Wildlife In Texas
People in Texas are used to being surrounded by all kinds of wildlife. If you live in the Lone State Star, then that probably means you're quite used to coming across snakes, coyotes, and even armadillos in your very backyards.
This being said, it's definitely not strange at all if you ever spot squirrels strutting around your garden. On the contrary, this is pretty much a daily occurrence in rural Texas!
Baby Squirrel
Allen Pursley's life changed completely when a helpless baby squirrel suddenly fell from a tree. It was so young that its eyes hadn't even opened yet!
Since it was under five weeks old, the poor baby demanded constant care and was thus rushed to a nearby veterinary clinic. It was in such a delicate state that it was touch and go whether it would survive.
Allen's Husband Worked At The Clinic
The veterinary workers took turns caring for the rescued animal and they would even take him home with them. The plan was to release him back into the wild once he were healthy enough.
Coincidentally, Allen's husband, Tim, happened to work in the very same vet clinic where the baby squirrel was sent to. Just like the rest of his coworkers, he would also take the squirrel home and look after him once ever few days. But what happened next will surprise you!
Allen Had Spare Time
When it was Tim's turn to bring the baby squirrel home to spend the night, Allen was the one who looked after him. But why him and not his husband? After all, Allen was no vet!
While his husband worked long shifts and would come back late from work, Allen always worked from home, so he had lots of spare time to take care of the furry little creature. Besides, he was a true animal lover, so he couldn't have been happier!
The Rascal Needed To Be Hand-Fed
Looking after the baby animal was easier said than done. Since the squirrel was too young to feed by itself, Allen needed to feed him a special formula by an oral syringe.
Even though he had no experience as a vet, Allen tried his best to keep the squirrel alive. "I didn't know what I was doing in the beginning," he said. Even though he already had a few more pets at home to look after, he did his best taking care of the squirrel!
He Slept All Day
The couple already had to dogs and a cat, so their hands were kind of full. However, the baby squirrel still hadn't opened his eyes so he needed to remain with his human hosts for a while.
Taking care of him wasn't all that difficult, though, cause just like babies from most species, he would spend most of his day sleeping and eating. As time passed, however, Allen started to realize something...
Allen Realized Something
After spending quality time with the baby squirrel everyday, Allen realized they had formed a close bond. And when the squirrel first opened his eyes a few days later, it was love at first sight!
Vets usually say that animals grow attached to the first creature they see upon opening their eyes, so would this mean that the squirrel would feel that Allen was his father? Or his trustworthy friend, maybe?
The Little Animal Was Growing
To the vets' relief, the squirrel kept making progress as the weeks went by. But while Allen was also relieved, he wasn't sure about what to do next!
The squirrel was still far from ready to fend for itself, but was Allen willing to keep a wild animal at home for such a long time? Although the cutie didn't cause too much trouble, he and his husband were definitely not expecting to get a squirrel as pet!
He Took The Next Step
As time went by, Allen and the squirrel started growing on each other. As they started becoming more inseparable, Allen took the next step.
The squirrel had basically become a part of the family, so he surely needed a name! He named the squirrel Rocky, after the cartoon Rocky & Bullwinkle. This tightened their bond for sure. But what happened next?
Pet Names
Naming him was just the beginning. It wasn't long before Allen and his husband started coming up with all sorts of nicknames, such as Squirrelito, Sweet Squirrel and Squiggidy-Boo.
On top of that, they started training him, teaching him to keep away from drapes. > "I’m sure he also thinks his name is ‘Bad Squirrel’ with as many times as he heard me say it when I was training him to stay off countertops", Allen said.
The House Had To Be Suirrel-Proofed
As Rocky grew bigger, Allen re-arranged one of his closets in order to make some room for him. Inside the closet, Rocky would have more than enough space to climb and play safely as much as he wanted.
But as the baby squirrel grew bigger and stronger, Allen and his husband had to start rethinking things. Since he was thriving, maybe it was time to release the squirrel back into the wild. Or was it still too soon?
They Realized Something
Allen and his husband faced a major dilemma. On the one hand, Rocky had almost fully recovered, but on the other hand, they had become very fond of their little friend.
That's when they realized that it was too late. Rocky had grown into a mature squirrel and had grown used to domestic life. If he were released into the wild, he probably wouldn't be prepared to look after himself. This left the couple with no choice...
They Made Their Choice
Not only did Rocky lack any skills for finding food or interacting with other squirrels, but he also hadn't displayed any signs of wanting to go back to the wild. Therefore, Allen made a decision...
After giving it some thought, the couple decided to keep Rocky as a pet! > "By the time he ended up becoming an adult and I looked at releasing him. I realized I had already done way too much wrong to be able to release him", Allen explained.
They Kept Rocky!
They had to do the only thing they saw fit, and that was for Rocky to stay with them. They knew a squirrel was an unusual pet, but the truth was that he was already a part of the family! So what difference would it make?
By that time, Rocky had grown super attached to his parents, though especially to Allen! > "He doesn’t allow anybody else to handle him. My husband can’t handle him either", Allen said.
Rocky Was Happy With His Human Family
As Rocky grew into adulthood, his bond with his human friends continued to grow. However, each time he saw a squirrel through the window, he would show interest. Every now and then, his wild instincts would resurface.
In fact, he would sometimes go nuts when a squirrel got near the window. However, these moments would soon pass and he would continue playing with his adopted family, even if he sometimes was too rough with his dog siblings.
Squirrel Friends
However, Rocky eventually made himself some friends of his own kind. It all began when he was visited by a family of three squirrels, and guess what?
Ever since that day, the trio of squirrels started showing up regularly to check in on Rocky. Allen was so astonished, that he uploaded several pictures of the squirrels staring through the living room windows. But what about the rest of the Purlsey family?
His Pooch Friends
Let's not forget that Allen had two dogs and a cat of his own. While these three fellas didn't seem too bothered when Rocky came to their lives, they gradually grew fond of him as time passed.
The pooches love chasing him playfully, and although Rocky is way smaller in size, he sometimes likes playing a bit rough! And you know what? As the years went by, Rocky would make such messes, that Allen was forced to introduce some changes to their home!
His Own Outdoor Space
While Rocky had grown into a domesticated pet, he still had the instinct of running around everywhere all the time and tearing up things on the way. Therefore, Allen considered it was best if he tried to offer him a space more similar to his natural habitat.
Therefore, Allen and his husband built an outdoor space for Rocky to play in. Undoubtedly, his days trapped inside the closet had been left far behind. Now, he needed a place of his own to squirrel around all day! But what is Rocky up to now?
His Favorite Spot
Rocky seems to enjoy his domestic life and the Pursleys want only what's best for him. He know has his own outdoor enclosure and assortment of toys, so he's definitely living his dream!
Two years have passed ever since Rocky came to their lives, and their bond is stronger than ever! As a matter of fact, the furry creature has found his favorite resting place: on top of Allen's head!
Rocky, The Influencer
Obviously, Allen loves posting pictures of his favorite pet on social media, and it's safe to say that Rocky has become one of the most famous social media pets in the country!
There are dozens of Instagram videos of Allen and Rocky playing together and cuddling. If you haven't seen them yet, then what are you waiting for?