Five Weeks

Day 1, five short weeks ago:

Five weeks later, and the change is incredible! I think I mentioned that Kevin's cage has been moved to his own room so he can enjoy daily out-of-cage time. He's a timid guy, and his comfort zone is still his cage. He enjoys a little time out, but only if The Momma is his tree and stands still right beside the cage with all the doors wide open. Each day he gets a little braver and goes a little farther, but only if I stay by the cage. A lot of my handling of him right now happens inside his cage where he's comfortable.

Lots of wrestling with Pinkie and with The Momma....

And in case you're wondering, this is what wrestling with and being a tree for a squirrel does to your hands & arms...from little claws, not teeth. And this was a few days ago; they're much worse now, but I love every minute of it.

Eating his Healthy Block, and he's actually eating them now and not just shredding them and leaving the mess for me to clean. Yeah, he's a chunky monkey!

Little Monster got his first taste of a treat, though only about three little bites--a strawberry, and the best part is I picked it myself off a strawberry plant I'm growing.

And here he is on the outside and at the top of his cage. Silly me put lots of fun little activities for him on the floor of his room--Little Monster isn't interested in down; he only wants to go up, up, up! The room is getting redone with things that will encourage climbing and jumping, skills that will serve him in the wild.

And much to my delight, he still wants to snuggle & cuddle at bedtime--he just wants to do it inside his cage. This was last night, and he was sound asleep.

The time is coming, I know, when he won't want to be in his cage, he won't wanna wrestle with me, and he probably won't wanna snuggle at bedtime. So I'm enjoying these moments while I can.