The release of Zippo the Easter squirrel turned out to be more complicated than we thought it would be.
My MIL called night before last and told the Island King that she had a "humanized squirrel" at her house and that we needed to come and get him.
Hmm.
Zippo was exploring the fig tree and seemed to be doing ok but after a while he saw some neighbor kids in the road and ran out to them.
They thought that was the coolest thing in the world and were just about to pick him up when the neighbor's Boxer spotted Zippo and headed straight for him.
According to my MIL there was a lot of screaming and dog barking so she ran out to see what was happening.
The neighbor made it to Zippo just before the dog did and she put him back in the fig tree but when my MIL got outside Zippo ran straight to her and wouldn't let go.
She put him in his carrier and took him inside but she said he was making these pitiful crying noises so she took him out of the cage and he snuggled up on her chest, stopped crying and went to sleep.
Later that afternoon my FIL tried to put Zippo and his cage back outside but every time he put the cage down Zippo followed him right back to the house.
So we went and got Zippo.
And now he lives here.
He's only a week or so away from being old enough to be without his mom so we're going to release him here.
We've been taking him outside multiple times during the day and each time he ventures a little further away from us. He explores and plays and eats and we watch to make sure nothing gets him.
When he gets tired he comes back to us and we take him inside and put him in the carrier, where he curls up and sleeps for an hour or so.
He's already less cuddly with us and wants to stay outside longer and longer so I think he will release himself fairly soon.
I hope.Labels: Staying
