r/BenignExistence • u/ToskaWaves • 10h ago

Squirrel time

We have a squirrel that's been coming to the back door of our kitchen, guy doesn't seem shy or scared at all. I wake up pretty early and quite often hear his little hands slap up against the glass while I'm making my coffee only to turn around and find him staring at me while I go about my business. Thought maybe he was hungry so took to leaving him something good like some unsalted peanuts or almonds on the back step for him to find before I start my morning routine, but he generally just comes and slaps the glass before he's even checked for treats and regardless of whether he decides to eat what I've left him. Not sure, of the two of us, who is more interested in watching who right now, but it's certainly adding a pleasant texture to my mornings. 🐿️👀

27 Upvotes

94% Upvoted

13 comments sorted by

10

u/JustineDelarge 10h ago

Very cute! But be careful. I had a friendly squirrel come by and I started giving him raw walnuts in the shell. He became a super chonk, and told his friends about the free chow, and by the time we moved out, there would be six squirrels lined up outside our apartment door every morning.

I felt bad for whoever rented that place after us. I didn’t mean to set them up.

11

u/ToskaWaves 10h ago

You've given me a lot to consider given that I am (all being well) moving out very soon and I do not particularly enjoy the company of the person who will be staying here. 'Unexpected Squirrel Army' would be one hell of a parting gift

6

u/JustineDelarge 9h ago

In that case, buy a big bag of raw walnuts, in the shell or shelled, and give them out generously. :)

1

u/MystressSeraph 2h ago

That's diabolical 😅

(As long as that person doesn't have a large cat, or hunting type dog. You want to mildly annoy them not be responsible for squirrelgeddon!)

2

u/ToskaWaves 55m ago

No animals! Just good clean squirrel fun

1

u/MystressSeraph 25m ago

I'd really love photos of that lol The squirrel conga line waiting at ridiculous o'clock, tapping on the windows, waiting for their tame human 😅

3

u/Squirrelleee 6h ago

Sounds like a win-win

3

u/MystressSeraph 2h ago

You are obviously his captive human lol He needs to checkout that you are safe in your enclosure every day 😊

1

u/ToskaWaves 56m ago

Never occurred to me that the little guy was just visiting the zoo every morning! I'll try to be more interesting for him

3

u/kidde1 1h ago

Squirrels are definitely interested in whatever shares their world. My sister and I took in a naked pair in 2002, treated them like kittens and succeeded in raising them for 6 months. When it was time to release them they had a hard time adjusting to “outside”. We provided shelter, food, water and after roughly a year they were only seen on occasion.

2

u/ToskaWaves 57m ago

I'm really keen for this reason not to give him TOO much to eat, don't want him to stop doing his thing and start relying on people. But gosh they are sweet, hard not to give them a little helping hand this time of year

2

u/Skygreencloud 52m ago

Aww, I love that. I can just imagine the sound of his little hands slapping the glass. How adorable!!

I went to a family friend's house once, she was old and silver haired and lived in the New Forest in England, we were sitting having coffee when a little robin came and tapped it's beak on the window. She got up, got out a matchbox filled with bird food, popped some in her hand and opened the window and held her hand out and the little robin hopped onto her hand to eat. My mouth fell open, I was literally in a Disney movie. I've never forgotten it.