🐿️ A Brave Little Squirrel’s Daily Struggle

9 days ago

This is a small squirrel we’ve been caring about for quite some time now. Sadly, its back legs were injured last year — we believe it may have been caused by contact with an electric fence. I shared its story before, but seeing it still survive today makes every moment worth telling again.

Despite its condition, this little fighter continues to adapt and live its life with surprising determination.

🌿 Today’s Menu

For today’s meal, it started with two oak acorns, followed by eight peanuts. But what really caught our attention was its unusual choice for dessert — it happily munched on bright pink hibiscus flowers from the neighboring garden.

Interestingly, none of the other squirrels seem interested in these flowers. Squirrels aren’t typically known for pollination either, so it made us wonder… perhaps the stems carry a hint of sweetness that attracts it.

Nature always has its own mysteries.

🍃 A Surprisingly Diverse Diet

Over time, we’ve observed that squirrels have a much more varied diet than most people think. From nibbling on the green leaves of vygie succulents (Ice Plant family) to enjoying berries and even cocktail tomatoes from nearby gardens — they truly are opportunistic feeders.

And of course, nuts remain their favorite.

I still remember when we first moved here and I used to collect macadamia nuts early in the morning — otherwise, the squirrels would beat me to it! Still, I always made sure to leave some behind for them. Fair is fair, after all.

🐾 A Touch of Personality

Every now and then, another squirrel appears nearby, almost as if it’s questioning us:

"Hey… what about me? Why does this one get special treatment?"

And honestly, it does feel like favoritism sometimes.

But deep down, we know… this little injured one needs it more.

❤️ Watching, Waiting, Hoping

It doesn’t visit us daily anymore — now we see it only two or three times a week. Following a wildlife vet’s advice, my wife carefully monitors how much it eats each time.

If it ever starts eating less… we’ll have to make a difficult call.

And we know what that could mean.

That’s why every time it finishes its food, we feel a quiet sense of relief… even happiness.

🌅 Preparing for Winter

Instinct is still strong within it.

Even with its disability, the squirrel has started burying peanuts — preparing for the colder days ahead. Beneath the hibiscus bushes lies a patch of soft sand, and in the early morning sunlight, it stretches out flat, warming its tiny body.

It prefers this gentle warmth over the hard paving.