A Squirrel Rescued From The Side Of The Road Is Now Part Of The Family
Squirrels are some of the most adorable creatures in the animal kingdom. It makes sense that any human with a decent heart would want to help one if it were in trouble. One family in Finland noticed an innocent red squirrel that was nearly lifeless on the side of the road.
Understandably, the family was distraught at the sight of this, but then the little creature showed signs of life. It was the start of a beautiful journey that went from gut-wrenching to heartwarming.
Spotting The Little Red One
A family from Finland spotted an innocent little red squirrel on the side of the road back in 2007. There were no signs of life. They wondered if it had been struck by a car or maybe even attacked by another animal.
The family was heartbroken. They had never come across a baby animal in more need of help. They were determined to do whatever they could to help him survive the condition he was in.
Nursing Back To Health
Their first decision was to take the poor little guy home with them so they could attempt to nurse it back to health. As a caring person, it seems like the plausible thing to do in that situation.
After a few trips to the veterinarian, the tiny squirrel not only began to recover, but he started to show signs of a fully recovered animal. One that wasn't on the brink of death for whatever reason it had been. The family started to take things up a notch...
A Little Bit Of TLC
Much like many things in life, there is nothing a little bit of tender love and care can't fix. The family put in overtime to make sure the little guy was getting the proper attention that he needed.
It wasn't long until he was eager and fascinated with his new surroundings. The family was ecstatic and couldn't get enough of watching what he would do next. It was like he was reborn into the world.
One Major Problem
As sweet as it all was looking, everything that glitters isn't gold. The love and care provided by the family was enough to bring the squirrel back to a healthy state, but there was something wrong.
The happy ending everyone that hoped for was muddled by a discovery. "We realized that his eye would never heal completely and he wouldn't survive on his own," said Reddit user Priami, whose family adopted the squirrel. What did that mean for our little friend's future?
Heartbroken
Naturally, the family was heartbroken to learn that their new pal would never be able to return to his natural habitat. However, there was a silver lining to that discovery. They were more than happy to bring in the critter as one of their own.
He was practically already family to them, so what harm would it be to have him turn into a full-time family member? They just couldn't let him go and who could blame them?
An Official Decision
They made up their minds. The family finally decided to make the squirrel a part of their life by officially adopting him. The next step was to decide a name for their furry little guy.
What name would be best suited for a squirrel do you think? Maximus? Arthur? Maybe even Daniel? They decided to go with Arttu, "pretty much the Finnish version of 'Arthur.'"That name ended up fitting him so well. Big things were in store for little Arttu.
Time To Get Acclimated
Once they decided on a name, the next step was to make sure Arttu was nice and comfortable at his new place of residence. Much like when a friend comes to visit, you want to make sure that he or she feels good during their stay.
Since this was a permanent stay, and because he was an animal that usually isn't domesticated. It wasn't long before they found out that Arttu had quite the personality.
A Jokester
Who would have thought that squirrels could be so funny or have a sense of humor? Clearly, no one, but Arttu was such a jokester according to the family. He would do things that you wouldn't expect animals to do.
"He liked to have playful 'fights' with our hands (you know, like cats do) and he was smart enough not to bite too hard," his new family said. You just have to love an animal with a playful side.
Just Hanging Out
It was like a dream come true for Arttu and his human family. He had a blast all day and every day. The family loved his presence as much as he loved playing with them.
In the moments when Arttu wasn't climbing all over the humans, he would make the most out of their hoodies. One thing he would do is nestle into them and make temporary nests so he could be nice and warm.
The Hungry Squirrel
Not only was Arttu a funny guy, he had a tremendous appetite. When you're spending most of your time wasting energy climbing up people five times larger than you, you will be hungrier than the average squirrel.
To solve this, the family tried many different snacks to see which he would like the most. They were pleased to find out he liked to eat well. They gave him a diet of nuts, fruits, berries, and mushrooms.
Family Time
This little guy just loved being around everyone. It was like he was meant for domestication. He liked munching on his snacks outside with the rest of the family while they enjoyed each other's company.
Obviously, he couldn't speak, but he made it clear with his presence that being around his humans was something he did enjoy very much. He loved every minute spent with them and the family loved every minute with Arttu.
Comfort Became Instinct
Wild animals and humans don't normally blend that well. It just isn't in their nature to be buddies with people and that's common knowledge. However, the exact opposite could be said for Arttu and his family. He had become extremely comfortable with them.
Comfort became instinct with Arttu. No matter where or when, Arttu was able to transform any place into a cozy resting nest that was perfect for his next nap. The hoodies are where it started, but that soon became cupped hands too.
Exploring With Arttu
It's unfortunate that Arttu couldn't roam around the great outdoors like the rest of his species. Climbing huge trees, finding food, and jumping from branch to branch wasn't in his daily life anymore. However, his family helped with that issue.
They really enjoyed taking him outside so that he could climb around as nature originally planned for squirrels to do. As long as he had the proper supervision, everything was fine. Look how happy the little guy looks!
Making Sure He Felt A Little At Home
Imagine being stripped away from your native country but accepted elsewhere wholeheartedly. As good as it is to be accepted, there will always be a part of you that might miss where you came from. Arttu's family wanted to make sure this didn't happen with him.
Whenever it was time for Arttu to come back inside after playing, they let him feel close to his home. That's right, Arttu was allowed to bring back in something from nature. His favorite was pine cones!
Christmas Time!
Can you imagine having a little furry tree climber roam around your house during Christmas time? There's no telling what he might do around the Christmas tree! That's why whenever that holiday came around, the family ensured that the tree was extra protected.
It was only a matter of time before Arttu would climb to the top of the tree! That was just in his nature as a wild animal. What else would you expect?
Smart Little Guy
As it turns out, Arttu was smarter than your average squirrel. That's something you might never hear in your life, but it could be said for this little guy! Although he liked climbing, he soon began to realize something important.
Trees inside the house were way different than the ones he found and loved outside. And he may have realized this, but that didn't stop him from appreciating the ornaments found on the Christmas tree.
A Special Set Of Needs
A cat or dog is usually the standard type of pet to keep. That means animal stores and groomers are better suited to tend to those kinds of animals than, say, a local squirrel you found on the side of the road.
A squirrel has a special set of challenges that come along with the unique joys they bring. Arttu needed to have his nails regularly trimmed due to not living in the outdoors. That itself was quite a task.
Taking It Like A Boss
Have you ever seen those videos on YouTube where the owner is attempting to groom their cat, but the cat just isn't cooperating? That happens with a lot of pets and it's expected. Don't expect it with Arttu.
Many other animals act out of character while they are getting special treatment, but Arttu takes it like a real trooper. He understood the better he acted, the sooner it would all be over with and he could get back to acting like is playful self.
Long Live Arttu
The family found him curled up in a nest looking like he was sleeping. Once they realized he wasn't alive anymore, it was difficult for the family to come to terms with the fact their unexpected family member was gone. No matter how short his life was, Arttu certainly had one for the ages. Neither he or the family could have ever predicted that they would be living under the same roof in unity like they were. It was like something out of a Disney movie.
The family did something touching for the little guy. "We fed other squirrels all the food we had stored for him before he died," they said. They even gave Arttu a little tombstone.
