A few years ago I was lucky enough to rescue a tiny squirrel that fit in the palm of my hand and was no bigger than a walnut. I had no idea what to do with him, but knew if I left him he would die. So I became a squirrel parent. And little did I know that the split decision I made would change my life forever. You see, what I learned is that squirrels are not just “glorified rats,” but instead “extremely intelligent,” very affectionate and surprisingly entertaining (“Amazing ”).
My squirrel learned to put himself to bed exactly at 7 p.m. each night. Off he would go waddling down the hallway, down the stairs and into his homemade bed he had made with tissue paper and a watering can. In the morning, he was up bright and early, his favourite thing being riding my arm while I brushed my teeth. I watched him organize his bed, his food and have a routine that most humans can’t maintain.
He was genuinely affectionate, loving nothing more than to ride around in my shirt for warmth and hugs. He loved playing with the cat, bunnies and birds, always hugging or wrestling with someone. He was very sociable and “comic relief” to the whole household (Kathy). I was so fascinated by all his talents and abilities that I started to read voraciously about squirrels. I found my observations fit in exactly to what others had written about squirrels.
Now the end of this story comes with tears, for one day my boy matured and decided to leave home. He chewed a hole in the window screen and left. I was devastated, but was comforted in knowing he was responsible for the squirrel invasion in our neighbourhood. Many people complained, but I knew all of our lives where enriched by my experience. Besides what we all need to know is that squirrels are good for gardens and help plant trees everywhere (Breyer).
Works Cited
Breyer, M. 16 Things to Love About Squirrels, 9 July 2015. http://www.treehugger.com/natural-sciences/16-things-love-about-squirrels.html. [Accessed 29 January 2017].
Amazing Facts About the Squirrel, n.d. https://onekind.org/animal/squirrel/. [Accessed 29 January 2017].
Kathy. The Benefits of Squirrels, n.d. http://www.gardenexperiments.com/the-benefits-of-squirrels/. [Accessed 29 January 2017].
