It's baby season again, and I brought home my first three of the year -- #17, 18, and 19.... or as they came to be known for the purposes of these posts -- Peter, Paul, and Mary.
You first saw them HERE and HERE --- and they are three weeks later, this is how far they've grown -- eyes open, tails beginning to fill out, still huddled together. Cute and curious they're well on their way. These three weren't sick when we took them in. They had just been found by someone redoing their attic. Despite a little insulation in their noses/mouths, they were easy eaters, well tempered, a breeze.
I returned them to The Center because it appears I've officially lived here long enough to get the horrible allergies associated with the city. They say if you don't have em before you live here it will only be a matter of time until you get them.
Last fall I thought I was suffering from variations of the seasonal colds and a flu that my husband brought home from the office. Since there are no squirrel babies from roughly November till February, I had a break from animal rehabbing and yet, it never cleared up. Now the Oak trees are spreading their filmy yellow-green haze on every surface. So when I brought home Peter, Paul and Mary, I really was struggling to breathe, sneezing, eyes watering...
I was so sad because squirrels had been the one animal (besides reptiles, I imagine) that I don't normally trigger my allergies, but now that I'm stirred up, it's a problem. Then my husband suggested I wear a heavy duty painting mask when I feed them. I look goofy but I do that and I change my shirt from what I'm wearing to a few shirts that I wear only when feeding, so the squirrel scent stays away from my nose. That got me by for a week, which was just long enough that they were able to go on The Center feeding schedule.
Thank goodness all I have to do is drive up the road 15 minutes to The Center to go see how they are progressing. I leave you with one more little look at one of the cuties in the trio of PP&M.... someone is VERY cute and curious.
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5 comments:
You did good by them, Syd. You know that I know how bad the allergies can be and that I hate you have to cut back. But, I am very proud of you for knowing it and taking steps to make yourself get better.
You're allergic to squirrels?
Ellen, I am allergic to everything in life, and as a huge animal lover, that has been a big problem. I'm not a little allergic like lots of people who can have their cat or dog if they just take claritin every day. That's why it was such a miracle that I could handle squirrels.
But now that I am starting to have allergies living here that I have never had before, my system is all stirred up. Once stirred, it's hard to calm down. And so yes, even the squirrels were a problem.
I am now taking daily allegra and using a mask and it seems to be getting much better.
Thanks Suzanne -- I didn't really have a choice. I have been wheezing for months -- all thru Christmas etc... so four months without squirrels and nothing cleared up. That's what made me realize it wasn't triggered by them, or made any better when they weren't around. So I have been seeking treatment.
My husband suffers year round and I feel so bad for him. But he does not have the complications of allergy induced asthma like I do. Anyway, enough boring allergy talk from me! :-)
Adorable Syd. I know I haven't been here as much as I should, but I love the squirrels and your videos of them. I'm hoping you get past the allergies and can get them back, or at least some others soon since you love them so much and because you're so good with them.
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