Why do squirrels do this?

[CRB#33]

I have two beautiful holly trees that are full of nice red berries right now. I know the squirrels like the berries, as they almost deplete them by the time I'm ready to decorate for Christmas.

Anyway, this year instead of just eating the berries, they are actually knawing through the smaller branches, carrying the whole branch in their mouths and going to the ground to get the berries off the branches. I was trying to figure out why I had all these holly branches all over the ground until I saw one of the buggers today.

If this keeps up, I'm afraid they are going to really damage the tree.

Anyone know what's up with this?

 

[Towncrier]

I don't know why, but the squirrels in our backyard do the same thing with all of our trees. I find neatly knawed off branches on the ground all the time. I think that squirrels must be related to beavers.

 

[BibbidiBobbidiBOO]

At least it is "just " a tree! Must be the moon or something as last week a squirrel started knawing on our HOUSE! Splintered the board above the front door(glass windows above it so they are able to perch there ! ) We don't know WHAT to do. Someone said to put ammonia down, we did and "he" returned. Have a plastic snake up there now . Wish I knew what was up with those critters ! Sorry, no help to you!

 

[Towncrier]

Our squirrels don't knaw on our aluminum siding, but they do run headlong into the sliding glass door that leads from our family room out to our deck. It scares the "you-know-what" out of my wife (who is deathly afraid of rodents/mice/squirrels/chipmunks). Our squirrels are fearless.

 

[caitycaity]

are they eating any of the bark or branch? you know like deer do?

 

[TLinden16]

This sounds like a question for Buz or Mackey Mouse. Where are they when you need them?

Karen