A curious trend has presented itself to us via the t-shirt: squirrels, apparently, make good pets. Or at least some folks think so.

Now, with so many millions of members we figure that we’re going to have something for everyone. The surprise for us wasn’t so much that people like squirrels, but that people like their squirrel.

Two separate shopkeepers have noted that, incredibly, the “my squirrel” merchandise outsells general “squirrel” merchandise. Hmm.

Now we’ve all seen crazy pictures of waterskiing squirrels, commando squirrels, etc. We’ve seen these pictures and I think many of us probably thought they were Photoshopped. But now we’re starting to wonder…

I have a yard full of squirrels due to some massive, old oak trees that provide them with a wonderful Swiss Family Robinson-type homestead. I have seen these squirrels play. I have seen them taunt my dogs. I have seen them eat through my fanciful deck Christmas lights, running away with the bulb and ruining the entire section of lighting before they realize that it’s a lightbulb and not, sadly, a delicious clear nut. (It’s possible, of course, that they know darn well that these aren’t nuts and that they just do this to annoy me. It works.)

What they haven’t done, however, is give me any indication that they make good pets. Nor have I developed a specific attachment to any one squirrel or been moved to identify any particular one as “mine.”

Which is why I don’t own an “I [heart] my squirrel” t-shirt. But I am fascinated by those who do. So please, squirrel guardians: step forward and make yourselves known. I am dying to know what’s so special about your squirrel.

And if you’re an animal communicator, please do ask them why they insist on eating my Christmas lights.

-buzzcowboy (posted by admin because she is off at cowboy camp)

UPDATE from buzzcowboy: OK, I have a confession to make.  When I was a kid I used to tame squirrels to the point that they would come up and eat peanuts out of my hands.  One (we named him Harold) would actually come up and take peanuts off my person, i.e. I could lay on the ground and he would climb up on me and take the peanut from next to the googly-eye on my little kid 80′s t-shirt.

That being said, I still didn’t think that Harold was “my” squirrel and I didn’t consider him a pet.  But I suppose that if someone had gifted me a googly-eyed “My squirrel rocks!” t-shirt (googly eyes were all the rage in the early 80′s), I would have thought it was funny.  And I would have worn it.

OK – I might even still wear it, if it’s truly vintage and has the googly eyes.  There, I said it.