Befriending The Squirrels In My Backyard

Hey guys, it's me Tara, and I think I finally lost it. And by that, I mean today or this week, I'm going to be making Don't scare them. Sugar. Today, I'm going to be making friends with the squirrels in my backyard.

My infatuation with squirrels started a long time ago. I thought it was recent, but recently I was looking through my camera roll and I found a video of me and my best friend Bree from high school. Hey Sug. I'm like, Bree, go look at the squirrel. And she's like, no, ew, squirrels are so weird. And I was like, no, they're so cute. And then I got Sugar and I'm like, Sugar kind of looks like a squirrel. Oh. And I don't know, something just all clicked for me.

When I got this house, I got these hear no evil, see no evil, speak no evil squirrels. And usually when you get decor like that, it's monkeys. But I got gold squirrels on my mantel. And it was perfect because I have these two squirrels in my backyard that me and my roommates always talk about. They're always chasing each other, and I don't know if they're lovers, or friends, or brothers, or sisters. But I went ahead and took the liberty and named them Ben and Jerry.

Now, I've talked about Ben and Jerry before in a couple vlogs, but I'm not sure which ones. I know I've mentioned it though about my infatuation with the squirrels in my backyard. I consider them acquaintances. I don't think they know I exist. So, I think it's time I made my presence known and become their friends. Because I've reached a point in my crash out this week or in the last few weeks that I want to start being the squirrel lady. I want to be that person in the park with pigeons all over them or squirrel Oh. Hi. Are you guys playing? Um Oh. Oh. Oh. Oh. Oh. Oh. That's your brother. Hi. Stop. They're playing. See, this is how Ben and Jerry play. I swear to god. They're always chasing each other. They're always being cute. I've like left water out for them. Hi guys. I live in a zoo. Okay. And the clippers keep going. And the clippers

This morning, before I got ready for the day, I put a bunch of peanuts up against that wall cuz that's where they usually hang out. We got in-shell peanuts cuz I know they like to undo them. And squirrel and critter blend. Now, it's Oh. It's like afternoonish right now and so far no sign of squirrel and it's starting to make me a little anxious. I've looked up ways to get the squirrel to come up to me and I can't really use them until I see a squirrel. I was thinking about like laying and sitting somewhere until they come up but they're not even around. So maybe we just have spread them and now we wait. I I haven't seen a single squirrel all day and it's really stressing me out.

Also, this video is loosely based off of DJ Squirrel Academy. I think that's what it's called. I'll put their at right here. They are the best. They're little squirrel DJs. It's like my worlds collide. They've actually done a set based off of me so go check them out and I just love the way they feed the little squirrels and they're just like DJing. Like DJ squirrels, are you kidding me? That's like my dream come true. I just want to like get close to the squirrels.

Also got this little squirrel feeder house. So what we're going to do is until they come, we're going to fill it up and we're just going to leave it on the table just so we give off a friendly kind of vibe, you know, inviting. Inviting Ben and Jerry to come eat. Probably move the ashtray. >> [laughter] >> Uh uh DJ squirrels are fine but smoking squirrels are not.

All this morning I've been researching how to get a squirrel's attention. I learned this is crazy and you guys will not you guys are not going to believe me but I I swear to God all the videos say that if you do this >> [music] >> or this at squirrels, they will come up to you. It's like maybe it's like their tail or something. It's like giving squirrel energy to be like squirrely to be like I don't know. All the videos said to do that. Then I took it upon myself to look up on good old fashion YouTube how to make squirrel noises cuz my best squirrel noise is this. She's really good. And I think it's pretty good. But this guy on YouTube said if you get some coins, get some coins and you put it right like this. Preferably quarters but we only had dimes. And then you kind of make an echo like this and you go It's like them eating. So it's like getting their attention. So these are my tactics. It's this >> [music] >> and this. I feel like my hands aren't like a good size. I think I'm going to need quarters, but those are my tactics. I'm even wearing camouflage to kind of blend in with the trees. But so far no squirrels and I don't know if I should just like sit and wait. We already put all the feed up like we already put the feed everywhere. Um maybe I'll maybe I'll fill up the house in the meantime. I didn't want to fill it too much because I kind of want to see whether or not it's like empty. So like try and take note of how much I put in there. Otherwise you could fill it to the brim. I'm just going to leave this on the table and I guess just wait. I hung it on the picket fence hoping for the best. We even had like a peanut little hanging right there. It's getting dark so I feel like there's no more squirrels out today. I was really hoping to like lay down with like peanuts on me and have them crawl all over my body, but maybe maybe that's a tomorrow activity. I'm going to try and wake up really tomorrow and look for Ben and Jerry cuz right now there's zero signs of them which is crazy cuz I feel like they're usually like running around my backyard. There's no squirrels yet. There's nothing. No squirrels. Guys, Sophia's coming. Hi Vinnie. No luck. All day. No one. I haven't seen a single squirrel. Come here. I want to show you guys my tactics. So my squirrel noises are pretty good. Ready? Sugar. >> the sugar might be the reason why no squirrels are coming. >> No, I don't think so. They usually don't care. And then my second tactic is this. Okay, well isn't that supposed to be when they see you? >> Yeah, when they see me you go like this and I think it emulates like their tail or something. Oh, doors open. Some old guy in the comments asked me about my shirt. >> He goes, "My ex-wife had a shirt." >> My ex-wife. [laughter] So once they're near cuz I think it emulates their Yes. Yes. Yes. Yeah, pick them up. And then to make them come close to me you go Hold on. I need I think I need quarters. You know It's not very loud. >> No, I know. It's This is supposed to make it loud. I've lost it. I'm going through a lot. >> Clearly. I've looked everywhere. I even put the And we put peanuts everywhere. That's cute. If I If I a squirrel I'd come. He's doing the thing. >> [music] >> Sugar's kind of close. You know I love squirrels. >> [laughter] >> Squirrels! I'm even wearing camouflage to blend in. >> [laughter] >> Imagine she did it and like the squirrels came. Dude, what do we do? Should we wait until tomorrow morning? Like I think they're sleeping. And they haven't been around all day. >> Do you usually have squirrels in your backyard? >> Ben and Jerry. >> Yeah, we usually have a ton and they like >> it's the two. You know the two. There's more than just them though. I've seen like four back here once. Sugar's close enough. >> extra orange today. >> Wait, let me see his [laughter] tail. Let me see his tail. Squirrel! Squirrels are my peers. You and squirrels are my peers. You and squirrels are my peers. No, no one's taking this seriously. I feel like that one TikTok girl was like, like they're my friends. Do you know who I'm talking about? Well, they don't say that. That's the goal of this video is like I want to be more than just acquainted, you know? I'm just upset. This is my This is my last straw, guys. If I don't see any squirrels, that's my breaking point. Someone's going to post on TikTok and be like Taryne Renee has lost her mind. Yeah. [snorts] I could have told you that a long time >> [laughter] >> Plan B. I think we need some practice with some other squirrels. So, I think we're going to go to the park and I'm going to try and get acquainted with other squirrels and maybe that'll just give me some practice so that Ben and Jerry tomorrow will come up to me. So, we're going to take some squirrel feed and we're going to go to the park. Wish me good luck, guys. I just want to see some squirrels up close.

15 minutes later. Stuck in a car with squirrels. Stuck in a car with Ben and Jerry. Oh my god. Do you think we could like What about the DJ squirrel? Dude, I talked about the DJ squirrels. Beverly did a set for me. I remember. There's a new baby. 4 months old. >> Is she DJing yet? I think he's a boy. Um and he is DJing. Vinnie, do you know about the DJ squirrels? No. Oh my god. They're insane. It's DJ Squirrel Academy and I'm in cahoots with them. They told me I can come anytime to watch the squirrels DJ. >> Should have done it first. >> They're like real DJs? Wait, I mean real squirrels. >> Yes, they're real squirrels.

5 minutes later. So far, no squirrels. We're going to sit down by a tree and hope for the best. I don't see a singular squirrel, do you? Oh, we've been here for 5 seconds. I feel like normally, day-to-day, you see like a million squirrels. And then, when you're looking for them, they're nowhere to be found. I don't see any. Dude. No squirrels. I've been looking up into the trees. I feel like I'm a squirrel repellent. >> [music] [music] [music] >> I'm looking up and squirrels go to bed. >> Oh. Oh. Probably heading to sleep shortly after the sun goes down. That means they should be out. No luck at the park. I think we wait till tomorrow morning. Why do squirrels hate me? I love them.

One day later. Go go under. Go under. No no no no no. All right, move quick. He's moving. Okay, he's on the move. Squirrel running out here. Oh. I'm like laughing at myself. There's one now. [ __ ] Sorry. Sorry. We're trying to find squirrels to feed. Yeah, I'm just trying to feed them. [ __ ] Damn it. Oh god, the car [ __ ]

Later. We're at an area that there's more wildlife at by my house. We saw a squirrel come in here. It is. Hi. Of course, I'm trying to feed the squirrels. >> The squirrel food. >> [laughter] >> Have a good day. [ __ ] where are they? He's like he's posted up, you don't see him? Where did they go? Did you see him? Did you see him? Walk away for a second. Yeah, watch from here. Just check it. He's squirrels. I like plants. Do you bring them? Let's walk away for a second. Oh, I see movement right there. >> Where? By that tree. >> my [ __ ] glasses. I wish I did. Something's moving behind there. Do you see him? It's something moving. Oh, it's a baby squirrel. So cute. It's so cute. [ __ ] I don't have my glasses on. I can't see [ __ ] There's a trail over there. I feel like they're going to be like in the woodsy area. Squirrels over there. Well, why would there be squirrels on the trail? >> want to feed a squirrel. >> I told you. Okay, fine. Let's go. I should have my glasses. I can't see anything. I just like that you kept to this trail. Nothing there. There's another one. Where? I think that they're home. I don't see it. I think they're right there. Straight ahead. She can't see with her with her I can't see without my glasses. Jinkies! Can you see it really? >> I see it. I see it. That's probably their home tree. Yeah. The crunching. Good. Good job. Oh, this is definitely their home. I think I hear them. I like going to them, just giving them food. >> [music] >> How long should I wait? A couple hours. [ __ ] my butt, stop. It's in my butt. >> It's grass. Tyler, keep that in.

The next morning. >> Morning. It's early, but I looked at my window and I didn't see squirrels. And then Sophia came down this morning and two squirrels went up the tree. I think it's Ben and Jerry. Oh my god. Sophia, the peanuts have been eaten. Oh my god. Hold on, let me get my shoes on. >> [screaming] >> Troy's barking at me. >> [clears throat] >> Oh my god, I'm going to die. Ben and Jerry are back. Oh my god. Oh my god. >> [gasps] >> Look, the peanuts are gone. Look, it's just shells. Wow. Dude. Should we check to see if the peanuts are gone on the Oh my god, they're totally gone. They're totally gone. We put some right there, too. Can you see them wedged in? They're really going to get them. They're going to get them. Oh my god. How's your morning coffee? I'm just Should I sit outside? Yeah. Oh my god. No freaking way, dude. >> sit there with like your hands open like the bird ladies where they're like That's my goal. But where are they now? >> They went up this tree. They're They're waking up, too. Cuz you have to think about it. We usually sit down here on like 11 and just like [snorts] out playing. Okay. I'm going to put some clothes on. I'm so happy for you. They came. I'm freaking out. I thought Ben and Jerry were goners. Last night Tara was in the car with me being like, "I don't think these squirrels want to hang out with me." >> I was crying. And then I cried to a Taco Bell employee. >> Oh, yes. We pulled up and he's like, "Oh my god, Tara and Emmy." And I was like, "Oh my god, hi. How are you?" And he was like, "I have to ask you what it's like to be famous." And I was like, >> [gasps] >> "I don't feel famous. I feel chud." And I started crying. And she started saying we were chudding out and he was just like, "Huh, okay. Bye, Tara." Yeah. Oh my god. Okay. Wait, yay. Wait, I have to call Miles. No freaking way. Holy crap. I can't >> believe it. They don't like the feed as much as they like the peanuts, it seems. >> Oh, Sugar is here. Oh. Oh, I see a squirrel. He is the squirrel. Okay, I'm going to get ready for the day. I have a towel. I put on some sweats instead of like my thin little pajamas cuz it's kind of cold outside for May. We're in the middle of May. Why is it so cold? And yes, I have eye patches on because my eyes are so swollen for some reason. I'm going to get some peanuts. It doesn't seem like they like the feed as much as they like the peanuts. In my pocket. Nice. All right, I hear them. I wonder if they're there or not. I'm putting the peanuts out on every corner. Doing two on each corner so we know when if the squirrels come. I know they're in that tree. This is my POV. This is probably why the squirrels aren't coming. Sugar, [snorts] please. Mommy, can you find squirrels? Why don't Ben and Jerry want to play with me? I even played squirrel noises from TikTok and it didn't work. I'm out here for like an hour. So, we're going to put squirrel noises on a speaker. I hope I hope It's kind of annoying. Ranger, this is it? It's guaranteed. Guaranteed? Okay. >> Woah, awesome. I played it on loop for about 10 minutes and then there were three squirrels running close to me. Okay. >> Five, six. >> All right, let's do it. Maybe put it on the towel. >> Five minutes later. No way the speaker is working. Oh my god. Oh my god. [ __ ] These are the wash and I just stained them with my [ __ ] coffee. Are you kidding me? [ __ ] Why don't the squirrels [ __ ] with me? Low-key, what if you called Rob? Like ask for some tips or tricks from Rob. Would he know? I don't think he knows anything about squirrels. He knows about reptiles. Call Rob Brounstein speaker. Calling Rob Brounstein speaker. >> [bell] >> Hello? Hey Rob. >> What's up, dog? Hey girl. This is so random, but I'm I'm filming a video right now where I'm trying to be friends with Ben and Jerry, the squirrels in my backyard that always run around. >> Yeah. And I thought I'd ask for tips. I've been sitting here on a towel with a bunch of peanuts [clears throat] and I know they like them because last night they ate all the peanuts. There's shells all over the floor. So now I've been sitting here quietly. Do you have any tips? I've been making like >> Yeah. noises. I faced them earlier. Okay. So take your hand Is your head shaved? Yeah. Oh my god. Okay. >> But uh Oh, oh do this? Yeah. Oh, oh I've done it all, Rob. >> Oh, well they usually like that. That actually does work. I've gotten a few to come to me with that, but >> Okay, there's like peanuts everywhere and I've been sitting in my backyard for hours. It's going to take time, you know, I mean they're wild animals, so it's going to take time. You want to become friends with them, it probably will realistically take like a couple weeks. >> Couple weeks? We're doing it for two days. They're really friendly. They always chase each other. I feel like you've seen them in my backyard before. Probably, but I've been going like this. So for them to like actually trust you, it's probably going to take a couple weeks. Okay, done deal. Maybe I'll do a part two. Okay, well thanks for your tips. I feel like I've done so much research and then Miles was like, "Why don't you just call Rob?" And I'm like, I feel like he knows more about reptiles, but I'll try. >> The hand thing didn't work at all. I've had squirrels come like all the way up to me doing that. >> Shut up. I told you the hand thing [ __ ] works, Miles. They were all making fun of me. No, it's actually real. It really does work. Okay. Well, next time it's close, I'll do it. But okay, maybe this has to be a part two video where like I actually do this for like a couple weeks. >> Yeah. Yeah, if you do it for a while >> Okay. Well, okay, thanks Rob for your advice. I've been doing the hand thing and I look [ __ ] stupid doing it. I've been doing it for 24 hours. Yeah. I've been going around going this. They usually like that. I've had a squirrel come all the way up to my like hand when I was doing it one time. >> you. All right. Well, thank you. Talk soon. I hope you're feeling better. >> Yeah, I'm feeling a little better. >> Okay, good. Okay, wait. I told you this works. Even Rob said it. By the way, you guys, this isn't just for a video. I am going to keep peanuts year-round like in my backyard. I'll probably wake up like every morning or every few days and fill up that little house. So, these are going to be like this is like a full-time thing that I want to do at this house. This isn't just like for a video. Um I do want Ben and Jerry to like be my friends and feel safe in this house.

24 hours later. >> It's Friday. Guys, they're active today. Hello. Miles? The squirrels are active today. >> Are you waving your hand? Listen. Listen. Listen to me. There's like four in the brush. Where are you? >> Like 10 minutes away. Perfect. Okay. They're No, they're so active. They're so There's so many. >> Are you leaving like treats around the floor or Dude, they went They went by the bag. Ryan filmed them this morning. They were by the bag. >> I I saw it. Oh my god. Okay, wait. This is perfect. >> Hurry. Okay, I'm coming. I'm coming. I heard them this morning. They woke me up at like 8:00. They're playing. I'm not crazy because in the beginning of this video I was sitting outside for like 3 hours and there wasn't a single squirrel, but I swear they choose the days they're out to play. I don't see any. He was just up there, wasn't he? Oh, it's [ __ ] bird.

>> Day four of the crazy squirrel lady is back at it again in her natural habitat. We have Sugar in jail behind bars. Hi buddy. Dude, I don't know what to do. I think we're scaring them by sitting here. Should we place more noises again? Yeah. I feel like we're scaring them. You have no idea how out of play they were, you guys. They were There was like 10. It was more than just Ben and Jerry. It's working. It's working. I see two. We should probably not be sitting in platform Uggs. The crazy squirrel lady rummages through the forest in order to find his squirrels. Oh my god, we're so high up. It's like they're They come out in the second I come out, they run away. But they're so If we just stay in the backyard, they're active. We could Oh my god. If you roll down the hill, should I film it or should I help you? Film it. Maybe you should put some on that wall over there. I just can't walk. I'm going to fall. Just like that. [ __ ] it up. Dude, it's only Oh my god. Something in my eye. [ __ ] this jump. He's too He's right above us. I'm slightly scared. This isn't Ben or Jerry. This is a smaller squirrel. There's like three smaller squirrels. And now I'm starting to think that Ben and Jerry aren't two boys. I see a squirrel. He's coming down. Sugar. It's right there. We have now been sitting here for feels like 20 minutes, probably like 10, and perched like an owl, and I haven't had my morning coffee yet. I literally my roommate texted me saying the squirrels are active and I ran downstairs like a crazy person. Haven't had my coffee, I haven't had my breakfast, and I'm just sitting Oh, Sugar's losing his mind inside, by the way. What are we doing? What should we do for breakfast? I'm going to make you an egg. No. I want my I want my Aaron breakfast burrito, and they don't have it. What do we do? I think we're scaring them. >> Probably a little bit. >> Cuz I bet you the second we go down there, the squirrels will come out. There's one right there. It's far. This is [ __ ] >> I wish I had a balcony off my off my room so I could just put squirrel food out there forever. They got into the bag of food though today. So we have to take that inside and we have to like put it out accordingly so they don't get like stuck in the bag or something. Okay, they're not coming. Maybe there is no squirrel. The squirrel was the friends that we made along the way. All right, here's the thing. I've been doing this for 4 days and I got close. Okay, they are coming down. They know that my house is a good place for food. I'm going to be replacing the squirrel food and it's gone every morning. They're out at like 8:00 a.m. though. Like I hear them, they wake me up. So here's what I'm going to do. There is going to be a part two of this video, okay? And it's going to be really good because now they're like I've dropped the seed or the peanut. Okay, and they're going to come back. So comment down below what I should do because I don't want to scare them. Like this is their habitat, right? I moved in second and they've already been living here because when I moved in they were here. I don't want to scare them, but I just want to like, you know, be neighbors and be acquainted. We're acquainted. I want to be their friend, okay? Comment down below what I should do to get them to be more domesticated. I don't want to domesticate the squirrels, but I want them to just not be so scared of me. That's all. I love squirrels. Anyways, I think it's time to skedaddle. Love you guys. All right. There he goes.