Imagine living in a high-rise building in New York City and coming home one day to find a hastily constructed squirrel nest sitting in the middle of your bed. Random, right?
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The man who made this discovery had become the unwitting landlord of two squirrels who’d been orphaned before their eyes had even opened, so he promptly contacted two people who specialize in wildlife rehabilitation.
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Sadly, one of the two Eastern gray squirrel babies died. But Michael and Christina (who won’t reveal their last names since pet squirrels are illegal in New York) did what they could for the one who survived and named her Thumbelina.
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Now, Thumbelina marches to the beat of her own drum. Maybe she would’ve turned out more squirrel-like if she’d grown up like a normal squirrel, maybe not, but we’re guessing her personality was largely shaped by her circumstances.
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(Aren’t those the cutest toes you’ve ever seen?)
Since she didn’t have a biological mother around to teach her the ways of the world, or siblings to socialize with, the fact that she’s a squirrel is pretty much lost on her. But that’s okay, she’s just her own squirrel and Michael and Christina have learned to work with her little quirks.
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“There are people who think if the animal can’t survive outside it should be put down, and we decided that wasn’t going to be an option,”Michael says. “There’s nothing wrong with her, she’s just different.â€
Likes: sugar snap peas, arugula, avocado, spinach.
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Dislikes: that abomination known as the vacuum cleaner, other squirrels, cold weather.
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She’s also probably not a big fan of sharks, but she’ll celebrate Shark Week, and plus that outfit keeps her warm. We could go on and on about all her dislikes, but being terrified of heights and being outdoors are probably among her biggest unsquirrel-like qualities.
She often sunbathes up on the windowsill, but anything above that is definitely outside her comfort zone.
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Okay, so Thumbelina’s not your typical squirrel, but she’s okay with that. And you’ve gotta love her for it. And, of course, because she’s just cute as a button.
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If you want to follow more of her adventures, be sure to check out her Instagram or Facebook page. Share with all the squirrel lovers in your life!
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