It was a beautiful morning as I filled our squirrel and bird feeders while chatting with the neighbor down the way. I was excited about laundry again like I haven't been since at least fall. Spring Fever and all.
Later, while hanging up clothes I thought I caught Luke hanging out under the quite dormant Rose of Sharon. A quick second look proved that it was just a squirrel - a Luke look-a-like. I turned back to my laundry, starting to fold some things that were already dried and trying not to spook the little guy with the big black eyes.
Fold, fold, fold. I look back and the little squirrel is sitting still, falling asleep like Luke likes to do: scrunched up, eyes fighting to stay open, head bobbing. I think to myself, "How blessed am I that I see this little guy sleep. Today is awesome!"
A neighbor's dogs bark and yelp - the squirrel barely moves. Neighborhood kids throw snaps - he barely notices. I see that his tail is not moving although his eyes are somewhat alert. "Oh shit! What the fuck is this going on now?"
I go into the house to call Troy and the squirrel looks up at me not at all excited or visably nervous. Over the next hour, I check on the squirrel constantly and research and make calls. Center Wildlife Care directs me to both catch the little guy and transport him to Animal Medical on N. Atherton (the other side of State College, about 15 miles away). Meanwhile, I'm IM'ing both Jess and Troy and freaking out.
Frick. I don't want to catch this guy - I can stress him out or hurt him more. In the end, I had to go for it. The fucker looked like Luke.
I called Ryan for help, but I was able to catch him on my own easily before he got here. The squirrels manor was so at ease, it's almost indescribable. I know, because I went into great detail with Troy and he still looks at me kind of sideways.
This is the only picture I took, with my cellphone as we arrived at Animal Medical. He was sitting up and alert like this the whole time. Easily the best traveler I've ever taken with me for a ride. When we got inside, I filled out a little sheet of paper explaining where he came from and what the trouble was. Then I was off.
I called my sister when I got out and when she made an audible "Aww," my grandfather in the background asked what happened. He said to get that squirrel a wheelchair - they have them for dogs, why not squirrels. Tre and I joked a little about having our houses be race tracks for wheelchair bound squirrels.
So, I'm sad. Troy said that the squirrel is probably sitting in a wheelchair with a cast on his leg waiting to be released. I have a hunch that isn't so. I'm still unsure what is wrong with him, although I'm leaning towards broken back/leg or some kind of poisoning. We have had a lot of starlings lately and I know someone in town likes to poison them. But I've also seen squirrels jump around on our back porch and completely miss their mark.
Either way. The morning dove couple is back and she's sitting on her nest again on the back porch. Circle of life, etc., etc.
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