pip moves outside.

In my last post about Pip the squirrel, I told you about his move to the back porch.

Well, he had another move just a week later. It wasn’t that he didn’t like the back porch — no, he loved it. He had no desire at all to leave it, as we learned when various people left the screen door open and he never tried to scamper outside.

We learned that Pip much prefers a life of leisure.

 

The problem is, he became a bit too comfortable and began wreaking havoc on our lovely new porch. First it was attacking my hibiscus. Next it was pooping all over the ledges, knocking down my artful branch and vase of greenery. And jumping at anyone who came out on the porch. Certain members of the family love being jumped wildly at by our pet squirrel; others of us do not.

When Amie made a sign for the door I knew enough was enough.

 

So I put my foot down and told David “It’s either him or me.”

Actually I didn’t say that at all, but I did say, “You’ve got to do something about this situation.”

David’s parents had the great idea of moving Pip’s habitat outside to the pavilion. That way he’d have a cozy place to sleep and plenty of food and water, but could come and go outside instead of in the porch.

 

 

It seemed like a solution everyone could live with, so we set about reclaiming our porch . . .

 

. . . with Mum-Mum on Pip duty. Our heartfelt thanks to Mum-Mum, who’s been bravely babysitting grandkids and grand-squirrels since 2007.

 

Don’t you think Pip’s home looks like it was made for the pavilion?

We loaded him up with his special-ordered rodent food, checked on him throughout the afternoon, and tucked him in his little bed in the evening.

But wondered how our little guy would fare in his first night in the great outdoors.

We weren’t the only ones: David’s parents walked straight to the backyard at 7:00 the next morning to make sure Pip survived the night too.

 

He did!

He seems contented enough with his new life out-of-doors, although if he had his preference, he’d be in our house or on our porch.

How do I know this?

 

His favorite hang-out spot is on the kitchen windowsill, where he watches me beseechingly. It’s very unnerving to have a squirrel look deep into your soul as you load the dishwasher.

 

Pip found another favorite spot to sun himself, in the old dryer vent hole. It’s sealed off on the inside, but is apparently just big enough to sit in and relax.

 

Although we’ve seen him scavenge for bugs in the bushes and venture up into our next-door neighbor’s tree, just over the fence, he prefers to hang out on the house or the outside of the porch screen. I guess he just feels like it’s home.

 

In case you’re worried for him in his new life outside, you shouldn’t be. He’s still the most pampered squirrel around, with family members checking on him throughout the day, and snacks of nuts and berries.

 

And thus he’s still very tame. Thankfully he stopped jumping at people, but he enjoys being held and petted. David even wrestles with him, because he feels that, like our four kids, Pip “needs to be toughened up.”

 

The crazy thing is, Pip wrestles back!

Who would have thought a squirrel could bring so much happiness?