Three years ago, Jeff Longo was minding his own business while walking down the sidewalk one day when he suddenly stopped. There in front of him lay a teeny-tiny baby animal clearly in bad shape.
He had no idea what this tiny creature even was, but Jeff knew its future would be grim if he didn't intervene.
So he scooped it up, took it home, and went online to see if he could identify and learn to care for it.
As it turned out, the animal — a female that Jeff had started calling Biscuits — was a southern flying squirrel, a nocturnal creature native to the forests of the Eastern U.S.
He researched the best ways to care for her, and soon started bottle-feeding her a mixture of puppy formula and heavy cream.
Caring for a wild animal comes with its own set of unique challenges, but because of traffic and predatory pets like cats, orphaned squirrels are not an uncommon occurrence.
But luckily, humans like Jeff are around to help out, and one vet even managed to rescue an entire family of orphaned baby squirrels.
Check out Jeff and Biscuits' amazing story below, and see how one tiny squirrel can be a huge friend.
[H/T: Lost At E Minor, Damn]
When Jeff found her, Biscuits was only a few centimeters long, and was in bad shape on the sidewalk in the sun. No place at all for a nocturnal animal! She must have fallen from a nest.
So Jeff took her home. He consulted Reddit for advice, and many people didn't have high hopes for Biscuits' survival.
But Jeff didn't give up. He kept her close, and began bottle-feeding her a combination of puppy formula and heavy cream.
Slowly, she began to regain her strength and grow. Jeff brought her everywhere, including to his job, which apparently has a lax squirrel policy.
Eventually, Biscuits opened her eyes.
And she continued to grow at a healthy rate, all under Jeff's watchful eye.
She also developed a deep, special bond with Jeff. After all, he's the only family she's known, and he provides her with food, care, and love.
She's gained some step-siblings, too.
Because of her upbringing, Biscuits can never return to the wild, but she seems OK with that.
"She runs around me like I'm a big tree, then jumps on things and then jumps back," Jeff says.
After all, she has this sweet handmade hammock to call home.
And plenty of snacks.
And she's picked up a few human tricks, too!
She's growing up to be an adorable flying squirrel. Jeff says that raising a flying squirrel can be hectic, what with the gliding, but he doesn't regret the decision he made three years ago.
"I'm stuck with the little fluffball," Jeff says.
Sometimes, even if the odds seem slim, amazing things can happen when you extend a little kindness.
SHARE Biscuits' story with your friends to brighten their day!
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