The Nut House

Hello there!

This post may be a little bit different than my other posts. Ok, a lot different, but that's ok. 

I built a squirrel nesting box!

Very random, I know. And it wasn't just me. I couldn't have made it without my wonderful husband who supports me in all my crazy endeavors. This was a fun one and I am quite proud of it. :)

It all started one morning, when I glanced out the window and spotted a massive gray squirrel scurrying along our fence. I have seen tons of squirrels so they are nothing new to me. However, they are new to the neighborhood. I had never seen one in my backyard. I got so excited! The dog scenes from the movie UP flashed through my head as I yelled "SQUIRREL!!!" I watched it investigate the trees in my yard then leave the way it came. 

I wanted this particular squirrel to make its home in my backyard. This urge to create a home for it filled me. Call me crazy, but I was excited to watch a squirrel live. See what it did everyday. Get to know it. 

I decided to make a house for it. What did a squirrel make its home out of? (leaves, fur, hair, fuzzy stuff...) What were squirrel homes called? (nests) Where do squirrels make their homes? (tree hollows, branches, attics, porches, birdhouses...) I did quite a bit of research and found this Nesting Box Plan and decided to give it a try. :)

 We hopped on over to Home Depot and got to work. I didn't know my hubby really knew woodwork. :) He is amazing!

Baby girl helping Daddy

As the daylight faded, I heard the squirrel chattering in the tree behind me. It came by to watch the progress of its new house. :)

Soon, it got too dark to work outside, so we relocated to the garage to finish up. 

The front. Like the cute little steps?

Putting it together.

We ran into a couple hang ups, but they were smoothed out in no time.

All done!

This plan includes a cool door so you can clean it out 

and or checkout the babies (if any). Just be careful not

to disturb these little critters.

 You may be wondering why the inside it set up that way. Well, the squirrel goes in the hole in the front corner, goes across the floor and into the other hole in the opposite corner. The first floor is if a predator like a cat or raccoon is trying to get the babies, they can't reach past the first floor into the second.

'

The back post which will attach to the tree.

TA-DAH!

As you can see, I fondly named it The Nut House :)

Isn't it pretty up there :)

And there it is, The Nut House, sittin' pretty in a tree. What squirrel wouldn't love to live there. Sadly, I have yet to see another squirrel. Looks like the big gray traveler moved on and I was too late, but it was still a fun, relatively quick project. Occasionally I will hike the 2 feet from the lawn to see if occupants have moved in, but no luck yet. 

Happy building everyone! or creating anything your heart desires :)