Man Sets up Most Elaborate House for the Wild Squirrels in His Neighborhood
This is one of those stories that will make you smile! Derrick Downey Jr. lives in Los Angeles, California and in his neighborhood, there are a lot of squirrels. I've been following him on TikTok for a couple of years now, after finding his account and the friendship that he made with two wild squirrels that he started feeding, Maxine and Richard. He enjoyed their company so much that he even built them their own house in his backyard!
Derrick posted a video on Sunday, January 21st of Richard in his house. Richard heard Derrick coming and darted out of his house. Check out the squirrels' pad for yourself...it's pretty impressive!
Talk about a cool house! Not only do they have a Ring doorbell camera, but they also have a TV! And it looks like there is a light strip hanging up in there. I do have to say that Maxine (she's currently pregnant!) and Richard don't seem to be the best housekeepers, though! @Derrick's fans had a lot to say about the cute video of Richard - they left more than 1,200 comments! @Arin wanted to know, "How much is rent?" @Charley Roese pointed out, "He needs a housekeeper LOL!" And I was surprised by how many people commented about one thing in particular, like @Vicky Washington, "Not the Christmas tree still up!!!"
Related: Squirrel Lets Man Pet Her Pregnant Belly and His Reaction Is Perfection
Feeding and Housing the Wildlife in the Neighborhood
Do you feed the wildlife in your neighborhood? Many of us do. Since I'm an avid bird watcher I have a hummingbird feeder and bird feeders to draw them into the yard. I also put peanuts out on our deck for the squirrels to eat...even though they always steal the bird food, too. I have fresh water for the critters that come through the yard, and while I do get mad when the deer eat my growing trees, I really don't mind since I know it's usually a mama and her baby.
But building them a house takes it to a whole new level! I also feed a feral cat, and since it's been so cold this winter, I've considered making him a little safe place to sleep in. Some people, like Derrick, go over the top! This man built his frog a pad (pun intended) as well as a pool! This couple built a luxury house for their cat colony, and this man built a stray cat hotel in his garage.
All of these ideas are so cool! It's fun to help out the local animals, and I always enjoy seeing which animals come through our yard. Maybe building a little house for my (I use that term loosely since he doesn't even like me!) feral cat isn't such a bad idea after all!
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