About the blog:
Love squirrels? Hate squirrels? Either way, we understand: Squirrels are that sort of rodent — cute yet annoying, fuzzy yet sometimes smarter than humans. This is the place to vent your squirrel fascinations and frustrations while also catching up on the latest bits of squirrel news.
About me:
My name is Joy. I’m a big animal lover, but even I know that animals, like humans, can certainly be annoying. The first time I realized just how insane squirrels are is when we planted our roof garden in Harlem. Try as we might, my husband and I could not figure out why our cilantro seemed to grow a few inches, and then suddenly disappear. And for some reason, peanut shells started showing up, too, scattered across the roof. What the? Was there a cilantro-loving, peanut-shell-leaving thief amok Harlem’s roof top gardens?
Yes, in a way. I caught the fluffy tailed culprit when I was enjoying some roof-top sunshine. It was a common gray squirrel stealing my herbs. He apparently had a nest in an abandoned air conditioning window unit. I watched him one day, taking an elaborate path, crisscrossing and jumping across various apartment roofs — just to get to my precious garden and devour all our baby greens and herbs.
It was then that my complex relationship with squirrels started. And why I’ve now brought this blog to you — to document that complicated man/squirrel relationship. And document some cute squirrels!
Since living in Harlem, my husband and I now live in Mexico City, where squirrels are often treated like little outdoor pets. It’s terrific! You can see my Mexico City travel blog at El Blog de Joy.
Press for Squirrels Squirrels Squirrels:
“You’d be surprised how many stories fall into the Squirrels Squirrels Squirrels blog beat.” — The Seattle Post Intelligencer’s Big Blog.
Hi Joy ~ I just left you a comment on your other blog and then followed your link to this one. I am excited to read your entries here.
I moved to Berkeley 4-1/2 years ago from Alaska to complete my doctoral degree (which I hopefully will earn next summer). The squirrels here are gargantuan compared to the little grey guys up north. These guys and gals are red with tufted ears and most likely weigh 2-3 lbs. The very first day I arrived, one of the neighborhood bruisers took it upon himself to terrorize me. He would wait (I swear he would) for me at the top of the outside stairs and lung and chatter, loudly, at me whenever I came or went. Finally, one day I’d had enough of his bullying tactics and stood my ground, telling him that it was either him or me and reminded him that I was bigger, much bigger. He looked a bit deflated but left me alone from then on. junemoon
Thanks for the story June! Red squirrels are hilarious!
Love your site! I’m a big fan of squirrels myself…even though I was bitten on the finger by one (on full moons, I get a hankering for nuts).
Anyway, you might also want to check out the Malaysian Squirrel. He’s quite handsome:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Callosciurus
Thanks Phern! Love your name, btw.
Hi!
I recently moved to Chicago, IL… There’s LOTS of awesome squirrels here and I’ve become somewhat obsessed by them… I wrote this “thing” that may become a full fledged book… thought you might get a chuckle… It’s on my blog at the following link: http://vocal-carnage.blogspot.com/2008/01/excerpt-taken-from-my-field-journal.html
Have a swell day!!
-David D.
Hi Joy,
Love the blog! I’ve got a family of squirrels using my garden as a playground and restaurant, a few weeks ago I succumbed to the cuteness and started taking photos – today I started a blog for them – http://squirrelsinmygarden.blogspot.com/
Hope you enjoy it!
Trudi
Thanks Trudi! I’ll take a look. Have fun with your new friends.
Love your blog! Check out my flying squirrel in my myspace photos!
http://www.myspace.com/girlcrime
I LUV SQUIRRELZ!
Squirrels rule.
http://ipocalypse.org/2008/11/27/thankful-squirrel/
Happy Holidays from my favorite squirrel:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/pointshotz/3085302518/
Slo-mo pictures of fighting squirrels:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/worldnews/article-1093506/Crouching-tufty-hidden-dragon-The-amazing-Kung-Fu-squirrels.html?ITO=1490l
Hi Joy,
Your site maybe the greatest thing I’ve ever seen on the internet. I thought I was alone in my curious fascination with squirrels, and yet here you are (you and all these other folks who seem equally taken with out little rodent friends). Keep up the great work.
I am squirrel, too!!!
i maintain a squirrel blog on Livejournal called Squirrelylove. we link to your page and i thought i’d spread the word of the squirrel! check it out sometime!
http://community.livejournal.com/squirrelylove/
erin
Hello – We found and rescued a baby squirrel after a storm damaged a lot of trees in our neighborhood about 6 weeks ago. He is thriving and we are preparing him for release in the next couple of weeks. Although we will miss having him in our home, it is clear that a house is no place to contain him long term.
He has been such fun for our family, and what an education! He wrestles and plays, and makes different noises depending on whether he is hungry, tired or wants to play, and comes when called at least as well as a cat does. He is an almond fanatic, and can unzip a backpack pocket or open a plastic drawer to get one.
I have never really noticed squirrels other than vaguely registering that there seem to be a lot of them ‘around,’ but now I find that I am intrigued with their antics and habits, and often stop to watch them at play. Maybe a little ‘obsessed’ even, like (I’m sort of relieved to find) some others commenting here! So, we would like to be able to identify him in the future among the other squirrels playing in our trees. Does anybody know if there is a safe way to band or mark a squirrel?
Thanks!
I googled squirrel stories and saw the following reference:
The firemen moved the baby squirrel to an ambulance, and gave the little guy some oxygen, and as the news story states: “The squirrel perked up and was…
So, I clicked on your website and cannot find it any where. Do you know the story I am talking about.
I send squirrel stories to a group of friends once a month and I thought that would be a good one to look at.
THanks.
Here it is:
http://squirrely.wordpress.com/2008/08/12/squirrel-savers-beloit-wisconsin-fire-department/