Kit Hope of Silver Spring freely admits that she feeds the squirrels in Farragut Square “for my own amusement, not from any deep-seated desire to reach out to our furry friends (who are, after all, cute rats). “It’s a wonderful day when they start doing it themselves,” Don said. “We would use a warm, damp washcloth.”īaby squirrels must have their nether regions stimulated at every feeding from birth to about five weeks of age, when their eyes are open and their fur is coming in. Squirrel moms provide stimulation with their tongues. In fact, you have to start stimulating them just to get them to feed.” “You don’t want that to happen, so you stimulate them. Orphaned squirrels raised by humans risk becoming constipated and bloated. The mother’s selfless act is so hard-wired in a squirrel’s very being that babies can urinate and defecate only after being stimulated by the mother licking around. “The mother’s removing the only thing that can give a scent: the pee and poo.” With no scent to follow, predators can’t find the defenseless baby. “Evolutionarily, that’s a great strategy,” Don said. This is to protect her litter from predators. Squirrels are among species - deer are another - where the mother uses her mouth to carry her offspring’s poo and pee away from the nest. Earlier in his career, Don worked in Syracuse, N.Y., rehabilitating baby squirrels. This fascinating bit of information came from Don Moore, associate director of animal care sciences at the National Zoo. Speaking of which, Answer Man recently learned something rather interesting: Baby squirrels must be taught to defecate. Richard assured Answer Man that squirrels do poop. Thorington Jr., a curator of mammals at the Smithsonian Institution. Then again, it’s not as if squirrel feces is very distinctive or very large. Perhaps you are mistaking it for the scat of another animal - a rabbit, for example. Questions such as this one: “There are thousands of squirrels all over my neighborhood, but I never seem to see any squirrel poop. Before we close out this year’s festivities, Answer Man wants to address some of the questions that came in from readers in the past seven days. Finally, homeowners should be able to determine which trees are housing populations of the pests by looking for squirrel nests in tree branches.Today’s column marks the official end of Squirrel Week. Tree squirrels can also be extremely vocal animals, chattering and squeaking as they chase each other about. Their clawed feet make them excellent climbers, but they tend to leave visible scratches on trunks, fences, and house exteriors. Infestations of squirrels in trees will be readily apparent as the bushy-tailed rodents are often seen scampering about yards and climbing up tree trunks. Also, some jurisdictions might require notification of the discovery, so local government guidelines should be consulted. Pets should be kept away in case the animal came into contact with poison. Unless several are found in a localized area or if there are visible signs of disease, such as emaciation, missing fur, or scabs, they are generally not a cause for concern. Occasionally, a homeowner might find a dead squirrel in the yard.
The most damaging by-product of a squirrel in the yard is the possibility that it might chew its way into the attic. They dig up and eat flower bulbs, make holes in lawns to use as hiding places for food, and eat seeds meant to attract birds. As seed and plant eaters, squirrels frequently target bird feeders and ornamental vegetation. They sometimes entertain with their energetic antics, but are more likely to annoy with their intrusive, destructive behaviors. In most parts of the country, having squirrels in yards is just a fact of life.