This Man Rescued An Unknown Newborn Creature That Turned Out To Be A Squirrel

Christian Scafidi’s life suddenly changed when he found a baby squirrel, who seemed to have been born just that day, lying helplessly alone in the grass. As the baby was showing signs of life, Christian took it upon himself to rescue him.

That’s how the story started a few months ago, and fast forward to today, that squirrel goes by the name Richard, and he is the cutest little guy ever! Without Christian’s help, Richard wouldn’t have had the chance to grow up and be the playful boy he is today. Because of constant care and undivided attention, both have developed a beautiful friendship we hope to see only grow in the future.

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Meet Richard, a cute little squirrel who was found as a tiny baby fighting for his life just a day after a hurricane

Man gently holding a tiny rescued squirrel in his hand near a plant.

Image credits: richard_thesquirrel

Christian Scafidi and his girlfriend Emma were walking their dog when they spotted a tiny pink creature in the grass. At first, they couldn’t tell it was a squirrel because he was so small

Tiny rescued creature resembling a newborn squirrel resting on a textured blanket.

Image credits: richard_thesquirrel

Bored Panda reached out to Christian, who told us more about his initial reaction when he realized that Richard was alive.

“My first reaction was ‘omg he’s still alive, we have to save him,’ so I told my girlfriend to go inside and grab a paper towel so I could grab him because I didn’t know what it was. I didn’t want to touch it. She got me the paper, and I grabbed him and took him inside and started to figure out what he was.”

Man holding a tiny rescued squirrel wrapped in a colorful knitted blanket.

Image credits: richard_thesquirrel

Despite his condition, Richard was moving and showing signs of life, which prompted Christian to take action and save him

Man holding a tiny creature, thought to be a newborn squirrel, on a blue cloth.

Image credits: richard_thesquirrel

The couple did everything to keep the little squirrel alive. “We did a lot of research and even got him a few vet appointments to make sure he was doing okay,” wrote Christian

Tiny rescued creature in a man's hand, initially mistaken for something other than a squirrel.

Image credits: richard_thesquirrel

We were wondering what challenges Christian faced while raising Richard. He shared: “We faced a lot of challenges, like having to feed him every two hours, even overnight. We had to get him vet appointments to make sure he was healthy. We had to feed him a specific amount depending on his weight, so we had to be weighing him almost every day. We had to give him the right amount of antibiotics, and we also had to keep him warm until he grew hair.”

With feedings every two hours, consistent warmth, and necessary medication, Richard began to grow stronger and bigger

Tiny rescued squirrel being fed with a bottle, cradled gently in a person's hand.

Image credits: richard_thesquirrel

Tiny rescued squirrel being fed with a syringe, nestled on a soft gray blanket.

Image credits: richard_thesquirrel

Rescued squirrel being fed with a syringe by a person's hand.

Image credits: richard_thesquirrel

Now, two months later, Richard has transformed into a beautiful, playful, and emotional little fellow!

A rescued tiny squirrel being gently held by a person indoors.

Image credits: richard_thesquirrel

As for their daily routine, Christian commented: “Well, we already have three dogs, so we basically just have one more animal to feed now. And make sure they are happy and healthy.

We have to take him outside every day just so he can run around and climb on his trees.

We also have an 8-foot house for him in our living room. With trees inside of it that he lives in!”

A tiny squirrel clings to a branch, surrounded by green leaves and berries.

Image credits: richard_thesquirrel

A person gently holding a small rescued squirrel in their hand.

Image credits: richard_thesquirrel

Christian has become Richard’s devoted caretaker, and the bond they share is truly heartwarming

Man in a white hoodie with a rescued tiny squirrel on his shoulder inside a sunlit room.

Image credits: richard_thesquirrel

Lastly, Christian added: “Richard is making a name on social media. Has multiple videos with millions of views and the best video at 6.6 million views.”

Man with a tiny squirrel resting on his chest, wearing a cap and relaxing on a patterned blanket.

Image credits: richard_thesquirrel

Christian also revealed that he has three dogs, and they seem to get along with the new addition to the family

Dog laying beside a tiny rescued squirrel on a blanket.

Image credits: richard_thesquirrel

Rescued tiny squirrel sleeping beside a white dog, showcasing bonding and tranquility.

Image credits: richard_thesquirrel

What do you think of Richard’s story?

Man holding a tiny rescued squirrel in his hand.

Image credits: richard_thesquirrel

Tiny rescued squirrel climbing a tree branch, silhouetted against a cloudy sky.

Image credits: richard_thesquirrel

Man rescued a tiny creature, later identified as a squirrel; shown as a newborn and a healthy grown-up.

Image credits: richard_thesquirrel

Here is what other people had to say:

Text expressing joy about rescuing a tiny creature, similar to a past experience with a pet squirrel.

Image credits: aishahschwartz

Text reading “Wow. Just wow. Heroes don’t always wear capes.” with a heart-eyes emoji.

Image credits: sybesc

"Man with tiny rescued squirrel nestled in his hands, showcasing the little creature's size.

Image credits: jackie__benz

Comment by white_angel379 praising the sweet success of rescuing a tiny creature.

Image credits: white_angel379

User comment expressing gratitude for rescuing a tiny creature, possibly a squirrel.

Image credits: mollyhill6841

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