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MY NAME IS MIKE. THIS SITE IS DEDICATED TO MY SQUIRRELS
ms. twiggy, her first christmas
Now the holidays are here, I like to go back to a time when my life was full. What joy my little ones brought to me. Ms. Twiggy was getting older, almost 10 before she was taken. It always made my morning when she would poke her little head out of her nestbox.' Good morning Sissy ,how is my baby girl today, I love you'. Never take for granted any day you have something you love and cherish, because it can be gone in the blink of an eye, or in my case, a knock on the door. How many times I put on my boots in the morning and behold, a nut tucked snuggly into the toe area. They all loved to hide nuts when they were inside and what better place than daddy's boots. What I have experienced the last ten years of my life, I would not trade for a million dollars. But if I could I would give everything I own to have it all back. And WiggleWorm, always on me, playing and cuddling . I would hold him tight to my chest and he felt secure and safe. After all, I was his world from the time he was an hour old. Mother, provider. I cannot even start to explain the feelings of love and attachment to my baby boy. Clip and Augie were always playing and running together inside. I would sit up on the countertop and watch them , then toss them nuts. Clip would jump up on my boot to sit and eat a nut, his favorite spot. Because I had brought Clip and Augie to release back into the wild at a mature age, I let Clip come to me on his terms. With all my little ones, it was a little different relationship with each. All squirrels have different personality traits, just like humans.
I have a five light candolier in memory of my babies. The center one has a multi colored flame in memory of my first squirrel, Twiggy. A male squirrel that I was holding when the lord called him home in 1995. The other four of course is for Ms. Twiggy, Squeeky, WiggleWorm and Clip. They will all be flicker lights since I do not know for sure where, or what has become of them. Hence the flicker means possibly, a sign of life. No one could had ever loved or taken better care of their squirrels as I have. Anyone who knows me or my squirrels would tell you that, again , they were my world. My squirrel loving friends ,I caution you who you let into your life. All it takes is a heartless, cold, selfish individual to have it in for you and take away all you have with a call that is full of lies. I'll write a little later, it is very hard to talk about what was, and now what is gone. Published Dec. 5, 2021
My love of squirrels go back to 1992 when my wife at that time and me together raised Twiggy, a male eastern grey squirrel from 3 days old. I'm starting this website in loving memory of my four squirrels, Ms. TWIGGY, SQUEEKY, WIGGLEWORM and CLIP. They were taken from our home on the night of Thursday, July 29 ,2021 by NC Wildlife Officers by what they said was an anonymous tip. It was a tip, but from a vindictive individual who had sought to hurt me in the worst way. I have a lawyer on the case. Hopefully we will get answers first off to where and what has happened to my babies that night. There is a thin line between what is considered a wild animal and what is a pet. Hopefully ,as time goes on, the laws will change to protect people like me and their pets that they have raised in a domesticated atmosphere, far from the wild side. It has been 19 weeks since my little ones have been removed from their home and the hurt is as great now as it was that night. This will be the first Christmas in ten years without Ms.Twiggy. There are four stockings hanging for my little ones. Full of acorns like they all loved, hickory nuts, pecans, hazlenuts,almonds, Brazil nuts and walnuts. They will be there for them on Christmas morning, and I know their spirits and love will be here too. If a Christmas miracle could happen, it would be my Ms.Twiggy looking down at me with her big dark eyes, waiting for her morning treats. The one thing I have that no one can take from me are all my wonderful memories .Memories I will always cherish , memories of four of the best little buddies a guy could ever have. God, how I miss you all. Merry Christmas Ms.Twiggy. Merry Christmas Squeeky. Merry Christmas WiggleWorm. And Merry Christmas Clip. But most of all, HAPPY BIRTHDAY JESUS.
All I was told that night was my squirrels would be evaluated. It has been 19 weeks since then, still no response from the senior PO . My lawyer has filed a motion to 'persevere', or to find my four squirrels taken that night in Onslow County Court. They also said they would be taken to a rehabber in the local area. Ms. Twiggy and WiggleWorm were put in a filthy animal crate that only God knows what type of wild animal had been put in it previously. My babies were terrified inside of it . The strange scents and smells from previously captured animals inside of the crate was very traumatic to them. The wildlife removal person had a camo gaiter pulled up over the face. Had leather gloves that went up to the elbows. A net big enough to catch a bobcat in. Then told me sugar gliders made good pets. It was quite evident to me then, no one there comprehended my situation or feelings concerning my little ones and, or what they were doing to me and my squirrels. You would had thought they came to seize a mountain lion or such. Then Squeeky and Clip were taken and put into the back of the removal persons truck, completely terrified over the entire ordeal running all around inside their pens, only wanting to get out away from the danger that was waiting for them. It was a hot and humid night. They were taken without any food or water. Nothing could had been more cruel and inhumane to a domesticated pet. The truth about that night will come out in a court of law and why the vindictive liar made their call . I have been made aware that the caller is telling people that I trap wild squirrels and put them in cages. My friends, nothing could be further from the truth. No one who has pets should ever be put through such an ordeal. My life will never be the same. I have to live with that night over and over , a constant torment of something that should had never happened. Worse of all, I have to live with the fact I could do absolutely nothing to protect my babies. They left frightened, traumatized and I know only wondering, 'why didn't daddy save us', why did he let these people take us. Believe me when I say this, my squirrels had feelings and loved me until the end. That night was and will forever remain very disturbing and traumatizing. I have a gift with squirrels that is developed through the years. I am referred to by many as a squirrel whisperer , to me, that is a compliment. I have called all rehabbers I can find listed. No squirrels have been brought in to any of them. A lot of questions are to be answered. As time goes on I'll keep you updated. Published Dec. 12,2021
Where it all started
- The above picture is Ms.Twiggy, 1 year old playing in a tree behind our home. I was repairing a tornado damaged eve and roof in Nash Co. in 2011 when I found a 5 week old baby squirrel inside the eve. She came home with me that night and I raised her with the help of my girlfriend at the time. We named her Ms. Twiggy. It was only Ms.Twiggy until 2017 when I started caring for Squeeky. He was 3 mos. old when I received him and promised the individual who raised him from 1 week old I would care for and give him a loving home. Squeeky and Ms.Twiggy were best buddies. They were always playing together and Squeeky, being the male, although much younger was very protective of his Sissy. In May of 2020, I was caring for Sweetie Pie , a 1 1/2 yr. old female that had been hit by a car. unfortunately she was carrying babies and very close to birthing.She had 4 babies on Mothers Day , 2020. 3 of the babies were stillborn. I managed to get the one live baby from her, knowing she was too weak from her injuries to nurse. I did next to the impossible by feeding and keeping a newborn baby alive. Sweetie Pie recovered well and I released her back into her native area. The baby I had saved was a male. The second day into his feeding, he was constantly moving his little head all around. At one point I said, 'you're just a little wiggleworm, trying to feed you'. And so, it seemed to be a fitting name. Also in 2020 in September, I saw 2 very young baby squirrels poking their heads out of a nest box I had made. I watched the box closely for two days. No sign of the mother. On the third morning, I took the nest box down and brought it inside with the two babies to their new home. They were around 4 wks. old. It was a male and female. I named the male Clip, and his sister was Augie. I raised them until 6 mos. old and let them both out the same day. Augie has just had her first litter of babies and doing great. She comes to eat several times a day. English walnuts, pecans ,Brazil nuts, almonds, filberts and p-nuts are all on her menu. Clip ran all day his first day out, then came up to the door about an hour before dark. I opened the door for him, he came in ,ran around alittle ,then went in his pen to have his treats, romaine hearts, sweet potato,kettle cooked chips with sea salt and pine nuts. Also, black cherries when available. Then at daybreak,Clip would be back out for his daily routine in the wild and back inside for the night. During the months of June and July of 2021, Clip was staying out 2 to 3 days at a time. He was almost a year old now and I knew soon, he would eventually be staying out permanently. Published Nov.13 ,2021
Clip, 11 mos. old. Eating walnut on deck.
In September of 2021, my lawyer filed a motion to persevere my squirrels. There are a lot of questions to be answered by all involved in this case. My goal is to get justice for my babies and myself in a court of law. They were not wild animals as the senior WRO kept saying on the night of July 29,2021 which will always be etched in my mind. They were domesticated ,loving and dependent upon me for their care, except Clip who was returning to the wild on a daily basis.Ms. Twiggy was almost 10 years old. I knew and took care of her and all her needs, but to remove them and say they would be evaluated? Do you know what that meant? I do. A rehabber's goal is to return an animal to the wild. What do you think the outcome was? To all nature loving people out there like me who has a 'wild animal' as a pet; If the WILDLIFE RESOURCES COMMISSION receives a call you have a 'wild animal' in your possession you may have a knock on your door, after dark and they will come in and seize your pet. There is a fine line between what is considered a wild animal and a pet. The laws need to change to keep other squirrel loving individuals like me from going through this ordeal I have been put in.
WiggleWorm, 16 hours old
Squirrel's Bio- Ms.Twiggy ,born August 12,2011. She was taken exactly 2 weeks before her 10th birthday. I raised her from 5 weeks old. Squeeky, born February 27,2017 . He was 4 yrs. 5 mos. old when he was taken. I raised him from 3 mos. old. WiggleWorm,born May 10,2020 (Mothers Day). He was 15 mos. old when he was taken. I raised him from 1 hour old. Clip,born August 2,2020. He was taken 4 days before his 1 yr. birthday. I raised him from 4 weeks old. All ages were as of July 29,2021 when my little ones were taken from their home.
MY STORY
This website is a story. It is a story of love and friendship between a man and his squirrels. A passion for over 30 years. But, it is also a story of betrayal and the inhumanities that humans can do to one another. My name is Mike Bryan and this is my story.
thanking my friends
The night of Thursday July 29, 2020 will never be forgot, and neither will I ever forget all my friends that showed up for my support. Times like that show you who has your back. Every person there tried to talk sense into the W.O. to no avail. They say strength is in numbers. This site is just about that. Getting the word out to the world about the injustices of certain laws. I can only hope I live to see the laws governing ownership of certain animals change, protecting the owner and the pet they so much love. And again, a big thank-you to all my Hawkins-Creek buddies. Thank you to my lawyer who has been working hard to persevere answers in this case. Thank you to all the rehabbers I have made contact with concerning my squirrels and their insight on my situation. The fight has just begun!
Why did it happen ?
For those of you reading my story and do not personally know me, I will tell you why my babies were taken from their home. The individual who called the N.C.W.C. has varied issues in their life. This I learned within two weeks of our initial meeting. This person's family has repeatedly tried to help the individual, but the individual always denied any such help. I personally gave the individual financial help as well as their daily need of material goods. I cooked supper for the person every night, so they would have a good meal. But little by little, their true colors showed through. Drinking and being used were my major issues with the individual. Plus, taking over 3 weeks to get my debit card back did not help the situation. Never once did this person say,'Thank you Mike for all you have done'. You can only be used so much. So little by little , I cut the helping out. And finally told the person I was finished. And in doing so, the person vowed vengeance on me and a couple of other people. This person knew my squirrels was my world and my life, so in the end, it was used against me. This is how the person repaid me for my kindness to them. My goal now is to get justice for me and my four squirrels. Now it will be up to the Onslow County Courts to decide. It is quite evident to me, some laws are broke and out-dated and need to be changed. All lives matter, human and animals, so stand-up for what you believe in and help make a change.
AUGIE COMES HOME
A week after my little ones were taken from their home, at 3 p.m. I herd something hit against my window. Then the storm door handle opened. I went to the door and found Augie, Clip's sister hanging from it. I opened the door and she came in. Since Augie has been on her own, she has never done this before. She looked and sniffed all around. Then she went to the desk where Clip and her pen was. She sat up, just looking . No sign of Clip or any of her other three friends she had grown up with. Augie went over to the counter and jumped up on it and sat in the window like she had so many times before. I gave her a English Walnut, her favorite. She ate three and jumped down, then went to the door. For a short while, I felt whole again. I opened the door and she ran off into the woods, never looking back. Yes, my little angel knew something was wrong, very wrong. I made a video of Augie when she came in that day. It can be found on You-Tube, titled - Augie comes home.
JULY 29, 2021- JULY 29, 2022
