Evil’s behavior is a bit squirrelly – even for a squirrel: Send us your pet rescue stories - cleveland.com

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STRONGSVILLE, Ohio -- This is a story about Evil, my pseudo pet.

Evil is a young squirrel who has taken up residence in our back yard since last year. Evil used to have three siblings who also roamed the trees in our yard. I named them Tiny, Curly and Mo, but due to Evil’s serious personality disorder, they no longer reside on our property.

Why? Because Evil unmercifully chased, harassed or wrestled with them in the grass on so many occasions I figured they couldn’t take it anymore -- in spite of the free food and water -- so they moved on to safer and more peaceful habitats.

I love Evil in spite of his need for extensive psychiatric intervention or, at minimum, behavior modification training. You see, Evil suffers from little man -- or in his case, little animal -- syndrome.

It doesn’t matter what size animal comes into our yard; he believes he can tackle them all -- deer, rabbit, adult squirrels 50 times his size, birds and chipmunks all fall prey to his “evil” ways.

Any violation of his territory results in swift punishment being meted out without a moment’s hesitation. His reign of terror knows no limits, and his antics keep me entertained for hours. Although I’d like to have a pet like so many others -- one you could hold, pet, take for walks, etc. -- Evil would never go for it. I am lucky he comes running from wherever he hides when he hears me shaking the can of nuts I intend to give to him.

However, the nuts aren’t enough for him to come close. Instead, he sits on a lower branch of one of our blue spruce trees, waiting for me to throw the nuts toward him. And only after I have turned to walk away will he drop down, pick one up, then scamper back up a branch to nibble on the nut as if he is eating an ear of corn.

He holds it in his front paws or feet, whatever they are called in squirrels, and moves the nut back and forth as if he is eating kernels of corn. Once finished, he then dutifully cleans said paws/feet before going back down to get another nut.

He is meticulous to a fault with cleanliness. Oh, if only some children would be that way!

By the way, he also likes little pieces of bread -- but not the crust, which he throws down on the ground after nibbling the center. It reminds me of one of my children when they were younger and I had to cut the crust off the slice of bread before they would eat it. No, I am not going to start cutting the crust off Evil’s bread, too! I worry about Evil, though, since his territorial behavior has limited the potential for a love life. For what “lady” would want a bully for a mate, not to mention one that would be chasing you around the yard and trees all day long?

I guess he will have to be content with his solitary life for now. But who knows -- maybe one day Miss Right will come along and he will mend his “evil” ways!

Joyce Reed, Strongsville

Do you share your life with an animal that is near and dear to you? Tell us something about your pet - all species are welcome - and send along a photo of the two of you. Be sure to tell us which Greater Cleveland community you live in. Send everything to Ann Norman at anorman@cleveland.com.

The Link Lonk


May 27, 2021 at 09:15PM
https://www.cleveland.com/community/2021/05/evils-behavior-is-a-bit-squirrelly-even-for-a-squirrel-send-us-your-pet-rescue-stories.html

Evil’s behavior is a bit squirrelly – even for a squirrel: Send us your pet rescue stories - cleveland.com

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