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When Squirrels Were One of America’s Most Popular Pets (2017)

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Re: When Squirrels Were One of America’s Most Popular Pets (2017)

#41

Post by maccard »

pjc50 wrote: post #36
dukeofdoom wrote: post #15

So is this why they are so wide spread and a pest? Squirrels are much rarer in Europe. Like you only see them in the forest rare and they are orange. The black/grey squirrels here are a real problem for backyard gardeners. Like they will pretty much steal every fruit tree bare.

The grey squirrels are an invasive species; even in wild parts of Scotland you'll see them far more often than the native red squirrels.

In most places it's an either/or; you won't see both. I've never seen a grey squirrel north of roughly stirling, but have seen plenty* (well, a handful, 4 or 5) of reds in the area. Meanwhile, near me (Edinburgh), greys are abundant.

Re: When Squirrels Were One of America’s Most Popular Pets (2017)

#42

Post by coldtea »

tomfanning wrote: post #39
coldtea wrote: post #38

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Parent did say Europe. Assuming the UK even wants to be called a part of Europe, it's just a small part...

Europe is a continent.

Which is neither here, nor there. (I'm a European in any case, I know what "Europe" is).

That said, Europe is many things.

There is one (actually several) geographical definition (as a continent), geo-political definitions, cultural, historical, and other...

Even Wikipedia has some of the nuance:

Europe is a continent that comprises the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia (extending from the Urals to the Iberian Peninsula), the Scandinavian Peninsula, Great Britain, Ireland, Iceland and many smaller surrounding islands in the North Atlantic Ocean and Mediterranean Sea.

Europe may also refer to:

Continental Europe, the mainland of Europe excluding the islands surrounding it

European Union, a European political supranational entity

Re: When Squirrels Were One of America’s Most Popular Pets (2017)

#43

Post by prionassembly »

soapdog wrote: post #28
dukeofdoom wrote: post #15

So is this why they are so wide spread and a pest? Squirrels are much rarer in Europe. Like you only see them in the forest rare and they are orange. The black/grey squirrels here are a real problem for backyard gardeners. Like they will pretty much steal every fruit tree bare.

Rare in Europe? I'm looking out of my window in central London and there are at least three squirrels arguing about brexit or something. In warmer months, I need to be careful not to kick one of them as I go by on the sidewalk. They are everywhere.

What's the prevailing opinion on Brexit among squirrels?

Re: When Squirrels Were One of America’s Most Popular Pets (2017)

#44

Post by bluedino »

mynameishere wrote: post #2

Well, people keep rats. Rats have some downsides compared to squirrels: Their ugly tails, the black death, etc.

Col. Hans Landa : Yet I assume you don't share the same animosity with squirrels that you do with rats, do you?

Perrier LaPadite : No.

Col. Hans Landa : But they're both rodents, are they not? And except for the tail, they even rather look alike, don't they?

Perrier LaPadite : It's an interesting thought, Herr Colonel.

Col. Hans Landa : Ha! However interesting as the thought may be, it makes not one bit of difference to how you feel. If a rat were to walk in here right now, as I'm talking, would you greet it with a saucer of your delicious milk?

Perrier LaPadite : Probably not.

Col. Hans Landa : I didn't think so. You don't like them. You don't really know why you don't like them; all you know is you find them repulsive.

Re: When Squirrels Were One of America’s Most Popular Pets (2017)

#46

Post by shipstain »

zikzak wrote: post #7
nine_k wrote: post #3

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Rats are apparently also smarter.

A friend of mine kept them as pets. I was there once and watched one eat a piece of spaghetti. It held the noodle with both paws, sitting on its hind legs, and took bites while feeding it into its mouth "hand over hand". I have never really forgotten that. There was something so deliberate and skilled about this. No dumb beast, this, face down in a pile of food. This was an intelligent, fastidious creature enjoying a…

We used to keep rats, and they are pretty delightful really. I discovered later that they are such sociable creatures, they really need friends of their own kind. Ours got lots of attention, could pretty much run free for most of the day, but they do get lonely.

Re: When Squirrels Were One of America’s Most Popular Pets (2017)

#47

Post by quercusa »

dukeofdoom wrote: post #23

Northern flying squirrel https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Northern_flying_squirrel

I had a roommate who raised an orphaned flying squirrel. The squirrel had a lot of personality. At dusk we'd take him out and set him on a tree, walk 50 feet away, and he'd glide down and land on your chest or shoulder, again and again.

Re: When Squirrels Were One of America’s Most Popular Pets (2017)

#49

Post by andrewflnr »

mtts wrote: post #33
cockatiel_day wrote: post #19

I have a good bunch of squirrels I feed outside my home office... I can attest they are delightful creatures when you get to know them. They’re smart, gentle, engaging, and all have a different and developing personality. Yes, they’re rodents, but rodents are a big family!

> They're [...] gentle [...] No they're not. They're brutal, vicious killers (a trait they share with lots of others of members of the rodent family, such as rabbits). Here's just one example: https://www.nationalgeographic.com/news/2018/03/red-squirrel...

Cats do the same thing sometimes, feral cats and lions, at least. Some cats are still gentle.
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