The Modesto Bee of Modesto, Calif., published a story Thursday on the Stanislaus care centre for injured wildlife’s annual Baby Shower.

They have a video featuring a baby heron, a baby raccoon, but best of all a California ground squirrel running in a hamster ball (Actually it’s a ball made for ferrets, the largest available, because she is much larger than a hamster.)

The squirrel, named Fizzle, is the only survivor from her litter that was brought in cold and sick two or three years ago.

She required so much treatment to save her life that she became too tame for release. Now she gets to live at the centre as an education animal.

Her illness stunted her growth, but the upshot is that she is small enough to use a hamster ball.

So if you are in the area and you drop in on Saturday May 21 you might get to meet Fizzle. Of course no matter where you live, you can make a donation online to support the centre’s work.

Here is a picture of Fizzle in her nesting box. The photo was taken during the winter when according to Executive Director Donna Burt “she gets very fat and sleeps a lot.” (You and me both, little squirrel.)

A wildlife rescuer demonstrates a new weapon: 'The Squirrel Canon.'
Pictures are screen shots from the television broadcast segment linked below ©WFMZ-TV

WFMZ-TV of Allentown, Pa., has a video on its website about a squirrel, nicknamed Sprite, getting stuck in a vending machine in the town of Bethlehem.

After it was noticed that the squirrel was inside, signs were put on the Coke machine saying: “Do not use! Animal inside! Do not use!!” and wildlife rescue experts were called in.

It took the wildlife volunteers a few hours to extract the squirrel from the vending machine. He was later released. (Boy did he ever run like hell when they opened that cat carrier they had him in!)

Judging from the squeaking when they caught him, he is probably a juvenile squirrel.