My odd 'pet'
 

This is Sandy Cheeks. Those of you that have watched Spongebob will get it...lol. Or Lucky, or 'that rat'.

My kids found him half dead, cold, almost starved one afternoon while walking home from school. How or why they deviated from their normal course, I'll never know, but I'm very happy that they did! My daughter ran home to get me and my son stayed with him to make sure a cat didn't get him. I grabbed a towel and headed out the door, thinking they'd probably found a rat or something, which I still would have tried to save.

I immediately called the wildlife people, and they said to put him back...and what? Let him starve to death? Let a cat eat him? I realize it's the circle of life and all that, but if I have a chance to save a baby, I will.

His eyes were still closed (they opened the next morning) and he didn't have any fight left in him, although he made the motions at first.

He's sorta like a cat/hamster/dog all in one. We realize that he's a wild animal, but he's way too used to human contact and relies on us too heavily to be rewilded. He'd walk right up to a cat and never realize the danger, or a child that would freak out, call daddy and daddy would kill him thinking he had rabies.

He doesn't know how to 'forage', so he'd most likely starve. I know some will say he can be taught, but I'm just scared to do it.

We're working on getting him a huge cage to live in, but for now he does spend ALOT of time out. He drapes himself over the back of the couch (like a cat) to look out the window but freaks out and runs up me to get into my hair when I take him outside. He falls asleep if you rub him, like a dog or a cat.

He plays, literally, plays with you. He'll stand on his back legs and box your fingers like a kitten does. We can't drink coffee around him because he will aggravate you to death trying to get into it. He doesn't do it with other drinks...odd ball...lol.

Kim

What is it? Picture?

Hmmm...I attatched the pic...or thought I did! I'll get it back on in a lil bit, my son's taken over the computer the pics are on :/

Sorry, I thought I put one on there!

Ok, should be there now.

Ohhh a Squirrel!!!! how cute!!!

My mom was telling me that yesterday my Gramma's dog caught a little tiny baby bunny... my sister held it for a while and went to let it go and it died :( poo litle guy!

A pet squirrel, how sweeeet! How long have you had him?

Courtnie, I'm sorry to hear about the baby bunny, that's always so sad :(

Suzanne, we've had him for almost 3 months. From the research I did I think he was around 5 weeks old when the kiddos found him. He's alot of fun!

Courtnie, that's so pitiful about the bunny :( I hate to hear of babies dying. The dog was just doing what came naturally to him though.

Kim

How cute!!

Kim - how adorable! Have you taken Sandy to the vet to get checked out? Maybe the vet can give you some advice on feeding, care and whether he should go back out or not.

mauvaisroux, we decided to rewild Sandy. I thought he was too tame for it, but it turns out the wild came out in him anyway. My husband is pretty sure he saw him yesterday right down the street. He had some hair missing on half of his tail, and he saw a squirrel that matched that description yesterday, and the little guy stared at him for a long time when he stopped the car and called out to him.

I like to think it was him anyways, and that he recognized my hubby :) He said he looked fat and healthy!

I couldn't take him to the vet because it was illegal to keep him. But if he'd NEEDED vet care, I would have taken him. I was willing to deal with the legal stuff rather than put a baby back out there to die, like what was happening with him. He was a very healthy guy, and TONS of research went into making sure he had as good a diet as he could get being kept in a home!

We all miss him, but I'm sure he's happier out there, and we took plenty of pictures and video of him while he was with us!

Kim

That's great news! Seems like you gave the little guy a second chance at life. :)

I would have done the same thing as you. I can't stand to see an animal suffering.

That was an awesome story! I'm glad you were able to see what he needed and put him back in the wild when he was ready. How precious!