[flintknapper]

Speaking of Squirrels, I went down to my shop this morning and a Baby Fox Squirrel comes wandering out from the bushes and starts following me....making this pitiful guttural barking sound.

We had a terrible storm here last Friday...and no doubt he was blown out of his nest. There is no sign of any nest left in the tree, no sign of an adult squirrel anywhere around, and no siblings (that I could find) around the Oak Tree behind my shop.

The Squirrel is about 4-5 weeks old (I'm guessing). He was cold and hungry so I took him up the to the house, washed him with flea soap in warm water, got the hair dryer...and fluffed him up (didn't like that).

Mixed some milk, salt and sugar together and found an eye dropper. Little bugger was definitely hungry. Fed him again a little while ago, and he's sleeping now. I'll get some real formula tomorrow.

Got him in a box with a heating pad in the bottom and an old shirt for him to get under.

He's a melanistic (black) phase Fox Squirrel, kinda cool. He's not black yet...just charcoal colored...but most will turn jet black later.

I'll get some pics of him tomorrow. Mrs. Flintknapper is having a fit over this, she "doesn't want that rat in the house".

But its pretty much just too damn bad, cause I'm not going to let the Squirrel die out there until it can at least fend for itself.

Gotta think of a name for him though (something that rhymes with Squirrel).