Meemor and Pre-release

[Fireweed]

Since I have no idea what age Meemor actually is, I'm a tad confused about some things.

What should I be looking for to help me decide if he's ready to go outdoors?

I want him to have enough time outside free from the prerelease cage before it starts to get cold in September. Snow is not rare in September. (It's even snowed in July here before) :shakehead
Obviously, no matter what, we will continue to supplement his diet and help him with nest insulation and whatever else will help him. But I want to give him enough time to adjust to the great outdoors without pushing him out if he isn't ready yet. I've been told 4 weeks in prerelease is usually enough time which would mean he should be in there no later than July 1st if we want to give him at least a month 'on his own' before the cold weather starts. I know many people will give their releasable squirrels all the time they need indoors to 'wild up' before they put the squirrel in a prerelease cage but in the Yukon I don't think we have that luxury, unfortunately.

Right now he is taking formula once a day and we don't get through more than 12cc before he refuses it. Usually he eats about 9cc. Once inside the prerelease cage I could still give him formula in a small dish or over his food...Moss made a small 'food' door so we can fuss over his diet without opening the main door. :thumbsup

Any thoughts?

[Skul]

I would imagine he was about six weeks when you took him in.
He would be close to twenty the end of Aug., and mature enough for release.
That one's going to be your call. Glad I don't have to make it.
He's too cute for his own good.:D

[Fireweed]

Thanks, Skul! :thankyou

We're going to go as slow as we can without keeping him longer than we have to so he has the best chance this winter. :thumbsup But he'll utimately decide when he's ready and we'll be listening and paying attention...
Just having an understanding of timelines certainly helps because this is all very confusing to a newbie...and there is so much conflicting info out there and so little specifically about reds and even more specifically about Yukon reds. :tilt

[pappy1264]

You can always release him to live with me.....that would solve it! lol I have so many reds out back, but none are as cute as this little one! (Although I have one that is very close! lol) He is just too adorable!!!! So they all look like him there??

[island rehabber]

FW you've gotten great advice here already. I would just say that when you know he can manage all of the wild foods he will be eating out there -- when he can crack the nuts and seeds, rip apart the pine cones, etc. (I'm not well-versed on Yukon red dietary requirements :D), then he'll be ok. For Eastern greys, for example, we use the "can he crack a walnut without assistance?" test...that's the final requirement for release.

You might even consider an indoor-outdoor facility using PVC piping; we had a member years ago who lived very far north, raised a squirrel, and devised a wonderful system of piping from their cabin right to the squirrel's tree nest outside! When they got their usual five feet of snow, he didn't get his paws wet coming in for treats and a warmup. :D Maybe someone with a better memory than mine will be able to locate that thread in the archives....:dono

[Fireweed]

pappy....you're addicted. :poke I will not be an enabler. :nono :rotfl

Ir...I saw that thread with the indoor/outdoor pipe/cage. We've been thinking about that set up since Shaky. :D But our house is surrounded by a big meadowy 'yard' and it would take about 150 ft of pipe to do something similar, unless his nest box was attached to the house...which it can't be, for countless reasons.
We're still thinking, though...

As for the 'signs', he can't open a nut on his own...he's been trying, but he can't do it yet. Not that there are any nuts in the Yukon, but it is most likely a good sign to look for since the adults here can crack the nuts I've given them.... :dono

Thanks, peeps. :tilt

[Jackie in Tampa]

FW you've gotten great advice here already. I would just say that when you know he can manage all of the wild foods he will be eating out there -- when he can crack the nuts and seeds, rip apart the pine cones, etc. (I'm not well-versed on Yukon red dietary requirements :D), then he'll be ok. For Eastern greys, for example, we use the "can he crack a walnut without assistance?" test...that's the final requirement for release.

You might even consider an indoor-outdoor facility using PVC piping; we had a member years ago who lived very far north, raised a squirrel, and devised a wonderful system of piping from their cabin right to the squirrel's tree nest outside! When they got their usual five feet of snow, he didn't get his paws wet coming in for treats and a warmup. :D Maybe someone with a better memory than mine will be able to locate that thread in the archives....:dono

that would be Isis!miss her too!
I agree...the crack a nut test! and they need to be klunkyfatt too!

[Jackie in Tampa]

pappy....you're addicted. :poke I will not be an enabler. :nono :rotfl

Ir...I saw that thread with the indoor/outdoor pipe/cage. We've been thinking about that set up since Shaky. :D But our house is surrounded by a big meadowy 'yard' and it would take about 150 ft of pipe to do something similar, unless his nest box was attached to the house...which it can't be, for countless reasons.
We're still thinking, though...

As for the 'signs', he can't open a nut on his own...he's been trying, but he can't do it yet. Not that there are any nuts in the Yukon, but it is most likely a good sign to look for since the adults here can crack the nuts I've given them.... :dono

Thanks, peeps. :tilt
we do not have nuts either...but my wilds love them...:alright.gif
NUTS are a sq delight...whether they are native to the area or not!
My backyardis a mine field of nuts...
I have had pecans and brazil nuts sprout...:)
but the monkeys eat them:shakehead
in the wild it's different...here they are hanging on my apron strings...getting free workless goodies...:tilt :Love_Icon

[pappy1264]

Hey, can you blame me for tryin'? lol I know how tough the release part is.....facing the same with Fonzi and Pinkie myself! They cannot do a walnut yet, although they sure try like all get out (and they growl while they are trying to do it, probably in frustration! lol)

[wheezer]

Wow, I am excited that he is weaning himself:thumbsup

I agree with all the advice too. Do you have unshelled walnuts? That was always my "test" and acorns. Do you have any native nuts in the Yukon?
I wonder what the hardest thing out there he would encounter:dono

I do like the idea of 4 weeks (he may even get anxious before that:) )in the outdoor cage and the feeding door so in the end, you won't need much inner action with him. As we have said here before, the squirrels kind of decide when to go. From 9 weeks to 12 weeks seems to be the adverage. So I would say late July sounds good if he is drinking water and eating lots of natural foods. If he is weaned and eating all solid foods with in the next two weeks. Then two weeks of good amounts of wild foods. He should be ready for the pre-release cage outside for 3 to 4 weeks....then Born Free:thumbsup

I wondered if you were putting a dish of water in for him? I think the best way to get him used to drinking from natural sources is to put a small dish (maybe 2 inches deep or more) then put in small rocks or pebbles so the can lick without getting his nose in it:)

Remember, when you open his door for his release, that he doesn't have to be completely independant. Hopefully he will continue to come back for food and water and even perhaps sleep in his cage. Some I have released only came back a couple days then the were content to be on their own. (though did come for food once in a while for quite a while. I would supplement through the winter for sure.

I remember Isis too. A great story. But one reason her squirrel probably came back for a long time is she released him where there were no squirrels of his species. She had moved from where she found him.

Good luck Fireweed, Moss and little Meemor:) :grouphug :grouphug :grouphug

[Fireweed]

Awesome, wheezer! Thank you, again!! :grouphug That helps...I'm feeling more and more confident!
(heh...did that sound convincing?! :tilt )

Hopefully he sticks close by. But we will definitely supplement through the winter no matter where he goes. :)

And yes, he drinks water from a dish, too. :thumbsup He doesn't have walnuts but I'll try my best to find some. He was sure gnawing on his hazelnut this morning though...left a big pile of nut-dust. So it seems he's getting somewhere with his nut opening ventures. :D

[wheezer]

Go Meemor Go..You can do it.....chomp a little harder:) :grouphug :Love_Icon

[gs1]

well... you mustn't release him until you get walnuts....so you know for sure....

:D

(and i'm sure no-one, :poke , will send you any for at least 5 years....:D )