(First Nighter!) Ultimate Squirrel House Build Update | My Backyard Friends

Just a quick update on a few over nighters we've had and the different situations that played out. To see more of our Backyard Friends, Check out our channel!

[@hearthunter6727]

❤Love this,I also have many squirrel friends living all around me and feed them everyday,am going to put up some houses too, this is so inspiring ""Thank you for sharing🥰💞💖💞

[@mybackyardfriends7326]

Thanks for watching! And good luck to you!

[@biancavega4583]

Had that little guy holding his heart after the sneak attack.

[@yspegel]

Squirrels prefer to have 2 exits so there is always a way to get out. Also the exit is too high, not easy to get away once they are in, increasing chance of fights/injury. I have some rescue squirrels and in a big house like this I put coconut fiber roll material in as a base and they fill the rest themselves with moss, leafs etc. They also use multiple nests and switch between nests regular to avoid being tracked by predators. Last but not least, awesome that you support your backyard friends!

[@WaaayPastBed]

Did you build their nest or buy it? Can you share the link if you purchased it?

[@PappyfromtheKeys]

I can tell you that if you add a ledge a couple to a few inches underneath the entrance on the inside and extending about half way across it will act as a deterrent to ambushes like the one that happened. The squirrel on the inside has a distinct advantage having a ledge to get under and defend itself. Have built many of these. Found that info on a wildlife resource site.

[@morylar]

Ty

[@chintasrvvegankitchen7761]

It almost makes me wonder if the a whole second floor should be built with added hole on the opposite corner, so there'd be more than one way out of the bottom floor.

[@SavedByJesus-pi3yu]

Yes I have seen ones with a second floor, same size house just put a piece of wood to divide space to top and bottom but put a hole cut in floor that squirrel can go up and down like you said. Not only do squirrels have to deal with other squirrels but raccoons literally put their long arms in hole and rip out baby squirrels, I wish I hadn’t seen videos but I did and having two floors will make the adult and baby lay on bottom level and no raccoon arm, no matter how long can stretch across and down the hole in floor to eat to babies and it keep predator birds from getting baby squirrels too.

[@Lisa-cg9vv]

I wish I could have a squirrel house, but live in a Hoa. Still, enjoy feeding them.🐿️

[@mybackyardfriends7326]

Feeding and watching is still fun too! Thanks for watching, Lisa

[@AliceWonders22]

New sub! I love that you did this!! We saved a family of three baby squirrels about 3 years ago. Our neighbor is a liberal jerk and hates them! He injuried the mama with a broom and she didn't survive. Even though the squirrel nest was in our OTHER neighbors interier garage wall we paid nearly $400 to have a guy come out and rescue the babies out from the wall and he sadly had to take the nearly deceased mom and put her down as she had a spinal cord injury. We then drove the squirrels over two hours away here in Colorado from where we live to a lady he knew that rescues small critters. She had numerous squirrels and was a blessing. We donated money to her to be able and care for the babies through the winter. She kept up with us and sent us release photos. The Lord smiles upon those who care for ALL his creation. This inspires me to make a squirrel home! I have saved many birds but never personally squirrels. I always have taken them to experts but maybe I need to get more famiiliar. ;-)

[@chintasrvvegankitchen7761]

Terrible ambush, poor young squirrel, no way out. Breathing so hard, my heart went out to it. I didn't realize how vicious they could be to each other. Would defiantly have to figure out a way to give warning to the sleeping squirrel. Hum...thank you for the education...I'm fixing to build one and now I think I'll design something to prevent total attack.

[@mybackyardfriends7326]

You bet. Not all our houses have this set up. But I like to show what’s reality and not sugarcoating anything. Thanks for watching and the comment! Good luck with your house! :)

[@SavedByJesus-pi3yu]

Please make it two floors. You can use same size house but put a pice of wood in center and cut a hole 🕳 in the floor on opposite side of entrance in corner, this protects momma and baby squirrels often because she will have young and sleep on bottom level. I have unfortunately seen video more brutal than this one where predatory birds and especially raccoons will still the tiny young babies because raccoons have long arms and hands like humans so they reach in and grab babies. I didn’t even realize raccoons ate baby squirrels but they will. No matter how long a raccoon arm is, there is no way to reach through the home and stretch all the way down the second hole in the floor if it’s across from entrance so they are safer that way. Do you notice you never see baby squirrels? They stay in nest until almost adult size and you have to look extra closely to even tell the are the younger ones when they finally leave nest. Squirrels usually have babies twice a year. Once in fall and babies grow over winter and once in spring and they grow through summer. The houses are usually those big balls of leaves in branches in summer time but when colder they prefer to sleep in the trunk of a tree where you see a hole or in a house attic because it’s a lot warmer than those leaf nests. Also food is scarce in winter because they have to eat a lot of calories daily to survive. I think it’s the equivalent of us having to eat like 200 lbs a day or something like that, I need to double check.

[@KayMN.]

You should put in an escape exit!

[@jonm2416]

Someone call the squirrel police!! Home invasion!!

[@mybackyardfriends7326]

😂😂 indeed! Thanks for watching!

[@rforreedasforsquirrel5310]

I was thrilled to see the squirrel's face when it stood up but half covered by a leave. lol Thank you, I enjoyed this and watched it twice!

[@777fiddlekrazy]

He, at the time probably thought eyesight were harmed. Not knowing temp covered by leaf. Lol

[@apollonia6656]

Luxurious homes are hard to find but not for this lovable squirrel ....bless his little heart 💘💘💘

[@manditoemya8478]

Poor little squirrel had to leave. Maybe make another house for a different tree. I'm planning on making one But now I'm thinking make it bigger and put 2 holes and a board in between to make two sleeping area's or just make 2 different ones. When it's really cold they sometimes bunk in two's to keep warm Unless they are family members traveling together.. I feed about 10 out back but several travel a good distance to get there, crossing rds and traveling across power lines.

[@neverendingmods]

Poor little guy, just saw it get attacked. My local squirrels are hurting each other too.

[@dangelini1137]

Love the little critters

[@birdietherecycledhippychic642]

I understand there should be more than one exit. A leaf nest allows for multiple quick exits.

[@MrCtheo]

So sweet, I hope he is comfortable in there :) Sneaky Squirrel :D

[@MrCtheo]

Oh poor squirrel :(

[@mybackyardfriends7326]

It kind of broke my heart too... but it’s reality. Just being real with people and showing what all happens. Thanks for watching!

[@Littleanimalsarecute]

Big like ❤🎉🐿

[@nebner911]

Looks like you need more than one house bro

[@mybackyardfriends7326]

I think you're right! I've got some things in the works

[@michellepratt3180]

You might want to decide to extend your project to adding another squirrel house. Seems like this one is very popular.

[@mybackyardfriends7326]

We have multiple houses actually! Think we just have too many squirrels sometimes. Thanks for watching and the comment, Michelle!

[@user-sw5uu7ds2o]

Like from Thailand Thanks

[@Pathos312]

maybe a second entrance/exit would minimize conflict.

[@mellies.9183]

Oh SHYT!!! WOW THATS NUTZ

[@user-uu9km7xb6g]

美國松鼠、台灣松鼠、可愛又聰明、

[@neverendingmods]

How high up is the box? They like to be really high up because of predators.

[@mybackyardfriends7326]

16 feet or so

[@rosemarywilliams9969]

😮why not build more than one house? I know its a lot of work but you can make like a little vellage on that big tree❤

[@mybackyardfriends7326]

We actually have multiple houses. This is just the only one film constantly. We have a big village! 😂 There are times I can look out the back window and see anywhere from 15-20 squirrels throughout the backyard. They love out oak trees Thanks for the question and watching!!

[@christinarobleto1786]

Maybe you should build a couple more so the other squirrels will have a place to stay as well

[@mybackyardfriends7326]

Yep, we have a few houses.

[@rellik8746]

maybe loading multiple houses up with peanuts

[@mkp3824]

How did you mount your camera? I want to make a little squirrel house for the squirrel that had babies on my porch. Well, she had them on the neighbors porch, but moved them to my porch when I put my snow tires out there, stacked two high, still mounted. I couldn't keep the tires there, so I had to evict them, but they went back to the neighbors porch. They were about 4 weeks old, at the time. Now, 5 weeks later, the neighbor evicted them! Too noisy. But, I have a small cylinder, about 12 inches wide. I want to put a plastic lid on the bottom, gluing it on, and screw on a top lid, put that into a metal pot, and put that into a box. Cover it with a trash bag. Put some towels and cotton inside. She stole a towel off my porch, put it around the inside rim, and rolled the babies up in it! And filled the rest with cotton. I want to put a Webcam on the lid, hoping they don't chew the stuff I use to protect the cords. I guess I'd have to put a light in there, somehow. Right now, they come to visit, grab some water, and a few peanuts, and go.

[@sharrongray1837]

😊👍🏻🐿️🐿️🐿️🐿️🐿️🐿️🐿️🐿️🐿️

[@tracypfau3896]

I just put up 2 squirrel houses about 15 feet above the ground -in two of our magnolia trees. The guys who helped me put it up and said they spoke with someone from Dept of Wildlife and he claimed that 15 feet is good height, but I thought it should be higher… but apparently he said if you put them higher then predators can get in like birds of prey etc. do you have any perspective on that? I certainly don’t want my squirrels to be “sitting ducks” nobody’s moved in yet and I to only want the best for my neighborhood squirrels -I have cameras as well.

[@mybackyardfriends7326]

Yes, if you put them above the canopy they’ll get picked off by big birds

[@tracypfau3896]

@@mybackyardfriends7326 so are you saying that I should put the trees higher … or more hidden from above and the ground?

[@carolannhook554]

15 feet is high enough for the squirrels. It's best if you can snug their nest box into some branches with leaves and such nearby. I'd also recommend that you have some sort of ledge just inside the hole; it prevents raccoons and cats from being able to just reach in and grab a baby/juvenile. They usually won't get in a tangle with an adult squirrel, but both raccoons and cats will kill (and sometimes eat) younger squirrels.

[@austinhastings8793]

I was wondering when he showed up if his wife had kicked him out for some reason. Now her brothers show up...

[@mybackyardfriends7326]

😂😂😂😂😂 best comment I’ve gotten

[@longlivelouis]

Should add windows and another exit

[@mybackyardfriends7326]

Probably but too late now. Enjoy it the way it is. Many pups have been born in it and thrived. Thanks for watching!

[@sonichedgehog8723]

How high up is the box?

[@morylar]

Sry if I missed it...wht r the dimensions of that interior?

[@lesptitsoiseaux]

Just make another box for the other two?

[@mybackyardfriends7326]

We have multiple boxes across the property. I could have a thousand and they’d still fight over who gets what box. Thanks for watching!

[@lesptitsoiseaux]

@@mybackyardfriends7326 Its a dominance thing I guess 😂

[@mybackyardfriends7326]

@@lesptitsoiseaux BINGO 😆

[@SOURMATRIX7]

What if I build a squirrel mansion do you think they would all live together in separate rooms? I'm trying to do something to keep them from living in my attic I live in the city and my neighbor feeds them and feeds them good they destroy everything in my yard I can't grow anything I'm mainly trying to keep them out of my house any suggestions? Besides reinforcing entrance points everything I reinforce they just find a new way in. Thank you

[@mybackyardfriends7326]

Your best bet if building any would be to build a few. If you build one big one, most likely one will take over and just let in one of two some times of the years. They can get very territorial about their homes. As much as we enjoy watching them, I totally understand the damage they can create. I don’t have a great solution for you other than giving them other homes, our buying a live trap.. We get to a point every few years where we have too many. I’m talking counting 40 out at once over the whole backyard. It’s quite a sight! But when that happens we will relocate a few to the nearest wildlife habitat outside of town. Best of luck whatever you do! Thanks for watching!

[@SOURMATRIX7]

@@mybackyardfriends7326 thank you very much. Wow 40 I Can Only Imagine. Estimate 8 to 10 here but I have a really small yard about 25 ft by 25 ft but it's quite the jungle lots of trees hardly any sun. thanks again

[@robertlosasso4222]

Not a good house #1 it’s to high and hole is too high and there’s no pedestal, should have a pedestali about seven or eight inches, also need a flat roof that pitches from front to back 3/4 of an inch and it needs a secondary hole for an escape route in back . I also put some Timothy hay in it to help them out , front hole should be about one inch above pedestal to keep rain out . I’ve built a lot of houses for squirrels using 3/4 inch plywood with a 3/8 inch shed plywood that has a rough exterior as a overlap, you might say they would protect them from small caliber bullets , pellet guns and bird shot , because humans are there worst enemy .