Carnut Hits 5000 Posts

[TOMMY GUN]

.

[KR]

Originally Posted by TOMMY GUN

.

Slow day Billy?

[Carnut]

Oh, I hadn't realized.

But I still have two to go, whatever am I going to do. I rarely have really good stuff to post. I guess I could do some research. Or look in the family photo album. Maybe I could write a short story.

Or I could do what my mentors do.

[Carnut]

PW

[Carnut]

TA DA.

And I did it by being a complete PW

[KR]

How about a history lesson on Sciurus Carolinensis as your encore

[Carnut]

Remember, You Asked For It.

The Eastern Gray Squirrel (Sciurus carolinensis), or the Grey Squirrel, depending on region, is a tree squirrel native to the eastern and midwestern United States and to the southerly portions of the eastern provinces of Canada. The native range of the Eastern Gray Squirrel overlaps with that of the fox squirrel (Sciurus niger), with which it is sometimes confused, although the core of the fox squirrel's range is slightly more to the west.

A prolific and adaptable species, the Eastern Gray Squirrel has been introduced to, and thrives, in several regions of the western United States. It has also been introduced to Britain, where it has spread across the country and has largely displaced the native Red Squirrel, Sciurus vulgaris. In Ireland, the red squirrel has been displaced in several eastern counties, though it still remains common in the south and west of the country.[2] There are concerns that such displacement might happen in Italy.

Etymology
The genus, Sciurus, is derived from two Greek words, skia, meaning shadow, and oura, meaning tail. This name alludes to the squirrel sitting in the shadow of its tail.[3] The specific epithet, carolinensis, refers to the Carolinas, where the species was first recorded and where the animal is still extremely common. In the United Kingdom and Canada, it is simply referred to as the Grey Squirrel; as the species is a native of the United States, this article will use the term Eastern Gray Squirrel.


Description
As the name suggests, the Eastern Gray Squirrel has predominantly gray fur but it can have a reddish color. It has a white underside and a large bushy tail. Particularly in urban situations where the risk of predation is reduced, both white- and black-colored individuals are quite often found. The melanistic form, which is almost entirely black, is predominant in certain populations and in certain geographic areas, such as in large parts of southeastern Canada. There are also genetic variations within these, including individuals with black tails and black colored squirrels with white tails. The head and body length is from 23 to 30 cm, the tail from 19 to 25 cm and the adult weight varies between 400 and 600 grams.[4]


Behavior

Eastern Gray SquirrelLike many members of the family Sciuridae, the Eastern Gray Squirrel is a scatter-hoarder; it hoards food in numerous small caches for later recovery. Some caches are quite temporary, especially those made near the site of a sudden abundance of food which can be retrieved within hours or days for re-burial in a more secure site. Others are more permanent and are not retrieved until months later. It has been estimated that each squirrel makes several thousand caches each season. The squirrels have very accurate spatial memory for the locations of these caches, and use distant and nearby landmarks to retrieve them. Smell is used once the squirrel is within a few centimeters of the cache.


An Eastern Gray Squirrel dreyThe Eastern Gray Squirrels builds a type of nest, known as a drey, in the forks of trees. The drey consists mainly of dry leaves and twigs. It may also build a nest in the attic or in the exterior walls of a house, often to the consternation of the homeowner. In addition, the squirrel may inhabit a permanent tree den.[5]

The Eastern Gray Squirrel is more active during the early and late hours of the day, and tends to avoid the heat in the middle of a summer day.[5] It does not hibernate.[6]

Predators include humans, hawks, mustelids, skunks, raccoons, domestic and feral cats, snakes, owls and dogs. On occasion, a squirrel may lose part of its tail while escaping a predator.

Reproduction

Eastern Gray Squirrels are born naked with their eyes closedThe Eastern Gray Squirrel breeds twice a year, December to February and May to June, though this is slightly delayed in more northern latitudes.[5] The first litter is born in February to March, the second in June to July. There are normally two to four young in each litter, but this number can be as high as 8.

The gestation period is about 44 days.[5] The young are weaned at 7 weeks and leave the nest after 10 weeks

Eastern Gray Squirrels can start breeding as early as 5 and a half months old,[5] but usually breed for the first time at a year old.[7] It can live to be 20 years old in captivity, but in the wild it usually only lives to around 12 years old.[5]


Communication
As in most other mammals, communication among Eastern Gray Squirrel individuals involves both vocalizations and posturing. It has a quite varied repertoire of vocalizations, including a squeak similar to that of a mouse, a low pitched noise, a chatter, and a raspy "mehr mehr mehr". Other methods of communication include tail-flicking.


Diet

Eastern Gray Squirrel eating a peanutThe Eastern Gray Squirrel consumes a variety of foods such as inner tree bark, various seeds and acorns, walnuts, and other nuts found in the forests.

The Eastern Gray Squirrel will raid bird feeders for millet corn, and sunflower seeds but they are reported to dislike the slight capsaicin content of safflower seeds.[citation needed] So-called anti-squirrel birdseed preparations are available; the seeds are coated with chili pepper. The birds are unaffected because they cannot taste the capsaicin. Mixing hot pepper flakes into regular birdseed works well as a squirrel deterrent. The squirrel is notorious for digging bulbs from gardens; its reputation for these habits has led some to call the squirrels "tree rats" or "fuzzy-tailed sewer rats". The squirrel has a high tolerance for humans and inhabits residential neighborhoods and urban parks; it may even be enticed to accept food from people.


Distribution

Eastern Gray Squirrel displaying typical agilityThe Eastern Gray Squirrel is found in the eastern United States and adjacent southern Canada; New Brunswick to Manitoba, south to eastern Texas and Florida.[1] It is also introduced in the British Isles, Italy, South Africa, and Australia (extirpated by 1973).[1]

Introductions

The Eastern Gray Squirrel has been introduced to a variety of locations on the west coast of North America, including the states of Washington and Oregon and, in California, to the city of San Francisco and the peninsula area of San Mateo and Santa Clara counties, south of the city. It has become the most common squirrel in many urban and suburban habitats in the western United States north of central California. At the turn of the 20th century the Eastern Gray Squirrel was introduced into South Africa, Ireland and England. It spread rapidly across England and then became established in both Wales and parts of southern Scotland. On mainland Britain, it has almost entirely displaced the populations of native Red Squirrels. On the island of Ireland, this displacement has not been as rapid, owing to the fact there was only a single introduction in County Longford. Eastern Gray Squirrels have also been introduced to Italy, and the European Union has expressed concern that it will similarly displace the Red Squirrel from parts of the European continent.


Displacement of red squirrels

In the United Kingdom, the Eastern Gray Squirrel has few natural predators. This has aided its rapid population growth and has led to the species being classed as a pest. Measures are being devised to reduce its numbers, including one plan for famous television chefs to promote the idea of eating the squirrels.[8] In areas where relict populations of Red Squirrel survive, such as the island of Anglesey, programmes seeking to eradicate pest squirrels are in progress in an effort to allow Red Squirrel populations to recover.[9]


A black (melanistic) Eastern Gray SquirrelAlthough complex and controversial, the main factor in the Eastern Gray Squirrel's displacement of the Red Squirrel is thought to be its greater fitness and, hence, a competitive advantage over the Red Squirrel on all measures.[10] The Eastern Gray Squirrel tends to be larger and stronger than the Red Squirrel and has been shown to have a greater ability to store fat for winter. The squirrel can therefore compete more effectively for a larger share of the available food, resulting in relatively lower survival and breeding rates among the Red Squirrel. Parapoxvirus may also be a strongly contributing factor; Red Squirrels are fatally affected by the disease, while the Eastern Gray Squirrel is unaffected but thought to be carriers. The Red Squirrel is also less tolerant of habitat destruction and fragmentation which has lead to its population decline, while more adaptable Eastern Gray Squirrel has taken advantage and expanded.

Similar factors appear to have been at play in the Pacific region of North America, where the native American Red Squirrel has been largely displaced by the Eastern Gray Squirrel in parks and forests throughout much of the region.

Ironically, 2008 saw the rise of "fears" for the future of the Eastern Gray Squirrel, as the melanistic form (black) began to spread through the southern British population.[11] Conversely, in the UK, if a "Grey Squirrel" (Eastern Gray Squirrel) is trapped, under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 it is illegal to release it or to allow it to escape into the wild; instead they should be humanely destroyed.[12]

[TOMMY GUN]

Wow, you know some crap squirrel stuff.



.

[Carnut]

Yeah, I am kind of full of (ahem) squirrel stuff.

[gr8snkbite]

i'll never be the same now...thx for the edumacation....PW..and congrats

[twobjshelbys]

How come our squirrels in Hygiene have black fur? They look like regular critters (that's easier to type and spell than squirrel). Apparently they are famous but noone knows about them.

This morning I was on the way to work and there was one crossing the street. Someone going north stopped to let it cross as did the person in front of me going south. The critter scurried up the telephone pole and grabbed it splayed out and flicked its tail at everyone.

Really, everyone stops for them. They really are cool looking. I wish I had my camera today (or know where to find them so I could take a picture).

One day last summer one of them was crossing on the lines running across this very place and a gust of wind knocked him off. I saw him (or her) on the line a ways away and slowed down to watch - nothing more - and just then he (or she) fell off. Knocked it (OK, I'm tired of this gender stuff) for a loop for a few seconds and continued, in the same direction, across the street.

[SpeedRacer]

He's a PW...

[VaporDude]

Originally Posted by SpeedRacer

He's a PW...

Ditto.......

[VaporDude]

Originally Posted by Carnut

Remember, You Asked For It.

The Eastern Gray Squirrel (Sciurus carolinensis), or the Grey Squirrel, depending on region, is a tree squirrel native to the eastern and midwestern United States and to the southerly portions of the eastern provinces of Canada. The native range of the Eastern Gray Squirrel overlaps with that of the fox squirrel (Sciurus niger), with which it is sometimes confused, although the core of the fox squirrel's range is slightly more to the west.

A prolific and adaptable species, the Eastern Gray Squirrel has been introduced to, and thrives, in several regions of the western United States. It has also been introduced to Britain, where it has spread across the country and has largely displaced the native Red Squirrel, Sciurus vulgaris. In Ireland, the red squirrel has been displaced in several eastern counties, though it still remains common in the south and west of the country.[2] There are concerns that such displacement might happen in Italy.

Etymology
The genus, Sciurus, is derived from two Greek words, skia, meaning shadow, and oura, meaning tail. This name alludes to the squirrel sitting in the shadow of its tail.[3] The specific epithet, carolinensis, refers to the Carolinas, where the species was first recorded and where the animal is still extremely common. In the United Kingdom and Canada, it is simply referred to as the Grey Squirrel; as the species is a native of the United States, this article will use the term Eastern Gray Squirrel.


Description
As the name suggests, the Eastern Gray Squirrel has predominantly gray fur but it can have a reddish color. It has a white underside and a large bushy tail. Particularly in urban situations where the risk of predation is reduced, both white- and black-colored individuals are quite often found. The melanistic form, which is almost entirely black, is predominant in certain populations and in certain geographic areas, such as in large parts of southeastern Canada. There are also genetic variations within these, including individuals with black tails and black colored squirrels with white tails. The head and body length is from 23 to 30 cm, the tail from 19 to 25 cm and the adult weight varies between 400 and 600 grams.[4]


Behavior

Eastern Gray SquirrelLike many members of the family Sciuridae, the Eastern Gray Squirrel is a scatter-hoarder; it hoards food in numerous small caches for later recovery. Some caches are quite temporary, especially those made near the site of a sudden abundance of food which can be retrieved within hours or days for re-burial in a more secure site. Others are more permanent and are not retrieved until months later. It has been estimated that each squirrel makes several thousand caches each season. The squirrels have very accurate spatial memory for the locations of these caches, and use distant and nearby landmarks to retrieve them. Smell is used once the squirrel is within a few centimeters of the cache.


An Eastern Gray Squirrel dreyThe Eastern Gray Squirrels builds a type of nest, known as a drey, in the forks of trees. The drey consists mainly of dry leaves and twigs. It may also build a nest in the attic or in the exterior walls of a house, often to the consternation of the homeowner. In addition, the squirrel may inhabit a permanent tree den.[5]

The Eastern Gray Squirrel is more active during the early and late hours of the day, and tends to avoid the heat in the middle of a summer day.[5] It does not hibernate.[6]

Predators include humans, hawks, mustelids, skunks, raccoons, domestic and feral cats, snakes, owls and dogs. On occasion, a squirrel may lose part of its tail while escaping a predator.

Reproduction

Eastern Gray Squirrels are born naked with their eyes closedThe Eastern Gray Squirrel breeds twice a year, December to February and May to June, though this is slightly delayed in more northern latitudes.[5] The first litter is born in February to March, the second in June to July. There are normally two to four young in each litter, but this number can be as high as 8.

The gestation period is about 44 days.[5] The young are weaned at 7 weeks and leave the nest after 10 weeks

Eastern Gray Squirrels can start breeding as early as 5 and a half months old,[5] but usually breed for the first time at a year old.[7] It can live to be 20 years old in captivity, but in the wild it usually only lives to around 12 years old.[5]


Communication
As in most other mammals, communication among Eastern Gray Squirrel individuals involves both vocalizations and posturing. It has a quite varied repertoire of vocalizations, including a squeak similar to that of a mouse, a low pitched noise, a chatter, and a raspy "mehr mehr mehr". Other methods of communication include tail-flicking.


Diet

Eastern Gray Squirrel eating a peanutThe Eastern Gray Squirrel consumes a variety of foods such as inner tree bark, various seeds and acorns, walnuts, and other nuts found in the forests.

The Eastern Gray Squirrel will raid bird feeders for millet corn, and sunflower seeds but they are reported to dislike the slight capsaicin content of safflower seeds.[citation needed] So-called anti-squirrel birdseed preparations are available; the seeds are coated with chili pepper. The birds are unaffected because they cannot taste the capsaicin. Mixing hot pepper flakes into regular birdseed works well as a squirrel deterrent. The squirrel is notorious for digging bulbs from gardens; its reputation for these habits has led some to call the squirrels "tree rats" or "fuzzy-tailed sewer rats". The squirrel has a high tolerance for humans and inhabits residential neighborhoods and urban parks; it may even be enticed to accept food from people.


Distribution

Eastern Gray Squirrel displaying typical agilityThe Eastern Gray Squirrel is found in the eastern United States and adjacent southern Canada; New Brunswick to Manitoba, south to eastern Texas and Florida.[1] It is also introduced in the British Isles, Italy, South Africa, and Australia (extirpated by 1973).[1]

Introductions

The Eastern Gray Squirrel has been introduced to a variety of locations on the west coast of North America, including the states of Washington and Oregon and, in California, to the city of San Francisco and the peninsula area of San Mateo and Santa Clara counties, south of the city. It has become the most common squirrel in many urban and suburban habitats in the western United States north of central California. At the turn of the 20th century the Eastern Gray Squirrel was introduced into South Africa, Ireland and England. It spread rapidly across England and then became established in both Wales and parts of southern Scotland. On mainland Britain, it has almost entirely displaced the populations of native Red Squirrels. On the island of Ireland, this displacement has not been as rapid, owing to the fact there was only a single introduction in County Longford. Eastern Gray Squirrels have also been introduced to Italy, and the European Union has expressed concern that it will similarly displace the Red Squirrel from parts of the European continent.


Displacement of red squirrels

In the United Kingdom, the Eastern Gray Squirrel has few natural predators. This has aided its rapid population growth and has led to the species being classed as a pest. Measures are being devised to reduce its numbers, including one plan for famous television chefs to promote the idea of eating the squirrels.[8] In areas where relict populations of Red Squirrel survive, such as the island of Anglesey, programmes seeking to eradicate pest squirrels are in progress in an effort to allow Red Squirrel populations to recover.[9]


A black (melanistic) Eastern Gray SquirrelAlthough complex and controversial, the main factor in the Eastern Gray Squirrel's displacement of the Red Squirrel is thought to be its greater fitness and, hence, a competitive advantage over the Red Squirrel on all measures.[10] The Eastern Gray Squirrel tends to be larger and stronger than the Red Squirrel and has been shown to have a greater ability to store fat for winter. The squirrel can therefore compete more effectively for a larger share of the available food, resulting in relatively lower survival and breeding rates among the Red Squirrel. Parapoxvirus may also be a strongly contributing factor; Red Squirrels are fatally affected by the disease, while the Eastern Gray Squirrel is unaffected but thought to be carriers. The Red Squirrel is also less tolerant of habitat destruction and fragmentation which has lead to its population decline, while more adaptable Eastern Gray Squirrel has taken advantage and expanded.

Similar factors appear to have been at play in the Pacific region of North America, where the native American Red Squirrel has been largely displaced by the Eastern Gray Squirrel in parks and forests throughout much of the region.

Ironically, 2008 saw the rise of "fears" for the future of the Eastern Gray Squirrel, as the melanistic form (black) began to spread through the southern British population.[11] Conversely, in the UK, if a "Grey Squirrel" (Eastern Gray Squirrel) is trapped, under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 it is illegal to release it or to allow it to escape into the wild; instead they should be humanely destroyed.[12]

This is just too much to read here. I'll have to print it out and go to the bathroom library to read it then use it.

[gr8snkbite]

OUCH..paper cuts from hell....

[twobjshelbys]

So-called anti-squirrel birdseed preparations are available; the seeds are coated with chili pepper.

Oh, now it's time for funny story #31.

We lived in MA and I got tired of putting out bird seed and having only about 10% go to the birds. The squirrels climbed up to the bird feeder. I put those feeder collars on the post. Then they figured out how to jump from the tree limbs. So I moved it away from the trees. They figured out how to climb out on a limb and jump; I swear I saw Rocky the Flying Squirrel jumping over.

Then I heard that chili powder on the seed was a deterrent. So I went to the store and got some. Mixed a whole spice jar in with the bird seed and sunflower seeds (we had cardinals and blue birds).

I was watching from the living room and the birds were having some munchies when Squirrel climbed out on to the tree limb just above the feeder. Kind of wobbly but he made it over and landed on the feeder.

Got down on to the ledge and started eating the feed. He literally kicked all of the grain seeds out to of the feeder onto the ground to get to the sunflower seeds.

Took one seed and....


...Whoof! Got a taste of the chili powder and...

Started pawing at his mouth and ....


... Fell off the feeder.

Now I can't describe this in words, but it was the funniest thing I ever saw....

He hit the ground, still wiping his mouth, for about a minute and then ran, chirping, up the tree.

We didn't have much trouble keeping sunflower seeds in the feeder after that.

Then we moved to CO and don't have any critters around (except deer that eat the sunflower seeds out of my feeder. Nice tender 4-point buck. I could go out on the patio and clobber him with a brick. Time for some chili powder, I think.)

I

[68fastback]

Congrats, Carnut!

...I never realize you such a PW!

Well, I've been saving something for just such an occasion.

Did you know that henry ford liked squirrels? On th elower level of Fair Lane (the family home), is a picnic room where the Fords entertained family, guests and dignitaries in a relaxed atmosphere. At the entrance to the picnic room is the following stone carving gracing the entry:

[68fastback]

Ooops, that didn't work... ok here goes:

[68fastback]

Did I post that once before?

[notice how deftly I got three posts out of that ...I've been reading the book ]

[Johnny Dangerously]

Originally Posted by 68fastback

Did I post that once before?

[notice how deftly I got three posts out of that ...I've been reading the book ]

Bring to book to Orfstock & get TG to autograph it.



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