Outside time

[Critter_Queen]

How do you give your critters outside time? Sounds like some of you can just let 'em roam the yard and they stick around... is that right?

I have two outdoor enclosures (9x9x9 and 6x6x12) so that's what we use, but I thought it would be neat if they would stick around just to hang with them "free" in the yard. (one at a time, so I could keep a close eye)

'Specially since it can be tough to convince them it's time to go back inside...

Thoughts??

[Luv2Spare]

Hiya!

Do you have pics of your enclosures?

They sound about the size of my aviarys and about the size I want to build th squirrels outdoor cage.

Thanks,

Chris

[Secret Squirrel]

Are you trying to do a soft release?
Or are you just wanting to be outside with them?

This is just my view but if you introduce your squirrel to the wild then you can be sure the wild is going to rub off on them. How would you stop a squirrel from climbing a 60 ft tree?? No matter how much we would want to protect our little ones...the call of nature is whispering in their tiny ears. In a split second they could be gone and if that's not what you want then it's best to keep them in an enclosure. It would be neat to have an enclosure with an open bottom so they can run on the grass but still have 4 sides and a top to protect them. Something big enough for you to sit in the grass too!!!

[GhosTS]

SS is right.When they are outside they will go crazy.( They might not, Sparks never wanted to go outside.He stayed on my shoulder always, But its a risk you cannot take ).An outside enclosure is the best.You can build a big one where they can run around free, but still inside a safe area.

[Critter_Queen]

Cool. That's what I was thinking...I thought is sounded strange that folks were taking squirrels out in the yard without a cage.

For now, mine get light from a full-spectrum bulb in their room...as well as sunlight (though through a window) from a picture window in their room. In one more week Zeke will be out in the 9x9x9 aviary permanently...until I release him at my mom's place. He is vision impared, but doesn't seem to be so impared that he can't function normally. We shall see when he gets into the aviary.

I can't really release animals in my yard...so they will go from the aviary to wherever they are to be released...I'll just keep 'em caged until release.

I will try to get or find a picture of our aviary tonight. It's made of 2x4s, plywood and metal screen (to keep the s'quitos out!!). We bought it for $40 from a guy who took it off someone's house that was using it as a screened-in porch...added a little more screening to the roof, added plywood to most of the top, all of the back and half of the sides for shelter...reinforced it and weather-proofed the exterior. Cost us about $250 total, I think. It works for pretty much all species ('cept coons...you can't keep coons in the same enclosures as ANYTHING else due to the diseases they carry) so it's great.

The 6x6x12 enclosure is our dog kennel...but modified. We put up the kennel over eight years ago. Chain-link set on a concrete slab with the kennel raised about 1.5" off the concrete (for easy cleaning/hosing). This summer, we needed a second outdoor enclosure when we took in a Kestral that was imprinted and didn't even know how to hunt or fly. :shakehead Stupid people...but anyway... We took chicken wire and wrapped the entire kennel with it, securing it with tie-wraps. Added some fiberglass "tin" to half of the top and sides for protection, then put up tree branches, a "nest box", a landing (the dog house) and littered the floor with branches and leaves to make the hunting more difficult. Since releasing Kes, the kennel belongs to the dogs again, until we need it, so we took out all the branches and leaves, but left the chicken wire and fiberglass up. Figured it would keep kids from throwing rocks at my dogs from the alley. (yep, happens)