Peanut and Mark live in New York. They are unusual best friends.
Peanut is a squirrel who lives in Mark Longo's house, and they do almost everything together.
Their friendship began six years ago, when Mark saw Peanut's mum hit by a car. Unfortunately, she did not survive, and so the baby squirrel became an orphan. No animal shelters could take him, and Peanut was not ready to go back into the wild alone, so Mark took him in.
Mark fed the baby squirrel with milk from a bottle for eight months. Then, he decided that Peanut was finally ready to return to nature. But Peanut did not seem to feel the same way!
"I released him in the back garden, and a day later, I found him sitting on my porch, missing half his tail," says Mark. "So there I was, crying my eyes out, thinking that I had failed to keep Peanut safe. And I opened the door, he ran inside, and that was the last of Peanut's life in the wild."
Quick tree climbers
Squirrels are members of the rodent family, along with hamsters, gerbils and guinea pigs. But unlike those animals, squirrels are expert tree climbers. They have long claws that help them climb trees very quickly. It's hard to catch a squirrel.
There are about 280 species of squirrel. Most squirrels are small, and they have big eyes and bushy tails. Their large eyes help them see predators.
A grateful friend
Since Peanut the squirrel came back, he and Mark have lived in harmony for five years. And Chloe the cat lives with them too.
They do everything together, from cooking dinner, to brushing their teeth, to relaxing on the sofa. His furry friend has changed Mark's life for the better.
"I'm grateful to Peanut," explains Mark. "He's made me into a much better person in so many ways. I am nicer now and more patient."
Mark decided to make short videos with Peanut. When they started sharing their videos online, they realised they could also bring their joy to other people. Now, lots of people follow Mark and Peanut's adventures.
Peanut even meets up with his fans, bringing a smile to their faces.
"I'm so blessed to have such incredible followers for Peanut," says Mark. "I just want to do my best and do as much good as possible. Spreading love and joy is the most important part of this."
Fun facts
Squirrels eat mostly nuts, fruits and seeds. Some squirrels bury or hide food in the autumn so they can eat it in the winter. But sometimes they forget where they buried it!
Quick questions
- How has Peanut changed Mark?
- Which animals are related to squirrels?
- What do you think a squirrel uses its bushy tail for?
