How long will it last???

[jonmareymo]

Hey all,
I do not think this is the right forum to use but I wasn't sure where I should post my question...:thinking

The three squirrels I released this fall (Karo, Jacob, and Esau) are all doing great. Karo was released about 3 weeks before the two boys (siblings) and has remained quite friendly. (I can spot the boys in the trees but they have moved on with their lives).

Karo comes down each morning for her food and often during the day to play and be petted. She has been released for about two months and the wild is agreeing with her; beautiful coat, full belly, etc. I guess my question is, how long are they this friendly? Does it stop once she reaches sexual maturity (which I am sure is just around the corner)? Are girl squirrels more attached the boys? I love my little girl so much and want to prepare myself for the day she doesn't come down from the tree. Thanks!

[island rehabber]

I think it varies from squirrel to squirrel. There are people here who have squirrels they released onto their own property who have stayed relatively tame and friendly. Your girl just might stay that way, or she might gradually distance herself from you. Whichever, you are one of the very lucky ones to have released your squirrels right in your backyard so you can continue to enjoy their special company!

[philomycus]

Some of the ones I relase take off right away and I'll see them around, but they won't let me get near them. I released Fred 4 weeks ago, and every morning he runs down the tree and takes a treat out of my hand. As they get older and hit maturaity, most of them will then start to keep their distance, but some of them hang around longer. It's a delight to see them, enjoy this time!

[muffinsquirrel]

We have a foxer that we released about 4 or 5 years ago. He was the meanest, most wicked thing you ever saw while in the release cage - one of those that you crack the door a little and just throw the food in and close the door real fast before he chewed your arm off. His sisters weren't quite as bad, but didn't exactly want much to do with humans. When we opened the cage, the two girls took off for greener pastures and never even looked back. The male, Joe Cool, took off too, but in a few days we started seeing him around a lot. Soon he became the family pet, or maybe pest! He's still around, will sit on our knee to eat his pecans and hazel nuts, and will bang on the door if he wants something and we are not out there! He will also lay in ambush on a low branch and jump on our shoulder if he thinks we have some nuts in our pocket. And if he is not around when we go outside we can yell "Hey, Joe", and he usually comes right away.

There's just no understanding squirrels!

muffinsquirrel

[Squerly]

Garage Squirrel grew up in a corner of our garage. (see if you can guess how she got her name) She stayed in the garage for close to 3 years and only moved out a year of so ago. She was always friendly but not to the point of touching us or her allowing us to touch her. She now lives in a tree next to the deck and she comes to visit several times a day. I doubt that she will ever actually move away.