Splooting

Some days you get a teeny, tiny bit of knowledge or trivia and it’s enough to declare victory and quit for the today.

Today’s one of those days.

A few days ago I posted about how the squirrels in our back yard will lie on the concrete porch, spread eagled. Long-time reader & contributor & author & purveyor of her own site Jemima Pett commented that it was to cool off in the heat.

This evening I ran across a random tweet which I might normally ignore. But it had a picture of a squirrel, spread eagled, and a local television/news station article about this very phenomenon.

It’s called “splooting!” (I think the “!” is optional, but hey, with a goofy looking squirrel layed out on the pavement like a bearskin rug and a word like that to describe it, how could anyone not include the exclamation point?)

I was tempted to leave well enough alone and just go with the silly, funny word, but decided to check other sources. I was afraid that I might find that this was a made-up thing from that Texas television station. Then I would have to quickly find something else to write tonight, or at least a different spin.

But, no! It really is a term, particularly in reference to dogs. (Google an image search for “splooting puppies.” You can thank me later.) I remember our Lucky Puppy and Jessie doing it from time to time. But lots of critters sploot.

Now you know!