Release time?

[Nibbles mum]

Not sure if I've posted this in the right section, so sorry if it's in the wrong place. I really need some help for my 14 week old grey squirrel, Nibbles. I have been looking after her since she was about 4 or 5 weeks old, and she is kept inside in a cage but allowed run of the room 2 or 3 times a day. She has always ran around and clambered on anyone in the room. I needed to go away for 4 days though and left her with hubby to look after and now she has changed. She still runs onto me fine, but usually tries to bite me. If she can't get my hands she will jump on my face (not very nice). She has nipped badly but not quite drawn blood yet. She behaves the same way with my son, and will jump on him to bite. Our younger daughter is banned from the room when she is out. She gets on fine with hubby and runs onto him and will sit for ages getting clapped.

I'm not sure if she is needing released or not. She will run onto people still, whether to bite or be nice to them. She has shown no signs of wanting to build herself a nest of any type.

I am in the UK so need to take into account that the weather will often be bad in September/October. I still love my little Nibbles even though she obviously doesn't feel the same now and would hate to do the wrong thing for her.

[island rehabber]

This is always a tough question, and it comes up pretty often. Squirrels will get bitey and a little nasty as they grow, and 12-14 weeks is usually when it starts showing up. Most of the time they pick one member of the family who is 'ok' and bite everyone else. Here's the thing, and I know you are in the UK so it's particularly difficult for Nibbles as a grey squirrel: are you prepared to consider keeping her as a pet forever, even though she can only be handled safely by your husband? The problem will most likely not go away, and she may live 10-15 years with you.
If not, it would be best to start acclimating her to the outdoors as soon as possible. Make sure she has a strong, wood nest box in her cage and that she gets used to using it to sleep in. Place her cage outdoors for the daytime hours, then bring her in at night, for about 1 week. After than you can leave her in her cage outdoors all the time, for 2 more weeks. After that, you can put her nest box in a tree on your property and let her go free -- she'll still have her familiar nest available. If you can't release her on your property, maybe one of our UK rehabbers can suggest a place where you can do this "soft release" process.
We'll try to help any way we can! :)

[Nibbles mum]

Hi, thanks for the reply. We only want what is best for Nibbles, whatever that is! I just wish it was more obvious to a beginner like me. As you say too, grey's get a bad name here and people have been encouraged to take pot shots at them to help keep the numbers down.
Does it sound as if she would be OK to release, even though she won't build herself a nest yet? We will try her cage outside and see how she goes.