Any thoughts on little Preston left behind?

[rippie-n-lilgirlsmom]

Very soon it's going to be time to release my older squirrels, any advice for little Preston..he's going to miss them terribly? He's about 3 weeks younger than the older 2. How can I make it easier on him? He loves them so much, he's going to be tramatized when they are gone?

[island rehabber]

Very soon it's going to be time to release my older squirrels, any advice for little Preston..he's going to miss them terribly? He's about 3 weeks younger than the older 2. How can I make it easier on him? He loves them so much, he's going to be tramatized when they are gone?

If you and the squirrels can stand it, I would hold the older two back and release them all together. Even if you have to compromise by one week or so -- if they are three weeks apart that would mean letting the older two wait for two weeks longer and releasing Preston one week earlier than planned, it's still better than traumatizing little Preston and then releasing him as an only child. In the time that the older ones are released without him they may go really wild and forget him....they won't necessarily welcome him again after he's released. (I saw this with two groups of squirrels I released separately last fall....they got along fine in my living room but hated each other out in the wild!) Just my two cents..:)

[rippie-n-lilgirlsmom]

Uh I was afraid of that answer, these 2 have their wheels spinning to go!:dono Another bad thing, he's always been behind.on growth ..everything?...since he was so small it took him a while to catch up.
I guess I will go day by day, thanks IR

[island rehabber]

Uh I was afraid of that answer, these 2 have their wheels spinning to go!:dono Another bad thing, he's always been behind.on growth ..everything?...since he was so small it took him a while to catch up.
I guess I will go day by day, thanks IR

You're probably doing all this already, rippie's mom, but make sure you bring fresh branches with interesting buds and things into the older ones' cage evry morning....keep them from getting bored....and lots of things for them to chew on when they're feeling neurotic, LOL! (I chew sugarless gum incessantly, myself! :D ) This may help them chill out while they're waiting for their little brother to catch up. Only other thiing to do would be keep Preston with you all winter....but it will be hard on him and you and may turn him unreleasable.

[rippie-n-lilgirlsmom]

The older 2 are happy go lucky, he (I have always refered to it as the youngest squirrel syndrome) gets very moody, if you talk to him & he's tired ect..he growls, he still wants to be a baby but yet tries to act big. I tried after the wilds ran away seperating him & giving him his own cage, the older ones couldnt have cared less ..but he was lost. I just have never been faced with this siguation before & he just has a different personality & I dont know how to respond. Maybe its from taking the back seat so to speak from the bigger ones all these weeks?
If it isn't kids it's squirrels! :crazy :thankyou
I dont feel over wintering is an option with him, I think it would really break his spirit?
BTW the branches have been in th cage since they moved into the bigger cage ...this is old news to them now, they are to the point to teenager hood.

[Buddy'sMom]

??? Does this mean the 2 escapees have returned home? Or is this a different set? Been watching the other thread for word, but no new updates. We have been hoping for good news ....

[rippie-n-lilgirlsmom]

No, the wilds are still missing not a glimpse of them yet sadly...If I could just see one to know they were ok, I would sleep better at night, I finally stopped crying over it.
This set is another pair & then a little pinkie found the same day Preston is about 3 weeks younger than the older 2 which I think are 13 weeks?
Preston is the same size as the little wilds that ran away on me! I am judging 10 weeks.

[Critter_Queen]

Hey R&LG's Mom, I'm sorry to hear you haven't seen your wilds since they decided to make a break for it...that's a bummer. I was thinking about you yesterday and hoping that you were beginning to feel "better" since the day they got out...

About Preston and his older siblings...I think what IR meant was that you should be constantly bringing new branches, wood, toys, etc into the cage...like almost daily if you can. (I buy and rotate $1 baby toys from Wal-Mart or the dollar stores) This will help the older two be more occupied with all the new stuff...

I think making the other two wait for two weeks and letting Preston go a week early sounds like the best option in this situation. I hope you can make it work for you all...

:grouphug