Northern Indiana's Fox Squirrels

After spending most of the summer and fall observing my neighbor Jo Ann’s squirrels, I decided I wanted my own little group. Naturally, my group also is Jo Ann’s group or at least, part of Jo Ann’s group, and they have their meals at her diner first. I think it is because she has gourmet food and I’m still serving bread bits and unsalted peanuts. I will improve my menu as soon as I learn more about what is healthy for them to eat. I had no idea that certain foods were unhealthy and even dangerous to give to squirrels. I thought that, since they are scavengers, anything would do. Wrong.

Indiana’s Fox Squirrel

A note here regarding my research, as I call it. First, posts are limited in size, so information regarding the Fox squirrel will be shared in many posts, and second, I found many websites that spent more time writing about the pesky side of squirrels and little about the value of squirrels. I find that in our world today there is so much negative about everything, I decided to concentrate on the positive side of squirrels. Yes, they can be pests, but then, can’t we all – whether 4 feet or 2?

Early sitting on the porch railing waiting for breakfast.

Ending my first week or so of squirrel researching and watching, I have recruited one little squirrel to my diner. I call him Early, and he faithfully waits for me every morning between 7 and 7:15. It took me a few days to realize that I had inadvertently set the breakfast time and this little guy (I think he is a boy) has taken my initial put-the-food-out time as THE time. I realized this when, after three days into my feeding, I opened the blinds to a cute little reddish-brown squirrel sitting on the window ledge looking at me. The next day, he was sitting up on the porch railing, about 6 inches from the door, waiting, and when I opened the door with breakfast, he jumped over to the top of the storage shed (the diner), turned and stared. I got the idea. His behavior seems to be set in stone – he has me trained. If I am late serving breakfast and I hear him chattering, guilt engulfs me and I hurry to get breakfast served. (Funny how we humans are able to train animals, isn’t it?!)