Share your release experience? PLease!!

[squirrely pearly]

It would help so much for so many of us first time squirrely releasers to hear the great stories of success from those of you who have been through it! :dono I've read some but I would love to hear many many more!! Please include the age at release time and boy/girl, sightings , you know from beginning to end! how you started out with your squirrelers and all that!
Many many thank you's!!:thankyou :thankyou :thankyou

I know I love to talk about my squirrely..to anyone who will listen!! :)

[virgo062]

SP we have to get you through thiis....:rotfl

[virgo062]

But truthfully the last release of my three amigos was the most heartbreaking but the most successful. When they take off and never look back that tells me they were ready and happy to go :)

[squirrely pearly]

7 days and my imaginatiion is still running wild. Yesterday I said the worst 'out loud" to myself. this morning I put on my hiking boots and set off to find my munchkin! The good thing is I am starting to enjoy squirrel watching.. I was kinda mad at the others out there at first because I thought maybe they ran her off. :nono

Virgo, you said you didn't see your Nutnut for a month? when you did see him again, did he come to you?

The good thing is that it's not just cut and dry that something terrible happened. I also have the hope that like so many of you have told me..(but my mind still plays dirty tricks on me) that she has just wilded up. found a mate. If I could just store this info away, and rest my mind I sure would be happy!!:crazy it's not so easy as that though.:dono

you said to keep putting food out and I have, now my lawn looks like a squirrel factory :tilt I was just at the window watching and there are sooo many males..poor things! getting ran off from the food. So I have learned instead of putting food in just one spot..I just throw handfuls all over. at least that way they all have a chance :Love_Icon cute little boogers. There are some that don't even flinch anymore when I walk out..I guess they've come to think of me as a fixture out there now..they all think their name is Pearly Squirrely!! :Love_Icon

[virgo062]

I have actually seen NutNut twice in the last few days...it's strange because I see him several days in a row then he just takes off...You have a yard full of squirrels what are the odds something happened to SP? I don't ever see my three boys but I know they are out there and doing fine...Know what you need? Another Squirrel:wahoo I bet one of the squirrels in your yard is SP. I am sure my boys are part of the group that's eating me out of house and home but to be honest they all look alike:rotfl. One of two things will happen...Either after all the mating rituals are finished she will come for a visit maybe even bring you some little visitors or she is living amongst you and you don't even know it...Which is probably the case. here is my thoughts if you release a squirrel and they take off then you have done a good job:wott. you have to think happy thoughts about SP. Your job was to get her to this poinr and you did that...you should be happy. I can say that now because my nights of crying and snotting are over:rotfl The release is the hardest thing...Everyone will tell you that and we have all been through it.
If nothing else Sp has taught you to really enjoy the wildlife:Love_Icon

[squirrely pearly]

my name is Claudia, and I am a squirrelaholic, it's been 7 days since I felt my squirrely bite on my finger, or wrestle in my hair. do I get a chip?!:nono

I know I am a whiney baby right now, I more than yall hope it does'nt last much longer:dono :Love_Icon but I'm not going anywhere! it's not like theres a squirrelaholics group in my town.:poke

again, when you see nutnut , does he come up to you? I thank you so much Virgo,you just don't know!! I need all the words of encouragement! I just miss my friend. It's a mixture of fear of something happened and that I failed her, and also just looking around and remembering her little ways. I have a little monkey that she tore to shreds playing with it, I keep it near.

I bet that was sooo hard to see those 3 go and not look back. Though, at least you know they had each other! Did you teach them to build nests? pearly used to build hers in her cage though the door was open. Then she built one in my dresser drawer when I forgot to close it, she stayed in there for 2 months or more. then back to the cage but on top this time, then back to the drawer.

I have been thinking the same thing about another squirrel, but I'd never want to have one that has a real mommy already. But it is mating season, so if the need arises I will be prepared! I have already ordered the milk I read about on here and the syringes and all that.:thankyou

they do eat ya out of house and home huh!? :crazy I thought it was expensive raising 1! now I'm feeding the entire town squirrel population it seems! pecans, walnuts, acorns I ordered off the internet. Pearly had a big stash in here, I kept heeps for her.none of them eat the baby carrots though..and she loved them.. I have learned so much watching these squirrels! I will be so much more prepared if and when I am needed again.

I'm pretty sure my other critters, dogs, horses, ducks, chickens all think that I've left the building(mentally):rotfl and they might be right!!

I know it's hard enough to raise baby squirrels, now yall gotta raise me!:crazy :Love_Icon :Love_Icon :Love_Icon

[virgo062]

Hi Claudia...My (real) name is debbie...No NutNut does not come when I call anymore. He only show's up on his terms. I think he knows when it's safe to hang around. And since I release on my property EVERYONE eats:rotfl and it is very expensive. I didn't teach NutNut or my three to build a nest it comes naturally to them. I knew NutNut was ready when I saw him building his nest. the boys I never see anymore . I only meant to release two of them because Squeaky was not ready to go but when the brothers went he went with them.
he was the same age but not as mature....I feel guilty but he was born to be wild had it not been for me he would have never made it this far so just as my squirrels do I don't look back. I know that someday they have to take care of themselves and I know they have the same instincts just as a baby born in the wild. Just because we raise them by hand does not mean they can't survive in the wild. When we open that door they forget about the 3am feedings from the bottle and the hand wrestling all they know is Freedom and that's how it should be. You will feel batter in time. You loved her and cared for her but now it's her turn. She is happy and living amongst her own kind. But it takes time for us....We are only Human...mjs

[virgo062]

Watch this it will make you happyhttp://www.lpyardcams.com/Home_Page.php

[squirrely pearly]

nice to meet you Debbie..i guess what I meant to ask was, does he get on you when he does show up? like jump on your shoulder or leg? do you get to touch him now at all? I didn't word it right before sorry. I just wonder because it seems like thats the only way I am ever going to figure out whos who out there, is if pearly comes up to me and jumps on me like before. I can walk up to several and they don't startle, I've saw some with binnoculars that look sooo much like her..but run off if I get to close. even with pecans in my hand.
she knows the word "here" while I hold out my hand, she learned that inside when I'd take her a treat. so I say that alot out there.

Is Knothead a keeper? or are you planning on releasing him? did he miss the others when they were released?
he sure is a cutie. these squirrels are so different from other animals we have, well for one we don't release the others haha so it's not so hard. But it's much more than that!

[Equinox Rain]

About a year ago my little grey, Philbert wilded up on me. In less than a week he went from my little friend to a bloodthirsty savage that would bite me to the bone at any opportunity. I released him after about a month of acclimation. He took off and was not seen for almost two weeks. I was going out of my mind. I walked around the neighborhood, climbed trees, looked under cars, etc. One day he just showed up on the back fence. I had built a small squirrel house that still hangs in the apple tree in our back yard. He would pop in pretty regularly all summer and once it started to get cold he pretty much was here all of the time. I have a feeder next to the squirrel hut and I still feed him and his little companion, Tiny. Tiny was a juvenile that showed up last spring shortly before I released Philbert, along with a couple of siblings. She/He appeared with Philbert about October or November. I dont try to touch them or try to get close to them. I want them to be cautious around humans. I saw them running along the same fence that Philbert disappeared over last summer, this morning. I think that they were checking to see what was for breakfast. Hope this helps.

[tyrose]

When Max comes home for a visit he doesn't climb on me.:shakehead So sad!!! But I know it's him because when I speak to him and make my squirrel noise he stops and gets on his hinds and looks and listens. He also will take nuts out of my hand and he is the only one who hands out and eats them right there. I cannot touch him ... he doesn't allow it . On the plus side, I have Max and he has brought with him a couple of friends who along with him will take nuts from my hand. ( Don't yell at me rehabbers). They will not take food from anyone else in my family, which I find so funny. Max must have told them that I was mom and safe! You'll see, you'll know your little one and although it might be different, just seeing your baby will ease the tug on your heart.

[squirrely pearly]

thank you tyrose , and equinox! I enjoyed reading your stories, though it is sad not to be able to play with them like before. It helps to read these stories, it's a great bunch of people here!

oh wow Virgo!! I can't stop watching that video!! I want one of those houses!!:D :thankyou
I also read the stories and though some were sad, it explains alot. thanks for sharing:thankyou :thankyou

[Annya26]

This was a great thread idea Squirrely Pearly! I haven't released my girl yet (she's only about 7 weeks) but I know it is inevitable and I am already dreading it! Reading other's experiences helps a lot!

I'm sure your baby is having a great time out there with all the other squirrels!

[squirrely pearly]

Annya, Pre releasing was hard for me too, I worried about where and when and all that for the last 6 months. It was a constant thought to make sure she had a prime spot and good chance for survival. This borad has been a big help too! good luck with your release..when do you plan on releasing? I hope it all goes great, and your squirrely is happy. thanks:thankyou

[virgo062]

I think it's time to move this thread to.....Baby Squirrel questions:)

Sometimes when NutNut visits he just wants his Pecan and he's outta here. There are times when he really just wants to play. he will climb on my shoulder and wrestle my arm. he likes to twril around it just like the Squirrels do in the trees:tilt he will bite my fingers very softly unlike knothead who will tear my arm off if I'm not careful:osnap Knothead is a keeper unfortunently he is blind in one eye and we believe he is losing the site in his other eye. he also has some brain damage. he did not miss his brothers at all he adapted very well in his own cage. Of course we had to seperated them from Knotty because they were trying to kill him. Since Knothead only has vision in one eye he bites things in front of him...HARD and the boy's were done with that
We heard this commotion in the cage one day went in and Brutis was on top of him pounding him:grouphug That's when Knothead got his own room:flash3
When we have to pick Knotty up we will put our finger in front of him so he can latch on then we pick him up:rotfl :rotfl It's the only way to get him:rotfl

[Annya26]

Annya, Pre releasing was hard for me too, I worried about where and when and all that for the last 6 months. It was a constant thought to make sure she had a prime spot and good chance for survival. This borad has been a big help too! good luck with your release..when do you plan on releasing? I hope it all goes great, and your squirrely is happy. thanks:thankyou

That's exactly where I am at right now - completely obsessed with this little baby and how to make her a success story! She is only about 7 weeks so I haven't got a concrete plan of when yet, I am hoping she will tell me when she is ready. I do have a spot picked out, which coincidentally is where she was found. It is a conservation area not too far from my home (I live beside a highway :nono ) where people go to see/feed the animals.

I hope you get to see your Pearly soon!

[Kelly Brady]

Hi SP,
You poor thing, It will be ok. Please do not feel that something bad has happened. I have released a few now and I have been standing outside after day #7 with bronchitis in cold weather yelling their names. Your mind goes wild with thoughts that are bad. I have only released five out of my home as I did not have the cage and proper set up for release before that. I used to take them to a rehabber for release when ready.
We love them sooooo much after all of that care and bonding so it makes us crazy at the thought of what they are doing and WHY won't they at least visit? Well I am convinced that the inner squirrel takes over and they are having a complete blast. I am lucky all have come back for visits. After not seeing them for at least a week or two, three of them come back now, every day or at least twice a week. Please don't make yourself sick, when you least expect it you may see those eyes you know so well and be so happy.
They are smart and they know their way home, (I used to think maybe they got lost due to another mean squirrel scaring them away). Not.
Some are just very independent and don't want to come back and in that case, you did a very good job. Just know what you did for your baby was amazing and if not for you would not be tail flippin in the trees. They know you love them, they do.
One of mine, little male named Clerance, comes in my back yard and sits next to me everyday in the morning and eats his veggies and squirrel block and I just talk to him. He does not want me to pet him now (which is good) but wants to see his Momma every day. SP I did not see him for a good two weeks after release. I will attach photo Take care, you're doing great !!!!

[squirrely pearly]

yesterday my "momma duck" who has been sitting on her eggs for 24 days got up to forage and get water was snatched away by a hawk, who then left her I'm thinking because of her weight..but it killed her first. Soooo upset, had to run out and get a incubator for the eggs which should hatch in the next 4 days.

I have been so upset, I loved momma duck, and it also makes me so afraid something like that could have happened to Pearly.
I know it's the hawks instinct. grrrrrr why can't they just eat nuts and fruit!!!?? food is all over the place here. I've been chanting all day "I hate hawks"!! passed 2 squirrels dead on the road miles away, and I hate cars too!!

I have always hated so much to see little critters in the road dead (if people would just slow the heck :soapbox down!! But since Pearly came into my life, it just kills me to see squirrels in the road. I stop for everyone to see if theres any hope.

I pray Pearly was not a victim of a hawk. ugh:shakehead I have to keep pushing the image out of my head. I think I need a shrink today.:thinking

[Skul]

:wave123 SP.
Sorry to hear about your duck.
You're going to have a few more to remember her by, very shortly.

From what most folks observe about relesed squirrels, they usually don't return.
There are some exceptions, and our Rocki is one of them.

[squirrely pearly]

thanks Skul, yes I've read that very often on here that alot don't return, and if they do it's hard to recognize them.:shakehead I hope to get a glimpse one day again of pearly. She hung around a month after her release so I guess I was lucky in that regard. Sorta got me in the mode that she was going to be here like that forever..then poof she was gone! I will love her little squirrely butt forever!! :Love_Icon :Love_Icon raising one is really a magical experience!