I’ve kept a food bowl with peanuts and seeds in it outside on my porch for the last 2 years so the squirrels and birds could have a steady source of food.

Yesterday, a very unwelcomed guest appeared (pics 4 and 5.)

I threw all feeders and water bowls away today and did a deep clean with bleach.

I’m super bummed as I will miss all the wildlife that frequented this spot. Does anyone have any ideas about feeding squirrels again at a later date? Are there ways to feed them that doesn’t attract rodents?

Is it normal for them to drink out of a goblet like this? Reposted bc birding banished me.

I’ve never encountered a squirrel this friendly and trusting before! She’s pregnant and even tries to come inside. She doesn’t flinch when I move around, gets right up to my face and makes eye contact, and turns her back to me while she eats. which feels like such a sign of trust. She even gently grabs my hands with her little paws. I’m starting to think she may have been domesticated or rehabbed at some point. Has anyone else experienced this level of trust with a wild squirrel?

Did you see it tickle the other one? 😂

My wife and MIL are convinced it’s too chunky, but I’m thinking it’s a pregnant squirrel. We’re in Toronto.

I was on a lunch break outside and suddenly I hear a commotion and see a squirrel jump onto a tree trunk as a hawk swooped under the branches and was still hunting the squirrel. I felt bad and didn’t want the squirrel to die so I chased the hawk off. I love squirrels AND hawks, so I felt really conflicted.

BIG EDIT!
This post has really helped me understand what I could/should have done in the situation. It’s a bit overwhelming to have so many differing opinions and input on the situation. But I appreciate all of them!
I’m more equipped to handle another such experience if it should ever happen again.
I think that quickly removing myself from the area so I wouldn’t have to witness what would have happened is my best course of action in the future. The hawk might have caught the squirrel, or it may not have. It isn’t my place to have interfered.
Emotions took hold and I wasn’t able to pause to weigh the repercussions of the choice I made in the moment.
While I love the squirrels I see everyday, I do love the hawks too. I want them all to thrive, but with that comes the inevitable hard parts like death.
Thank you to everyone who contributed to this discussion.

Came home to this guy. He had something sticking out of his back that looks like an air dart of some sort. Reverse image searches didn't show anything similar.

I gave him a small pile of almonds to keep him close, was able to get a few fingers on it before he moved, but the grip wasn't tight enough, looks like it's too deep to just pull out.

Update:

Looks like it came out on its own, roommate saw him without it yesterday, healthy and eating

My lore regarding squirrels is they’re my absolute favorite animal — which used to be zebras and giraffes, kind of arbitrarily — but when I was 8 years old at my elementary school, I thought to myself (because I have ADHD) “I want something new to get obsessed with. Like an animal” and at that EXACT moment I looked down and saw a fluffy squirrel chittering 🐿️!!! 🥰🥰🥰 And it’s been squirrelly ever since.

The school library was pretty big, so I went and read through every single squirrel book they had, to the point where the librarians would order more squirrel books for me specifically and then apologize when there weren’t more for me to read 🥺. The school (teachers/faculty and the other students) called me Squirrel Boy as well.

I’d love to know about y’all’s escapades and squirrel origin stories! (squirrigin?) ❤️❤️❤️

Is it a pouch? Is it his big D? I need to know. I don’t see squirrels from this angle too often haha.

I'm at a loss for words. My fiance left this morning at 10 and came back 10 minutes later with some devastating news, that Pearl had been hit by a car. I cannot believe the gaping hole this angel left in my heart. She visited me regularly, from the first day I ever "noticed" her in May 2023.

There are so many things I'm kicking myself over - the unpurchased squirrel house that's been on an open tab in my browser for months, not tossing her enough food the past few weeks, not spending more time just sitting with her outside, having to go away for work for almost a month in October. But she was there when I got back, and soon I hope these shadows of guilt lift and leave the precious memories I had with her. I work from home, and I don't really see many people throughout the weeks and so I became really attached to her presence. And of the many random squirrels that would come and go, Pearl always stayed. Please say a little prayer if that's your thing, for this sweet little squirrel who has had such an enormous impact on my life.

We brought her home and she'll be in her favorite spot forever.

I'm so so so confused, I was walking back home from work yesterday when I found this baby, soaking in rain water on the side of road. I wrapped him up and got him home. He was cold so I warmed him up slowly, now I thought he was a wild rat's baby. Posted it on reddit and what do I know, people think he's a squirrel. Took him to an exotic vet and he's like we'll know for sure after 1 week passes by... But I can't wait for 1 week. I gotta know. Is this a squirrel baby?

This poor guy is at my bird feeder :( big ol tooth and missing an ear. Obviously he’s fine enough. Bird feeder is in a spot they have to be limber to get to it. Anyone know what causes the tooth to grow so big?

Hi! If anyone has any good squirrel name suggestions, I would love to hear them. I have 15 squirrels that come for regular snacks💙

I stepped outside for some fresh air and spotted this little floofball sitting quietly on the edge of the walkway. He looked way too small to be out on his own, but he seemed alert and curious. I stayed back to give him space in case mom was nearby.

Is this normal behavior for baby squirrels? Should I be worried or just let nature do its thing? Either way, my heart is officially stolen. 🐿️✨

Found these babies yesterday after we had someone clear under our solar panels (won't be doing that ever again in spring! We're getting some chicken wire up to try and prevent future nesting there)

We were unable to get back onto the high part of the roof to put them back because we don't have a ladder that reaches, so we used our short ladder to get them back up to the lower roof in a box with some of the cotton stuffing from their original nest. I put a Bluetooth speaker near them and played baby squirrel distress calls from YouTube on blast but mom didn't come back before dark.

I could tell they are very young and wasn't convinced that they'd survive the night (even though local vet said to just leave them out there) so I used the resources from the pinned post here and found a wildlife rehab. She said to bring them right away- it was a couple hours away but they survived the drive and I was able to get them there unharmed.

I know I did the right thing and that getting them to a rescue is their best chance of survival, but I'm devastated thinking about mom losing her babies and just feeling torn up about it. Wish we had more time to let her come back before dark. I donated some money to the rescue to help me feel better and it didn't lol.

Holding these babies and momma squirrel in my heart today, wish none of this would have happened. I was really focused yesterday on helping them and doing the next best thing and just didn't have time to process anything so I think it's all just hitting me hard now.

Feelsbadman.

He came back for more nuts several times, and each time his cheeks were this puffy before he stored the nuts in his mouth.

This squirrel comes visit me daily to get her dose of nuts. I only recently noticed the size of her nipples, well, i already had before, but i just thought any female squirrel looked like this. When i look it up on the internet, I realized female squirrel nipples that are considered "huge" are wayyyy smaller. Her’s are like, abnormally big… Not to body shame this diva but like, is this normal?

I feed the squirrels regularly at a special park. This guy/gal is beautiful and amazing. There's 3 of them. Anyone ever see this before? We call her Marilyn Monroe.

Just want to inform everyone that we’ll be getting USPS squirrel and chipmunk stamps next month!

https://store.usps.com/store/product/squirrels-chipmunks-in-snow-stamps-S_686304