Posted on 03/26/2018 4:50:14 PM PDT by Kaslin
RUSH: I found something that just struck me funny. There’s a story that has nothing to do with anything. It’s in the San Diego Union Tribune. Apparently they’ve got a giant squirrel problem in the public parks in San Diego. Now, I happen to like squirrels, but every time squirrels come up I have a bunch of people start shouting, “They’re nothing but tree rats. They’re nothing but rats with PR. They’re just rats. What do you mean, you like squirrels?”
Well, it goes back to when I was a kid. My mom would actually open one of the windows on our breakfast nook and start banging two peanuts together, and the squirrels would come up, and she would give them to the squirrels. And one of them was a red squirrel, looked like a fox. And she would sit there, “Come on little squirrel,” and they’d all come trooping up, and she’d give them some peanuts and they’d walk away.
They’re on the second floor. They’re on a ledge, second floor, they’d climb down the house. And I’ve always thought they were cute, but people said, “They’re nothing but tree rats. How in the world can you say you like squirrels?”
Well, anyway in San Diego they got a problem ’cause apparently a lot of other people think they’re cute and they’ve started feeding them. And they’ve turned ’em into a bunch of welfare recipients. Feeding the squirrels contributes to their overpopulation.
“‘The main problem is they get tons of food from people,’ said Darren Smith, a natural resources officer in the San Diego region of the state Department of Parks and Recreation. ‘There is the culture of providing extra food for them, and that’s what makes the population grow so much,’ he said.”
And then this. “Too many squirrels become a nuisance. They quickly grow dependent on handouts, lose their fear of humans.” And so they hang around with people. And he says that the squirrels are now showing up in picnic areas looking for food. And then there’s this quote: “They bother people,” said Darren Smith. “Sometimes, they bite people, and steal their Doritos.”
When I saw “steal their Doritos” I just started cracking up. Of all things to steal, they steal people’s Doritos, the squirrels.
They sound like Illegals...
Well, I take your point. But any animal can develop a dangerous sense of entitlement.
Read Sally Carrighar on deer.
And: crows that people have reared and accustomed to a human as a friend, have been killed, because they began to recognize ALL humans as ‘friends’, and would fly even to a stranger and perch on them - a stranger who didn’t exactly appreciate the familiarity.
We have to take responsibility for what we teach the other animals to do, and to what we accustom them ;-)
I’ll think about that next time I feed a squirrel.
I enjoy them fried. Or I use my rabbit stew recipe. Works for squirrels as well.
You could think the same thing, the next time you feed your pet cat or dog.
I had gone on a hike and campout with my sister and BIL in the Tetons years back. As he was telling me that we were in a remote area that had few hikers, this little ground squirrel casually walks into my tent and turns around and starts ‘barking’ at me for some food!....
Don’t worry I’ve seen dogs eat some things.
I had a mule deer chase me down the path on the north rim of the grand canyon looking for food. Scared me.
Grrrr....Where’s PETA when ya need ‘em?!
I hear that. We have two peach trees, a nectarine tree, one pear, and three apple. They’re young, but some are mature enough to fruit now. Last year they waited in the pine treetops until the fruit got large enough, and *poof* it was gone. I got some tree bags for them this year. Let’s see just how ingenious these little rodents are when I get done. (Failing that, I have three .22 pistols and a whole lotta ammo for target practice.)
That would be scary.
I remember seeing people feeding chippers next to the sign that said Do Not Feed the Animals.
One of those cute little things did over $4000 worth of damage to one of our cars' electrical systems.
Stew works well
A friend in college moved into a place where the previous tenants let the squirrels come inside to feed.
About a week after their move the squirrels got trapped inside with the roommates cats. The following battle completely trashed the place.
I’ve got the same set up and coat the pole with lithium grease. The repeated jumping up and sliding back back down is entertaining to watch.
I’d rather turn squirrels into pot pie.
That's not to be taken lightly.
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