6 baby squirrels rescued after getting tails stuck together in Nebraska

Elkhorn, Neb. — Six baby squirrels were rescued by Nebraska wildlife officials after they got their tails in a knot Monday.

The Nebraska Humane Society posted photos of the squirrels on its Facebook page, calling it a "crazy phenomenon."

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Craig Luttman told the Omaha World-Herald he saw the 8-week-old squirrels in a tree outside his home in Elkhorn and described it as a "tug of war" as they tried to get free.

The squirrels became tangled after getting caught in tree sap while they were in their nest, the Omaha World-Herald reports.

The Nebraska Humane Society said the squirrels were moving as a unit with their tails tangled together.

Animal control officers transported them to Nebraska Wildlife Rehab Inc. and were able to untangle the group at their center in Fort Calhoun.

The group's executive director told the Omaha World-Herald she had to give the squirrels a mild painkiller and covered them with a towel to keep them calm. She described untangling the six tails to snipping away at a "ball of knotted twine," which took about an hour.

Apparently, "several" sightings or cases of this kind have been reported, according to the Nebraska Humane Society.

Cox Media Group