Meandering Missive: Squirrel update! (Peanut & Goober)

Saturday, March 04, 2006

Squirrel update! (Peanut & Goober)

The panel above is from Gary Larson's now-defunct comic strip, The Far Side. This one was from the early 1980s; I just found it while cleaning out some drawers and HAD to share it! *giggle* It would be interesting to know what squirrels (or any animals) are thinking about us, wouldn't it?

Anyhoo, several folks have been curious what's new with my squirrel friends, so here is an update! :)= It includes photos as well, of Peanut AND Goober! Photos at the bottom -- you get to read the update first! ;D

On Monday of this past week, we had a terrible storm with large amounts of rain and wind. I always wonder (and worry!) about squirrels and birds in storms like this -- where do they go and what do they do? I know sometimes they lose their nests, but hopefully they don't lose their lives!

On Tuesday it was still rainy, but not so strong, and the gusty wind was gone. On Wednesday the weather was nice again, so I eagerly looked for any sign of squirrels outside, but I didn't see any. I did see hummingbirds at the nectar feeder, so at least I knew my feathered friends had weathered the storm.

It wasn't until Wednesday mid-afternoon that I saw a squirrel. We'd had some company over for lunch, and the last guest was just leaving when I saw a squirrel through the downstairs window whom I thought was Peanut or Goober. As soon as I opened the door and sat down on the step, the squirrel came over for a nut or two.

It was a little more shy than Peanut usually is, so I think maybe it was Goober. However, the squirrel also noticed my mom and our lunch guest were peeping through the window, so perhaps THAT was the reason for the reluctance, and it really was Peanut! (I'm still trying to learn to distinguish between Peanut and Goober physically, but it's VERY hard to notice any differences, since I can't exactly ask them to sit side by side and not move until I'm done comparing them! *grin*)

On Thursday, I got to see Peanut and Goober out together, but still not close enough to notice any differences. I'm sure I will soon! In the meantime, I tell them apart by their personalities. Goober will come to me for a treat, but takes longer to decide to do it, doesn't come as close, and runs further away to eat the treat. Peanut, on the other hand, is almost at the point of taking food from my hand, but not yet, and that's OK. :) I'd never do anything to be pushy or over-eager with any animal, wild or domestic. Heck, human beings don't enjoy pushiness either!

Peanut has already made me very happy and fulfilled as it is: she scampers over to me immediately when I call her or when she sees me (she even recognized me with a baseball cap!), she's comfortable coming within 1 or 2 feet of my hand, she doesn't get as startled when I toss her a nut, she eats the nut closer to me rather than taking it into the trees, and is even getting a little used to my camera!

She has NOT become friends with anyone else, however, and will dash frantically away if she sees someone coming -- even if she and I are visiting and snacking together (I enjoy cracking and eating unshelled peanuts too, you know! *giggle*). As I've said before, it's probably safer for her to remain fearful of everyone else, because if she became too trusting of ALL humans, she might one day have a run-in with a human who wasn't very nice. :(

And now for the photos! *cheer* The first one below is Peanut. She was trying to decide which side of the front porch step to jump up on, and kind of stalled at the point for a few moments. I was sitting on the step with my camera, so this gave me a perfect chance to take her picture! Thanks for posing, Pea! ;D

The second photo is Goober. He also kind of posed, although the photo is less clear because I had to use my camera's built-in zoom lens, which is very limited and I wouldn't even call it a telephoto.

Goober is "twinkying". Now before everyone thinks I've lost my mind, let me explain. (heehee) When I had pet rats, they frequently stood up on their hind legs and stretched up to greet me in the corner of their cage. For some reason, the shape and circumference of their bodies made me think of Twinkies. Who knows, perhaps I was eating a Twinkie the first time I saw this? *chuckle* Whatever the case, the name stuck, probably also because "Twinkie" has a cute and diminutive sound, and rats are cute and diminutive too. I have since also used the word to describe the way a squirrel sits up tall on its hind legs and takes a big look around -- kind of like what prairie dogs do. Squirrels also do such cute things with their front paws ("hands") while twinkying, and I love to see their white, fluffy tummies!

Today I am feeling squirrelly!

posted by ScaryShari @ 5:31 PM

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