The Arrk in Chalfont, PA?

[MissingMySquirrel]

Hey guys I was wondering if anyone knew about the Arrk in Chalfont, PA? I gave them my squirrel a couple weeks back and learned they will be releasing her soon. Very worried about my girl being released to the wild in the winter. I have a couple other concerns I'm dealing with. (I know ,I'm a very concerned squirrel Mom! Saturday will be 3 wks. and I'm still missing and worried about my lil girl) So if anyone has any info. good or bad, please let me know. I'd really appreciate it!

[squirrelsrule&bunniestoo]

I haven't heard of the center, but it is too late in the year for a squirrel to be released. How old was she when you took her there? Had she been outside? I keep my squirrels in the outside cage for a MINIMUM of 3 weeks before going free and I don't release past Halloween.

Do you know if they soft release and provide food throughout the winter and have nestboxes up? That can make all the difference.

[rippie-n-lilgirlsmom]

Try calling them and see if you can be there for release day? Its been fairly mild here...50's during the day. I seen that they need volunteers in the spring that may be something you could do and it will give you a better idea what goes on there. I realise thats not going to help your pain today and I know that empty nest feeling. Like I said see if they will let you come for release day? :grouphug Offer to bring a bag of food to the release...just as a :poke bribe.
Its on the other side of the state from me.

[MissingMySquirrel]

squirrelsrule&bunniestoo, she was about 13-14 weeks. She was never outside. They said they were going to do a soft release. When my Hubby called last week to check on her the guy he spoke to all he said was "yeah, she's still here, call back in a couple weeks to see if we let her go." That's when I started thinking I should of came on TSB to see if someone in my area was willing to take her. :(

rippie-n-lilgirlsmom, Chalfont is a a good 1 or so drive for me. I wish it was closer, I would love to visit her.

Whats the difference b/t a soft release and the other releases? All I keep thinking about is she dosen't have her warm blanket outside! :shakehead

[rippie-n-lilgirlsmom]

A soft release is where she will be put out side for approx. 2 weeks and then the cage will be opened and she will be free to roam all day and at night she will be able to come back to her cage to sleep. From what I have seen with all my releases 99% of the time they never look back and they are happy running in the trees. We are the ones to suffer when they are gone, they now have the life that they were meant to have.
Its not an easy thing to go through...I found this website 4? years ago when I came here asking if I had done the right thing releasing my babies i was so worried about them. I wish I had magical words to get you through this but there arent any. I would just try and call the place and see if you can get info from them.

[keetz1205]

I found Chicklet back in August when she was approximately 2-3 weeks old. She's now a very healthy 17 weeks. I'm planning on over-wintering her and will release in Spring as long as her head issues clear up. I too am very close to Chalfont (about 15 minutes north) and had called Aark but they told me they'd release her this winter and I was just not into that scene. I'm not a rehabber but have raised other squirrels and soft-released them myself. I think it's just my preference that Chicklet stay indoors for the winter where I know she's safe. I just didn't get a warm fuzzy feeling when I spoke to Aark. I just don't know how a squirrel would have time to gather it's stash of food and build a nest (mine never stayed in their nest boxes provided by me for more than 2 weeks). Just my opinion....

[MissingMySquirrel]

Keetz, I understand the feeling you're talking about. :( When we called last week to check on her, it was like a 2 second conversation. "yeah, she's still here, call back in 2 weeks to see if we released her yet." along with a couple other things I didn't like when she was dropped off. I'm kicking myself for not coming on TSB to see if a rehabber near me would of took my girl. I probably would feel a little better if she wasn't being released in the winter. She came a long way from when she was found stuffed in a box by the trash, so hopfully she'll be strong in the wild.

[Jackie in Tampa]

i did ck around with some wildlife people in your state and no one really could say one way or another about aark, but they did say they had bad vibes from negative phone conversations with aark....

i am sending good vibes to you and your sq:grouphug and prayers too

[MissingMySquirrel]

Thanks Jackie, I really appreciate it. Ugh. I guess there's no way they would release her back to me, huh? :( There was another rehab in NJ my mother in law gave me a number to, but when I called they said they don't take squirrels from other states. I really should of done my homework. :(

[island rehabber]

Thanks Jackie, I really appreciate it. Ugh. I guess there's no way they would release her back to me, huh? :( There was another rehab in NJ my mother in law gave me a number to, but when I called they said they don't take squirrels from other states. I really should of done my homework. :(

This is true...it is a serious violation of our wildlife rehab licenses to cross state lines with any wildlife, for any reason. :sanp3