Wow talk about cheekie!

Joey is shown proudly hoarding. The other night, I had a little hope at the same time as having a little panic, because she stayed out all night. I was hoping she found a love interest and was moving on. Around 2:30 after running my errands, I slipped the garbage cans back into the garage and turned around to find her behind me standing up hands seemingly on her hips, head slightly tilted, mad that Don the night before had locked her in the garage. She managed to run in to help obviously and got caught in there overnight. Of course, there are many obstacles in that garage, including a bucket full of water and a big box of warfarin for his mice brethren. None of which was touched thank god.
Anyway my hope that she was moving on, is optimistic. She is still waiting by the back door every night waiting to be put to bed in his cozy cage.
It's dandy here at the B & B!

Oh boy oh boy this little chippy

So today I let her out as usual in the morning after the dogs have had their morning constitutional. She had a good day hunting for food and bringing me another adolescent chipmunk that just confused the tar out of me.
My son moved out today to attend University, so was out in the front of the house loading the van with a friend. I went out back to see if I could round Joey up. No need to have her running under the car out front. As I did a big black stray cat ran into the barn. I took off full bore after him and chased him out and down the meadow to wherever he comes from. Good riddance stray black cat. (of course, if you ever need help, you know where to come).
No Joey anywhere. I could hear lots of noise coming from the woods, so knew the chipmunks were alerted and they were making their calls of danger , which is is very distinct sharp chip sound. Does Joey know this sound? I don't know.
So later after being worried about where she may have taken off to, I looked out the front of the house and see Joey sitting there in the driveway, eyeing the open van hatch. By the time I got out there, she was in the van. Oh my.
So I bated her with a banana (a favorite treat), took her around back and put her in the porch with me where I could keep an eye on her and she could watch me paint the porch. She spent over an hour relocating lots of seeds. Later when she was settling down, I stuck her in the cage (hereafter known as the bedroom) and she was very content to cuddle in her blanket.
As I was getting ready to go out for my ride I was in the Family room, I notice all the dogs and cats at the window looking out at an adolescent chipmunk standing on his back legs looking in. "Can Joey come out to play" written all over his face.
It took me a minute to realize it wasn't Joey as this one has a fluffier tail but just to be sure, I did have to go out to check on Joe in the "bedroom" .
Oh my, I say!!!!!!!!!!
She is in now cuddled up sleeping in his bedroom, after having a visit with Don on the deck. She climbed up the back of my shirt and actually gave me a nice scratch when I got home from riding Irish. I told Don we should open a spa. Chipmunk backrubs and back scratches.
More tomorrow...

Dogs and cats and Joey

Joey digging

Joey's stash

In the early days of Joey's convelescence, of course, he was pampered with every type of food he would love. Don bought him peanuts from Bulk Barn and I thought he got enough for a thousand chipmunks. Needless to say, when Joey got a little stronger and was let out to explore the bathroom (with the toilet seat firmly secured I might add) he started going at the peanuts. I thought gee he wasn't getting any fatter, but he sure was eating a lot of them.
When I went to clean and scrub the bathroom, I found various stashes hidden in every nook and cranny in the tiny room. He found a way in the back of the dresser in that room. This is the result of an ambitious chipmunk figuring out his duties in life.

The Story of Joey

So it was in the middle of May when I was outside working in the gardens at the front of the house. I had weeding to do as we had friends from Toronto coming to run the Marathon. I walked to the front of the house because Skye (our border collie cross) was standing there in the driveway, very interested in something. From a distance it appeared to be a frog, but as I approached, it was clear it was a very tiny baby chipmunk. He reared up when he saw me and was defending his right to be there. Skye picked him up in her mouth and then dropped him when I bellowed at her, NOOOOOOOOOOOOO. Skye obviously did some damage. Joey's rear left leg wasn't moving and he dragged himself around the side of the garage. So, of course, I scooped him up, put him in a box with a blanket and waited outside for mom to come. 2 hours later, with no sign of mom, a hawk started circling happily. That was it for the day and he has been in my care since then. Every three hours you feed them puppy formula. 3 weeks later he tapered off and I taught him about water. He has endured baths, lots of hugs and kisses and lots of love and good food. Now it's his time to meet his family and his brethern that populate Greenbrier Woods out here in Metcalfe.
I will keep a close eye on him until he decides to go have babies of his own. They live for up to 11 years if they are lucky. If you ever have a chipmunk question I have more answers then I knew. Research is so important. So now I've had a wolf, a chipmunk, degus, hamsters, gerbils, guinea pigs, frogs, dogs, cats, horses share my life....and who knows what's next.

Getting ready in the morning

He always sat on my shoulder and watched what I was doing. Then he would mimic me and wash his face and ears. He was hilarious and even though his left leg was dragging behind him, he was well balanced. I had to keep him so long (7 weeks) because he really needed to heal. If he couldn't use his back leg to climb down from anything. That could be dangerous outside. Also, he wouldn't be able to dig a tunnel. Also important in the chippy world.

So many of you have asked about Joey, my little friend, I have decided to give him his own blog. We will chart the course of his release and I'll show you the results of his rehabilitation. What you should know is, I am petrified of mice and rats. Chipmunks work for me. No creepy tail. Lots of personality. I know, I know, rats are brilliant. They are also frightening. I had an experience as a 15 year old that I will never forget. I'll share it later.

Joey was released yesterday and he came home last night to go to bed. He climbed into his cage with my daughter there to give him a helping hand and slept in the porch in safety. He spent the entire day, figuring out the backyard, the front yard and all the places to find and hide food. Under the deck is very spacious and safe.
Today when I let him out on the lawn, I picked him up and showed him the birdfeeder and how to get into it. He stocked up on seeds then hopped on my shouldar for a lift to the ground. He then came and helped me, literally, dig out some weeds. I can't believe how he helped. This is so interesting. To watch him figure it all out. I feel like a mommy again.
C.

Joey

Joey the baby Chipmunk
A diary of a summer spent looking after an injured little baby chipmunk. I did my best in rehabilitating her. Now I await the results of her release into the wilds of our 5 acre backyard. I hope she has a long and happy life!