Orphaned squirrels saved by a Verdigris family

Bethany, Emily and Tommy Huguenard of Verdigris in Rogers County have been caring for three orphaned squirrels for the past few weeks. <br/><br/>News on 6 reporter Rick Wells sat down with the kids to

Wednesday, September 21st 2005, 10:17 am

By: News On 6

Bethany, Emily and Tommy Huguenard of Verdigris in Rogers County have been caring for three orphaned squirrels for the past few weeks.

News on 6 reporter Rick Wells sat down with the kids to talk about their adventure, and find out what they plan to do with them now.

Rosie one of three orphaned squirrels the Huguenard's have been caring for since last month. Rosie was really squirrel number 2, the first was Chippy, and they found Chippy at the base of a tree. He had apparently been knocked out of the nest. Kim Huguenard: "When we found little Chippy we were desperate, because I didn't know how to take care of Chippy."

They contacted a rescue group Wild Heart Ranch and got some advice. A few days later a family cat was tracking something in the yard and Kimâ€™s daughter, Emily found another baby squirrel, she named Rosie. "I said Forest, I thought of Jingles, then I thought of Rosie." They were very small and barely alive.

The girls fed them milk with eye droppers and syringes, now they've pretty much moved on to almonds and acorns. A family friend found a third baby and named it Pineapple. Bethany Huguenard: "Really Rosie and Pineapple are about the same age, but Rosie's just gonna be a small squirrel, she just so precious."

Whether the presence of the two family dogs or just all the extra handling, Pineapple made a break for freedom and headed up the tree. Emily went up after; well Pineapple's a squirrel but had never been up a tree like this so she headed back down again. 4 year old Tommy, who'd been waiting all afternoon for his moment in the spotlight, jumped in and made a dramatic rescue.

The kids plan to begin releasing the squirrels later this week. Because they already have two dogs and several cats, the Huguenard family felt it would be safer for the squirrels if they released them in a wooded area near Rogers State University in Claremore.