SQUIRREL GIRL- Breanna Stikkleman, 13, gets a little love from Dean, her pet squirrel, who her father rescued from a construction site last year. Breanna nursed the animal back to health, before making the friendly rodent a permanent addition to the Stikkleman home. Last July Breanna Stikkelman's father rescued a squirrel from a construction site where he worked and brought it home for his daughter to nurse back to health.

Little did the Simi Valley teenager know that during the year that followed, the most unlikely of family pets would grow to be a faithful companion.

"He thinks Breanna is his mom," Deanna Stikkelman, Breanna's mother, said of Dean, the pet squirrel. "He runs up and down her shoulders and grabs onto her with his paws. He plays with her like a puppy would. It is absolutely amazing."

And to think it started as a short-term nursing plan.

Breanna, 13, taught herself how to feed the squirrel and make its special food by doing research on the Internet. For the first month, she was bottle-feeding Dean every two hours and keeping a watchful eye on his progress.

Breanna and Dean In no time the squirrel became strong and active and developed his own personality within the Stikkelman household.

"Dean is an excellent addition to our home," Deanna said.

Although the squirrel is shy around human visitors, according to Breanna he acts tough and frightens the two larger cats that reside in the Stikkelman home. Dean's defensive behavior is not unique.

James Guidi of Simi Valley has witnessed the same character traits in his pet squirrel, RJ, over the past six years. In a scenario similar to the Stikkelmans', Thomas Guidi, James' father, brought the suffering animal home in order to save its life.

The squirrel is most comfortable with Thomas because he nursed her back to health, just as Breanna is the only human that Dean will warm up to in the Stikkelman home.

"Squirrels really have personality as pets," James said. "They make noises, chew and carve wood and roll on their back. The only problem is that they really are one-person pets."

The sight of a domesticated squirrel has elicited mixed reactions from Breanna's friends and classmates.

"Some of my friends are freaked out by the squirrel, and some think it's cool. They all know not to mess with him though," Breanna said.

Throughout Breanna's childhood, the Stikkelmans have welcomed a wide variety of animals- many unusual- into their home, all nurtured by their daughter.

"We've had iguanas, chameleons, five kinds of snakes, birds, reptiles, dogs, cats and a raccoon," Deanna said.

Breanna's interest in animals began at the age of 2 and developed into a hobby over the years.

"I like seeing the different behavior and having them around because they're so smart. I like trying to train them," she said.

Although Breanna had always planned on becoming a veterinarian, she's now considering a different profession. She enjoys going to the gym and playing water polo and wants to be a physical trainer.