Rearing squirrels and The call of the wild

Why rearing squirrels?

I am not a fan of rearing animals. But I have to write about squirrels. Why? Because when I closed my eyes just a minute ago, for a rest I heard a squirrel crying non stop. Maybe it is calling its partner, maybe it is warning others about a cat or a snake. But it reminded me about squirrels in my childhood. 

Squirrel: https://unsplash.com/@pearseoh

There were plenty of them. As our house was isolated from rest plenty of trees and plenty of squirrels were there. I can remember being a small kid I loved watching them, playing and eating. I am sure I have outlived them. Maybe I am talking about twenty generations of squirrels in the past. Yet I hear the same pitch. It seems the sounds of squirrels did not evolute for few decades, and nature had preserved it. Not letting it extinct yet.

Occasionally mama squirrels nested in our house. Corners of the roof were a safe place for them to live. Surely we kept snakes and cats away from the nest. But rarely she did not survive. Over the years several times, mama squirrels did not return to her home. And we saw evidence of a pieces of tail, left after a struggle with a cat. And hungry little squirrels started to cry. And we knew we have to take care of them. Sometimes small as my little finger. Still eyes not open, and without any fur, they looked ugly pink. And they could not drink, and we fed milk with a little cloth so they can suck on this. It worked everytime like magic, and squirrels cubs grew day by day, all the milestones checked. Happy healthy and fat. For us kids these were happy times, as young squirrels fed by us were real pets. They were obviously very fond of us and loved to be cuddled. They would run all over our bodies. Their tiny feet has nails and as they grew up they started even to hurt when they grab our skin. Their teeth have a sharp bite and I would not dare let them bite. 

Call of the wild

Call of the Wild: https://unsplash.com/@buchstabenhausen

As they grew up they started going out. First with our supervision. They would climb a tree and come back when we call. Still we fed them. With everything we have. Still they lived with us. And they would wait eagerly for our return home if we go somewhere for a few hours. Still they loved cuddles. But within few weeks things change. They would spend more time on trees, like they have found out this new adventurous world. I would not blame them as I know a view from a tree is far better than view from ground. Like Buck, in call of the wild by Jack London. They would slowly change their character. They would be called by the nature more often. The temporary relationship as humans pet would slowly dissolve. And one night they would not return home. We could not ask where were they. Surely they would not tell, and they could not. It maybe in a nearby tree with a friend squirrel. Or it may be far away hunting insects. But still they would eat. And these adventurous nights become the norm after a while and there comes a time we would not see them for few days in a row. 

And when this happen, we know squirrels no longer need us. They might eat from us. And they might sleep in their nest. But once we know they do not like to be in the nest we take it down. And squirrels stop being our squirrels and become "wild" squirrels again.

And when we look at trees a bunch of squirrels playing, we call at them but one comes. What do we expect, it is sad and happy at the same time. Sad that we are nolonger able to cuddle them, take care of them. Happy that like a squirrel mother we have made them independent. And sometimes out of nowhere a squirrel comes and jump on us! And it feels like time of thanksgiving! Sometimes they come back if they wish to make a nest!

I do not have squirrels now. But I know what to expect in the future as there are two little Bambinis still at home. Have you ever reared squirrels? How many? Do they still return home?