Wednesday, September 15, 2010

BARKING UP THE RIGHT TREE

We have been having some drama around here lately. And it's all because of the family that has moved in. The best that I can tell, it's just a single female and her baby. But they are driving us (me and my dogs) insane!
They apparently are living up in the gutter on the top corner of my house. My house is VERY tall and the willow tree has many branches that almost reach the roof. So this MOMMA keeps jumping from the roof to the tree and running across the branches and then flying across to the branch of the big old DEAD tree of my neighbors (the neighbor that never cuts down anything or mows his lawn.) She has been teaching her little one to follow and all this activity is just driving my dogs nuts.
Blue has actually GALLOPED around the tree and my little Ruby and Vera bark in this hi-pitch hysterical tone that just makes me teeth hurt to hear it.
Then there's Ralphie. At first I was afraid he might have a heart attack from running back and forth, back and forth, back and forth following those two from tree limb to house to limb. He was getting so hysterical that he accidentally jumped up into the tree.

 After that he was doing it all the time. I'd look outside and there he would be. In the tree.

I, who have almost caused accidents with my car because I have braked suddenly to avoid hitting one of their kind, started seriously wishing I had a gun and knew how to use it and I'd blow them away!
Then the other day I heard this unusually sound and ran out to the backyard and there was Ralphie with the baby in his mouth! I screamed so loud that I shocked myself. I was screaming " Drop it! Drop it! STOP! STOP! NO! NO!" and running after Ralphie with the pooper scooper. As all this was happening I noticed that Momma had run down the tree trunk ready to get Ralphie. He finally dropped the baby and the poor thing was was just lying there. I picked up Ralphie and looked up as I carried him into the house. Momma just sat on the limb, giving us the death stare. We went inside and I came back out to see what could be done but the baby had gotten up and ran up the bush and onto the fence.

I was so upset. After that we didn't see them for the rest of the day but then the very next day they were out again. Everything was semi-peaceful for awhile and then suddenly the barking started again.

The baby was holding onto the end of the weeping willow branch and Ralphie was springing up in the air trying to get it. After a few laps around the yard, I caught him again and took him inside. I watched from the window as Momma ran down the branch to her baby and I swear she was talking to it. Then she ran back up and looked back like, "this is how you do it" and her baby followed.
I had the day off today and I had so much to do. So I left Raphie and Jimmy at the kennel overnight so that I could get some of my work done without a bloodbath.
So I have no idea what to do now. I guess I'll hope the baby learns and grows fast and they eventually move on to another home.

8 comments:

sassypackrat said...

You have black squirrels? I've never seen a black one before. I know they and red ones exist but have never seen them. We have dull old grey ones. Lita is crazy for them and goes nuts too when she sees them. Hopefully they'll move on to a winter home once they realize they are in danger.

Nita Stacy said...

Oh...that Ralphie! He is resourceful. I can't believe he goes up a tree but then my Newman would too if he had a tree that was accessible.

I hope that baby learns quickly how to stay out of reach. I'm glad he was ok.

I've never seen a squirrel that color - ours are red.

yoborobo said...

Oh, Cindi! lol! I know this all too well. Sophie is my hunter - she has killed a squirrel or two, and it made me feel TERRIBLE. I think the baby will soon get the ropes, and Ralphie won't have such an easy time of it. I saw a fox chase a squirrel in our back yard once, and that squirrel MOVED. Unfortunately for all the animals near us, Sophie is just plain old faster. I try to warn the wildlife when I let her out, clapping and yelling things like "OKAY! THE PREDATOR IS COMING OUT!!!!!!!" hahahah! Oy! xoxo - Pam

DaleTheDoll said...

Your dogs frighten me.

yoborobo said...

Just stopping by to say - have a great weekend!!! xo Pam

The Itsy Bitsy Spill said...

Hi Cindi,

I have a squirrel living in the tree near my window and Brook would sit for a good hour staring at the tree. When the squirrel does come out of her tree Brook goes nuts running from one tree to the next back and fourth.

She would sit again and finally she doses off! Hello hon love your post!

Night night!

ohika

The cottage by the Cranelake said...

I love squirrels :-) and I have never seen a black one before! But I do understand Your problem! The only thing that can make my dogs go nuts is squirrels. We only have a few around here so it´s seldom it happens that we meet any. But when we do my dogs tries to get them. But I don´t think they would hurt a squirrel if the caught any though.

I do hope that either Your dogs gets used to them or that the squirrels moves.

Have a great day now!
Christer.

Gillian said...

But they're so sweeeeet.

I have brush tail possums at my place in Australia. The dogs just about turn themselves inside out with fury. So I see your point, it can get a bit annoying.

But still...awwwwwwwww.