Squirrels - do you like them or hate them?

[DenverGirlie]

A comment on another thread got me thinking... I think of Squirrels as nothing but pests.

They are just rats with fluffy tails that can jump and climb pretty good. I mean sure, sometimes they boarderline on cute.. chasing and chattering at each other, watching them jump/ glide and run around the trees and fenceline, but if I could hit it with a slingshot I wouldn't hestitate to do so.

I can go indepth about why I dislike them, but really don't feel pressed to do so.

However in the "train your cat" thread another person implied they liked the squirrels and disliked cats because the cats scared the squirrels off?

What about you? A pest? A cute welcome friend? Of course there are others that will say they think of them as dinner.....

[tinknal]

Quite good in cream gravy.

[hillsidedigger]

Squ'lls are fine, the more the better.

Plenty around the house and yard here, don't seem to mind the cats and dog.

[Burbsteader]

When squirrels moved into the neighborhood after their woods were cleared for development, we decided that we couldn't beat them, so we joined them.

We feed them and house them and get a kick out of their antics.
We also now have to buy walnuts and filberts, but we don't eat much of them anyway.

I dislike outdoor cats immensely. (remember I am in the city so we have a much higher ratio of cats than rural) They are destructive to useful, indigenous species such as birds and snakes.

[Karin L]

They wreak hovac on the graineries...and they're noisy. Cats love to chase them whenever the chance they get...my dad shoots them (the squirrels) with a .22

[Old Vet]

As long as they are causing trouble I always let them alone. Althought I love to hunt squirels. But not around the house.

Squirrels have been the bane of my gardening existence since we bought the place. I off the furry tailed arboreal rodents every chance I get. It's never enough.

.....Alan.

[Cindy in NY]

Squirrels are evil!! So far this year we have "relocated" 47 of them. Still haven't beat our record of 62 a couple years ago. Wish my cats were younger so they could take some of them out!!

[hunter63]

Cut up with wild rice and mushroom soap, dumplin's and toasted onion straws on top.
emmmmmm

[longrider]

hummm...the fur gets caught in my teeth but generally okay with tabasco!

oh lighten up, squirrel is good if you know which ones to harvest. my grandfather used to eat the fried brains which weirded us kids out but we didnt mind the meat as kids- heck anything taste good with ketchup on it.

fried squirrel
mashed taters and gravy
english peas
corn bread
cow milk
and

sweet tater pie


uummmm uunnhhh !!!!

[seedspreader]

Been a while since I ate some, but as I remember, I like 'em.

[Ravenlost]

I like squirrels and wish we had more of them, but then, I like the big owls we have too and I reckon they don't coexist very well.

[Westwood]

Tree rats . . . .

[peacebaker]

I'm anti-squirrel. Well, non-violent, but still.

They dig up my bulbs and garden, plant sunflower seeds everywhere (along with the evil chipmunks) and empty my bird feeder religiously. I send the dog out to chase them, but he's not very serious about it--it's a game.

Apparently they hate me back--the other day I was sewing, and kept hearing this noise in the background. I looked over and there was a squirrel on my porch at eye-level to me, chewing me out through the window!

[TNHermit]

Just wait till they chew a few choice holes in your house. thats what they're good for down here

[suburbanite]

Are the squirrels responsible for all the sunflowers that inexplicably sprout up all over my yard?!?

The best thing about squirrels is that they are a staple in the diet of many predators.

[Ann-NWIowa]

They are rodents with fuzzy tails. They're good fried to brown, then slow cooked in the oven to tenderize.

[Columbia,SC.]

We feed the squirrels and the wild birds can have what is leftover.
I had one for an indoor pet for almost 9 years, 'Joey Nibbles' was my buddy for many a road trip and we were always together. He was great fun to take to Myrtle Beach, Minn.State fair and other great places! He also had and wore (now and then) 2 gold chain necklaces one with a small diamond pendant, and a couple muscle shirts. The last few years my wife had to clean his cage because I have asthma and couldn't, wink wink! I have some pics. of him somewhere, I may try to find them.
P.S. I did and still do hunt and eat them as well.

[Windy in Kansas]

I have never had any home damage caused by squirrels. Perhaps they lavish their special love on the neighbor that still has cats and the one I don't care for.

Used to feed them but no longer. Have had as many as 13 in the yard at one time with a cottontail eating the rest of the corn kernels after they had eaten the heart/germ from them.

Love to watch them make fools of the cats. They'll turn their backs to the cats, flip their tail and still dash off before a cat can overtake them.

I vote FOR squirrels over cats, cats over dogs, and dogs over the neighbor that no one in the neighborhood can get along with. Is it legal to trap and relocate a neighbor????? lol

[suburbanite]

Hey, if you find a way to relocate your neighbor, let me know, I've got one of those I wish would move out too.