Baby squirrels
I haven't used my squirrel icon in a long time. Hell, that bird feeder died 2 years ago. But today was a day for baby squirrels. My neighbor had a nest, the second one in his porch roof. He had blocked it, but apparently not well enough. So along with the next came out 3 adolescent rodents. I didn't realized that was what I was hearing when I heard the sharp squeaking noises this afternoon. I just assumed the kids were doing something. Then I thought it was a bird, then I finally figured it out from what they were saying.
Knowing how boys are, I had to go over. The dad, no fan of any kind of animals sadly, told them to take the tree rats down the street and leave them and the nest in the woods. I knew they would not survive that, and mom would never be able to find them so far away. So I said I'd take them to the cemetery where at least we could feed them maybe… That's what we did with the 3 from a few years ago that lost their mom. But they had a nest at least, these guys wouldn't.
So on second thought, I asked the ACO that I got Muffin from what to do. She said they sounded too small to be on their own, and to leave the box they were in outside to see if mom would come get them, though she also said they were too big for her to move. If mom didn't come, she'd get them tomorrow. So that's what I did.
And lo and behold, mom found the box and carried each one of them out of the box one at a time to wherever. I assume she has a second nest. I know they move the kids a lot, so maybe she moved back to an old one, or into a new one, or hell, just left them on a doorstep. Whatever. The kids next door actually watched her move them too. The middle child, who is the, or was the artist among them, and seems to have the most sensitivity in his own way, was happy that they got back to their mom. It's funny, he's the one I worry will get into drugs and have problems, and at times I think he's brain dead in a way, (not really, but just kind of needs a slap) but at other times he's the most compassionate of all 3 of the boys. There is hope for him.. Just hope he doesn't screw up badly that he cant come back from. So much of that goes around.