Squirrel Memory Test? MUST SEE!!!!!

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Experiments First Home Memory Newsceintistvideo Nuts Science Smell Squirrels Wildlife
DickGhostmoon
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  • Added: 24-Dec-07

This entry for NewScientist proves that squirrels don't smell nuts. A squirrel's memory is phenomenal. If you try this experiment at home it is important to distinguish between different squirrels. In this experiment there were three of them. All three squirrels exhibited the same memory traits: They always returned to the same position. Collectively they made over 300 separate trips and seemed to work as a team to systematically clear the hoard of nuts. Here is a link to NewScientist's Channel on Youtube, I highly recommend their channel:

http://uk.youtube.com/profile?user=newscientistvideo

I would love to be able to delve deeper into animal science at dawn/dusk but my camcorder is limited to bright sunny days, I don't expect to win the competition so I'll keep saving for a better quality video camera.

Burrying nuts, never more than one or two per cache, leaves the squirrel with food stashed in thousands of different sites. The squirrel therefore ensures it will not loose everything in a single theft, but it must pay the price by having to remember where all those nuts were cached.

  1. Categories: Pets & Animals
Comments on

Squirrel Memory Test? MUST SEE!!!!!

15 Comments | Add Comment
  • is it your pet ? i ...

    is it your pet ? i wanna have it as a Pet :D its cool xD

    By Darkoviamasters [Affiliate User] 1225390535 Reply Spam Moderate Up Moderate Down
  • Anyone who likes ...

    Anyone who likes squirrels is a friend of mine. Thanks for your comment.

    By DickGhostmoon [Affiliate User] 1225298783 Reply Spam Moderate Up Moderate Down
  • What a cute ...

    What a cute experiment! :P

    By oneiroclaud [Affiliate User] 1225289361 Reply Spam Moderate Up Moderate Down
  • Great! the ...

    Great!
    the squirrels in the park know me very well,recognize my voice VERY WELL.
    I use to reabilitate squirrels,and i had as a pet for a long time.let me tell you: they have very good memory,yes they do. They can be interrupted in one activity and,soon you stop the interruption(a game,a snack...) they go to do whetever they were doing

    By thedogsrevolution [Affiliate User] 1224185821 Reply Spam Moderate Up Moderate Down
  • Thank you - I'd ...

    Thank you - I'd like to do some more experiments with squirrels but I've moved house since I made this. Maybe I'l get a chance in the future.

    By DickGhostmoon [Affiliate User] 1224088609 Reply Spam Moderate Up Moderate Down
  • i'm guessing it ...

    i'm guessing it doesn't have the intelligence to notice the similarity of the pattern. they see one cup and realize this is where the nuts are, but they don't link up with under cups = nuts. it's hard for humans to comprehend this lack of intelligence, but it makes perfect sense

    By IcarusFlying [Affiliate User] 1224078728 Reply Spam Moderate Up Moderate Down
  • this is brilliant ! ...

    this is brilliant ! it shows how physically adapted squirrels really are. absolutely brilliant 5 stars!

    By IcarusFlying [Affiliate User] 1224078322 Reply Spam Moderate Up Moderate Down
  • Good point. I'm ...

    Good point. I'm sure they would investigate the other cups. But I think there is a cut off point. Once they've been to the same place 10 or 15 times they become so focussed on that place that they tend not to look elsewhere,

    By DickGhostmoon [Affiliate User] 1223657653 Reply Spam Moderate Up Moderate Down
  • What if each time ...

    What if each time the nuts were put under a different cup? Say first #1, then #2 and so forth? Keep in mind must be the same squirrel not another one.

    By Triopstor [Affiliate User] 1223639657 Reply Spam Moderate Up Moderate Down
  • I will try it on my ...

    I will try it on my patio table.

    Thanks!

    By djumatate [Affiliate User] 1223578499 Reply Spam Moderate Up Moderate Down
  • It took about a ...

    It took about a week or 10 days. If you leave some nuts in the same place you will tame them in no time. Good luck. Let me know if you record anything.

    By DickGhostmoon [Affiliate User] 1223576099 Reply Spam Moderate Up Moderate Down
  • How long did it ...

    How long did it take you to do this? I have them all around my garden. I wish I could tame one.

    By djumatate [Affiliate User] 1223569841 Reply Spam Moderate Up Moderate Down
  • good

    good

    By mrfukbag [Affiliate User] 1222754453 Reply Spam Moderate Up Moderate Down
  • Well thank you.

    Well thank you.

    By DickGhostmoon [Affiliate User] 1222713536 Reply Spam Moderate Up Moderate Down
  • You definitely ...

    You definitely deserved the camera :) well done!

    By wakkaus [Affiliate User] 1222704400 Reply Spam Moderate Up Moderate Down
15 Comments | Add Comment