Info needed on release

[syl]

Hello,

New to this board; however did wildlife rehab many moons ago (>30 yrs). I'm hoping this is the right board, as my question concerns a chipmunk (I did not find a chipmunk board).

My question concerns the releasibility of a baby that I hand-raised, now a couple months (?) old, eating solid food (with the occasional "bottle"), healthy and active, but very tame.

What is the success rate of releasing a hand-raised baby such as this? I have made contact with a rehabber who can facilitate this but I guess I'm having second thoughts. Hate to say I've gotten attached (though I have), but more to the point, I'd hate to release him only to have him become food for the first hawk to fly over. One does invest a certain amount of emotional currency in these little creatures.

Thanks in advance for any thoughts.

syl

[Mars]

:rotfl :wave123 :rotfl

I think you have 2 questions. One - what are the chances of your little one wilding up enough to be released and two - do I want to release him. Being wild vs friendly is no protection against hawks sorry to say. I think you really must decide question 2 before we explore question 1. And no one here will say boo to which way you decide. We can help you either way. Mean while, relax, check out our threads and make yourself at home :Welcome :)

[Jackie in Tampa]

:goodpost Mars


:Welcome ...we love pics! and alot of Chippie people here!:wave123

[Sciurus1]

I would like to share that since you are not a person having raised this squirrel in a facilitiy, and there IS not hurry to release at the minimum of at 4 months of age. Being an orphan, it has no mother to clear out the older squirrels to lessen the fights and chases it would encounter when it began to venture farther from it's mother. When wilds reach about 6 to 7 months of age, then their mothers conduct a release of their own, seeing only then are they ready to go it on their own, how much more then reason to not release earlier than that, in order to allow the squirrel the time it needs to gain the maturity and physical fitness, to go it on it's own. For now, to build it a prereleased cage, or find a rehabber who can do that, so the squirrel can begin to gain the strength and agility needed to endure the rigors of life in the wild. if the rehabber is not willing to release at least at 6-7 months, I would take on that job yourself, IF you want to give this squirrel the extra advantage maturity gives to it to do well upon it's release. During this period, it will be introduced to foods readily found in the wild. They also will then break their bond with their human caretaker, so they will not continue to be habituated to humans and captivity, which is necessary if they are to do well in the wild. So for now you have time, time to get a cage, or find a rehabber to finish this squirrels rehabilitation to give it the best chance you can for it to do well in the wild. I hope that helps.

[molly]

I would like to share that since you are not a person having raised this squirrel in a facilitiy, and there IS not hurry to release at the minimum of at 4 months of age. Being an orphan, it has no mother to clear out the older squirrels to lessen the fights and chases it would encounter when it began to venture farther from it's mother. When wilds reach about 6 to 7 months of age, then their mothers conduct a release of their own, seeing only then are they ready to go it on their own, how much more then reason to not release earlier than that, in order to allow the squirrel the time it needs to gain the maturity and physical fitness, to go it on it's own. For now, to build it a prereleased cage, or find a rehabber who can do that, so the squirrel can begin to gain the strength and agility needed to endure the rigors of life in the wild. if the rehabber is not willing to release at least at 6-7 months, I would take on that job yourself, IF you want to give this squirrel the extra advantage maturity gives to it to do well upon it's release. During this period, it will be introduced to foods readily found in the wild. They also will then break their bond with their human caretaker, so they will not continue to be habituated to humans and captivity, which is necessary if they are to do well in the wild. So for now you have time, time to get a cage, or find a rehabber to finish this squirrels rehabilitation to give it the best chance you can for it to do well in the wild. I hope that helps.

It's a chipmunk Do you do the same thing as you would with a squirrel?

[Sciurus1]

Yes, but the cage doesn't need to be as large, as they are burrowers, but then to provide stuff for them to burrow in is a real plus, and at least a nest box to do that in, in the cage itself. As to when the mothers kick them out of their borrow, I have to research that. Once they are weened, you need to start providing Organic veggies and foods, along with supplimenting those with foods from the wild. As for the Best chippy diet, we have a member here who raises them that can help you with that. In the meantime, do you have a daylight bulb, like the OTT light, or do you know what it is? If not, Gammas Baby can help you with that. It really important to do this phase of rehabilitation well, for them to be in the bes condition they can be when released.

[Tomo]

Hello,

New to this board; however did wildlife rehab many moons ago (>30 yrs). I'm hoping this is the right board, as my question concerns a chipmunk (I did not find a chipmunk board).

My question concerns the releasibility of a baby that I hand-raised, now a couple months (?) old, eating solid food (with the occasional "bottle"), healthy and active, but very tame.

What is the success rate of releasing a hand-raised baby such as this? I have made contact with a rehabber who can facilitate this but I guess I'm having second thoughts. Hate to say I've gotten attached (though I have), but more to the point, I'd hate to release him only to have him become food for the first hawk to fly over. One does invest a certain amount of emotional currency in these little creatures.

Thanks in advance for any thoughts.

syl


If you opt to have someone else release your baby, one thing I would mention the person who will facilitate the soft release is not to release them in Marymoor Park (or any park like it) out in Redmond because they have an off leash dog run with no fences. Dogs run willy-nilly there and squirrels are fair game. Green Lake Park has too many roller bladers and cyclists for squirrels as well.

[Crazymunk]

WOW that was a YOUNG baby. I wonder if Mum was moving it to another nest site and got taken by a hawk or something? If his eyes were still closed when you found him he would have been about 3 weeks old. Mine have just opened their eyes at 23/24 days old. You've done a great job.

!st..Chippies don't need a FSL..thanks for the info though GB....better to have it and not need it than the other way round!

Baby Chipmunks....I'm talking "tame" not wild but it should be the same....are weaned from Mum at about 6 weeks but they still need her to teach them the survival stuff .....how to make a nest...what foods are good...how to store food etc

Mine eat a variety of food....nuts broccoli apples pears grapes cucumber tomatoes.mealworms dandelion flowers.. a ready made chippy mix....carrots..mushrooms ...mange tout...sweetcorn and baby corn on the cob stuff.....dried fruit.....I could be here for ever :D

As for release....do you have to release it? Chippies tend to be territorial and don't always take too kindly to strangers on their patch plus as you said there is the worry of hawks...although that unfornately is the way of the world. (I did get a "please tell me it would be a real bad thing to release him and I'll keep him" vibe from your post:D )

sorry info is a bit short but I'm getting ready for work :sanp3

Either way he's too young for release yet :poke