Watching the Squirrels

@moffittjc (118224)
Gainesville, Florida
October 26, 2017 12:16pm CST
Enjoying another beautiful, crisp fall day here in Florida, just laying out in my hammock again in the backyard enjoying nature. As I lay here alternating between reading, myLotting and napping (I'm on vacation this week from work so I am taking full advantage of being lazy), I have been watching two squirrels playing near me at the base of a tree. Well, I assume they're playing! Do squirrels play? Maybe they're fighting. Maybe one is defending it's tree, while the other is trying to raid the nest? Are they performing some kind of ritual before mating? Who knows? Anyway, what I find very interesting is that squirrels never sit still. At all. They are constantly in motion, and even when they stop for a second, their tails are twitching a mile a minute! What is up with that? Are they whacked out on crack or meth or something? What exactly is in those nuts they eat? I have pretty much determined that squirrels would not have to stock up 10,000 acorns and nuts for the winter if they would just slow down and stop moving so much! They must burn 5000 calories a day with all that running around and twitching they do! And you know what else I've determined? I've wasted (enjoyed?) half my day already just watching those damn squirrels! haha One final note. After watching those squirrels closely for a while now, I have come to realize that squirrels are nothing more than rats with bushy tails!
37 people like this
42 responses
• Valdosta, Georgia
26 Oct 17
They are very active creatures! =) It's never a wasted day while enjoying nature.
6 people like this
@moffittjc (118224)
• Gainesville, Florida
26 Oct 17
Trust me, I could sit here every single day for the rest of my life and enjoy all this beautiful nature and never get tired of it!
4 people like this
• Valdosta, Georgia
26 Oct 17
@moffittjc I feel the same way. I have to snap myself out of it and get myself motivated when with nature. Lol.
2 people like this
@moffittjc (118224)
• Gainesville, Florida
26 Oct 17
@LovingMyBabies Sometimes I will stare out into the trees, or fixate on a critter, and basically just zone out from the rest of the word.
1 person likes this
@Courtlynn (67002)
• United States
26 Oct 17
I always wondered the same about them. What are they doing, fighting, playing, etc.
4 people like this
@moffittjc (118224)
• Gainesville, Florida
26 Oct 17
Well, until a squirrel expert chimes in on this conversation, I guess we'll never know for sure! But let's all just believe that they are playing with each other. That' helps keep the "cute" image going for the squirrels!
2 people like this
@moffittjc (118224)
• Gainesville, Florida
27 Oct 17
@Courtlynn I don't think they're cute. And you don't think they're cute. But everybody else apparently does think they are cute!
@Courtlynn (67002)
• United States
27 Oct 17
@moffittjc but they aren't cute
1 person likes this
@bluesa (15023)
• Johannesburg, South Africa
26 Oct 17
Reading, napping and watching squirrels. A pretty good way to spend the day @moffittjc
2 people like this
@bluesa (15023)
• Johannesburg, South Africa
27 Oct 17
@moffittjc Oh! My bad. How remiss of me! You did also fit in myLotting Way to go on grocery shopping, I had to go grocery shopping today, it was no fun. I hope you're having a fun Friday.
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (118224)
• Gainesville, Florida
26 Oct 17
Don't forget myLotting. I squeezed a little bit of that in there too! haha I actually was a little productive today...I went grocery shopping this morning!
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (118224)
• Gainesville, Florida
27 Oct 17
@bluesa Didn't do much today, just enjoyed a peaceful Friday.
1 person likes this
@pgntwo (22412)
• Derry, Northern Ireland
26 Oct 17
Ginger ones over here...
2 people like this
@pgntwo (22412)
• Derry, Northern Ireland
26 Oct 17
@moffittjc Oh yes, the water - it makes things rust...
North West Red Squirrel Group. 949 likes. To raise awareness of the protected red squirrel and enhance the red squirrel population, for wildlife conservation in the North West of Ireland.
2 people like this
@moffittjc (118224)
• Gainesville, Florida
26 Oct 17
@pgntwo Hey, speaking of gingers, did our gal Wendy drop off the face of the earth? I assume she is no longer on myLot, since I haven't heard from her in ages. I took a fancy to her, not sure why.
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (118224)
• Gainesville, Florida
26 Oct 17
Seriously? Even your squirrels are ginger? What is with you guys over in Ireland? Is it the water? lol
2 people like this
@JohnRoberts (109865)
• Los Angeles, California
26 Oct 17
Squirrels are members of the rodent family.
3 people like this
@moffittjc (118224)
• Gainesville, Florida
26 Oct 17
So are some of the guys I went to school with! lol
3 people like this
@Hannihar (129129)
• Israel
27 Oct 17
@moffittjc Jeff, I like your sense of humor.
2 people like this
@FayeHazel (40250)
• United States
26 Oct 17
On the subject of squirrels - when we lived on a farm we had a ton of these mushrooms. They were pale white and had large domed tops. The squirrels would "pick" these and after they would eat them, they would run around all crazy like. We all wondered if they were some kind of hallucinogenic mushroom based on how the squirrels.
2 people like this
@moffittjc (118224)
• Gainesville, Florida
26 Oct 17
@FayeHazel I remember when I was in college we used to go out to cow pastures in the middle of the night to try and find magical shrooms. Never found any, but we sure had a good time cow tipping though! haha
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (118224)
• Gainesville, Florida
26 Oct 17
I'm willing to bet that they were hallucinogenic mushrooms! Did you ever pick some and try them? LOL
2 people like this
@FayeHazel (40250)
• United States
26 Oct 17
@moffittjc My dad seemed to think they were... but we never tried them - too scared in case they were toxic. Then again the wildlife ate them.... so.... maybe it was safe. lol
2 people like this
@GardenGerty (157049)
• United States
27 Oct 17
Lovely little tree rats they are. If they quit moving so much they would be bears. I wonder if bears and squirrels have the same caloric needs.
2 people like this
@moffittjc (118224)
• Gainesville, Florida
27 Oct 17
As much as squirrels run around all day long, I would think they have the same caloric needs as bears!
@snowy22315 (168457)
• United States
26 Oct 17
I think they play. They seem to like tag a lot. They are quite intelligent, those little critters.
2 people like this
@moffittjc (118224)
• Gainesville, Florida
26 Oct 17
Well, for animals whose lives depend on stockpiling nuts for the winter, they sure do waste a lot of time playing! And another thing I've noticed...I see squirrels nests all over the place in the trees around my house, but I've never seen baby squirrels out playing. Do they just hang out up in the nest until one day they magically become full-size adult squirrels and then they come out of the nest? How come there are never any baby squirrels out running around playing?
1 person likes this
@rebelann (110771)
• El Paso, Texas
26 Oct 17
Them thar varmints make fer good eatin, lest ways that's what grandpa once said.
2 people like this
@rebelann (110771)
• El Paso, Texas
26 Oct 17
Dad said they taste just like chicken @moffittjc
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (118224)
• Gainesville, Florida
26 Oct 17
@rebelann Everything tastes just like chicken! haha
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (118224)
• Gainesville, Florida
26 Oct 17
My dad and I used to hunt squirrels all the time! They are good eatin'
2 people like this
@amadeo (111956)
• United States
26 Oct 17
we have a bunch here and chipmunk.they are adorable
2 people like this
@moffittjc (118224)
• Gainesville, Florida
26 Oct 17
Now chipmunks are cool! I like them little critters!
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (118224)
• Gainesville, Florida
26 Oct 17
@kobesbuddy So chipmunks don't live in Florida (at least I've never seen them here), but aren't they also considered a pest or a nuisance?
@kobesbuddy (73894)
• East Tawas, Michigan
26 Oct 17
@moffittjc Our yard has about six chipmunks, at times!
1 person likes this
@PainsOnSlate (21854)
• Canada
13 Nov 17
I'm with @JolietJake, mine are a bit lazy. They don't have to look very far for food, I have a few acorn trees and the woods behind my house is full of nut trees.And full of squirrels. When we moved here I was surprised to see black squirrels, they seem smaller than the grays but they seem friendly to each other. Do you have black ones too? I'll have to look for a photo, they are better looking than the grays in my opinion.
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (118224)
• Gainesville, Florida
14 Nov 17
All we have here is gray squirrels. I've never seen a back squirrel I don't think. I know I have seen the red ones before, but unfortunately all we have is the icky gray squirrels here in Florida.
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (118224)
• Gainesville, Florida
16 Nov 17
@PainsOnSlate Aw thanks! That would be nice to see a photo of one!
1 person likes this
• Canada
14 Nov 17
@moffittjc I am trying to catch one with the cameras, I will send you a photo.. The black ones are really pretty.
1 person likes this
@cindiowens (5120)
• North Myrtle Beach, South Carolina
26 Oct 17
OMG I tell my husband that all of the time! (Rats with bushy tails.) The sit up in the trees and chew up the pine cones and drop them on our cars. Destructive little critters. I watched one of them tear down one of our decorations the other day and carry it little by little up a tree.
2 people like this
@moffittjc (118224)
• Gainesville, Florida
26 Oct 17
The thing that drives me the most nuts (pardon the pun) about squirrels is that they chew on the phone and cable lines going into the houses, so people are constantly having their cable/internet go out as a result.
2 people like this
• North Myrtle Beach, South Carolina
26 Oct 17
@moffittjc Yeah they do. Our cable lines are buried we have cell phones, so not really an issue for us.
2 people like this
@kobesbuddy (73894)
• East Tawas, Michigan
26 Oct 17
@moffittjc At times, they move into someone's attic, for the winter!
1 person likes this
@andriaperry (116876)
• Anniston, Alabama
26 Oct 17
Yes they are! Rats. But cure little rats with busy tails that lives outside in trees.
2 people like this
@moffittjc (118224)
• Gainesville, Florida
26 Oct 17
I know that here in our area we have a big problem with the squirrels (aka rats) chewing through the cable and phone lines on people's houses. It's great that they are cute rats with fluffy tails living outside our homes, but it's not so great that they continually destroy any wires/lines going into people's homes. At least real rats don't do that! haha
1 person likes this
• Philippines
26 Oct 17
squirrels, one of my wishlist to see and touch in real got to see them only in pictures and videos..
2 people like this
@moffittjc (118224)
• Gainesville, Florida
26 Oct 17
No squirrels in the Philippines?
1 person likes this
@bunnybon7 (50975)
• Holiday, Florida
11 Nov 17
i know. sometimes they are out on my widow seal. and yes they do look a bit like rats, which makes me a bit nauseous remembering that dad used to make stew out of them sometimes.
1 person likes this
@bunnybon7 (50975)
• Holiday, Florida
12 Nov 17
@moffittjc it was good at the time. but now yuck. lol. did your family save the brains for theb aby in the family to eat? or is that just my weird family?
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (118224)
• Gainesville, Florida
12 Nov 17
@bunnybon7 I was a kid when my dad made squirrel stew, so I'm not sure what he did with the brain or other parts for he squirrels. We did a lot of fishing in those days, so maybe he save the leftover body parts for fishing bait! haha
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (118224)
• Gainesville, Florida
12 Nov 17
My dad used to make stew out of them too when I was little!
1 person likes this
@LadyDuck (454989)
• Switzerland
27 Oct 17
Poor little things, they are so cute, I like squirrels, I do not like rats, mice are cute.
1 person likes this
@LadyDuck (454989)
• Switzerland
28 Oct 17
@moffittjc I have heard that they are nasty little animals, not as cute as they may look.
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (118224)
• Gainesville, Florida
28 Oct 17
@LadyDuck I agree with you. I don't think they are cute at all. I think they are evil little critters. haha
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (118224)
• Gainesville, Florida
27 Oct 17
I wouldn't mind squirrels so much if they didn't pester me so much!
1 person likes this
@DeborahDiane (39965)
• Laguna Woods, California
30 Oct 17
@moffittjc - Yes, squirrels definitely play! I suppose rats do, too, although I have never enjoyed watching them the way I do squirrels. I wonder why most people feel so differently about the two creatures?
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (118224)
• Gainesville, Florida
31 Oct 17
Probably because rats carry and spread deadly diseases. You wipe out one quarter of the world's population with a plague that you started, many people will feel a little bit of hatred toward you! lol
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (118224)
• Gainesville, Florida
1 Nov 17
@DeborahDiane I wonder what the people of New York think of rats? You know....the ones that are as big as cats! I wonder if they think those are cute? lol
1 person likes this
• Laguna Woods, California
31 Oct 17
@moffittjc - Ha Ha! I'm sure that is true! I suspect that does have a lot to do with why we don't think rats are cute!
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (323744)
• Rockingham, Australia
27 Oct 17
You're very observant. Rats with bushy tails eh? Don't let a squirrel hear you say that.
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (118224)
• Gainesville, Florida
27 Oct 17
Don't you have cute rodents in Australia?
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (118224)
• Gainesville, Florida
31 Oct 17
@JudyEv What is that funny looking animal?
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (323744)
• Rockingham, Australia
30 Oct 17
@moffittjc Yes we do but we wouldn't dare call them rats with bushy tails!
1 person likes this
@paigea (35511)
• Canada
1 Nov 17
They have to hide 10,000 nuts to increase the chance of finding them in the winter. They are cute little rodents.
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (118224)
• Gainesville, Florida
2 Nov 17
I'm surprised that squirrels aren't smart enough to just dig a big hole and pile those 10,000 nuts into the hole, and then cover it up. That way they only have to go to one spot to find food when they get hungry.
@moffittjc (118224)
• Gainesville, Florida
5 Nov 17
@paigea That's probably why they don't burry all their nuts in one big hole. If another animal finds that stash, they could steal all the winter food source from the squirrels. By spreading out their food stash and burying it in multiple locations, squirrels are hedging their bets and ensuring that at least some of their food supply remains available through the winter.
1 person likes this
@paigea (35511)
• Canada
2 Nov 17
@moffittjc And all their friends would go there too. A whole winter of feasting
1 person likes this
• Defuniak Springs, Florida
4 Nov 17
Come put my hammock up for me. Speaking of squirrel
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (118224)
• Gainesville, Florida
5 Nov 17
Where did you come across that photo? That is hilarious! If that product was real, there are certain states in the US where it would probably be a best seller! Do you have a 2-person hammock? I'm not going to bother coming all that way to set up your hammock if there isn't room for me!
@moffittjc (118224)
• Gainesville, Florida
5 Nov 17
@thislittlepennyearns It's been quite a long time since I've had squirrel meat. Actually, wait...that's not true. I went to a wild game feast back in March, and they had squirrel on the menu.
• Defuniak Springs, Florida
5 Nov 17
@moffittjc I think I got it sent to me when I made fried squirrel over the summer. Lol
1 person likes this