Chipmunk rescue!
pamelamyers | June 8, 2015
Today we had quite the adventure. Sam and I spent the day shopping with my mom and when we came home, just as my mom was going to leave, Sam decided she wanted to show her how well the garden was growing. We went over to see and were chatting for a minute when we heard the distinctive metal noise that comes when a chipmunk is running up one of our downspouts. My mom and I looked at each other and smiled then I walked over to see if I could make it run out. Well, when I got over there, I had quite a surprise. The downspout is right next to my strawberry pot which I had this year covered in bird netting (last year we got no berries and I guessed any fruit was quickly eaten). A chipmunk somehow got tangled up in some of the excess netting that had come out from underneath the put and was stuck stuck stuck. The poor little thing was completely trapped with no way to get out. It’s head was through the netting and since its little ears went through, there was no way for it to pull its head back out. The chipmunk was so terrified of its predicament. I quickly ran into the house and got some scissors and sturdy gloves and came back out to try to help the poor tiny thing.
Sam wanted to help in the worst way but I was afraid that the chipmunk might bite in fear so I wouldn’t let her get too close. I don’t think I had much to be worried about though, truthfully. By the time I came out again, the chipmunk was lying on its back, paws holding the netting, looking up at me like, HELP!! It was like a deer in headlights. I picked it up and held it with one hand while my mom pulled the netting back away from its head and I cut with the scissors until it was free. My mom wound up holding the poor, scared little thing. It didn’t even run away immediately. It just sat there in my mom’s hand for a stunned few seconds (in which Sam quickly got a quick pet of its back in) then it ran off across the grass and through the fence. I told Sam it was probably running home to tell its family all about its adventure with the humans who saved it.
Sam thought the entire thing was quite an adventure. She got up close and personal with a chipmunk, something I doubt many other kids have. We trimmed up the bird netting quite a bit so that it doesn’t happen again, but now we are on chipmunk patrol, that is for sure!