Squirrel

I don't normally make two posts in one day, but I had to pass this along. This morning I let my dog, Ripley, out for his morning duty. After a few minutes of him being out there, he was barking up a storm. He normally doesn't bark at much except when the kids next door are in the back yard or the other neighbor's dog is in their backyard. Since it was 9:00 in the morning, I knew it was too early for either of them to be happening, so I knew something else was up. I walked out on the back porch and saw him just going off at something up against the house. As I looked closer, it was a baby squirrel. At first, I did what I always do when there is a squirrel, I told him to "Get Him!" He just started barking louder, but doing nothing but dancing around the squirrel. Then I remembered it was only 9:00 in the morning, so I went down to get him to stop barking. As I got closer, I noticed the squirrel had a bum front paw and couldn't move as easy as he normally could, so I called the dog off. When I called Ripley off, he just started sniffing the squirrel and just being interested in it. I ran in, got the camera and snapped a few shots. After a bit, I came in and got a carrot slice. I took it out, broke it into small pieces and gave it to the squirrel. He started nibbling on one and the dog was being nice, so I decided to come in and show Heather the pictures. After that, I went back outside and the dog wasn't being so nice anymore. He was trying to smell the squirrel, but as he was doing it, he was picking it up and rolling it over with his nose and if it would move, he would paw at it to move it. So, I had to protect the squirrel from Ripley since it was so small and hurt already. I got Ripley in the house and went out to check on the squirrel. He was headed under the porch, so I threw the pieces of carrot under there and hoped he would eat. I figured that would be the end of it. Not so.. The next time I let Ripley out for a bathroom break, I went out with him just to be sure. Sure enough the squirrel was still out there and was already trusting of me. He ran straight towards me and jumped on my shoe. Ripley was occupied and didn't see him for awhile, but it didn't take too long and he was over there trying to sniff him again. Once I got him off my shoe, I gave him some peanuts, raisins and carrot pieces on the step of the porch. I left him there and we went inside. As I looked out the door, the squirrel was following us up the stairs (his foot was doing better, I guess) and he came right up to the door and looked in. Sorry, as cute as he is, I can't have a rodent in my house. A few hours went by and we went back outside. The squirrel was lazing in the sun and looked hot. I went in and got him a bowl of water and brought it out. He went straight through the bowl to get to me. After I settled him down, I took the bowl and tilted it towards him. After he realized what it was, he started drinking the water. He was a thirsty booger. After then, he started chasing my shoes again.. So, I got him to chase me to the only tree we have in the backyard; a huge pecan tree. He actually followed my shoe all the way into the tree. (I took it off and stepped it with my hand in it).. But, as soon as he got up there, he started back down.. We started running towards the house and he followed about half way. We went in and he stayed in the general area of the water bowl the rest of the afternoon. When the sun started to go down, I wanted to try one more time to get him into the tree. There is a nest in the lower portion and I figured he could stay warm in it, if I could get him there. As he followed me again, I let him get back on my shoe. As he sat on my shoe, I took it off and held it up in the portion of the tree I wanted him in. After a few minutes of trying to get him off my shoe, he finally stepped off into the tree. He tried to come back down, so I ran around the other side and tapped on the tree calling him. He came through the middle and saw me. As he started down that side I ran to the other side..I got in the middle and stayed. I ran back to the house and went in. I watched for a bit, but I never saw him come in the yard again. I went back out just as the sun was going behind the horizon and didn't see him in the yard or in the tree. I did see another squirrel in the tree, so maybe his own kind came to help, or maybe he's under the house. But, I guess I'll look for him again tomorrow. Tiny Baby is sick with a fever and I'm going to stay home with her tomorrow, so we'll see if the squirrel is still around.