A Squirrel Lives in Our Beach House

Last Updated on August 30, 2023 by Marybeth

 

Some of you will be saying “Aww, how cute!” while others “That is freaking weird” and the rest “Git my gun, that there’s DINNER!”

 

pin-a-squirrel

 

For us, having a squirrel as a pet is the coolest thing ever. I love him.

 

My daughter’s then-boyfriend found him alone, curled into a dog-poo sized ball by the side of the road, so brand new his eyes hadn’t opened yet and he barely had any fur. Mae researched how to keep him alive, and set her alarm for every three hours to feed him with a dropper.

 

infant-Illy

 

She also learned he needed a heating pad under his cardboard box, and something else I bet most of you never knew (the faint of heart should skip to the next paragraph):  Infant squirrels can’t expel their own urine, so the mother squirrel, after feeding, must manipulate their nether region to induce the process of urination. Hence, my daughter had to, um, gently pump his tiny penis or he would fill up with pee and die.

 

I admired Mae so much for her focus and determination to keep this little critter alive. When she fed him his first solid food – a strawberry – we were snapping photos as if he’d won an Oscar.

 

first-solids-Illy

 

Wildlife advocates will be barking “Why didn’t you release him to his natural habitat?”

 

We did go through all the steps we learned from The Squirrel Board (yes, there is such a thing!) to get Illy ready for release. CH built him a huge cage and a nesting box, which has a false front room designed to keep him safe from predators once he was on his own.

 

illys-cageHe has a hammock and various stuffed animals to keep him entertained

 

We were supposed to nail this box to a tree in our back yard when the time came. He would be close by in case he still needed us, but could begin his real life in the big wild world full of mammoth hawks, owls, and cars whizzing by ready to cream him into roadkill.

 

nesting-box

 

I asked the experts on The Squirrel Board when his release time should be, based on his calculated age (when they first open their eyes they are right around 5 weeks old.) Six months is the recommended age for release. Winter was approaching here in Florida, so I was advised to keep him until winter had passed. Yes, we do have winter here in Florida!

 

illy-gizmo-unmatchedpjs

 

Here’s the thing:  A winter’s worth of living with a squirrel who will come when his name is called, and will close his eyes in bliss when you give him a massage, is too much time and you won’t want to release him. He has become family. Imagining him trying to survive in the wild, at this point, well, is unimaginable.

 

illy-corks-sparkly-eye

 

Some fun facts, and reasons why we kept Illy:

 

  • He gets two plates of healthy food a day.
  • He stays warm when it’s cold outside and comfy when it’s 90 degrees in the shade.
  • I’m his mommy, and he nibbles softly on my skin and buries his nuts in my sports bra. (I forgot he’d done that one day and went shopping with a visible nut-lump on my left boob.)
  • He drags sheaths of toilet paper, ribbon, and whole pages of newspaper to  his various nests to make them more cozy.
  • He uses the dog’s backs as a springboard as he zips around the house.

 

illy-cracker-chairPlease, can I have some of that cracker?

 

 

And here are answers to the FAQ’s we hear all the time:

 

Do you let your squirrel run around the house?

Yes. The squirrel experts say they need at least an hour a day of exercise outside of their cage. Typically Illy spends about four hours a day wreaking mild havoc in our house.

What about his poop and pee? (The #1 question we’re asked.)

Illy usually has one nice long pee first thing in the morning, and he seems to like shiny surfaces – like countertops – which are easy to clean. And other than on Robert’s’ best t-shirts, Illy seems to mostly pee in his cage. His poops are the size of orzo pasta and are firm, so are easy to dispose of. Yeah, kind of yucky, but not as bad as chicken poop. We had a baby chicken once…

Does he smell bad?

No, squirrels are very clean and I love burying my nose in his fresh, warm fur.

Does he chew things or ruin your furniture?

Yes, now and then. His free time is mostly supervised, so if we yell his name he’ll jump away and find some other entertainment. Or we’ll hand him a piece of driftwood for distraction. Any furniture he has chewed will be sanded and refinished at a later date. We choose to have a pet squirrel. This is a chance we take.

What do squirrels eat?

The most important part of his diet is a recipe I found on the Squirrel Board forum:

Ground up rodent pellets (provides essential vitamins and minerals), pulverized nuts (so he will actually eat the boring rodent pellets) organic coconut oil, a small amount of tapioca pudding, a jar of organic baby food, and a little hazelnut milk. With all the grinding (I have to hammer those fricking rodent pellets for about 20 minutes) and pulverizing, this takes forever, but I’m committed to  his health and well being.

Next in importance are outdoor plants and flowers such as hibiscus, roses, daisies and certain tree branches.

After that he should eat vegetables such as romaine, cabbage, broccoli and bok choy. Just like a kid, vegetables are pretty much last on Illy’s list, but he does love sugary veggies like corn, sugar snap peas, and sweet potatoes. These are given sparingly, as a treat.

And of course, nuts. Surprisingly these need to be rationed as well – too much phosphorus can cause Metabolic Bone Disease. He wants nuts like an addict wants crack. If he hears the “nut drawer” opening, look out.

Does he eat anything he’s not supposed to?

He LOVES Ruffles potato chips. Also Cheetos.

illy-cheetoOhhhh… a Cheeto

How long will he live?

Squirrels in the wild will only live 1-3 years because of predators and cars, but in captivity they can live up to 20! (Robert turned a little pale when hearing that.)

What do you love most about having a squirrel as a pet?

How much he loves me. How first thing in the morning he looks like an old troll with puffy eyes, and will softly, barely, nibble my fingers and tuck his little face into my hand as I whisper to him and gently rub his head and tell him he is my Special.

illy-morning-face

illy-roberts-leg

me-illy-on-my-leg

 

I know, we are freaking weird. And that’s okay. We have this life that is a little quirky, funny, sometimes stressful, but full of light and love, and Illy seems to be very glad to be part of it.

 

 

DISCLAIMER:  We are not promoting or condoning keeping wildlife as pets. Certainly the best scenario in most cases would be to find a certified wildlife rehabilitation center in your area. Our situation is unique and we feel we made the best choice for our individual animal and our ability to provide Illy a comfortable and safe life. In most states it is illegal to keep squirrels as pets. In Florida it is legal. Illy has a veterinarian who specializes in exotic pets and wild animals.

 

 

13 Comments

  1. I love you!! You’re amazing and so is he!!! Oxo

    1. Thanks! We love it when people get us, and appreciate our weird pets. He is pretty special, IMHO!

  2. OMG. That is freaking…awesome!! Your cute pics and charming story makes me want to raise a squirrel with my family! Except maybe the pee-assistance part.

    1. Our pet squirrel IS so awesome, Joe, except for the few negatives (like the one you mentioned, which we kind of forgot about!) He is part of our family. And he might live a very long time. Lots to think about! But in the meantime, you can follow our adventures đŸ™‚

  3. Christine from South Florida Clothiers here – we love this, especially the Cheeto pic!! Thank you so much for directing us to your blog. We’ll be in Key Largo next month participating in the MARRvelous Pet Rescues Holiday Gala, so we look forward to delving into this blog for Keys tips.

    1. Hi Christine! So glad you enjoyed Illy’s story. And I agree about the Cheeto pic – one of my very favorites. He’s such a child! How cool, that holiday gala in Key Largo sounds like fun! Enjoy, and if you have any questions let us know.

  4. How cute that was to see and read.
    I love squirrels. I just met a squirrel here in New Smyrna Beach that a great guy named Tom
    feeds. That squirrel goes to the office to wait for him to finish work. So adorable. Then I saw your story. Thank you for sharing . To cute

    1. Yay I’m glad you found our story about Illy, Cindy! So cute about the squirrel in NSB who waits to be fed. They are very food oriented! Illy will come when I call his name (pretty sure he thinks I have a snack for him.) He was getting kind of fat there for awhile (his favorite are potato chips) but has gotten more active lately and slimmed down some! Thanks for reading the article, and for your comment!

  5. This is too cute! How does your corgi react to Illy? We are longtime corgi owners and our Baxter won’t even tolerate our 2 cats. I bet a squirrel would give him a run for his money! Love your site and blog. Am a FLA native who’s been up in cold DC 20+ years and trying to figure out how to get home to my beaches someday soon!

    1. Hi Leslie, sorry I am only just now seeing your comment (email is supposed to notify me… hmmm…) So funny that your Baxter won’t tolerate your cats! Our Gizmo (and Puppet, our rescue Chihuahua mix) occasionally lunge at Illy, like they seem to know they’re supposed to, but in almost 8 years they’ve never come close to actually getting him. We scold them, and I think they know they’d better not hurt him. (Fingers crossed this continues!) Thank you for your kind words about our blog! I’m working on a fun story right now (life has kept me away from writing lately, but onward!) I grew up in Maryland so I know what you’re dealing with, ugh! Can’t imagine living back up there now. We’ve become spoiled. Get down here ASAP, it’s gorgeous right now!

  6. I enjoyed your story! We had a squirrel, named Francis. She was a hurricane Survivor. We raised and released her and her brother Charlie to The Wilds. For some time afterwards, they would both come back when we called and take peanuts that we would bring home from Texas Steakhouse!

    1. So glad you enjoyed the story Gail! So sweet you were able to rescue Francis and Charlie (hurricanes! clever) and release them. I’ve read that many released squirrels will return to visit their rescue parents! Illy is a permanent member of our family – he’s 8 now. He’s made his current nest on the top bunk in a guest room, in a plush blanket. He naps a lot now but is busy first thing in the morning and again in the afternoon. His favorite thing is to come find me and curl up in my lap for me to pet him. Thanks for reading and commenting!

  7. Pingback:A Squirrel No Longer Lives in Our Beach House - Beaches Bars and Bungalows

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