Rancher saves squirrel with overgrown teeth in heartwarming rescue

Living on a rural ranch in Alberta, Canada, Jannet Talbott is used to caring for animals, but she never expected to become a dentist for a wild squirrel. When she spotted a tiny creature struggling with dangerously overgrown teeth, she took matters into her own hands—literally.

One afternoon, Jannet was watching the wildlife around her ranch when she noticed a squirrel snacking at her bird feeder. But something about this little animal caught her attention.

“I could see there was something on the side of his face,” Jannet told The Dodo. “I got closer and thought, ‘Oh my gosh, that’s a massive tooth growing out of his mouth.’”

Squirrels have four front teeth that never stop growing, but they usually wear them down by gnawing on nuts, seeds, and wood. Unfortunately, this particular squirrel—whom Jannet later named Bucky—had teeth that had grown abnormally long, preventing him from eating properly. One of his teeth was curving dangerously close to his eye, putting him at risk of injury or starvation.

Jannet Talbott watched the squirrel struggling to eat and wanted to help him. She grabbed Bucky out of the feeder and watched YouTube videos to learn how to trim squirrel teeth. #sabretoothsquirrel pic.twitter.com/VGuOMI8YRY

— Sarah Ryan (@SarahRyanYEG) June 16, 2018

Catching Bucky

Realizing that Bucky needed help, Jannet set out to catch him—a challenge in itself. She watched him closely over the next few days, hoping for the perfect moment to intervene.

“One day, I saw him in the feeder. It was like divine intervention. I just had to reach in and grab him,” she recalled.

With Bucky in her hands, Jannet examined his mouth more closely and found that the problem was even worse than she had initially thought.

“His mouth was an absolute mess. His upper incisors were curled around and growing inside his mouth,” she explained. “When he ate, his teeth were rubbing on his face. It was so horrific.”

A DIY dental procedure

Jannet considered taking Bucky to a veterinarian but worried that the trip would stress him out. Instead, she decided to trim his teeth herself.

After watching instructional videos on YouTube, she carefully swaddled Bucky in a towel and covered his eyes to keep him calm. Then, using a pair of cuticle trimmers, she spent ten tense minutes clipping his overgrown teeth.

Luckily, squirrels don’t have nerve endings in their teeth, so Bucky didn’t feel any pain. When Jannet finally finished, she took him outside and released him.

“He ran to a branch and started rubbing his little cheeks. It was like he couldn’t believe those teeth were gone,” she said. “He just kept rubbing his face.”

Here’s what Janett used to trim Bucky’s teeth – a cuticle trimmer. And yes, that is one of the squirrel’s teeth beside it. #sabretoothsquirrel pic.twitter.com/3Kn50AAtpn

— Sarah Ryan (@SarahRyanYEG) June 16, 2018

A happy ending

The next day, Jannet saw Bucky return to the bird feeder, but this time, he looked different—he had what she described as “the most amazing little squirrel smile.”

“I really feel a deep connection to animals, and they always seem to come to me when they need help,” Jannet said. “I’m always happy to help them, and I think if we all did a little, it would end up being a lot.”

Jannet’s story is a touching reminder of the impact small acts of kindness can have on the lives of animals. Thanks to her quick thinking and compassion, Bucky now has a second chance at life.

Would you have done the same in Jannet’s shoes? Share this story to spread the inspiration!