We have ground squirrels in my neck of the woods called Prairie Dogs which are similar to these, but looks like they have smaller ears, and are fatter. It’s pretty cute observing a prairie dog community and some of them stand up and bark to inform the others that you’re there, but the rest ignore you and keep doing what they’re doing so long as you stay behind the fence. You may know of prairie dogs from the Overly Dramatic Chipmunk meme, which is actually a prairie dog and not a chipmunk. Finally, “prairie dogging” is slang for when you have to shit and a bit keeps poking out and going back in, like prairie dogs and their holes. I’ve also heard “turtling”, and “touching cloth” for similar scenarios.
LOL thank you for this. Ever since I saw Rat Race as a kid I think of Prairie dogs every time I poop.
There’s a terrible pet store in Florida that had a group of them in a small open topped pen. As bad as I felt for them, they were really cute and super social with anyone who approached them. I bet they’d make both great and awful pets.