There's Something About Mary

Get ready for a dose of sweetness. I just melt into a puddle when I see these movies. Baby squirrel season is long over... it won't come again until Fall, but now I get to sort through various pictures and little video clips I've taken along the way. Too busy while they're in my charge to do it. It's just the most enormous privilege and I still can't quite believe that I get to care for these darling little beings. I dare you to look at these and call them Tree Rats!

I had a trio I've written about. Like any rehabber, I don't name them, because they're wild animals, not pets, and I'm just a temporary caregiver, there to serve their health and growth for a short time until they can be released back into nature. But for the purposes of telling a story on the blog, I usually attach names to animals and in this case, I called this one Mary -- as she was part of a trio with two brothers (Peter and Paul, natch). It's easier to read about PP&M than # 18 19, & 20 isn't it?

I've had infant squirrels, eyes as yet unopened, who lift up their little noses when I've raised the lid of their tank to peer in. Even if they are in a dead sleep, it seems the squirrel's highly developed sense of smell (which later serves them in locating nuts they've buried, even if the ground is covered with snow) lets them know "mom" is there. And since they don't interact with me for the most part except at feeding and cleaning time, mom really means MILK.

But there was something about Mary... she did something to-die-for cute, which was to start smacking her little mouth in anticipation when I'd lift her up. I got the camera one morning and managed to catch it. Here, I'd just put her brother who I'd just finished feeding into a fleece lined bowl with the other brother who I'd fed first. Mary was in a deep little sleep (they look like such angels) and like any sleepy baby, was not sure she wanted to get up for breakfast. I stroked her nose to try to give her a little warning. But once I lift her up she realizes what's happening and does her uh-dorable little smacking thing.

AND NOW YOU CAN SEE THESE MOVIES FULL SCREEN FINALLY!!!! Just click the little arrows in the lower left corner of the screen below.



Aaaaaahhhh so cute! Those little paws pushing out, like Heeeey wait, where are we going? Then a little clip of her sweetly drinking:



A few cc's later and she is conked out, trusting, innocent, peacefully sleeping in my hand. And you have NO idea how utterly soft and feather light these little ones are. And that thin little tail, curling up on reflex. I could watch these 1000 times, while my heart swells and a plethora of little cartoon hearts float around my head.



WHAT'S NOT TO LOVE?

Progress

In a matter of one week, Peter Paul and Mary's ears have come unpinned and have sprouted what will become little white tufts of oh-so-soft hair behind them. Hair on their chinny chin chins is getting longer and their bellies have gotten fuzzier. Their eyes continue to develop as two of them reacted by squeezing their still closed eyelids together when I blew on them or if I have them in bright light. They sleep and eat and really don't do much else at this stage. Soon they will be awake for parts of the day and crawling around, testing their legs.

But I did notice that in just 5 days, their bottom two teeth are now visible. Get ready for the picture (albeit blurry)...


I know. Little darlings. I have such love for these babies! Just like taking a walk under the blue sky and brilliant sunshine makes me aware that there really is something more going on in the universe than I remember when running around in daily life, when I tenderly care for these sweet little beings, well, this will tell you what I mean:

A woman approached the great Indian saint, Ramakrishna, and said:

‘I find that I do not love God. The concept does not move me.’

He asked her “Is there nothing in the world that you do love?”

And she said ‘Yes, I love my little nephew.’

Ramakrishna replied

“There He is.”

~~ Unknown ~~