They'll happily take a handout, but don't expect them to trust you. One sudden move and they're off. Or perhaps they'll play that hide and seek game of always keeping on the opposite side of the tree trunk from where you're standing. But don't blame them for being extra cautious--they do have hawks, foxes, coyotes, dogs and cats to fear. Not to mention cars. And guys with weapons.
This species is called the fox squirrel because of its pretty, bushy, rusty-colored tail that may perhaps resemble that of a fox. They're much more expressive with their tails than foxes, though, whipping and shaking them as they chatter at anything that displeases them. And they do get displeased. I once found some of my tulip flowers maliciously chewed off in what I interpreted as a fit of squirrel pique because I had allowed the bird feeder to become empty.
These guys, also known as eastern fox squirrels, are native to the plains, and they thrive in Laramie at the western edge of their natural range. I generally don't see them in the mountains; the national forest in this area hosts the much smaller red squirrel instead. But why should a fox squirrel leave the city limits with its numerous planted trees interspersed with irrigated lawns? These critters tend not to like thick forests, prefering some open spaces between the trees and spending more time on the ground than other tree squirrels. Urban landscapes also come with convenient escape routes in the form of power lines or telephone wires or handy roofs that are often inaccessible to most predators. City life also provides access to alley garbage and backyard birdseed. I have yet to see a squirrel-proof bird feeder.
And I once saw a fox squirrel take an entire piece of pizza out of the garbage bin and up a tree.
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