PREVIEW

For decades, Twiggy the Water-Skiing Squirrel has been thrilling audiences with her daring aquatic stunts while also educating the masses on the importance of water safety. Fans all over the United States and beyond have been able to marvel at her ability to stand upright while being pulled behind a remote-controlled speedboat and gasp as she leaps from her skis to the moving vehicle as a grand finale. She is even able to perform a 360 manoeuvre while on the water.

But how, exactly, does one train a squirrel to become an inspiring water sports daredevil? The answer, it would appear, is easier than you might think.

“First we just get them used to the water skis on a table,” ToniMarie Tedesco, who hosts Twiggy’s shows alongside fiancé Chuck Best Jr, explains. “We let them get used to standing on it and then once we go in the pool, we just walk with them next to the water-skis.

“I will snap my fingers right in front of their faces to keep their attention and then just continue walking with them in a circle. Once you can hold their attention you slowly step away from them so they are doing the lap by themselves.”

The troupe of squirrels, who perform under the stage name Twiggy, are all rescued or adopted and are well cared for by Chuck, ToniMarie and their family. The animals are trained in a matter of weeks once they mature at six months. ToniMarie explains, “Training is like a few minutes a day and then a month later you have a water-skiing squirrel! It’s just like training a dog. They are super smart animals, so you use the same words, commands, and positive reinforcement. I give them a little treat when they come off the water skis. A sunflower seed or a pumpkin seed. And that’s that.”

ToniMarie and Chuck are the devoted owners of four squirrels; greys Twiglet, six, Da Baby, three, Bestie, also three, and two-month-old TreeO, who is a Prevost squirrel. Currently, Twiglet and Da Baby are the stars of the show, while TreeO is too young to begin training and Bestie has refused to learn. “Bestie was a rescue squirrel and she just never wanted to learn. So that’s okay,” ToniMarie says, while Chuck insists the squirrels are the ones who call the shots when it comes to performance days.

“If one is skiing, the other might not, or they both will ski perfectly. Or they both won’t ski, but it still makes up a show. The crowd tends to love it when they don’t want to water-ski, for some reason. So we just have to go with ‘The show must continue!’” he explains. To dismount, the squirrels will either jump onto an outstretched hand or hop straight into the water for a swim – and other times they simply refuse to stop water-skiing. “There are days when we put our hand out and she just looks at you and keeps on riding away. They control the show,” ToniMarie laughs. In their downtime, the squirrels are allowed to roam freely in the tour bus when on the road, and back home in Florida they have access to a huge two-car garage that has been converted into an adventurous home filled with branches and obstacles so they can run, jump, play and relax.

Twiggy and her routine first found fame in the 1970s when Chuck’s late father, Chuck Best Snr, rescued a baby squirrel after she was blown from her nest. Living in Florida, Chuck Snr was astonished to discover Twiggy’s natural swimming abilities after she joined him on trips to rivers and soon decided to teach her how to water-ski after his mates teased him over buying a remote-controlled boat. Chuck Snr and his wife, Lou Ann, then put together a show and toured America where Twiggy was given the chance to shine. Before long, the daring squirrel was being booked for performances and appearances across the world.

Since then, the show has expanded into a full-scale family business and continues to charm audiences to this day – with footage of the squirrels on water skis frequently going viral on social media. However, the family history includes tragedy.

“When my dad sold his roller-skating rink, he planned to do Twiggy full time the following year because of the demand,” Chuck Jr recalls. “And that was in the 1990s. But then he passed away that year. That’s when my mum made it a full-time job herself. It wasn’t supposed to be a business. My dad just liked training animals. Whatever pet we had, he trained. From kangaroos to horses to dogs. He was a natural at training animals and enjoyed it.”

Chuck Snr drowned following a boating accident in 1997, and this prompted a shift in Twiggy’s performance to focus on water safety. In the UK, the Royal Life Saving Society UK has recorded alarming statistics showing the number of child drownings in England has doubled over the last four years. Now that the summer months have arrived, there are fears children and others could find themselves in trouble if they go swimming in open water while being unaware of potential dangers. Here, Twiggy's water safety message proves to be universal.

“The main thing is to learn to swim and to learn to float. But also to wear your lifejacket,” Chuck Jr says. Even the squirrels are equipped with mini life vests while they perform. Earlier this year, the act was presented with the Silver Schooner Award by the USA’s National Safe Boating Council in recognition of Twiggy’s contribution to water safety awareness; an honour that was welcomed by Chuck Snr’s widow Lou Ann. “She was able to go to that. That was super exciting for her. After 39 years of hard work,” Chuck Jr says proudly. He decided to carry on the act after Lou Ann decided to retire in 2019 and is excited to spread the word of water safety even further.

“We’re working on a documentary currently and we are filming next month in California,” he says. “My mum has talked about doing a book, but she’s enjoying her retirement. So I could write it at some point. I’ve got the history written down. And a lot of good memories.”

Could a full-scale Hollywood film about the history also be on the cards? “We’d like to,” he adds with a sparkle in his eye. "We’ll see what happens."