Big, Beautiful Fox Squirrels

Most people are very familiar with fast and furious Eastern gray squirrels that visit our yards daily and the tiny gliders, Southern flying squirrels, who rid our night skies of pesky insects. But the supersized version of squirrel, the fox squirrel, although present in our state, is rarely sighted unless you are lucky enough to live where a population resides or visit somewhere they call home.

The fox squirrel is the largest tree squirrel in North Carolina, twice the size of our common gray. Including the tail, which is half their length, fox squirrels can measure from 20 to 30 inches long (about as long as the average house cat). Despite their length, fox squirrels weigh only two to three pounds—the same as a bunch of bananas or as many as three gray squirrels! I guess I’ve got my point across … they are big!

There are 12 subspecies of fox squirrels. Three or four of those species, identified by size and beautiful multi-colors, fall into the category of “Southeastern fox squirrel” and are known to live in Eastern North Carolina. Some are grayish with various patches of black on the head and feet and white patches on the nose, paws and ear tips or are almost totally black with dark gray patches, while others are reddish brown and cream colored with accents of black, such as Watson.

Oh! Let me introduce you to a famous and rather handsome fox squirrel, Watson, who has lived at Possumwood Acres Wildlife Sanctuary in Hubert, North Carolina, since 2017. His story is one of resilience, staying strong and rising above the tragic circumstance life dealt him as a youngster. New to the world in 2017, Watson had just begun his squirrel journey in the town of Grifton, and was as curious and playful as any young squirrel could be when his path crossed with a dog and unfortunately, he was severely injured.

Good-intentioned humans did manage to rescue him from jaws that could very well have ended his life. But the rescuers kept him and tried to treat his badly mangled paw themselves. That wait for proper medical attention was too long—a nasty, life-threatening gangrenous infection developed. (For this reason, it is imperative to transport all injured wildlife immediately to a licensed wildlife rehabilitator who can administer appropriate medication and provide the treatment necessary for all medical conditions or injuries.)

By the time Watson was transported to a wildlife rehabilitator, the only way to save his life was amputation, but that meant he could never be returned to the wild. Watson did lose his left front paw and part of his leg, but during his recovery and recuperation, the wildlife rehabilitator in Grifton observed his fervent will to live and his pleasant disposition. She called Possumwood Acres to talk about placing him as an Education Ambassador and the sanctuary welcomed him with open arms.

If the injury had to happen, it was to his advantage that he was so young when it did. He learned to adapt quickly. He deals with his disability so well now that most people don’t immediately realize that he is handicapped or “paw-dicapped.” Watson has been serving as an Education Ambassador for Possumwood for years now and is definitely an example of courage and perseverance that everybody wants to meet!

In Onslow County we have military members who have come back from war missing limbs and Watson is a subtle life coach and a comfort to them as well. Watson bestows a lesson of immense value to our visiting war veterans and children: Life is not over because something bad or tragic happens to you! You, too, can adjust and be accepted as you are.

Also, it is important to teach children and adults alike that the only reason we have wildlife Education Ambassadors is that they are non-releasable animals who have demonstrated a temperament suitable for education use in a public setting. Care in captivity is a focus for all our education residents, and that includes providing the foods they need and like!

Food habits of fox squirrels depend largely on geographic location. They often forage on the ground several feet from the nearest tree stand and will commonly occupy forest edge habitat. They like to store high-fat, shelled foods, such as acorns and nuts, because they are less likely to spoil than non-shelled foods and high energy density. They will also eat fruits and berries on the spot for a well-rounded and nutritionally sound diet.

One of the big differences in food preparation and presentation for Watson is how his food is shaped for easy maneuverability in view of his disability. For example, his apple pieces are not cut into chunks like prep for other squirrels at the sanctuary, but in strips like French fries so he can hold one like a popsicle! He has also learned to hold food, such as shelled nuts, between his paw and shoulder for easier consumption! It was amazing to watch him teach himself these tricks to become self-sufficient. He prefers to eat seeds from pinecones but never snubs his nose at nuts and acorns.

In the wild, fox squirrels have two types of shelters: leaf nests called dreys and tree dens, and most often they have more than one so they can move their two or three babies from home to home to keep them safe from predators or if damage occurs to a nest.

Watson lives in a roomy enclosure with