The gear
What we install, and why.
Every Scurry in the network runs on carefully chosen hardware. Boxes that squirrels actually use. Cameras that won't disturb them. Mounting that's kind to the tree.
The nesting box
- Cedar or rough-cut pine, untreated
- Interior ~6×6×14 inches
- Two entrances (main + escape)
- Hinged roof for seasonal cleaning
- Drainage at the base
Built to wildlife-rehab standards. No metal inside that could overheat in summer. Two entrances so an adult squirrel can always escape a predator — which is how you get a thriving Drey rather than a vacant one.
The camera
- Google Nest Cam (battery, 2nd gen) at launch
- Reolink / Amcrest as we scale
- Motion-triggered clips to cloud
- No visible IR to squirrels
- Solar charging option available
At launch we use Nest Cam because it's reliable, weather-tested, and has a robust ingestion API. As the network grows we add Reolink and Amcrest options for different Host needs. Every camera streams into our central media server — so your Drey can be watched by one person or ten thousand, simultaneously.
The mount
- Tree-safe bolt system, no straps
- ~20 feet up in a healthy branch
- Installed by a certified arborist
- Annual inspection included
- Removable in under an hour
The mounting hardware is chosen with the tree's long-term health in mind. Straps can girdle a growing tree over years. We use low-profile bolts that the tree heals around, which don't compromise structural integrity. Installation is done by curated local tree-service partners — never amateurs.
Designed, not just assembled.
The nesting boxes we install come from the TreePuppies Drey Home Collection — a family of camera-equipped squirrel homes we design from the ground up, blending storybook character with wildlife-safe function. Follow the design journey, from first concept toward finished homes.
“Can't I just buy a box and put it up myself?”
Sure. Plenty of people do. And plenty of those boxes either never get used by squirrels (wrong dimensions, wrong placement), or come down in a storm, or become death traps because they lack a proper escape exit, or sit empty because the camera broke in month two and no one noticed.
We exist because the DIY path has a 90%-failure rate, and the remaining 10% still aren't reaching the full network of watchers. The box going up is maybe 30% of the work. The other 70% is: the camera stream flowing reliably into a platform that scales. Maintenance visits when something breaks. The story Hosts tell about their Scurry. The Tree Puppies being watched, named, recognized, and — when it matters — helped.
A $199 big-box-store kit can't do any of that. We can.
Ready to get a Scurry installed?
Installations begin in Phase 1 (months 2–4). We're taking founding Host applications now. Apply, and we'll be in touch about timeline and pricing when we get close to your region.