Man Notices Something Unusual With His Neighborhood Squirrel, People Are Blown Away By What cc2bba

A man identified as Derrick Downey Jr. has attracted attention on social media after taking a squirrel from his neighbourhood to a veterinarian, following the discovery that the animal was suffering from a dental problem.

The squirrel, named Maxine, had severely overgrown teeth that were beginning to pierce the roof of her mouth. Concerned about the animal's condition, Downey decided to seek professional veterinary assistance, according to a report published by PEOPLE magazine on 28 September 2026.

Man takes squirrel to the veterinarian

In a video shared on social media, Downey showed how he managed to get Maxine into a carrier by using food to attract her.

“It finally happened. I got Maxine to the vet. All I had to do was tell her, ‘I have these nuts for you,’” he said.

Downey explained that the squirrel's teeth had grown excessively long and were already causing injuries to the roof of her mouth.

Because the veterinary clinic was closed at the time, he temporarily kept the animal in a room at his home until he could take her for medical attention.

At the clinic, veterinary professionals trimmed Maxine's teeth, collected blood samples and performed X-rays to assess her overall condition.

“We were able to file down her teeth. We also did blood work to check her levels and see how everything was. Then we took her for X-rays to see what was going on inside,” Downey explained.

Maxine returns to the neighbourhood

After receiving veterinary care, Maxine was released back into her natural environment. According to Downey, the squirrel appeared to move more comfortably following the treatment.

“The next day, I released her and took her back outside. Look at her running like she had never run before, now with a brand-new set of teeth,” he said.

Downey also revealed that he requested an impression of the squirrel's paw, which he intends to use as inspiration for his first tattoo.

In a subsequent video, he showed that he had encountered Maxine again in the neighbourhood. Although he initially worried that the animal might no longer trust him, she approached him once more.

“She came straight up to me,” he wrote in the post.

A bond developed over several years

Downey's connection with squirrels began in 2022, during a difficult period in his personal life marked by health challenges and depression. He told PEOPLE that walking around his neighbourhood and interacting with the animals became a source of comfort.

“My way of getting out of that dark place was walking around my neighbourhood and building a connection with the squirrels,” he said.

Over time, Downey began recognising the different animals that visited his neighbourhood. Maxine became particularly familiar with him, sometimes climbing onto his body and approaching him voluntarily.

“We spend time together. I spend time with them, they spend time with me, and then we all go about our lives,” he explained.

Maxine's story has attracted attention online, highlighting how Downey responded after noticing a health problem in a wild animal with which he had developed a close relationship.