Got nuts?

That squirrel peeking out of the yellow pocket would stay there all day if my niece would let him. Which she doesn't.

But Grumpy takes what time he can get nestling in that hand-made pocket. My niece hangs it around her neck and shoulder like a purse.

Grumpy isn't very grumpy at all. In fact, he seems to be a very loving young squirrel. He happily eats corn, broccoli, sweet potato, green beans, sugar snap peas, fruit, pumpkin seeds -- pumpkin seeds are a favorite -- and acorns that are hand-fed to him and his brother. Both also eat squirrel formula from a syringe. I asked my niece when it might be simpler to feed them some sort of dry food. She told me she doesn't think Purina makes squirrel chow. (She says there is something called Henry's Healthy Blocks, which are a total nutrition product for squirrels in captivity if they don't like to eat anything else.)

Grumpy's brother is named Sleepy, and he's not a layabout at all. He scampers all over his multi-story cage, building and refining his nest and exploring. Grumpy and Sleepy were named, it should be noted, by the certified rehab volunteer who had them for two days before my niece stepped up to the plate.

They were about 5 weeks old when she decided she would help her overworked rehab friend and play mother to the squirrels. (Their nest was toppled when a crew cut down a tree following one of last summer's storms.)

She doesn't allow the adolescent squirrels the run the of the house, but occasionally she takes them out of their cage just to cuddle them and love them. I met them yesterday -- and petted them -- when I stopped by the house. They're adorable, really, just as inquisitive as kittens (but way quicker) and totally comfortable with people.

They're about three months old now.

The next big goal will be reached when they can crack a walnut all by themselves. My niece doesn't expect that to be anytime real soon. She thinks Sleepy and Grumpy will be spending the winter indoors.

Once they pass the walnut test and the weather warms up, my niece will return them to her animal-rehab friend. The friend has done this before and has squirrels she raised by hand living in trees in her back yard.

The friend keeps a bowl of nuts on the floor just inside her kitchen door.

Her squirrels use the cat-flap.