After retiring, Don Steinman Jr. found something new to keep him busy: hand-feeing squirrels.

So far, Steinman of LaSalle has had three squirrels who approached him. He’s been feeding the current one for about three months. Every day, the squirrel waits at Steinman’s door for its meal of peanuts. Steinman said he’s not afraid to be bit.

“They take it so gently,” he said.

In his backyard tree, Steinman also built a little house/feeder for the squirrels from wood and a plastic jug. He fills the feeder daily with corn, sunflower seeds and, in the warmer months, water. Steinman has built about a dozen of the squirrel houses for his friends. Recently, a raccoon got its head stuck in one of the houses, so Steinman took it apart and made the door smaller.

Steinman, who is married to Katie Steinman, worked for Ford Motor Co. for 35 years, retiring in 1999. He also enjoys hunting and fishing.

This article originally appeared on The Monroe News: LaSalle man cares for squirrels