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Squirrels Of The West
A detailed guide to 65 squirrel species found west of the Mississippi. Color illustrations accompany notes on behavior, habitat and ecology of each species.
- GenresAnimals
160 pages, Paperback
First published June 1, 1999
13 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
February 18, 2019
I'd like to be a squirrel. Spend my days climbing oak trees and throwing down acorns or teasing dogs from a safe distance. Thankfully, there are real squirrels who can get these activities done and what critters they seem to be. In this book, Tamara Hartson has gathered nuggets of info and delight about our little furry brethren and it's a delight from start to end.
Daily life for Hairy Marmots involves eating two meals, dodging predators, sunbathing, hugging, nuzzling and wrestling.
First, if you are just curious about the squirrel family, this is the book for thee. It's not a large tome but has enough info that you can look through it quickly to get the data you need. The Family ('The Godfather' comes to mind) is broken into the following:
CHIPMUNKS
The most amiable members of The Family, these cheekbusters make some of the best burrows. They have food caches, an entryway, an exit, a work hole, and a sleeping chamber. It's like a home renovation show for rodents.
MARMOTS
These would be the Luca Brasi members of The Family. They don't worry about storing food, they just put on a bunch of fat to get through the winter. Some can be solitary. I wouldn't mess with them or you'll be sleeping with the acorns, if you know what I mean.
ANTELOPE SQUIRRELS
Lovers of sand and seeds, kinda like the Peter Clemenzas of The Family. Keep the cannoli.
GROUND SQUIRRELS
These little dudes rarely live longer than four years because it's tough to live on the ground and deal with the coyotes of the world. But they are champion whistlers and tough, like a Sollozzo.
PRAIRIE DOGS
Gregarious and family-loving, they make noise and dig very intricate dwellings. Seemingly middle-class citizens with their own "towns". Tom Hagen.
TREE SQUIRRELS
We're talking Michael Corleone here, as anyone who has ever lived near them would know. You wonder why some dogs don't bark on Sundays? Union rules dictate that, thanks to the Tree Squirrels. They are the union organizers of neighborhoods. It's not personal, just business.
FLYING SQUIRRELS
These are the only members of The Family who prefer nighttime hours. Yeah, they're different. Sweet but kinda odd. Fredo Corleone.
A few years ago, I stopped feeding Hoffa the Squirrel because he refused peanuts and started demanding pecans. That was expensive. So, I went on strike. But Hoffa ran the union and hadn't called a strike. First he danced on my skylight. I refused to budge. Then he ran sprints up and down the fence to make the dog bark. I refused to budge. Then, this was when one had landlines, he climbed the telephone pole and ate through a line. There were five lines. He somehow knew which one was mine. I started feeding him pecans again.
The Family.
Book Season = Spring (kingpins)
Daily life for Hairy Marmots involves eating two meals, dodging predators, sunbathing, hugging, nuzzling and wrestling.
First, if you are just curious about the squirrel family, this is the book for thee. It's not a large tome but has enough info that you can look through it quickly to get the data you need. The Family ('The Godfather' comes to mind) is broken into the following:
CHIPMUNKS
The most amiable members of The Family, these cheekbusters make some of the best burrows. They have food caches, an entryway, an exit, a work hole, and a sleeping chamber. It's like a home renovation show for rodents.
MARMOTS
These would be the Luca Brasi members of The Family. They don't worry about storing food, they just put on a bunch of fat to get through the winter. Some can be solitary. I wouldn't mess with them or you'll be sleeping with the acorns, if you know what I mean.
ANTELOPE SQUIRRELS
Lovers of sand and seeds, kinda like the Peter Clemenzas of The Family. Keep the cannoli.
GROUND SQUIRRELS
These little dudes rarely live longer than four years because it's tough to live on the ground and deal with the coyotes of the world. But they are champion whistlers and tough, like a Sollozzo.
PRAIRIE DOGS
Gregarious and family-loving, they make noise and dig very intricate dwellings. Seemingly middle-class citizens with their own "towns". Tom Hagen.
TREE SQUIRRELS
We're talking Michael Corleone here, as anyone who has ever lived near them would know. You wonder why some dogs don't bark on Sundays? Union rules dictate that, thanks to the Tree Squirrels. They are the union organizers of neighborhoods. It's not personal, just business.
FLYING SQUIRRELS
These are the only members of The Family who prefer nighttime hours. Yeah, they're different. Sweet but kinda odd. Fredo Corleone.
A few years ago, I stopped feeding Hoffa the Squirrel because he refused peanuts and started demanding pecans. That was expensive. So, I went on strike. But Hoffa ran the union and hadn't called a strike. First he danced on my skylight. I refused to budge. Then he ran sprints up and down the fence to make the dog bark. I refused to budge. Then, this was when one had landlines, he climbed the telephone pole and ate through a line. There were five lines. He somehow knew which one was mine. I started feeding him pecans again.
The Family.
Book Season = Spring (kingpins)
December 25, 2021
There are a lot more squirrels/squirrel relatives than I expected. Some are cute and cool (Chipmunks, Marmots, Prarie Dogs, Flying Squirrels) while others (large grey squirrels of the Pacific Northwest that aren't native) are annoying pests that need to be destroyed. That said, this is a great guidebook for anyone interested in squirrels that live west of the Mississippi.
September 19, 2015
Lovely little book!
July 12, 2012
Awesome squirrel illustrations and facts
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews