what to feed after release

[MollyBear361]

Hi. I released my three babies at Thanksgiving. Two went AWOL immediately but I think Ive seen them around the lot next door wtih the wilds. At least for ghr first couple weeks. My boy named Joe moved into a box in our pecan tree out back. Question is what to feed? Its been over a month and I have offered and left out Henrys blocks and monkey biscuits and rodent blocks and all their old fav veggies and fruits. Most go untouched. I also give them nuts and seeds....eaten and buried excitedly. Joe still comes to his cage and drinks water and eats and even stashes nuts in there. He eats off my patio table and I also leave bowls of food and water by another tree where he likes to eat and hang out. I can call him and he runs down and eats from my hand. If its not a nut he looks at me like really mom? And leaves. But takes nuts and sometimes eats and sometimes buries. I'm worried about his diet. I also leave same mix in other lot. When first released I would find pieces of butternut squash chewed on. (Old very fav food) but now except for an occasional nibble on rodent block only thing he eats continuously other than nuts are red grapes. Loves them. Is it ok to assume he/they are getting enough calcium from wild and its ok to give them all the nuts? He doesn't eat them all and I feel bad they were late releases so I think I'm trying to help him catch up on his stashing....is this normal/ok for releases. Also feel very bad he has no buddies to cuddle with and it will be 29 tonight. I so so so have wanted to slam the cage shut when hes in there ...hehehe. he will even take a nut from me inside the cage and hang out in it and eat.....and hes been trying to pull apart his old hammocks and fleece. I assume for his nest....poor guy. Also took a bad fall this am when he missed a branch from about 15 ft up then didn't see him all day. Hope hes ok. Thanks for any advice. Merry Christmas to my little furry loves....Joe, Tito and Lucy.CM

[Jackie in Tampa]

they do know what to eat in the wild, it's instinct..
are there still leaves on the trees?
also polyfil is great for nest boxes... it does not mold, dries fast and acts as insulation and an insect barrier too.
NOT COTTON batting , but poly fil, looks like fluff, can be bought in the fabric departmnt of Walmart even... some pillows are filled with it, great stuff!

Glad Joe is staying close to home.. once released sqs can be so unpredictable... and they are most times loners in the wild...
some will stay together for awhile, but short lived.
On the coldest of nights, I put rice buddies in their nest boxes to get them warmed up...sorta like a starter...
sounds like a great release momma sq!
I hope Joe stays for years to come and you get the chance to do it again!


pics would be a bonus ya know!!!!

[MollyBear361]

Here are some pics from Joe recently and a couple of Joe, Tito, and and Lucy pre-release....

[MollyBear361]

Jackie,
There are some leaves left. Very few. Except for the Oaks that are full. And i got a nest box that doesn't have a door to open and clean. Joe drug in two of my husbands old tshirts that they slept in as babies into his box. I would have to take whole box down and dismantle or may maybe I can stuff in some filling on top and then try to get up there and clean the shirts out after winter?

[tomcics]

MollyBear361, just found this thread after you posted on mine, I really love the pic of all three of them together, what a lovely group, look so endearing.

[MollyBear361]

Thank you!!!