Squirrel Myths Debunked

I woke up late this morning and came downstairs to find Helaine, Steffie and my camera. Nutti, our resident pumpkin eating squirrel, had taken up his position again, on our front steps. The pumpkin he had been gnawing at for days now had a squirrel sized hole to the middle.

Nutti (OK – even I feel sort of stupid writing that name… but it’s now his) stands on his hind legs, cocks his head in both directions and slithers into the center of the pumpkin. All that’s visible from the outside is his ever expanding waist and tail.

Within ten or fifteen seconds he’s out and then on top of the pumpkin. My guess is, this gives him a commanding view to protect his bounty. He doesn’t seem to eat inside the pumpkin but comes out with a seed which he chews open and eats.

He is not a particularly neat squirrel. The steps around the pumpkin are full of discarded seeds and pumpkin bits. When he drops something while eating, it stays where it lands. Though we have a full supply in the house, Nutti has never come to the door and asked for a napkin.

There is one grooming move that did surprise me. A few minutes ago he moved off the pumpkin and crossed the driveway to our front lawn. He stood on the lawn while rubbing the side of his face against the curb. There was probably some sticky pumpkin innards stuck to his face that he wanted off.

Earlier I had written and others had chimed in about Nutti’s adherence to the ‘only child syndrome.’ When another squirrel approached, Nutti had shooed him away. Blog readers wrote to say squirrels were territorial and did not play well with others.

However, this morning that was shot! I got a picture of Nutti and another squirrel both eating from the pumpkin at the same time. Later, Nutti did force the interloper away. Still, for a while there was world peace among squirrels.

At some point this weekend we’re going to have to move the pumpkin into the woods. It is becoming an eyesore. And, I don’t want a squirrel hanging around like he owns the place when trick or treaters come tomorrow.

Judging by outward appearances, there’s also the chance the pumpkin will lose its structural integrity and collapse. I hope Nutti has insurance.