Squirrels - To Feed Or Not To Feed?

[Tricia]

We have squirrels. Not me personally of course but, here, near where I live. In fact, every evening around 6.15 one regularly scales the wall just over my kitchen window and skips off down the balcony - probably on his/her way home - the evening squirrel commute.

That's okay, in fact, it's quite nice. The squirrel leaves me alone and I leave him alone - we both just go about our business but ...

I have neighbours and they feed the squirrels, one even leaves his window open and lures them into his front room - he says he is an animal lover - I say he is doing them no favours - isn't that what a squirrels life is about? foraging for food and having a healthy wariness of humans - not sitting in someone's front room munching on peanuts and becoming about as tame as a puppy.

But who is right? Dr Doolittle downstairs and his band of fat, lazy squirrels or me, up here minding my own business and letting the wildlife fend for itself?

[Kayleigh]

Originally Posted by Tricia

We have squirrels. Not me personally of course but, here, near where I live. In fact, every evening around 6.15 one regularly scales the wall just over my kitchen window and skips off down the balcony - probably on his/her way home - the evening squirrel commute.

That's okay, in fact, it's quite nice. The squirrel leaves me alone and I leave him alone - we both just go about our business but ...

I have neighbours and they feed the squirrels, one even leaves his window open and lures them into his front room - he says he is an animal lover - I say he is doing them no favours - isn't that what a squirrels life is about? foraging for food and having a healthy wariness of humans - not sitting in someone's front room munching on peanuts and becoming about as tame as a puppy.

But who is right? Dr Doolittle downstairs and his band of fat, lazy squirrels or me, up here minding my own business and letting the wildlife fend for itself?

I agree with you leave them B..

[djackso]

I'm not a fan of grey squirrels, I think that they are too tame and there are too many of them. So I say don't encourage them. But I think I'm a bit "speciesist" - if it was a native red squirrel, I'd be jumping through hoops to get it to feed in my living room

[Tricia]

Alas not red squirrels - these are big, fat, grey London squirrels

[ron1863]

I leave food out but don't encourage anything, if they take it then good luck to them.
Welcome to WAB Tricia

[Kymba]

I have always fed the Grey squirrel because i adore them.
After all as I have said in other posts It isnt their fault they are here they didnt have a choice. It is our fault...

[Rob Jones]

Hi Tricia!

Sorry, I've always regarded Greys as a particularly damaging rodent. It is rarely culled and the damaging effects are often ignored. Cute they maybe but they're real menace to the woodland bird population. Like Foxes, they are becoming common in urban areas.
Definately (in my humble opinion) not to be encouraged!

[Kayleigh]

Originally Posted by Kayleigh

I agree with you leave them B..

I like squirrels, I don't get any here so I don't feed them but they would be welcome to a few nuts.
I don't agree with this bloke encouraging them into his living room though.

[forfi]

Elvis was very fond of squirrels.Or so I have heard.

[Mr Mag00]

no !