One family found themselves upset and worried after hearing taps in the night. What was making the noise? Was it just a small animal who got hurt or something more sinister? Finally, the father had enough of the confusion and bought a surveillance camera to get to the bottom of it all. Could these cameras show them what had been going on?
Taps Don’t Stop
This was actually the third time the woman heard the small tap at night. She’d had enough and decided to watch the surveillance footage. Then, she got another tap, causing her to frantically search the porch’s camera. Fear came over her while she woke up her husband…
Taps Don’t Stop
Living the Dream
Kelly was 26 years old and married to Brad Shoemaker. The couple was working on their lives, and she had recently finished grad school. Finally, they had good careers, a beautiful home, and a budding romance that didn’t stop. However, things changed.
Living the Dream
A Big Change
Things changed when their son Jeremy was born. They couldn’t stay in their apartment because it wasn’t large enough. It was a trying time for the couple, though they thought about moving to the countryside. City houses were too small and expensive.
A Big Change
The Ideal House
The family discovered a beautiful home outside the city, and Jeremy was 2 years old when they moved in. The property had large trees, which were home to many squirrels. Plus, their son loved the neighbors, though his mom wasn’t as enthusiastic.
The Ideal House
The Squirrel Problem
Kelly thought the squirrels were a nuisance and told her husband that they could attract predators. She worried about Jeremy’s safety because he loved to chase them. Brad reassured his wife that she didn’t have to be scared, but he changed his mind after hearing loud noises.
The Squirrel Problem
Rainy Night
The family first heard the noise on a Sunday night. Brad grabbed a cricket bat to investigate the sounds. Kelly walked beside him with her son’s bat in tow. The sight Brad found when opening the door sent shivers down their backs!
Rainy Night
The Injured Squirrel
They found a wounded squirrel with cuts on her legs. Kelly went to assist the poor creature, washing and closing the wounds. Jeremy grabbed a cozy blanket and wrapped it around this animal. While the noise stopped, Kelly felt that something was wrong!
The Injured Squirrel
New Family Member
They named the squirrel Lily, and she spent a year with the family. Afterward, she went back to the wild, which was challenging for them all because they bonded with her. In fact, there was a hole in their hearts, and soon, the tapping noises came back.
New Family Member
Lily Always Tapped
Brad and Kelly ran to the door to see Lily, but they were met with darkness. The taps persisted for about a year. Kelly had finished her Ph.D., Brad had gotten a raise, and Jeremy was heading to fifth grade. Many things changed except one thing.
Lily Always Tapped
Fed Up
The taps continued for quite a while. Brad was irritated with the whole thing, choosing to put cameras in his garden and driveway. Kelly liked to stare at them on the weekends and finally saw something that shocked her!
Fed Up
Staring in Disbelief
Kelly ran upstairs and hollered for Brad. Then, she woke Jeremy up. Brad said it was 2 a.m., but they both followed her. She stayed silent until she had them both in the study and pointed at the porch’s camera.
Staring in Disbelief
Focusing the Camera
Brad exclaimed and zoomed in on the video feed. Could it be what he thought it was? Clearly, it was a trick of the light. They’d been waiting to hear from Lily for so long. The dad wrapped his arms around his family while Kelly hugged Jeremy.
Focusing the Camera
The Miracle
They all saw a squirrel tapping the porch. Brad said, “Lily?” Kelly nodded, and they were all overjoyed. This squirrel was older and had more detail in its fur. Then, it did something unexpected, which made them rush to let her inside!
The Miracle
The Intelligent Squirrel
Lily ended up climbing a rafter and vanishing. Jeremy nearly yelled, “Change the cameras.” Brad switched computer displays to one of the cameras inside the house. Finally, Jeremy located Lily on the roof, but how did she get there?
The Intelligent Squirrel
The Attic
They deduced that Lily had climbed through a gap in some tiles and had gone through the attic. That caused them all to run upstairs to see what was going on. However, they were shocked when they realized the situation!
The Attic
The Old Cuddler
Lily was now sleeping in her old cuddler. However, she now had three kittens (babies) between her legs, and they all looked satisfied and healthy. Kelly started crying tears of joy and said that the whole situation was amazing.
The Old Cuddler
A Family Again
Brad and Jeremy were silent but hugging each other. Finally, Kelly reached out to them while Jeremy gave Lily her old blanket back. He smiled and told his mother that they were all a family again!
A Family Again
Animal-Friendly
The family decided to buy Lily a new bed that was large enough for her children. They named them Jossie, Cliff, and Alen. Brad went to work cleaning up the attic so that it was animal-friendly. It was a beautiful situation!
Animal-Friendly
The Shoemakers Add More
Every night, they heard a knock at the door. Once opened, they saw Lily there to say good night. Otherwise, she spent her time in the attic. Kelly thought it was incredible to have watched Lily as a baby now raising her own children!
The Shoemakers Add More
The Special Squirrel
The Shoemakers shared their story online, and it went viral. After touching so many people’s hearts, Lily became a sensation. People even visit their home periodically to meet Lily in person. This little squirrel has a huge online following!
The Special Squirrel
Not Just Rats
Most people assume that squirrels are just glorified rats with bushy tails. However, that’s far from the truth. Lily showed that they’re intelligent creatures and have loyalty, compassion, and love for others.
Not Just Rats
Like a House Pet
Lily behaves similarly to a domesticated animal, even though she’s wild. That’s why she expressed her gratitude with the knocks for getting assistance from the humans in her time of need. Now, she has a message for the whole world.
Like a House Pet
The Red Squirrel’s Struggle
Red squirrels are a threatened species in England. Disease, predators, road traffic accidents, invasive grey squirrels, and loss of habitat all hurt the population. However, humans and pets pose a huge issue because squirrels can get attacked or trapped.
The Red Squirrel’s Struggle
More Than You Think
Most people think that squirrels carry disease, chew through wiring and wood, raid bird feeders, and rush in front of cars. However, they contribute to society, too. They’re crucial for a healthy ecosystem.
More Than You Think
The Professor
Robert McCleery is an associate professor at the science department of conservation and wildlife ecology. In fact, he helps the University of Florida Institute of Agricultural and Food Sciences. This man has spent many years studying squirrels and has something to say.
The Professor
Important for the Ecosystem
Robert has dedicated his entire life to spreading awareness about the species. He claims that squirrels are the most visible wildlife in suburban and urban areas. Plus, they’re vital to the ecosystem that they inhabit!
Important for the Ecosystem
Their Role
McCleery explained that a squirrel’s largest contribution to the forest focuses on shaping its plant composition. In a sense, they take seeds and bury them. As their main source of nutrition, this is important for them, too.
Their Role
A Forgetful Squirrel
The issue is that these squirrels bury seeds in the environment and forget where they are when they return to gather them. Caching, as it’s called, improves the forest landscape. In a sense, they are planting seeds without knowing it!
A Forgetful Squirrel
Forest Expansion
McCleery shares that squirrels expand the forests, changing what types of trees it offers. Many people don’t know that they have played a vital role in long-leaf pine ecology within Florida, but it happens throughout the world.
Forest Expansion
Mysterious Creatures
Generally, McCleery claims that they don’t know very much about squirrels, though they have learned a lot in the past few decades. That’s part of his reason for researching them. He needs to know what they do. Plus, he revealed even more truth!
Mysterious Creatures
Chirruping Sound
You likely hear squirrels if you’re walking across a college campus, going through a park, or in your backyard. They tend to make rolling chirping sounds and might even flick their tail over their head while doing it.
Chirruping Sound
Cheeky Animals
When they make those noises and flick the tail, they’re telling you to “back off.” In a sense, squirrels are scolding you because you went too close to a tree they are using for food or shelter, and you’re considered a predator!
Cheeky Animals
Differences Between Red and Grey Squirrels
Red squirrels often have orange or red fur, but they could be grey in color. Typically, they’re more elusive and spend more time in the tree’s canopy. Grey squirrels are darker and like to skitter around on the ground.
Differences Between Red and Grey Squirrels
Their Food Choices
Red squirrels often eat a vegetarian diet, including sapwood, bark, fungus, ripe acorns, hazelnuts, and seeds. Sometimes, they munch on eggs and young birds. However, they don’t hibernate, so they must forage for food all year long.
Their Food Choices
Her Message
Kelly says that she hopes Lily can teach one person to be compassionate about all living things, regardless of their size. If that happens, they’d done what they were meant to do. The next time you see animals or people in distress, remember that kindness goes far!
Her Message
Another Sneaky Squirrel
Squirrels rarely steal people’s food. When they do, any evidence is circumstantial in most cases. However, this squirrel committed a robbery and didn’t get away with it as he had hoped!
Another Sneaky Squirrel
Ice Cream Cake
Shanna bought an ice cream cake for her friend’s birthday party. Since the fridge was full, she left it on the porch in the cold air until it was time to eat. However, she realized her mistake when someone saw that it had been ransacked!
Ice Cream Cake
The Culprit
She wondered who could do such a thing, but she soon had her answer. Shanna’s partner saw the squirrel on the deck rail and laughed hysterically at the sight. Its nose had blue frosting on it, even though he tried to act like nothing happened!
The Culprit
It Wasn’t Me
Shanna said that the squirrel sat motionless, even when everyone in the house went to the door opening to the deck to watch the shenanigans. However, that animal had left its mark already, and no one wanted to eat it.
It Wasn’t Me
Sharing the Spoils
The hostess decided to get a replacement cake. Upon her return, she saw the squirrel munching on the first one, but he now had a friend to help. Overall, the party continued without another incident, though Shanna threw the original one away so that the animals didn’t get tummy aches!
Sharing The Spoils