Squirrels

[user 5745]

grey squirrels are tree rats.
our native squirrels are the reds and they are a totally different animal.

That's why my wee joke specifically said 'grey squirrels' and not just 'squirrels' ☺

I wouldn't pop greys and rats together and describe reds as totally different, though. The squirrels are much closer to each other than either is to rats: all Rodentia, certainly, but rats are of the Muridae family, while reds and greys are both Sciuridae family and Sciurus genus.

 

[lonewolf]

I wouldn't agree, I do think grey squirrels are a different animal to the reds, they are an invasive species and not native, the reds are more endearing, but you only get them up north or on some isolated islands, the greys have taken over everywhere else. and as far as I am concerned they are fare game.

 

[user 5745]

I wouldn't agree, I do think grey squirrels are a different animal to the reds, they are an invasive species and not native, the reds are more endearing, but you only get them up north or on some isolated islands, the greys have taken over everywhere else. and as far as I am concerned they are fare game.

This seems to be a difference is usage of 'different animal'. Your original post came across as more literal rather than metaphorical, seeming to suggest that greys were genetically closer to rats than to reds, which isn't the case. Taking it more metaphorically, yes, reds and greys are different animals: different species with different native ranges and natures, and with very different environmental impacts. I agree that grey squirrels are fair game ☺

 

[lonewolf]

This seems to be a difference is usage of 'different animal'. Your original post came across as more literal rather than metaphorical, seeming to suggest that greys were genetically closer to rats than to reds, which isn't the case. Taking it more metaphorically, yes, reds and greys are different animals: different species with different native ranges and natures, and with very different environmental impacts. I agree that grey squirrels are fair game ☺

no, sorry, I wasn't trying to imply grey's are closer to rats, sorry for the confusion.
there are enough grey's around, probably too many, you'd be doing the red's a favour by removing a few grey's, dosent matter how many you took I don't think you'd make a dent in the population.
I don't think there is much meat on a grey, so you'd need a few to make a meal.
I prefer rabbit meat myself.
I really need to do more with "roadkill"!!!

 

[DrHenley]

I think what bigpaul is trying to say that ecologically (not taxonomically) greys are closer to rats than to native squirrels when they are an invasive species.

Greys and fox squirrels (normally red) are both native for our place in the Mississippi Delta. The grey squirrels are not all grey like here in Georgia, but have a lot of red around the edges.

The fox squirrels, which are over twice the size of grey squirrels, seem to like taller trees. The Mississippi Delta fox squirrels do not look like fox squirrels in the hills at all. And in the Mississippi Delta, there is a melanistic phase of the the fox squirrels that is almost all black. There can be both red and black fox squirrels in the same litter.