PDA

View Full Version : It's about that time. . .



Rotsuoy
06-27-2008, 11:59 AM
Updates on Remus:

I'm afraid Remmy is just twelve weeks old now, and he takes less and less interest in his milk every day. He eats mostly radish and spinach greens in the morning with sugar snap peas, carrots, radish slices and sometimes he'll chew a sprig of broccoli. No more milk it seems.

He does still chirp for milk at night before he goes to bed, and sometimes he will stay up until I give him some.

Compared to the three young squirrels I've noticed (they and their mother are the only squirrels left in the neighborhood now) he seems a bit fatter then they, but I'd like for him to have a decent amount of meat on his bones.

I'm guessing that those three are two females and one male, because the one I know is male is almost all the way grey- except his nose being slightly red -and the other two are mostly red and I doubt they are males. Momma squirrel is really big, and I get skittish about taking him outside because I don't know what she will think if she runs into him.

Yes, he gets to go outside, but I get really scared to take him out if I don't have a long period of time when I can watch him. Yes, I gots the mommy fears. :D

Other then his morning salads (which are usually the same around lunch and super) he will eat those white mushrooms you find at Wal-Mart every blue moon. I guess he really doesn't like them as much as me. Also, there are the pecans, which he will grind his teeth over to crack, because I like to watch him open them himself. Banana is always a treat for him, as well as his random pistachios- when I find a package of unsalted ones I usually give in to sharing them.

He's a fiend. He tackles everything that makes suggestive motions towards him, makes a funny sound, or is bright colored. Even though I may have complained about the scratches before, I don't even notice it anymore, and we have a rather brutish bash on the couch (with him, it's the whole couch) with a hand/squirrel wrestle. He usually gives me those wild snorting grunts when I gain the upper hand, so I usually let him win.

-Oreo cookies. . . I don't know why, but every time I go to munch on one he wants one. I still trying to sort out who or if someone has been giving them to him, but it agitates me to have to fight with him when he wants one. I almost can't eat anything he can't eat in front of him, because he usually wants one. He also has been getting into cups. Every time I have a glass of water or juice he wants to stick his head in it for a drink- I just hope no one has coffee or tea in front of him. . .


And now, onto the topic at hand. I think it is about that time to let him go, and I need desperate help with the release. Primarily- and I'm sure I'm not the only one -it is because I know I'm going to have a hard time letting him go.
I'm sure it is about that time, and as each day goes by I get more and more skittish about it. He's scared of cats, has never confronted a dog in his life yet, and will flatten out to hide from anything that doesn't look or smell like me, my mom, or my cousin- even other people.
I just need tips and encouragement, and especially your guidance.

FallensMommie
06-27-2008, 01:01 PM
I really do know what you are going through as Fallen wanted to be released last month and although I would have liked him to have waited a little later around 15 to 16 weeks, he did beautiful as he still needed his mama and came and went as he pleased. When he first took off he would have roamed those tree tops 24 hours but after about a week he would come in the house for a while then back out etc. I still after about 5 to 6 weeks still get to love on him and feed him etc. He still loves his time with all of us.

It's the hardest thing to do and I did it with many tears on and off but overall the hardest thing was wanting to keep him safe.

If you can wait another few weeks until about 15-16 weeks I think he will be that much more ready. When I released Fallen not a squirrel in the tree, one week later and terroritorial chases begin. Beings he was young and he was MY BOY I chased the other squirrels off......chases still pursue but he is now 18 weeks and is starting to defend his terrority as well.

Good luck and I really understand your emotions.

Rotsuoy
06-29-2008, 04:57 PM
Aww, thank you. I just wanted to start reading upon the release and start getting to know what to do and how to prepare now, so that I don't feel like I'm scrambling to get everything together.

He goes back and forth out the back door and roams the house as he pleases, but I still like to make sure he has a clean cage to go to bed in each night and that I can keep a close eye on him when he is not in that cage.

My sister is afraid of him, and since he is getting so big mom nags me about him getting ready to go outside on his own. However, when I think about it, watch the way he acts, it get really skittish that the other squirrels might get to rowdy with him out there.

I think that he may think he is ready, but for some reason I just know that now wouldn't be a good time. Then again, that could be me being afraid to let him go too.

But, yeah, I'm not going to boot him out the door now, I just wanted to know everything I need to get ready so that the release will be much slower and much easier on both of us.

FallensMommie
06-29-2008, 07:09 PM
Fallen sleep inside for the first week, and occassionally out at night...he just used a old drey. Once he built his own drey then he slept out every night. I was just always there in the mornings and at night to feed and give support like playing and rubbins. He played out in the treetops for a whole week before he showed interest in wanting to spend some times in doors too.

ScootFoundUs
07-01-2008, 03:19 PM
Thanks for your words, FallensMommie. I haven't been on here in awhile b/c work is disasterously busy but we rescued a little bit when we found him on our patio at (we estimate) 5 weeks old. This was back in March of this year. We have cherished Scoot, loved feeding him, raising him, loving on him and playing with him. He has spent the past couple months living (at first) in and out and then finally outside 24 hours a day in his big outdoor cage. We're getting ready to release him today and it's killing me, though I know it's the right thing to do and we've prepared him best we can.

I was glad to read your post about Fallen still coming around after being outside for weeks now. I am hoping that Scoot will stay nearby and it's heartbreaking to think he might not. But I know it's a possibility.

We'll be putting food out and his nest box and hammock are still accessible inside the cage so we'll keep our eyes peeled for him. Thanks again.

Sciurus1
07-01-2008, 03:45 PM
I realize that many on this board release at 4 months. I was told by a friend who rehabs in the Midwest, that many rehabbers release at this area because of lack of room for these juveniles in their facilities. Her facility has the room, to allow the juveniles to be housed for a couple more months, to reach a greater physical and mental maturity. She then begins her releases atl 6-7 months old . There are other reasons beyond facility space to do this later, good ones. As for now though, not wanting jack this thread, I will wait to share that in a new thread of my own later today or tomorrow. S1