Allen Pursley never expected to adopt a baby squirrel.
Pursley had two adorable dogs and a cat, and he thought he was done adding furry creatures to his home. But then, Pursley saw a teeny tiny squirrel fall from a tree. Pursley looked for the squirrel’s parents, but he didn’t see anybody in the squirrels’ nest.
The squirrel was so young, it hadn’t even opened its eyes yet. Pursley knew that the squirrel needed medical treatment.
Pursley’s husband took the squirrel to the veterinary clinic where he worked. The squirrel needed 24-hour care if it was going to survive. Since Pursley worked from home, he knew he could provide that care.
“I started spending a lot of time with him. Before the week was up, I was already converting our closet into a space for him, ” Pursley told The Dodo.
Pursley bottle fed the little squirrel, making sure he was getting the nutrients he needed. The squirrel didn’t open his eyes, but he seemed to be getting stronger.
Finally, the squirrel opened his eyes, and the first thing he saw was Pursley. It was love at first sight!
Pursley decided to give the squirrel a name, Rocky. But Rocky also has another funny nickname that he goes by:
“I’m sure he also thinks his name is ‘Bad Squirrel’ with as many times as he heard me say it when I was training him to stay off countertops and drapes.”
At first, Pursley was planning on releasing Rocky back to the wild once he was strong enough. But he waited a bit too long, and he started to worry that Rocky was too domesticated to survive on his own. Rocky also loved being in Pursley’s house, and he showed no desire to go back to the woods.
“I didn’t know what I was doing in the beginning,” Pursley says. “We were just basically trying to keep him alive.”
According to Pursley, Rocky has the temperament of a cat. He plays too rough for the dogs, and he only lets one person hold him: Pursley.
“He doesn’t allow anybody else to handle him,” Pursley says. “My husband can’t handle him either.”
Pursley litter-trained Rocky and taught him not to climb on the drapes. Soon, the cute animal had been housetrained. However, Pursley also wanted to give him the option to live outside, so he built a little home for him in his backyard. But Rocky seems to be happiest inside the house on Pursley’s lap.
Rocky has been living with Pursley for almost four years, and the squirrel is still as happy as can be. Rocky loves his home and his human, and he’s created a great life for himself! If you’d like to see more adorable photos of Rocky, check out Pursley’s Instagram page.
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