bayhorsegirl
08-31-2009, 08:42 PM
As those of you who have been so helpful in answering my previous questions know, I am the proud mama of a 5 week old gray squirrel named Petrie. He is the first squirrel I have raised, but not the first rodent, and after endless research and what seems like hours reading TSB threads, it seems like I'm doing the right thing thus far. *crosses fingers!*
But now I have a dilemma... My plan is to release Petrie back into the wild. I do not want him as a pet, nor do I want him to become a pet. I want him to return to the trees where his other squirrel friends live and be able to thrive for many years to come. The only problem is, Petrie is still just 5 weeks old... and it's already getting cold out (I live the Eastern part of the US). On average, how long should you keep a squirrel before it is ready to begin the release program? Should he be released with winter only a few short months away?
I live on a 90 acre horse farm that is absolutely squirrel heaven. A million trees, tons of seeds, nuts, acorns... the squirrels around here are HUGE! They are so fat that they snap the branches and fall out of the trees all the time. So it is definitely a little squirrel utopia and there is food in abundance.
What should I do? Not that I will have to face this problem for a while... but I like to be prepared. I have considered sending Petrie to a squirrel rehabilitator, but he has been doing so well with me and I would love, love, love for him to live right in my backyard where I can see him (hopefully) on a daily basis.
Is it typical for squirrels to be born this late in the year? Is this even something I should be worrying about?
Thanks!!
But now I have a dilemma... My plan is to release Petrie back into the wild. I do not want him as a pet, nor do I want him to become a pet. I want him to return to the trees where his other squirrel friends live and be able to thrive for many years to come. The only problem is, Petrie is still just 5 weeks old... and it's already getting cold out (I live the Eastern part of the US). On average, how long should you keep a squirrel before it is ready to begin the release program? Should he be released with winter only a few short months away?
I live on a 90 acre horse farm that is absolutely squirrel heaven. A million trees, tons of seeds, nuts, acorns... the squirrels around here are HUGE! They are so fat that they snap the branches and fall out of the trees all the time. So it is definitely a little squirrel utopia and there is food in abundance.
What should I do? Not that I will have to face this problem for a while... but I like to be prepared. I have considered sending Petrie to a squirrel rehabilitator, but he has been doing so well with me and I would love, love, love for him to live right in my backyard where I can see him (hopefully) on a daily basis.
Is it typical for squirrels to be born this late in the year? Is this even something I should be worrying about?
Thanks!!