need help with release

[Stephanie K Zon]

:wave123 :wave123 :Love_Icon HI EVERY ONE, well I'm back and need help again. Her name is Peek-A-Boo and she is about 12 weeks old and it is really close to winter and I don't know if she is big enough or if our winters are mild enough for her to make it we have lots of pine trees and our grass stays green all winter I put some pictures of her cage on the internet and of corse a couple of pictures of her to they are under stephanie some where I think they are under questions on the squirrel borad she is getting where she charges me it seems to happen after I get a shower she bit me 14 times the other day befor I could get her back in her cage. I realy would like to keep her though the winter i'm just to scared she will get to tame she already likes sleeping with me Oh and there teeth I heard there teeth can grow so long that they can't eat and starve to death I havn't seen her crack a walnut yet so I'm not surewhat the deal is she still takes her formula but I see her chewing in the wood in her cage she is alot more wild than Missy was because I got Peek-A-Boowhen her eyes where open and she had all her hair and her tail was already curling well if any one can help me call larrys with all my love thank you Squirrel Board love Stephanie every one have a niceday

[Sweetie'sMom]

I am having the same problem with releasing my little Sweetie, she is about 10 weeks old and it is starting to get cold here on Long Island. Sweetie lives in a cage next to me in my computer room, I talk to her all day long. I'm the only one that feeds her and cleans her cage. We found her on labor day and I have taken care of her since. In the beginning I used to carry her around in a fuzzy pink sock and it has become her security blanket (sock). Quite often she sleeps all night in it. I've rescued her twice from out doors by holding out the sock and she has climbed in. At night I hold out the sock and she climbs in, her tail usually sticks out next to her adorable face. I sit in my chair watching TV with her in the sock on my chest and I pet her head and massage her back, she falls asleep and sometimes makes little squeaky content noises. I have a lot of antiques and collectables and can not even imagine her running around my house, so she will definitely always be a caged squirrel. If I were to let her out the other squirrels on my half acre would probably hurt her or my cat would possibly kill her. So, I have consulted a rehabilitator and am thinking of giving her to him, however the thought is really upsetting. He would give her a 6'x6'x3' cage, a large tree limb and a house, hide food for her, teach her to be a wild squirrel and keep her until the spring and then he would let her go. I know that this is the best option but there is something magical about bonding with a wild animal and gaining it's trust and part of me wants to keep her as a pet but the other part of me says "let her go and be a squirrel, you've given her a good head start in life now let her lead it." I took a picture of her in her pink sock and use it as my screen saver. I keep her in front of the window, not a foot from me, when it was warmer I would open the window and push the cage out a little so that she could see all the birds and squirrels that I feed. She enjoys that and zips around the cage. Sometimes I turn around and she is just laying there looking at me, I wonder what she is thinking? My girl friends and my sons think I'm a little crazy but my grand children think I'm really cool for keeping a squirrel as a pet. I know others are having this same problem of separation, how has it worked for you or have you kept the squirrel and delt with the problems. One of the problems I am having is the urine smell, I think it is affecting my throat, is this a problem with others? I clean her cage at least once and sometimes twice a day. Which is not easy to do since she is eager to get out and has twice, which is a whole other story. I have been using old towels and she is storing a whole lot of food in them. I'm very tollerant of messes but the odor is getting to me. Help? Do I give her to the rehabilitator, he says I can never see her again. The thought is killing me. Any suggestions? Thanks from Sweetie's Mom.

[rippie-n-lilgirlsmom]

sweeties mom thank goodness I was answering you in chat we have a rehabber here very close to you, in NY. She may be able to help you.

[Gabe]

sweeties mom, the rehabber that rippie is thinking of is wonderful. She even posts on this board, I think that would be a good decision.

[rippie-n-lilgirlsmom]

sweeties mom what have you been giving her for a diet?
She needs a lot of callcium & fresh veggies. There are people here that keep them as pets, but once making that decision know that they can live 15 years.
I just released 3 of my own that come around. However if you have cats on your peoperty this isnt advised. Cat saliva is deadly to a little squirrel.
We are all very aware of the frustration of giving up a little one. good luck in your choice dont forget about talking to island rehabber here.
They can melt your heart cant they?

[Sweetie'sMom]

thanks for getting back to me, the rehabber that I know of works for my vet, and lives close by. He saw Sweetie on 10/31 and said her coat was beautiful and her teeth and everything were just as should be. I made a list of what I feed her for him, it includes, broccolli, grapes, celery, kale, carrots, pumpkin seeds, seed pods from the maples, rose hips from my roses, acorns which I gather at Eisenhower Park, pecans, walnuts, crusts from my toast in the morning, water, dried sweet potatoe skins, she loves them, and even mango, apples and bananas, even young tree branches. What ever I saw the wild squirrels eating I would gather for her from my garden and yard. She eats some and then stores the rest in the towels. I am supposed to hand her over to him tomorrow, this is really bothering me. How do I just call and talk with Island Rehabber? Thanks for your comments. Sweetie's Mom

[Mrs. Jack]

Hi SweetiesMom, hopefully IR will see this when she comes on, but you can also pm her if you like and ask to speak with her..

[Gabe]

Sweeties mon, You did a great job with her diet, I love to give alot of natural foods also. It sure will give them a start when they're released and see all the food that is in the wild for them.
My friend just gave me some Osage Orange fruit for the fawns and wild deer. Hers come down out of the woods and love it. Mine have never seen it before and won't touch it, even the wilds. No one ever taught them to eat it. That's why natural food is so important.

[island rehabber]

thanks for getting back to me, the rehabber that I know of works for my vet, and lives close by. He saw Sweetie on 10/31 and said her coat was beautiful and her teeth and everything were just as should be. I made a list of what I feed her for him, it includes, broccolli, grapes, celery, kale, carrots, pumpkin seeds, seed pods from the maples, rose hips from my roses, acorns which I gather at Eisenhower Park, pecans, walnuts, crusts from my toast in the morning, water, dried sweet potatoe skins, she loves them, and even mango, apples and bananas, even young tree branches. What ever I saw the wild squirrels eating I would gather for her from my garden and yard. She eats some and then stores the rest in the towels. I am supposed to hand her over to him tomorrow, this is really bothering me. How do I just call and talk with Island Rehabber? Thanks for your comments. Sweetie's Mom

Sweetie'sMom and I did get a chance to email last night and I have to say she has been a truly excellent first-time Squirrel mamma :bowdown . Please keep her and Sweetie in your prayers and thoughts today when she brings Sweetie to the rehabber for the next phase of what will be a long and cheerful squirrelly life. Good work, Sweetie'sMom! Please keep in touch and let us know how it goes. :grouphug

[rippie-n-lilgirlsmom]

sweetiesmom, I know its a painful thing but you are doing the right thing.
Its even more painful to watch a squirrel be caged for many years for what could have been a happy squirrel life. Can you go to visit her where she will be rehabbed? This would help the sudden goodbye. When she looks at you I honestly think she is saying is this all there is to my life Mom? The last little squirrel we released Preston, my hubby & he had quite a relationship. Hubby still cant believe he has not come back to his window, wanting in.
I keep telling him, he wants to be a squirrel! I wont lie & say it isnt gonna hurt because you will miss her, come back & chat with us, we are all in the same boat together.
:grouphug

[Sweetie'sMom]

Thanks to all of you who have taken the time to answer my call for help, I'm going to try to put Sweetie's picture in here, so that you can see what a sweet little girl she is. Right now she is in her cage not 12" away watching me with great interest. I shall miss her! I will let you know how the transfer goes, should be interesting! Sweetie'sMom I've tried to put in the photo but with no luck. I can do eBay but I can't do this!:grouphug

[rippie-n-lilgirlsmom]

sweetiesmom do you know how to email a picture?
If so you can email it to me & I will post it for you.

[nealie]

Hi there ladies.....

10 and 12 week old squirrels....much too early to release. They are just not prepared for winter.... I know that for myself I would hold onto them (I have 2 I am raising and their eyes just opened) and communicate at length with the wildlife rehabber that is on here. (I think she is about 4 comments or so below mine in this thread). I am building a large cage for these squirrels to "vacation" for the winter here to be released in the Spring.

Take care ! Oh, there is plenty of info on the web for releasing squirrels. "Squirrel Release" for you to educate yourself more...

Nealie:grouphug

[rippie-n-lilgirlsmom]

http://www.mypages.iparenting.com/webs/littleangel1965/Sweetie9.jpg
here she is, I also posted it on the geneal board.
She is an adorable little girl, I can see how she got her name.

[Sweetie'sMom]

Thanks so much to rippie-n-lilgirlsmom for posting Sweetie's picture. Yes that is one of my fluffly pink socks, it's going with her to the rehab place. I have a killer cat and can't let her go here. She won't be let go from rehab until spring. If I could figure out a way of keeping her I would, this is driving me crazy. I guess I could get a bigger cage, any suggestions on how to keep her, I have the one cat and 3 dogs and a lot of squirrels who live on my property. But she needs to become squirrel, right? This is not easy!

[rippie-n-lilgirlsmom]

well #1 get rid of the cat!
get her a nest box for her cage get her used to going in it.
In the spring hang out the box real high in a tree.
If you over winter her in the house she will need a large cage in the house.
So she has pleanty of room to run around.
She needs sunlight for vitamin D, if you couldnt give her that then there is artificial light you can get at pet stores.
I dont think putting her in a window will do it most newer windows block out rays.
If you were serious, take the antiques out of the room shes in also so she can have free run, its too sad to have them caged constantly.?

[pia]

she is cute:) vancouver? i have family living there:crazy

[rippie-n-lilgirlsmom]

There are people here who keep squirrels as pets. You probably could over winter her yourself. To put it bluntly you would have to work around her needs instead of her around yours to be fair to her, just looking out for her (needs), thats why we are all here because of our love for squirrles. They do have certain demands that must be meant to stay healthy. Good luck with your decision, I would have a hard time with that also. Shes lovely.