Is it ok to "play" with my baby?

[Annya26]

Maggie is a female baby Easter Grey squirrel, about 6 - 8 weeks. Recently she had started to "play" with me. She stakes out on end of the couch, running back and forward and hopping around, and I stake out the other using my hand as a squirrel playmate and mimic her motions. Then we chase each other around on the couch and if she catched zzkb (ha ha Maggie jumped on the keyboard :D ) my hand then we wrestle and she bites my very gently and playfully and I pinch her with my finger and thumb equally gently. :crazy

She LOVES this game after feeding time, but is it ok to play with her like this, or am I going to end up teaching her to attack humans and their hands?

[keetz1205]

Squirrels love to play! I have an Eastern Gray as well and we play all of the time. She likes to box my fingers and occasionally will issue an all out assualt on my hand (gently of course). She'll also lay on her back for tummy rubs and then goes into a bunch of rabbit kicks with her back feet. Try wrestling around with her using a stuffed animal. Soon she'll be winging that sucker in the air and belly pouncing it. I see no reason why you shouldn't play with your baby! I know if you plan on releasing her then you'll have to limit contact at some point - but she's still young. Have fun with her and enjoy her!:D

[mpetys]

I can't answer the question of whether it is okay or not but I play with my grey squirrel. But as his nails got sharper he was causing a lot of injury to my hands. I then started putting a sock on my hand to protect it. But then I saw the cutest dog toy. It is a stuffed toy puppet. I now use that and my MonkeyButt loves it. I am able to put my thumb and pinkie finger in the puppets front paws and move them. So it is very interactive.

These puppets come in a lion, an elephant and a zebra. As soon as I put one on, MonkeyButt will come toward it and then pounce and act like he is the biggest, baddest squirrel around and then run off only to come stalking the puppet again.

Michele in Tampa

[NewMommy]

I'm not an expert either but from what I've seen, some people "play" with their babies for over a year even though they plan to release them. There was even an instance where one was released after being "played" with for so long that it went up the shoulder of a neighboring stranger and wanted in her house after getting outside by accident. I don't think it matters so much when they are little but if you plan to release, contact should be limited rather than making it too used to the human touch. This is what an experienced rehabber told me.

[Annya26]

Oh good! I am glad I am not the only one doing this, lol. I am going to try to set her up to be released to the lovely conservation area where she was found eventually, but for now I am just letting her be my baby. (I definitely won't be upset if she decided she wanted to be a pet, but that's probably not likely)

I am going to try the stuffed animal thing - that is a GREAT idea and will save my hands as she gets older.

What about toys for her cage? Any suggestions on fun things I can give her to play with while she isn't out with me?

[virgo062]

How can you not play with them. Thiose cute little bundles of energymjs

I have always played with my releaseable because once they decide it's time to be released it's like they don't even know you:rotfl :rotfl

Play have fun....I just don't let anyone outside of the family play with mine because I don't want them to adjust to people in the wild. And I definently do not let my other animals interact with them. They would not be releaseable if they have no fear of other animals or people...

[lilbitsquirrely]

:Welcome Yep I agree with virgo062,You almost have to play with them not just for your enjoyment, but it helps build muscle strength, and who wants to just sit in a cage,:grouphug and never have companionship.:thumbsup :multi Have fun with him while you can ,when you release him, he will more than likely never look back.They usually wild up somewhere between 6 months and a year.:wave123

[Annya26]

Wow!! 6 months to a year?! That's a long time :jump

I thought she would be leaving me at 3 months, I guess I have a lot more learning to do about releasing!

So in the time that I have her should she have any toys in her cage? What would make a good safe toy(s)? Ferret? Parrot? Homemade?

She has a ferret hammock/sleeping bag that she loves to sleep in, but I would love some suggestions of things I can give her to amuse herself while I am with clients and in appointments and she needs to be locked up.

[CritterMom]

My boy has a big pile of stuffed animals. Hi sfavorite are his big floppy brown dog and an almost perfectly round pink pig that he "log rolls" all over his cage! He has a couple bunnies and a couple bears, too. He beats up on the all the time!

[virgo062]

Wow!! 6 months to a year?! That's a long time :jump



This time goes by quickly...Mine wilded up at 4 months. You will know when she is ready. I like to hang ropes and I also hang stuffed animals. They love to fight with them and hang upside down. It also gives them some exercise in the cage. You should change things out every so often because they will get bored with the same things. Squirrels are hard to keep amused. Also put some tree limbs in there so she can keep her teeth chewed down.

[lilbitsquirrely]

:D I kept two Because I did not want Darth to be alone.Him and Yoda are still very friendly and love to play.I think it might have something to do with, not ,being, an, only, lonely.Who knows why.Lilbit did not wild up at at all with me,but with everybody else and it started when he was a little over a year.but I think that was because he slept with us.My toe nails never looked better.:rofl4 :rofl4

[virgo062]

:D but I think that was because he slept with us.My toe nails never looked better.:rofl4 :rofl4

:eek: :jump

[la dame à l'écureuil]

I think that if you have more than one, you should limit contact because they have each other for comfort. But if you have only one, it's necessary to their growth, not just physically but mentally, IMO, to give them affection and interaction. Think of the famous experiment with baby monkeys where they were taken from their mothers at a young age and they would cling to a soft and fuzzy stuffed fake mother that gave no milk, even though another fake mother made of wire nearby did provide milk. Some who were raised without the soft "mother" and they grew up to be anxious and difficult to socialize as adults, not to mention having a higher incidence of physical problems. It seems to me all mammals and many other animals need to cuddle when young.

[Annya26]

Oh MY! I gave Maggie a little (same size as her) stuffed bear today and "loving" him first, licking and sucking and cuddling him, she went to TOWN on the poor bugger. I am killing myself laughing over her watching her play with the thing. Thanks for the suggestion! :jump

[mugzeezma]

Oh MY! I gave Maggie a little (same size as her) stuffed bear today and "loving" him first, licking and sucking and cuddling him, she went to TOWN on the poor bugger. I am killing myself laughing over her watching her play with the thing. Thanks for the suggestion! :jump
Enjoy her!!!
They really need this interaction for months to come!
Now you will see why we are all so much in love with our squirrels! She will grow up though so love it while it lasts!:Love_Icon

[Annya26]

I am completely ADDICTED! I am so in love it is unbelievable!!! :Love_Icon

So happy to have found this board and the people that can relate - my family thinks I've lost it! :crazy