Squirrel cedar fetish
This morning, I looked outside and saw a small black squirrel climbing around on our (as yet unsealed) cedar deck. No big deal; while the squirrels haven’t seized the deck as their own, I see them there occasionally.
I watched to see where he would go next and was surprised to see him remain in place, clinging to the rail. Then, he began to lick it! He crawled up and down, licking the cedar from top to bottom. He wasn’t nibbling; he didn’t spend much time on the corners but instead licked the flat sides.
Huh? He kept this up for a few minutes before noticing me and running for the oak tree. When he returned a little later, he carefully sniffed several rails before climbing up another and proceeding to give it the same treatment.
The cedar wasn’t wet. It’s not new; it’s been in place for a couple months. I checked and there are no squirrel bite marks or anything obvious that distinguishes his chosen rails from the others. What the heck?
