit in setting up feeders and natural wool-supply boxes, also water supply that is frequently controlled to contain water, not ice.

So fascinating and adorable animals! Kira, Sari, Taro, Manu and "Nummer 5" are the names so far. Mating season is a Go now, if you see them in pairs of two or three circling and up and down a tree, thats part of their ritual. The female is boss, when she rests, the male candidate must rest, too, and when she dances, they must dance - and always keep the right, the correct distance, not closer, not further apart. Once she has decided for one candidate, which can take days and days, he is allowed to share the nest with her for some days, during that period they copulate several times. When birth is close at the latest she chases the male away. Different to American grey squirrels, which are social and form family groups that stay together, sciurus vulgaris are loners. The babies form fur in the second week, open eyes and ears in the fourth week, and start to discover the world outside the nest from late fifth week on. If food situation allows, the mother becomes fertile again later in the year, around July, August, which nevertheless is late. That second breeding period can be missed. It is unknown how females "feel" whether they can afford a second family building later the year, how they forsee the food situation. Uniquely, red squirrely can interrupt pregnancy, and the fetusses then get completely assimilated by the mother's metabolism again, nothing gets wasted. Red squirrels are very sensible to disturbances and stress, and mothers can panic react by either jumping the nest and evacuating to another nest (they can have up to 5, even up to 8 nests), or they kill all babies and leave them and the old nest behind. Also, they will change the nest anyway at least once after 5-7 weeks, probably due to the old one being too dirty from the kids. Please, if you ever stumble over a nest with youngling, resist the temptation to approach and check it out, also avoid loud yelling, laughing, shouting. You can trigger a little family desaster and will not even know it. Always be very silent and gentle with red squirrels. They are not as robust as their American cousins.

Building a nest takes a squirrel up to three weeks. It is not instinct knowledge, but must be learned. Instinct only is the drive to actually build a nest. The How must be learned. One of the reasons why so many red squirrels do not survive their first winter. 80% do not make it over their first winter.

Always have some nuts in your coat's pockets. Please, its red squirrels: no peanuts (are no nuts, but legumes, different to American grey squirrels they are messy for European red squirrels' digestion, also, they get dug in and then rot, or are contaminated with fungus frokm beginning on). Never no almonds as well! Can be lethal easily, they are over-sensible to the cyanid in it, how little it may be. Acorns too are American grey squirrels' love, but not European red one's. Never anythign with cow milk in it.

If you happen to stroll over red squirrels and can help them, do it! A squirrel brings joy in your life! I promise it does.

Did you know it? Cats also should not be fed with cow milk. Their digestion system is not up to it.

[Eichhörnchen]

Neither should hedgehogs ever be given milk... only water. And I understand that the best food to give hedgehogs is cat food

[Rockstar]

[Buddahaid]

Originally Posted by Rockstar

So telling someone to eat shat is actually wishing them good health. I never knew so many people loved me.

[Rockstar]

When is the next whac-a-squirrel event? Since I was conspired against and denied my rightful place as the Subsim Official GOAT Whacker. I expect to be spotted a 50 point advantage to make up for all the emotional distress.

[Eisenwurst]

[Skybird]

Birds, they tweet so pretty...



These are American Red Squirrels (Tamia Sciurus), please not to be mistaken with EuroeanAsian Red Squirrely (Sciurus Vulgaris). Tamia scuirus is smaller than the American Grey Squirrels, but very aggressive, they even attack the much bigger grey ones.



European red squirrels are different, completely. If meeting others of their species, they usually flee. They change fur twice a year, colours range from light and bright copper red over brownish variations to black in Southern places. Winter coat includes typical tufts of air on their ears that as far as i know no other sciurus form out. Chnage for winter coat is body fur and ears onlky, not the tail, tail hair changes only in spring. The winter colours can be less bright and more greyish, giving colours a somewhat fade-out, washed-out look.

Sciurus species are not domesticated and shouldl always be considered "wild". They can reach life expectancies of up to 15 years, if being taken good care of! Especially hand-raised European squirrels can become quite accustomed to humans, however (usually it is not permitted by law in European countries). Animals born in custody are allowed to be be held in special volieres/cages of certain sizes at minimum, but free born and as babies found animals that are hjandraised, must be set free again sooner or later. I strongly encoru age to enver hold a squirrel in a volire, thes enaimals are creatures that must roam free and have so huge demands for movement, a voliere can never fulfill these demands. Only animals that for certain handicaps cnanot survive on their own if released into the "wild" should be staying in volieres are permanent residents.

European red squirrel territories can vary widely in size, being the bigger the less food there is, it can be 100x100m to three times this size. The species also seeks shelter in urban areas, since food is more available, most humans are very friendly and even set up nest boxes and feeders (like me...), also predators are much rarer. In Germany, 80% of the younglings do not survive the first year/winter, of those getting killed, 40% die from traffic and cars.

Sciurus Vulgaris, most certainly hand-raised, a wild-born one does not get so comfortable with human hands, never:

Winter coat with typical ear hair! In summer, the long hair around the ears is gone. They specialise in enjoying squirrel wellness:

I know the lady handling him, the name was Eddie (the animal, not the lady), and he was rescued and then released by her. In the film, he still is young in his first year.


Whether the American or the European red squirrels are the cuter ones, should be answered with this.

[Buddahaid]

Yes, I like the grey squirrels much better. We used to have them around my house but the damned fascist red squirrels took over some years ago. I hate seeing them all marching around in their shiny boots singing and waving their little flags......

[Texas Red]

Originally Posted by Buddahaid

Yes, I like the grey squirrels much better. We used to have them around my house but the damned fascist red squirrels took over some years ago. I hate seeing them all marching around in their shiny boots singing and waving their little flags......

really? the red squirrels over here are waging war against the Blue Jays. my animals must be broken

[Buddahaid]

Yes really all kidding aside.

[Skybird]

Originally Posted by El Whacko

really? the red squirrels over here are waging war against the Blue Jays. my animals must be broken

Republicans and Democrats. Ts-ts-ts.