Miss Bonnie McSquirrely

12/18/2024

Miss Bonnie in Big Apple

12/11/2024

My squirrely sardines 😍🫶🐿️

I'm pretty sure there are 3 of them snuggling inside.
Bonnie, Katy and Bella have been all sharing the house at night despite their differences. There's so much drama when they go to bed tho 🫣 OMG. Bella ended up with a bloody nose a couple days ago, and I'm pretty sure it was thanks to Katy. She can be such a bish sometimes. I guess she's acting aggro to show off she's the big sis, but I really have a soft spot for Bella. She's so sweet and innocent, and just wants to sleep with her momma. I think she was the one constantly giving Bonnie kisses as a baby while her brother would just eat and sleep.

Love watching them sleep together and it's hilarious when all 3 of them come out of the house in the morning yawning and stretching. Squirrels are just so cute! 😍🐿️

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*** Use code MISSBONNIE15 for 15% off any squirrel houses and/or feeders from website ***

12/08/2024

Sweet little Bella 😍

It's hard to notice the size difference between her and mom Bonnie, especially with all the winter fur, however she's not fully grown yet and I can definitely feel it when I pet them back to back. Bella jumps and climbs on me so eagerly I started to confuse her with Bonnie 😄 She's a real love bug and I hope she remains close and friendly.

Also, interestingly with all the brushing Bonnie gets, Bella's coat feels a lot more smoother, almost silky. I guess because it's still her baby fur?

12/08/2024

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12/03/2024

Mexican squirrel at the Chapultepec Forest 😍🇲🇽🐿️

12/01/2024

11/27/2024

Saw my first squirrel in Mexico.
Beautiful, calm and surprisingly quiet for a squirrel 😄😍🐾🐿️

11/22/2024

11/21/2024

Bonnie's favorite place to eat in the house 😄❤️🐿️

11/05/2024

"I've never seen worrying about anything change it, so I decided not to do it."
- Willie Nelson

11/04/2024

I couldn't say it any better 💔🐿️🦝

We have been receiving a lot of emails and tags about A Squirrel Named Peanut. Some articles have been drawing parallels between what happened with Nibi and what just happened with Peanut.

I want to share my personal thoughts and opinions on the situation, as many have asked.

First and foremost, when I found out Peanut was euthanized, my heart was broken for his family. That squirrel did not deserve what happened to him. The enforcement team that was sent in to collect wild animals should have been wearing proper protective equipment - especially if they had concerns about rabies.

This squirrel had not been out in the wild in seven years and squirrels aren’t a rabies vector species so the chances of it having rabies were extremely slim. Anyone who works for the state handling wildlife should already be vaccinated for rabies as well. It doesn’t look good when you are taking a squirrel from this man because he isn’t licensed to care for it and then you don’t handle it correctly and get bit - causing the forced euthanizing of this animal. It doesn’t make the DEC look like the “experts” in this situation.

If you consider that, since rabies surveillance began in 1992, New York has NEVER identified a squirrel with rabies - this seems especially unnecessary.

That being said, when you add the raccoon into the situation, things get a little more complicated. I believe, the raccoon is what really pushed the state to get involved and made it more of a public health risk.

Raccoons are a rabies vector species and, if the raccoons and squirrel were interacting with each other, that could raise chances of a transmission. Though, raccoons eat squirrels so I am doubtful these two were playing together. I don’t know the particulars, just speculating here.

There are a lot of conclusions that could be drawn from what happened with Nibi. My biggest concern in what happened with her was the take away. Everyone can have a different take away from a situation. I feared some people would decide that they want their very own baby beaver as a pet. I was honestly terrified that I may be responsible for some people making the decision to keep wild animals as pets. It’s a hard balance to show people how amazing these animals are and how they deserve our respect and consideration without making people want to possess them.

The idea of taking healthy wild animals and keeping them confined for their whole lives makes me so sad. These animals deserve to be free. Every year we receive wild animals people tried to raise on their own and frequently these animals have health issues because of incorrect diets. Sometimes they are morbidly obese from not being able to run and climb as much as they would out in the wild.

Permanent placement for these animals really should be a last resort, when all other options have been exhausted. Licensed wildlife rehabilitators really should be called when you find orphaned or injured wildlife.

Raccoons frequently carry a roundworm that is different from the ones dogs and cats carry. It’s called Baylisascaris procyonis and it can be deadly to other wildlife, pets and humans. Though raccoons live with the worm just fine, because they are the preferred host, if the worm gets in another animal or a human, they can cause severe brain damage and even death. The eggs of this worm are microscopic and bleach doesn’t kill them. The eggs can live up to 10 years and fire is literally the only method we know of to get rid of them. So having a wild raccoon running around your home really isn’t safe and shouldn’t be glorified. It could cause a lot of people and animals to get hurt. Peanut was certainly at risk living in close quarters with a raccoon, if that was the case.

I can tell from watching videos that Peanut was well cared for and clearly loved very much. That being said, I admittedly don’t agree with the family keeping Peanut and Fred as pets, though I believe his family’s hearts were in the right place and they were genuinely trying to help.

These animals deserved to be with an experienced wildlife rehabilitator so they had the best possible chance of release back into the wild. Once we start glorifying keeping these wild animals in people’s homes, we are going to have lots of animals trapped in doors that just want to roam free. Though it may be popular opinion that this would be fun, I can’t get behind that. It’s not what’s best for them. We worked with many professionals on Nibi and we only took her in because we were licensed to do so and had the proper facilitiy and veterinarians to give her the care she needed.

I’ll end with this though…

6 armed men sent to collect a raccoon and a squirrel is ridiculous, to put it mildly. New York’s wildlife rehabbers don’t grab 5 of their closest friends and a bunch of guns when they go out on calls to rescue wild raccoons. Rehabbers don’t have the funds or resources. A large percent of your rehabbers are female too. It’s typically a single woman with a catch pole that removed that potentially rabid raccoon from the public.

This feels like it was less about logic and more about ego. Less about protecting the public and more about putting this family in their place. Less about what was best for the animals and more about a show of force. There were many, many ways the state could have handled this situation. This was absolutely the worst possible way.

The reality of the situation is, killing Peanut didn’t make the problem go away. That was the worst thing they could have done on a logical, moral and emotional level. The state of New York just made a martyr out of that squirrel.

He’s more powerful than ever now…

10/26/2024

It's that time of year again - when people yell at strangers on the internet about proper pumpkin care and wildlife health.

Things to consider this spooky season regarding your delicious orange porch snack, aka, your decorative pumpkin:

✨ Remember: Critters will likely eat (or at least nibble on!) your carved jack-o’-lanterns. Squirrels, raccoons, deer, moose, foxes, mice and insects might feast on the tasty treat you left out near your front door. “How nice of you!” they probably think as they eat their weight in slimy pumpkin goodness.
✨ Painted pumpkins can make for an easier way to create a fun or creepy jack-o'-lantern. However, a painted pumpkin can potentially be toxic to wildlife if they eat it. If you choose to paint your pumpkin, please keep it indoors and away from any critters who might feast on its painted flesh. You can also explore nontoxic paint options made with natural ingredients when possible.
✨ In recent years, social media users have posted various “tricks” to keep a carved pumpkin from rotting so quickly. Keep in mind that letting nature take its course is always an option. Carved pumpkins are eventually going to decompose one way or another. Always follow the directions of any product you’re applying to a pumpkin for your safety and others’ (including wildlife!).

Check out the comments to see more tips on how to keep pumpkins safe for wildlife.

Graphic by USFWS

10/25/2024

NC State Fair 2024 ✅

My main objective this year was getting the NC Wildlife Resources Commission flying squirrel button and after what felt like an hour long scavenging adventure with my husband I GOT IT! 😁👍
I've been coming to the state fair for years, but up until about a week ago I didn't even know these buttons existed. Ironically, it was introduced back when I was born, in 1981, and apparently it's been a favorite collectible for N.C. State Fair attendees since. Who knew?! 🤔

This weekend is your last chance if you want to pick up this cute free souvenir and maybe even learn something new about our wonderful NC State wildlife, such as the adorable Northern and Southern squirrels. Find it at the NC Wildlife Law Enforcement booth at the Safety City outdoor area near Gate 10.

While at the fairgrounds of course I had to stop and say hello to the mighty oaks and appreciate their beauty. It's acorns dropping season so be careful walking through the garden displays. I almost got hit on the head and yes, OF COURSE I picked some for Miss Bonnie 🤫😉🐿️

After checking out the garden and flowers displays I went to try one of this year's new food items from Neomonde Mediterranean Raleigh and these guys never disappoint! I asked for a vegetarian version of Kale Me Shawarma with Falafel instead and WOW! Loved the crispy kale and all the textures and flavors topped with their homemade beet sauce! If you're vegetarian this is my go to spot at the fair 😋👍 Also, I didn't take a picture but don't skip on Betty's Bouza Lebanese stretchy ice cream! I don't know how they do it but it's so cool and delicious!

Before we took the sky ride back to the parking lot I wanted to try famous Peachey's Baking Co donuts but their line was ridiculously long!!! 😵‍💫 Influencers ruin everything and you can say all you want but no donuts on Earth are worth waiting in line for that long! Instead I opted out for and tried the famous strawberry lemonade interactive donut. It comes with additional lemonade you can inject yourself 😄🍋🍓🍩😋 Next time I'm getting one to share. These bad boys are BIG and after finishing it I had no room left!

Until next time! 😘🎡🐿️

10/15/2024

Squirrel growls sound so cute and funny imo

Bonnie didn't like her daughter, Miss Katy, interrupting her dinner. Squirrels will growl at each other, just like dogs do, especially while they're eating. ...