A few days ago, I suddenly spotted a big hole in the side of my chimney. Since it’s really a big wooden frame around my actual “chimney” (which houses a Heatilator ®and a pipe), the outside “box” is apparently fairly empty. Or it was until something gnawed a hole the size of softball in the side of the chimney box, all within a couple of days at most.
I had a local repairman out to look at it, and he immediately said “Squirrels.” He said he could probably get to it between his other jobs by the end of the week.
Grey Squirrel
And therein began the longer “tail” of the squirrel situation.
The weather, which has been exceptionally warm for the last week or two, is now returning to that horrid, bitter cold winter that plagued us all through January. It is supposed to go to 9 tonight, and next week, the lows will be down to 1 or 0. Days are going from the run we had recently of 40s and 50s down to the teens, and the sun won’t be seen much. There was talk of a huge snowstorm on Sunday, although now they’re just calling fora wintry mix on Friday.
I have been worried about evicting some creature from a nice warm den when it would find it hard to search out something equally safe and cozy. How could it find something a snug in a pinch? And then, when I started reading about squirrels, things got worse. I discovered that prime time for squirrels producing babies is late February (Hm, like February 25, the day I write this?) and that it takes 6 weeks before the hairless, blind babies even open their eyes! Baby squirrels aren’t really ready to leave the next for 12-14 weeks!
tiny baby squirrel only a week or two old.
Everyone from wildlife pest companies to conservation sites to animal organizations suggest letting the mother raise her babies for a couple of months before doing anything, or at least giving her time and space to move them. And they also say that forcing them to move or physically trapping and moving them when the weather is bad or cold could be a death sentence.
Sigh. Having gone from being happy that I could get the problem solved so quickly, I am now going out tomorrow to follow some tips for trying to lure them out to a squirrel box that I will hang on a large tree in the yard, and offering them a favorite “squirrel” mix of bird seed, etc. Great, now I’m in the squirrel business along with everything else that I allow to live in my yard. (Some would say “encourage” is a better word.)
For anyone interested, here’s a picture of a home made squirrel box. More instructions can be found at the Missouri Department of Conservation on a page with links to building other types of wildlife boxes for critters and birds.
Squirrel box drawing from MO Dept of Conservation.
Apparently, I now have a collection of outside stray cats, including the three kittens who live in hay boxes in my front shrubbery, the raccoons who took over the deceased ground hog’s den under the front walk . . . and now apparently a family of squirrels. Although, I intend to call the local animal control officer, Tim, who is a nice guy, and see if he will come confirm that it’s a squirrel, not something else.
The raccoons (who won’t produce babies for another two months) may be evicted if it’s them, and ditto on possums, since I know they can and will live in the outdoor shelter boxes I put out for the cats (who, except for the kittens (8 months) in the front) generally don’t use the boxes when it’s very cold. They seek out the storm drains or other hidey holes they have around our subdivision. I suspect they have many choices.)
Well, the good news is, part of me loves being one with my natural neighbors. Now, if I can just get them to stop wrecking the house! And if I can just get enough income to pay for all of us (me, my 8 indoor cats, and all the “kids” outside) living here.
But having been through hard times myself, I know what it is to feel safe and secure in your home. And I also know that these creatures are simply doing what God told them to do in life. They’re trying to make a living like the rest of us. and just survive. Who am I to say who gets to do that and who doesn’t? I firmly believe that learning to live in harmony with all people on the planet begins by learning to live in harmony with all living things.
I’ve been thinking for a few years of putting up bat and butterfly houses. By the time I get the squirrel houses, along with the cat boxes, and the raccoon/ground hog dens . . . well, you get the picture. My yard’s going to be a crowded place come spring and summer! Actually, sounds kind of fun. The possums should be back by then as well. Unfortunately, so will the beautiful hawks. And to think, I live “in town”!
© Chanda K. Zimmerman, 2014
THE COMPASSIONATE LIFE 
I’ve learned from other people this winter how they try to care for community animals
–heated bird baths, open garage doors (just enough for small critters to enter), heated garages, straw bales, wind buffers, cardboard and wooden and Styrofoam boxes filled with bedding, and multiple feeding stations. One woman commented that, surprisingly, the stray cats who come together in her garage during cold streaks do not fight.
Reblogged this on R M Kinder and commented:
I enjoyed this post and thus am reblogging it.
Counted 22 turkeys in my “back yard” yesterday. Theresa saw six deer in the bottom last evening. I love not living in town.
Chuck, I had an email conversation with a turkey this last week. It wasn’t you. It is, however, an endangered species!