A California brother and sister duo decide to have a little squirrel experiment at a park. A concerned commenter, however, informed them that something dangerous might come out of it.
‘Now He’s A Squirrel Dad’
TikTok creator Ashley (@realjunkdrawer) posted a video that was supposed to be lighthearted and funny, showing her brother interacting with a group of squirrels. That video got over 3.7 million views.
In the clip, her brother lies down in the grass with peanuts balanced on his belly, his hands, and even his head. “I convinced my brother to let us cover him in peanuts in the middle of a squirrel-filled park,” Ashley wrote in the text overlay. “And this is what happened…”
At first, the squirrels seem hesitant. They inch closer, dart around, and pause. “Squirrels are sus,” Ashley writes on-screen.
Eventually, one brave squirrel grabs a peanut and runs. Then another shows up. Then more. Soon, two of them compete over peanuts right near her brother. Ashley captioned it, “Squirrel fight ensues.”
As the crowd of squirrels grows, they get bolder. One climbs between her brother’s legs, prompting Ashley to nickname it the “crotch squirrel.”
Then, the moment that made viewers most nervous: A squirrel climbs directly onto her brother’s chest and eats out of his hand. “Unbothered squirrel wants to be hand fed,” she wrote.
The video ends with her brother sitting cross-legged as a squirrel calmly rests on his lap. He pets it and feeds it. Ashley declares in the final text overlay, “Now he’s a squirrel dad.”
In the caption, she added, “What you can’t hear is our family hysterically laughing.”
Commenter Finds It Problematic
After the video went viral, Ashley posted a response to someone who offered a serious warning: “Guys, squirrels have the plague. Please don’t pet squirrels.”
“A little too late,” she responds, as she replayed the clip of her brother hand-feeding the squirrel from his chest.
Do Squirrels Really Carry The Plague?
As it turns out, the commenter wasn’t making things up.
In recent years, squirrels in several U.S. states have tested positive for the bubonic plague. Washington, Colorado, Idaho, and California, where Ashley and her brother live, have all reported such cases.
According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), rodents like rock squirrels, ground squirrels, wood rats, prairie dogs, and even rabbits can carry the plague. It spreads through infected fleas, and yes, humans can catch it.
Wildlife experts overwhelmingly agree: People should not touch or interact with wild squirrels. That job is best left to wildlife professionals with the proper gear and training.
Other Commenters Think It’s Cute
Despite the warning, many viewers loved the video.
“I’m clearly not using my free will to the best of my ability,” one person joked.
@realjunkdrawer What you can’t hear, is our family hysterically laughing #fyp #squirrel @SteveBroChill
Another wrote, “Is your brother aware that he’s a Disney Princess?”
“I feel like squirrels could be so easily domesticated and we’re just sleeping on it,” a third added.
BroBible has reached out to Ashley via TikTok for comment.