Baby Squirrel Update!

Warning: This post contains WAY TOO MANY adorable photos of baby squirrels.

Kevin & Kathy at my office!

In early September, I blogged about Kevin and Kathy, the two orphaned baby squirrels who fell from their nest in my backyard tree. If you've followed by blog or Instagram for any length of time, you may already know that Paul and I are kind of like squirrel whisperers. Ha! For the past four years, always around this same time of year, orphaned baby squirrels have come into our lives. The first two also fell from our backyard tree, and the third (last year's Gertrude) was found in Overton Park by my neighbor. Of course he brought her to my doorstep!

They've all been successfully raised to adulthood and released into the wild (aka my backyard). This year is the first that we've had multiples! It's definitely twice as much work. Kevin and Kathy were in a nest of four that fell from my tree after a storm. Their two siblings were already dead, but Kev and Kat were hanging on. We nursed them to health, and now they're rambunctious little teens wrecking havoc in my bathroom.

Kathy's first picture with her eyes open!

Kevin only had one eye open for a few hours before the other popped open

When they're tiny babies, they eat formula every four hours, so they came to work with me at that time. They were so innocent and sweet then, sleeping most of the day. At that stage, I kept them in a small cat carrier. Around the same time Paul and I were leaving for Atlanta a couple weeks back, they were starting to get more active. Luckily, my parents were able to squirrel-sit that weekend!

Kevin's first bath!

Kathy's first bath!

Baby Kathy!

When I picked them up from my parents after our return, they were SO MUCH BIGGER. In only four days! Once they're at that active stage, I let them run loose in my master bathroom. I change out my good shower curtain for a cheap-o one that I don't mind getting clawed (they love to climb shower curtains). And I move all of my makeup and stuff off the counter so it doesn't get peed on. I have two bathrooms in my house, thank goddess.

They made a nest in the bathroom trash can.

One day, we found Kevin hiding inside the plunger.

Kevin chilling on the toilet

They're currently still on formula twice a day, but they're also eating shelled nuts (they LOVE pecans!), sweet potatoes, green beans, broccoli, grapes, apples, carrots, and corn. Each morning, after their formula feeding, I set out a plate of fresh snacks and they go wild all day. When I come home from work in the evening, the bathroom floor is littered with nut crumbs and bits of fruit and vegetable. And poop. So much poop.

Their first pecans!

Kathy eating a sweet potato

Kevin is a messy eater.

Their personalities are really coming through now. Kathy is the hellion. She's super-brave and fears nothing. She loves to jump on people and perch on shoulders (or play with my hair!). She has to eat first or else she'll push Kevin's head away from the bottle! 

Kathy holds up her left paw when she's ready to pounce!

Kathy on Paul

Kathy on me

Kevin, however, is super-sweet and a little shy. He isn't big on climbing people and would rather chill out and eat nuts. Kevin LOVES to eat. He's such a cute little chunk!

Silly baby Kevin eating on his back like a weirdo

They'll be 10 weeks old on Tuesday, and they're ready for release at 12 weeks. So we only have a couple more weeks with these babies! And that's okay! Love them, but I'll also be pretty stoked to have my bathroom back. I'll update y'all when it's time for release.

By the way, if you ever find a baby squirrel and need advice, I'm here for you! Also, here is the website I use. It's filled with everything you need to successfully raise and release a baby squirrel.