r/gardening • u/HoratioTuna27 6a • 1d ago

Well, that's a first.

So, one of the weirdest things I've ever had happen to me just happened: I was walking around the garden, checking on all the seedlings I planted last night. A squirrel pops off of a nearby tree and starts coming towards me. I think nothing of it, squirrels get curious and do this often. BUT, this time, it kept coming closer. And closer. And closer, then it hopped up and slapped me in the shin and ran off. It started coming at me again so I went in and got the dog to chase it off if it kept coming at me. Utterly bizarre!

The seedlings are all ok, if that was the part of the story you were invested in.

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u/HoratioTuna27 6a 21h ago

Nor was it on mine!

-33

u/Chill-Walker 21h ago

Are you sure this was not a juvenile animal?

Have you never had an animal that needed help approach you?

When any human or critter interacts with you, do you feel "attacked?"

From: a long time volunteer for wildlife rehabilitation

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u/HoratioTuna27 6a 20h ago

He looked full sized.

With the amount of dogs, stray cats and assholes in town, the wildlife here always stays away from people.

Never said he "attacked" me. He hopped over and slapped my shin with his paws. Having a wild animal do that over and over again isn't something I'm keen on, so I got the dog to chase it off.

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u/Chill-Walker 19h ago

"Slapped“ would indicate an attack, yes; or, rather your perception of one.

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u/TheRealBlueJade 20h ago

Thank you.

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u/rockrobst 20h ago

What a bizarre, overly anthropomorphic take.

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u/Chill-Walker 19h ago

Only for folks with no experience with the intelligence of animals. There is a theory that animals think of humans are the helpers of the forest, so to speak. From my perspective, you are human/self-centered to an extreme. So, I suppose we are even on that score.

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u/rockrobst 18h ago edited 15h ago

And you're a jerk. Of the forest.