Re: help with possible release of 2 year old squirrel
Hi LittleDude:Originally Posted by littledude
I'm sorry that your new post has gone unanswered! I hope that you are still with us and have not yet made a decision! Just for any future issues, my suggestion for better exposure would be to utilize the "Non Life Threatening Help Needed Forum for most issues or the Emergency (Life Threatening) Help Needed for obviously emergent concerns or those those issues that may be seen to possibly be headed in that direction.
Getting back to your question about whether or not a 2 y/o Squirrel is too old for release; the simple answer is, 'definitely Not, BUT' (there are several "buts") to mention a few concerns; 1) the release process may be at least somewhat prolonged, 2) the Squirrel may not really want to be a wild Squirrel and feels more comfortable back in the house (a "failed" soft-release), and 3) just like all "raised from a baby" Squirrels, your Squirrel MUST be "Soft Released!" No "raised" Squirrel should ever be Hard Released (this is where they are are simply put outside in the wild world)! The will invoke extreme fear in the Squirrel and invariably will result in in the Squirrel's meeting one of nature's usual horrendous endings! The Soft Release process is necessary to ensure that the Squirrel is essentially able to "wild-up" before any attempt at letting him taste the wild is ever offered! Squirrels are obviously wildlife and every "raised" baby Squirrel has within them, the instincts of a wild Squirrel but these instincts are usually not "activated" and are more a potential than they are actually present and the time spent in the Release Cage in conjunction with a properly conducted Soft Release "program" will result in most cases with a wild Squirrel with all of his protective, behavioral and functional instincts intact and ready for use before any opportunity for release is offered!
Now for my Rehab Facility comments; not all Rehab facilities or Rehabbers are the same and not all of them are familiar with Squirrels or surprisingly, may not be particularly Squirrel Friendly. Some facilities (especially very busy facilities), may not be interested in or able take the potentially extra time that could be needed to soft-release a two y/o Squirrel or may not want to consider alternatives to a possibly "failed" soft-release and will simply euthanize an older Squirrel or possibly even do a hard release, which would also be a death sentence but accompanied by intense fear and most likely an agony filled ending added to the mix!
IF you are going to consider a Wildlife Refuge or Rehab Facility, PLEASE do diligent research about the facility and ask all of the questions! In addition, please post the name of the facility here on TSB so that anyone with any familiarity with the facility could offer their comments and recommendations!
Squirrels who are truly wild and come out of the wild to a facility for treatment of an injury or possibly an illness or poisoning, can usually be released back to their original home locations without any form of soft-release. This is my primary focus within the world of Rehabbing and even with previously "very wild" Squirrels, I frequently put these wild Squirrels who have recovered from incidents and accidents sustained in the wild in what I would term an "abbreviated soft release." This may be more for me than fort them but it seems beneficial. Again, the Sort Release is a NECESSITY, if your Squirrel is to successfully become a wild Squirrel!
Regards,
SamtheSquirrel
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