[Image description: a very wet and very weak squirrel rests in my gloved hand]

This morning while doing garden rounds I heard a squeak from an area near our duck run as I walked past. When I looked down I found this bedraggled looking squirrel who was covered in flies at the time. Moving around the area uncovered no additional squirrels, but I was also not yelled at by any adults.

Having donned gloves, I went back to them and began scanning for any obvious injuries (visual appraisal at first, “no touching!” clear in mind) when it crawled into my hand next to it of its own accord. Trying to place it back on the ground made it cling harder, and I still hadn’t heard any adults so I brought it closer to our animal medical supplies and began working. TW: animal rescue

spoiler

Before drying it off, I donned nitrile gloves and some small forceps to remove fly eggs from its ears and anus and removed a worm that had begun to make its way into the squirrel’s ear. I also checked it over for any cuts or lacerations and checked its limbs for any disfigurement or avoidance response that might indicate further injury

After that was taken care of, the little tyke was dried gently and placed into a tub with some fresh dry fabric before the whole thing was placed part way on a small heating pad. It accepted some milk replacement before resuming a nap in the warmth.

Mr. Nutley got a little rambunctious just shortly after I started typing this all up, and the two of us went back outside together to feel it out. The warm bedding fort was option 1, and the rest of the outdoors was option 2. Thankfully, he chose option 2. But not before running up my arm and around my torso a few times, then pausing with limbs outstretched and looking up at me. Then he went bounding off into the night.

ETA: my wife took some video of us hanging out: https://imgur.com/a/mEDSU7r