My Father: The Animal Loving Naturalist.....

Has been trapping (humanely) and releasing squirrels from a friend's yard for a few weeks now. You have to see this yard to believe the quantity of squirrels it contains, and they have been seeking entrance into the house of late. We all laugh and make fun, but I digress...

Today, he asked if I minded going with him (with the kids) to pick up the trap and release the squirrel at a park a few miles away. I was game (no pun intended).


We got the squirrel, who was quite a chubby little fellow, and put him and the trap in the back of the car. He started the ride out by shaking wide eyed in the back. Pretty soon, it being quite cold (29 degrees), he realized he was in a pretty good spot and fell asleep flat on his belly, legs sprawled out, in the warmth of the car. We arrived at the park and my dad and the kids got out to release him. Damned if he didn't want to go. All of the other squirrels ran for their lives back to the woods. This one nuzzled his head into the floor of the cage and wouldn't budge...my dad tipped the cage...he clung on...by dad tipped the cage upside down...he clung on for dear life, the only thing moving being his tail. My dad banged on the cage...nope, not moving. So my humane father and my equally humane daughter took a stick and poked him (gently) in the belly, hoping he would let go...Mind you this is going on 40 or so minutes (I'm in the car, tears of mirth clouding my line of sight) ...and he ain't leaving. finally, in a final act of humaneness...my dad shook the hell out of the cage, shouting obscenities until he let go and fell, stunned, to the ground. I wish I had a video camera. :hi:

:thumbsup:

Btw, did you get the tooth fairy thing all worked out? Hope so.

:hi:

And then Daddy gave him another dollar to make up for the inconvenience.

One time my son lost his tooth in the sand playground at school. You can imagine how distressed he was at NOT having an actual tooth to put under his pillow. I explained that a well-written note would probably suffice and sure enough, it did!

The Tooth Fairy can be VERY understanding... :)

;) My daughter threw hers away at school once and much the same thing happened. I talked with her teacher and somehow an envelope with my daughter's name on it and payment of the tooth ended up in her desk. ;) The tooth fairy is very good at finding errant or missing teeth. :hi:

:rofl:

I love that squirrel!!

My father is a never say die kind of guy though.

:D

best story I've read today. :D

:)

...I was further along than 15 weeks, I might have gone into labour from laughing so hard!

How are things going for you? The middle stages were always my favorite. You feel somewhat good, cute little tummy...movements. Almost makes me want to be...nahhhh! I'll rejoice for you though. Happy and healthy rest of the way!

...although I'm still falling asleep at the computer, and haven't felt well enough to go work out.

No movements yet, and I just look fatter (I'm overweight to begin with).

I've got my amnio scheduled for next Monday.

Although I have a good feeling that all is well. :hi:

because I was laughing out loud at that one!!!

What a great story!

Sadly, the smaller creatures that seek shelter in our house get eviserated and presented for my approval...

giggling all over again. Our Sheltie is frightened of squirrels, and our fat boy Merlin (cat) has never experienced the great outdoors...well once, but he took two steps then ran back in.

Relocating a wild animal simply increases population pressure on the land where it is put. The logical consequence is that either the relocated squirrel or another one will be displaced and starve. Rodents multiply until they completely occupy an area. Relocating one is about the same as picking up a person and randomly dropping him or her into another state and expecting that person to live there.

Squirrels are basically tree rats. They are not endangered and they survive by reproduction and replacement rather than preservation of the individual. If you have problems with infestation, try spring rat traps next time.

That was a buzzkill.

the cows would live to be 40, the chickens would all die natural deaths, and he would be a broke man. I guess he'll just have to content himself with ruining the environment...not to mention the squirrel's chances. What the hell, we've got enough PCB's in our lake to kill and squirrels that live here...so the park has got to be just as good.

The nicer you are to them, the more they want to stay with you. It's tough having that kind of animal magnetism. I have it. I know what it's like. And yes, that is a hilarious story. I loved it. Next time, please, take a video camera. :rofl:

camera. Things have a way of never working out quite right.

This is my Dad:

And we are overrun with them.
Especially now that we don't have a dog or cat.
Our cat used to hunt 'em down and bring 'em home.
Don't know where they hole up during storms.

I wouldn't mind them if they'd dig all those acorns back up.
Want some oak seedlings?
We have hundreds.

Oh yeah, and they chewed the insulation off my truck wires...TWICE.
Can your dad come to our house?

These squirrels had chewed the phone wires, one electricuted itself chewing through a cirucuit. The place is a mess because of them. We have them too, but not nearly as bad (no oak trees). The delight in scaring the hell out of our Sheltie. :hi:

:woohoo:

for every day I've had with him as my dad. Thanks Beaverhausen. :hi: