A lot of people don’t like squirrels. They are, after all, disease-ridden rodents that destroy bird feeders, dig up gardens, dash maniacally through street traffic, and chew through EVERYTHING—your gardening tools, your patio furniture, your wooden deck, your cable wires, your house, etc., etc.
But a lot of people DO like squirrels, and I get it! They’re super adorable, with their big, fluffy tails, incredible athleticism, and a tenacity that is admirable (if not appreciated). I’m largely pro-squirrel myself, and I’m delighted by how much squirrel-related content has gone viral this year.
If you like squirrels (or if you’re willing to reconsider your anti-squirrel stance), then the links below will give you the furry, funny, and free-spirited pick-me-up you need to get through another day of the year 2020.
Engineer Mark Rober Builds the Perfect Squirrel-Proof Bird Feeder
The former NASA engineer Mark Rober has 12.8 million YouTube subscribers for a reason. His clever engineering and science-themed videos run the gamut from glitter bombs for porch pirates to testing if sharks can smell a drop of blood to fiendishly clever hi-tech Halloween costumes.
But my absolute favorite of his engineering marvels to date is the American Ninja Warrior-style squirrel-deterrent obstacle course he designed to protect a newly-installed bird feeder from various squirrel adversaries. In the 21 minute video, Rober introduces us to the squirrel “competitors”, a wily quartet of determined rodents who climb, leap, tumble, and cleverly navigate their way through to the ultimate squirrel reward: a bird feeder with a bonus haul of walnuty goodness.
If you make it to the end of the video without a begrudging respect for these persistent, crafty, and spunky rodent athletes, then may Phat Gus eat all of the seed in your insufficiently booby-trapped bird feeders.
Human Joseph and Petiña the Squirrel: BFFs 4 EVA
Joseph rescued Petiña the Squirrel on 9/30/18 when she was 4 weeks old. Although Joseph wanted her to live free in the wild again, Petiña refused to leave and keeps coming back to her rescuer. This video from The Dodo shares their beautiful friendship and shows how much affection a squirrel can give when her human makes her feel safe and loved. If you can’t get enough of Petiña and Joseph, follow them on Instagram @babygirlbabysquirrel.
More BFF Squirrel Friend Stories: From South Africa to Bob Ross
And here’s another beautiful squirrel-human friendship story from South Africa. Human Simone saved a baby squirrel after the squirrel fell out of a tree and was abandoned. Simone named her Dingetjie and successfully reintroduced her to the wild after a few months, although Dingetjie would frequently return for visits with her human. And in the ultimate sign of love and trust, Dingetjie returned when she was pregnant to give birth in a home that she knew would be safe for her babies. Follow on Instagram @dingetjiethesquirrel.
And did you know Bob Ross was such a huge fan of squirrels that he had his own squirrel BFF named Peapod? Ross nursed orphaned squirrels back to health outside his Orlando home and spoke frequently of squirrels on The Joy of Painting—although he never painted one on the show. Ross and Peapod were so endearing that nearly 25 years after Ross’s death, an illustrated children’s book was published to commemorate their friendship: Bob Ross and Peapod the Squirrel.
Picnic Tables for Squirrels: The Ultimate Backyard Accessory
Now that you have been properly indoctrinated into loving squirrels (and/or begrudgingly respecting them), why not give them somewhere nice to hang out in your backyard?
Rick Kalinowski of Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania, has been credited with starting a quarantine trend—no, not that one—by building miniature picnic tables for squirrels! A plumber and HVAC contractor by trade, Kalinowski had extra time on his hands when his contract work dried up, so he built a miniature picnic table for squirrels and shared it on social media. The squirrel-sized table went viral, and Kalinowski received so many orders that he started his own Etsy shop. Now Squirrelly Treasure Co sells picnic tables in various styles, corn cob mounts, squirrel family nesting boxes, and DIY kits for crafty folks who ALSO have too much time on their hands.
Believe it or not, Kalinowski wasn’t the only one with the brilliant idea to make miniature picnic tables. The Squirrel Projects makes them too, as do several Etsy sellers. There are also lots of online DIY videos and tutorials for a variety of squirrel picnic table designs.