Squirrel with no tail

[shivvy]

I am sure I saw a squirrel in my garden this morning with no tail. Are baby squirrels tailless or has the little fella been in the wars?

[Ethel]

Been in the wars - here's a young squirrel, with tail

http://www.metro.co.uk/weird/article.html?in_a rticle_id=148688&in_page_id=2

Probably a magpie

[Im a BusyBee]

probably a rat

[terambulan]

In Denmark, where red squirrels are vermin, people are paid for tails.......was this one red or grey. No matter, perhaps there is a bounty on tails?

[shivvy]

lol Im a BusyBee. I am quite sure that it was a squirrel and I'm confident that I can tell the difference between the two.
Thanks anyhow.
If he has been injured Ethel then I presume that his life expectancy is severely limited?

[shivvy]

Hi terambulan. Here, (Northern Ireland) red squirrels are protected and greys are seen as the vermin. The one that I saw was a grey.

[Im a BusyBee]

if its red then it is a shame if it is injured. If its grey i have no sympathy for it at all - i had a tree full of walnuts up until about 10 days ago now the grey squirrels have had them all. A lot of them they have buried in a 'nest' in the ground in my lawn! i guess this is usual for them but i had never really thought about where they hide their nuts before!

[msfrlich121]

I live in Ohio (USA) and I don't care if you're in Denmark, Ireland or the US (or anywhere else in the world), squirrels are one of God's beautiful creatures and deserve a chance at life like all. I, too, just spotted a tailless squirrel in my back yard this morn, and was wondering what the little guy's chances are. I do believe that baby squirrels are born tailless, but they grow quickly, and that would be in the spring anyhow. Probably this time of year, the little guy was in the wars- we have cats- could be that or a car, etc. I just hope mine makes it through the winter

[csptillman]

My dog is the culprit. I have two tails in my backyard.