FAIR WARNING: It's ground squirrel kiddo season and excessive cuteness levels may occur or be occurring

[Dennis Donovan]

Janet Hill
‪@saskajanet.bsky.social‬
FAIR WARNING: It’s ground squirrel kiddo season and excessive cuteness levels may occur or be occurring 🌿
A group of adorable ground squirrels frolics around the entrance to their burrow and then suddenly they all dive for cover.

May 22, 2025 at 6:58 PM

🐿️

[Rhiannon12866]

1. I just put walnuts and peanuts for the squirrels and chipmunks around here...

[Dennis Donovan]

2. That's awesome!

The lil' squirrels are beyond adorable! 🐿️

[Rhiannon12866]

3. The only thing is that they've come to expect it and I have to order them since they're no longer available in the store

Apparently they're only sold around Christmas. That display now contains watermelons.

[Fla Dem]

4. I can get walnuts shelled halves and pieces in the grocery store baking section.

I put the pieces on a old metal pie plate and they come to me for the halves.

Had 6 or 8 out there this morning, but didn't see any kids.

[Rhiannon12866]

5. At my grocery store they have small pieces for baking, but they prefer the whole walnuts

And several have gotten to the point that I can toss them a walnut they'll grab it and take off instead of running from my presence, especially a tiny little red squirrel who chases all the bigger gray squirrels away.

[Fla Dem]

9. When you say "the whole walnut" are they still in the shell?

[Rhiannon12866]

12. Yes, that's what they look for now.

Even one chipmunk has started looking for the whole walnuts rather than the peanuts (also in the shell) which have to be easier for him to carry. And I have to order them now because after Christmas they stopped carrying them in the store. The squirrels love them!

[Fla Dem]

14. Yes, my squirrels love the walnuts too. But......

I get the shelled ones at the grocery store. I get at least a bag a week of the Halves and Pieces in the bakery section. I spread the pieces out on a square cement tile and feed the halves directly to the squirrels. I actually have a few that come up to me for their Half piece. Sometimes I thing I should stop. I have a half dozen at a time.

[Rhiannon12866]

16. LOL! The squirrels here are like that, too

A few take off whenever they see me, but then there are they persistent ones if I'm running late or the walnuts are gone, they came right up to the sliding glass door and peer in. There are a couple, including the one we call Blackie, who will climb up and peek in from the top of the door!

[Fla Dem]

17. LOL, well luckily I have a screen enclosure so The can't get to the back slider. But

a couple of them will climb up the screening and stretch out looking for me. Little nervous about that, as it's expensive to replace screening. But they do give me enjoyment.

[William Seger]

6. My squirrels LOVE peanuts, and so do the bluejays

When the peanuts are gone, they'll eat the sunflower seeds that I also put out, but they really prefer the peanuts.

[Nittersing]

11. I used to feed my squirrels peanuts but

they kept burying them in my neighbor's garden... tearing things up in the process. They asked me to stop.

[Rhiannon12866]

13. I also put out peanuts, the chipmunks go for those, and the squirrels like the peanuts, but go for the walnuts first

And just yesterday I saw a very small bird swoop in and fly off with a peanut!

[William Seger]

7. Squirrels have no inertia

They can start and stop moving like a YouTube video.

[58Sunliner]

8. They resemble round-tailed ground squirrels, which are prevalent in the southwest.

[generalbetrayus]

10. The black-tailed prairie dog pups are up now here in eastern Colorado.

In May of 1979, back when I was still involved in urban prairie dog relocation, our group needed a replacement prairie dog for lectures we gave to local groups. At one of the prairie dog towns in the city, I walked up to a pup who showed no fear whatsoever of me. I figured he was cat/coyote/raptor food, so I picked him up and took him home, where he lived for another two and a half years. He imprinted on me and was very loyal and cuddly. Prairie dogs should not be pets, however, because they are hyper and destructive - he burrowed a hole in the dry wall in his room in our rental apartment once - that's when I learned how to repair drywall.

[red dog 1]

15. They are cute, but, unfortunately, oftentimes they wander off onto roads and become roadkill.