cherokeeprogressive
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Mon Jul-25-11 11:17 AM
Original message |
All of our Gray Squirrels are gone... |
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I'm sick over this. Sometime between last fall and this spring, the Gray Squirrels in the valley I live in, and there were literally MILLIONS of them, have disappeared. It seems they were the victims of some kind of mite that caused them to get mange, and their sores got infected.
When I moved here in '07, there were so many squirrels in and around my town that you couldn't drive down the street without having to slow down to keep from hitting one crossing the street. Now, nothing. There have been a few sightings here and there of 1-2 squirrels, but statistically now there are none.
The article I was able to dig up after a while said a possible cause was the number of squirrel feeders in the area. People loved the squirrels and their antics and nearly everyone I know had a squirrel feeder or two in their yards. This caused the population to grow to more than the natural food sources could provide. Congregating at the feeders allowed for the transfer of these mites from one squirrel to another.
Such a beautiful sight... a large Gray Squirrel with its HUGE bushy tail scampering along the rail of my deck... is no longer. So sad to me that in our haste to be near them, we've made them all go away.
I'm so bummed over this that I've bawled my eyes out a number of times.
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Kali
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Mon Jul-25-11 11:36 AM
Response to Original message |
1. rodents tend to have boom and bust population cycles anyway |
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I expect they will recover.
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cherokeeprogressive
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Mon Jul-25-11 11:47 AM
Response to Reply #1 |
5. Perspective. Thanks for it. |
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It's hard I guess to identify such pretty and enteraining creatures as rodents, but you are exactly right, and some people here see them as pests due to the fact that they ARE rodents. I've read more than a few "good riddance" posts on the community websites here and find them disturbing, but now have a better grasp of the importance or non-importance of this event.
What bothers me most is that the root cause for the die-off could be purely man-made.
Again, thanks for the perspective. It helps.
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freshwest
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Mon Jul-25-11 11:53 AM
Response to Reply #5 |
6. I've been bummed about the songbird die off. No decent habitat. Some use them for target practice. |
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I hope that your little community has an upswing and you'll get to enjoy that kinder life again soon. Are your songbirds in good health?
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cherokeeprogressive
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Mon Jul-25-11 07:28 PM
Response to Reply #6 |
20. No shortage of birds. n/t |
freshwest
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Mon Jul-25-11 08:02 PM
Response to Reply #20 |
25. Well, then it's just the one. Perhaps a more healthy population will move in. Sorry about them. |
Lucinda
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Mon Jul-25-11 11:40 AM
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2. That would make me sad too. |
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Part of what I love about where I live is the proximity to all sorts of wildlife. (I'm on the border of a national park.) I spend a lot of time watching all the comings and goings in my little stand of woods.
Hopefully the remaining squirrels will repopulate the area soon. :(
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whistler162
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Mon Jul-25-11 11:42 AM
Response to Original message |
3. They headed to upstate New York after California's |
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money problems.
We have lots of them in my area.
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RedCloud
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Mon Jul-25-11 11:46 AM
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4. Where I work they are gone too. Most likely the flying predator got to them. |
RebelOne
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Mon Jul-25-11 01:03 PM
Response to Original message |
7. If you want, i could send you some of the hundreds |
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that are scampering around my neighborhood. There is no shortage of squirrels in the North Georgia area. They are everywhere.
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The Velveteen Ocelot
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Mon Jul-25-11 01:09 PM
Response to Original message |
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I am overrun with them.
I think these populations rise and fall cyclically. If mites caused the population to fall, the lack of a host will cause the mites to decrease as well, and the squirrels will come back. I doubt they are gone permanently.
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Jersey Devil
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Mon Jul-25-11 01:16 PM
Response to Original message |
9. The only good squirrel is a dead squirrel |
pitohui
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Mon Jul-25-11 01:24 PM
Response to Original message |
10. wow wish i could send you some of mine |
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last i heard gray squirrel populations were booming worldwide, including places where they've been introduced and become pests such as england
i would never put up a squirrel feeder, it would only encourage them, but if i hear of anyone thinking of doing it, i'll tell them not to
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Arugula Latte
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Mon Jul-25-11 01:33 PM
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11. Sad. I love squirrels, too. |
LiberalEsto
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Mon Jul-25-11 01:48 PM
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12. I wonder whether GM corn is in the feed |
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and whether that could be affecting wildlife.
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TZ
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Mon Jul-25-11 02:04 PM
Response to Reply #12 |
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GM food despite what is posted on teh nets, is not toxic to mammals. But again, I only am a biologist in biotech, i don't know anything. And actually one of the things that have been infecting squirrels in the last few years has been prions, the "organism" (scientists debate if they are actually alive like viri) that causes mad cow disease. Natural die offs of animal populations from parasites and such happen quite frequently
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femmocrat
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Mon Jul-25-11 05:52 PM
Response to Original message |
14. We are getting squirrels now when we never had them before! |
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And I don't want them! Cute, but pesky little critters.
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The Velveteen Ocelot
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Mon Jul-25-11 06:52 PM
Response to Original message |
15. There's a squirrel on my bird feeder right now |
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stuffing his little furry face with bird seed. However, he is keeping the cats amused.
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RebelOne
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Mon Jul-25-11 06:57 PM
Response to Reply #15 |
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Put out a bird feeder and the squirrels will be back in droves.
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RSillsbee
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Mon Jul-25-11 06:58 PM
Response to Original message |
17. Little friggin' tree rats are all OVER Colorado |
cherokeeprogressive
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Mon Jul-25-11 07:29 PM
Response to Reply #17 |
21. I heard Colorado squirrels were uppity. n/t |
RSillsbee
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Mon Jul-25-11 07:43 PM
Response to Reply #21 |
22. They also carry Plauge bearing fleas nt |
Riftaxe
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Mon Jul-25-11 07:17 PM
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18. Hmmm the list of suspects might not be as long |
cherokeeprogressive
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Mon Jul-25-11 07:27 PM
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19. Now THAT'S funny! n/t |
hedgehog
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Mon Jul-25-11 07:57 PM
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23. You should be asking yourself, what do the squirrels know that you don't know? |
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Maybe they left for a reason? :tinfoilhat:
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cherokeeprogressive
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Mon Jul-25-11 08:00 PM
Response to Reply #23 |
24. WOW! That's where the bowl saying "So Long and Thanks for All the Peanuts" |
Curmudgeoness
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Mon Jul-25-11 08:14 PM
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26. They moved to my neighborhood. I only had Fox Squirrels |
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here from my childhood. Then all of a sudden, Gray Squirrels started to show up. And the Grays are so much more aggressive than the bigger Foxes that they have taken over. Even though I resent the Grays, I certainly hope that they stay healthy.
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csziggy
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Mon Jul-25-11 09:18 PM
Response to Original message |
27. Wish I could send you some - there are still thousands here |
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And I think most of them live on my farm.
They will be back in your area. Rodent populations are always boom & bust.
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Phentex
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Tue Jul-26-11 07:43 AM
Response to Reply #27 |
28. Wonder if there's any safe way to ship... |
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I could send several hundred and some chipmunks as well!
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Tue May 07th 2024, 08:05 AM
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