'Look What We Found': Orphaned Baby Squirrel Finds a Home

Earlier this afternoon an e-mail came across my inbox from Fair Oaks Patch reader and blogger Tracy Whipple with the subject line, "Look what we found." So, of course, I had to find out.

In the email Tracy wrote one simple sentence: "Now THIS is one adorable local." I totally agreed. 

Being the nosey journalist I am, I had to ask questions. "How'd you find it? Are you naming it?" I asked. "Share the deets," I said. Well, Tracy had a pretty nice story to share, so I thought I'd share it with the rest of Fair Oaks Patch's readers, too.

Without further ado, here's Tracy with a story about George ... or Dewey ... or possibly myriad other names, depending on who's telling the story:

Well, my in-laws live on Kaula (Drive) and have two cats. The in-laws were brought a 'present' by Felix the cat (unharmed). My in-laws tried placing it in a box under the oak tree in the back yard so mama could come claim him; she was pacing the fence frantically. A little while later, Felix returned the 'present' to the back door. At any rate, my husband is a notorious orphaned-squirrel foster parent (once a 'returned to the wild' [squirrel] recognized him from down the block, came flying up the street and quickly clambered up his body to say "hi," thereby startling the neighbor half to death), so he brought him home and we've been syringe feeding him since the day before yesterday. His eyes aren't even opened yet so we're figuring he's about 3-4 weeks old. And yes, SO cute. Especially when he is nursing. Apparently as they grow, they'll scamper around like crazy, chew up nuts & toss the shells around and chatter a lot. I call him Dewey; my husband calls him George and Claire names him 10 times a day.

The Whipple clan will keep him until he's fit for release, Tracy said. She thinks it will be about six to eight weeks.

"It's a process of full-time care, then reducing until they are totally outside and take off on their own, Tracy said. "I'll update as time goes on."

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