Discussion:
Squirrels and conkers
(too old to reply)
Michael J Davis
2013-10-12 15:34:16 UTC
Permalink
It's that time of year again! Our Horse Chestnut tree is producing a
large quantity of conkers, but the squirrels don't seem to know what to
do with them.

They seem to have the idea of opening the husks and taking out a conker,
but then they bite into it, and mostly leave it where it is with a
couple of incisor marks.

Some have been carrying them around the lawn, putting them down and
picking them up again, but often just losing interest in the process.

Is this because they really don't know what to do, they have already
buried enough, or they don't much care for the taste?

Is this a skill they are taught by their parents or instinctive
behaviour?

Mike
--
Michael J Davis
<><
Larry Stoter
2013-10-14 06:57:10 UTC
Permalink
Post by Michael J Davis
It's that time of year again! Our Horse Chestnut tree is producing a
large quantity of conkers, but the squirrels don't seem to know what to
do with them.
They seem to have the idea of opening the husks and taking out a conker,
but then they bite into it, and mostly leave it where it is with a
couple of incisor marks.
Some have been carrying them around the lawn, putting them down and
picking them up again, but often just losing interest in the process.
Is this because they really don't know what to do, they have already
buried enough, or they don't much care for the taste?
Is this a skill they are taught by their parents or instinctive
behaviour?
Mike
Our local squirrels know what to do with them - more or less. They bury
them all over the garden. Never seen them recovering them but we do get
small Horse Chestnut trees appearing every spring ....

Judging by the numbers that disappear and the numbers that germinate, I
guess some are getting eaten at some point ...

Larry
Steve
2013-10-14 18:20:11 UTC
Permalink
Post by Michael J Davis
It's that time of year again! Our Horse Chestnut tree is producing a
large quantity of conkers, but the squirrels don't seem to know what to
do with them.
They seem to have the idea of opening the husks and taking out a conker,
but then they bite into it, and mostly leave it where it is with a
couple of incisor marks.
They do nearly the same to the figs on my fig tree. They bite each
and every fig, then leave them. Little sods....
Michael J Davis
2013-10-23 12:55:30 UTC
Permalink
Post by Steve
Post by Michael J Davis
It's that time of year again! Our Horse Chestnut tree is producing a
large quantity of conkers, but the squirrels don't seem to know what to
do with them.
They seem to have the idea of opening the husks and taking out a conker,
but then they bite into it, and mostly leave it where it is with a
couple of incisor marks.
They do nearly the same to the figs on my fig tree. They bite each
and every fig, then leave them. Little sods....
LOL!

I guess they are just picky!

Mike
--
Michael J Davis
<><
Mike Coon
2013-10-24 08:05:32 UTC
Permalink
Post by Steve
They do nearly the same to the figs on my fig tree. They bite each
and every fig, then leave them. Little sods....
I guess they are just picky!

Mike
--
Figuratively speaking! ;-)

Mike.
Christina Websell
2013-10-27 16:37:06 UTC
Permalink
Post by Michael J Davis
It's that time of year again! Our Horse Chestnut tree is producing a
large quantity of conkers, but the squirrels don't seem to know what to
do with them.
They seem to have the idea of opening the husks and taking out a conker,
but then they bite into it, and mostly leave it where it is with a
couple of incisor marks.
Some have been carrying them around the lawn, putting them down and
picking them up again, but often just losing interest in the process.
Is this because they really don't know what to do, they have already
buried enough, or they don't much care for the taste?
Is this a skill they are taught by their parents or instinctive
behaviour?
Mike
I think conkers (IIRC) are quite bitter but yet look like something they
could eat so I'm guessing they try them and then it's "what the..absolutely
no, so now what to do with it? I know, bury it.."

I have a hazel tree that I've never seen any nuts on but there must have
been as I have hazels popping up all over, presumably buried by squirrels
that beat me to them.

Tina
Michael J Davis
2013-10-30 13:24:21 UTC
Permalink
Christina Websell <***@tinawebsell.wanadoo.co.uk> was inspired to
say
Post by Christina Websell
Post by Michael J Davis
It's that time of year again! Our Horse Chestnut tree is producing a
large quantity of conkers, but the squirrels don't seem to know what to
do with them.
They seem to have the idea of opening the husks and taking out a conker,
but then they bite into it, and mostly leave it where it is with a
couple of incisor marks.
Some have been carrying them around the lawn, putting them down and
picking them up again, but often just losing interest in the process.
Is this because they really don't know what to do, they have already
buried enough, or they don't much care for the taste?
Is this a skill they are taught by their parents or instinctive
behaviour?
Mike
I think conkers (IIRC) are quite bitter but yet look like something they
could eat so I'm guessing they try them and then it's "what the..absolutely
no, so now what to do with it? I know, bury it.."
Perhaps - some get buried, but ...!
I think they find the buried ones by smell.

No one has yet suggested how they learn the burying technique.
Post by Christina Websell
I have a hazel tree that I've never seen any nuts on but there must have
been as I have hazels popping up all over, presumably buried by squirrels
that beat me to them.
Perhaps Hazel nuts are sweeter, but not so smelly?

Mike
--
Michael J Davis
<><
Malcolm
2013-10-30 17:40:55 UTC
Permalink
Post by Michael J Davis
say
Post by Christina Websell
Post by Michael J Davis
It's that time of year again! Our Horse Chestnut tree is producing a
large quantity of conkers, but the squirrels don't seem to know what to
do with them.
They seem to have the idea of opening the husks and taking out a conker,
but then they bite into it, and mostly leave it where it is with a
couple of incisor marks.
Some have been carrying them around the lawn, putting them down and
picking them up again, but often just losing interest in the process.
Is this because they really don't know what to do, they have already
buried enough, or they don't much care for the taste?
Is this a skill they are taught by their parents or instinctive
behaviour?
Mike
I think conkers (IIRC) are quite bitter but yet look like something they
could eat so I'm guessing they try them and then it's "what the..absolutely
no, so now what to do with it? I know, bury it.."
Perhaps - some get buried, but ...!
I think they find the buried ones by smell.
No one has yet suggested how they learn the burying technique.
Is that so? I've always thought that it was by copying older squirrels,
not necessarily their parents.
Post by Michael J Davis
Post by Christina Websell
I have a hazel tree that I've never seen any nuts on but there must have
been as I have hazels popping up all over, presumably buried by squirrels
that beat me to them.
Perhaps Hazel nuts are sweeter, but not so smelly?
Mike
--
Malcolm
Michael J Davis
2013-10-31 15:37:26 UTC
Permalink
Post by Malcolm
Post by Michael J Davis
Post by Michael J Davis
It's that time of year again! Our Horse Chestnut tree is producing a
large quantity of conkers, but the squirrels don't seem to know what to
do with them.
They seem to have the idea of opening the husks and taking out a conker,
but then they bite into it, and mostly leave it where it is with a
couple of incisor marks.
Some have been carrying them around the lawn, putting them down and
picking them up again, but often just losing interest in the process.
Is this because they really don't know what to do, they have already
buried enough, or they don't much care for the taste?
Is this a skill they are taught by their parents or instinctive
behaviour?
No one has yet suggested how they learn the burying technique.
Is that so? I've always thought that it was by copying older squirrels,
not necessarily their parents.
Well - I did ask!

If your suggestion is right, then ISTM that they only do it at one time
of the year (i.e. Autumn). So the youngsters have to be around when the
older generation are doing it. But they are also quite territorial and
seem to chase away other individuals in the area. (And Jays who are
inquisitive, too!)

So it seems a pretty inefficient way of learning; but perhaps they don't
starve (surviving on bird feeders) and that accounts for the desultory
approach our animals are taking!

Mike
--
Michael J Davis
<><
Mike Coon
2013-10-31 21:17:49 UTC
Permalink
Post by Michael J Davis
Post by Malcolm
Is that so? I've always thought that it was by copying older squirrels,
not necessarily their parents.
Well - I did ask!
If your suggestion is right, then ISTM that they only do it at one time
of the year (i.e. Autumn). So the youngsters have to be around when the
older generation are doing it. But they are also quite territorial and
seem to chase away other individuals in the area. (And Jays who are
inquisitive, too!)
So it seems a pretty inefficient way of learning; but perhaps they don't
starve (surviving on bird feeders) and that accounts for the desultory
approach our animals are taking!
Mike
--
Michael J Davis
On the other hand IIRC it is the Jays which have the subtle habit of
re-burying their acorns, but only if they were observed by another Jay the
1st time. (And only if they themselves have a habit of nicking other birds'
acorns?)

Mike.

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