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Kalvyn
09-10-2010, 01:31 AM
Hello, my name is Kalvyn. I am a 12-14 week old grey squirrel. I came from a breeder (though after reading that squirrels don’t breed in captivity, I wonder who my real parents are). I had lived with a different family, but after a few days, they got news of a family member in another state that was very ill and they had to go help. They gave me to this home because they are VERY close friends and this family has experience with skunks and sugar gliders, so they were happy to take in another animal. They said this is my permanent home because by the time my other family comes home; I will be too attached to this family. I have my best friend here, CJ, a three year old male black and white skunk. Cotta, a two year old black and white, wrestles with me through the bars of the cage sometimes. My pet human won’t let us play without the cage between us because she doesn’t want me to get eaten. CJ doesn’t want to eat me though. We’re just two guys, chillaxin’ in the house.

My pet humans don’t know much about squirrels, but she has learned a lot. Like skunks, different web pages have different info on what’s best for squirrels. One webpage said squirrels won’t eat things like bugs and stuff unless we are starving. But we read on the board about meal worms being good. (I think so, my human talks to me and I don’t always listen.) She’s used to dealing with bugs and stuff for the skunks. She takes them out in the yard so they can get the fresh ones. The oldest skunk, Mozzarella Pearle, told me slugs crunch! Who would have known…We’re not sure if the squirrel blocks provide enough protein, so I would like to know if I am allowed to have meal worms and stuff. I don’t know if I’d like them…but the skunks RAVE about them. And cheese…Mozzarella Pearle, Cohlbey Jaq, Ricotta Rose….They like cheese.

I’m getting really good at climbing and jumping. My human has to work on her room because I keep going where I’m not supposed to and pushing things off. It’s so funny, but she gets mad. ):

I have a really nice cage. It is about 5ft tall, 3-4 ft wide and 1 ½-2 ft deep. It has platforms and ladders, and she put really cool toys in there. One thing she read online was that we love sleeping in nesting boxes and harder places. She didn’t have a nesting box when I got here, but had a chinchilla bath-house. She put some cuddlies in there for me, and I play in it, but don’t sleep in it. I MUCH prefer my ferret sleeping sack or my pyramid. The pyramid zips open and is reversible, so she leaves the top open and lets one of my toys with wooden blocks and a bell hang in. I love to roll on my back and play with the bell. Especially when my human is asleep! : D

I also have a toy giraffe named Olive. I love him. Mom will take him out of my pyramid to clean the crumbs out of my nest and I always put him back. I need to snuggle him! I have a toy squirrel, too, but I don’t really like him. I ban him to the bottom of my cage unless I want to beat him up.

I have a few more questions that I hear my pet humans talk about. One is, they read that squirrels get nasty after they turn about 6 months old. Now, they know a lot of pages write myths with nothing to back up what they say. (They have skunks, they get a LOT of crap about rabies, smell, viciousness, etc.) Is there anything behind this? I love them so much now, and I don’t want to get mean towards them. Whenever my human tries to leave the room, I jump on her shoulder from my cage to go with her. And I (usually) come when my name is called, and every night I give kisses RIGHT on the lips! I help my human with her homework. She’s in college, but don’t hate her because she’s young. She’s responsible. Three of the four skunks are hers and they are very healthy. Mozzarella went to a skunk show and got a ribbon for her health, beauty, costume, and talent!

Another thing is a harness. My humans would love to take me out to get some sunshine before it gets too cold, but are afraid I will go up a tree and not come down, or get side tracked. They did get a harness for me, but I was too little at the time and slid out of it. They haven’t tried it for about two weeks, so maybe it fits now, but what do you recommend? I really don’t like being in my cage and the cage is too hard to get outside anyway. They would much rather take me out in the yard and play for a while.

Can we be litter trained? A few pages said we can, but I have NO interest in my litter box. I like to hide things in it, though.

Do our claws need to be trimmed?

What mineral blocks should we get? Some people said the cuttle-bones for birds. There were so many flavors when my human went shopping, she couldn’t decide and said she will take me out when I am older so I can decide. She got me rodent mineral chews. They’re good for my teeth and have the mineral stuff in it. But what’s recommended, or none at all? Mom has two bird toys constructed of wooden blocks, and one has a large branch/log on it, so she’s not worried about my teeth. Just minerals.

Oh no! I hear my human coming, and she doesn’t know I know how to use a laptop! I better go before she finds out. I’ll post some pictures next time I can get online. (;

Jackie in Tampa
09-10-2010, 05:27 AM
Welcome Kalvyn....
:Welcome

lilidukes
09-10-2010, 10:03 AM
:Welcome welcome Kalvyn to the land of nuts looks like you will fit right in

Wonkawillie
09-10-2010, 10:29 AM
Sounds like your human may have a lot of smarts with wildlife. The human also has some worries about squirrel diets. Proper diet is the differance between live or death with squirrels, so it is very important! Your human could look at the nutrition pages here in this board, and also find some great squirrel food at henry's pets online.
Squirrels are amazing! Each squirrel is differant. You may wild up as you mature, or you may continue to snuggle. If you wild up, there is always the possibility of a slow, soft release in the spring.

Anne
09-10-2010, 04:03 PM
:Welcome Kalvyn! So glad you found us, we can help your humans in many ways. Sounds like you have a wonderful home and life.:D

TinyPaws
09-10-2010, 04:57 PM
:wave123 :Welcome

Kalvyn
09-10-2010, 05:19 PM
If I end up having to be released, will I stay near the house and visit? I don't want to leave though. I can't imagine having to live outside. Where am I supposed to get my nummy vegetables? And my watermelon! And I was talking to a squirrel through the window, and he said he never even heard of HHB. I don't think I could live without them. SOOO delicious.

My human has been reading a lot of nutrition things on here and is pretty sure she's got it down. She just wants to know about the meal worms and other sources of protein...

I'm doing good on my diet though! I won't touch cucumbers, zucchini, or yellow squash...or anything that looks like it's a tube! Are snap-peas/sugar peas good for me? I love them so much. We haven't seen anything about them though.

Also, I hate kale. It's so yucky. The human is going to offer me some romaine for dinner though. She said I have to eat my leafy greens. YUCK!

Chickenlegs
09-10-2010, 11:44 PM
Hey Kalvyn! Welcome little guy! There's a whole lot of squirrley humans here so if you have a question about your people just ask--and if she has questions about you--loan her your laptop. Make sure to give her VERY specific instructions. She's not nearly as smart as you are. Kind and good tho--and keeper of the goodies

CritterMom
09-11-2010, 03:51 AM
Hi, Kalvin! You can have mealworms occasionally. Not piles of them a day but a few is okay. And tell your human to finely chop the curly kale so yu have a pile of long, curly green strings! They are fun to play with and yu might even accidently take a bite and find they taste better chopped that way!

Kalvyn
09-13-2010, 04:09 AM
Thank you so much, CritterMom! I don't think I'll like it, but I'll tell my human anyway. I ate SOME Romaine, but it was more fun to mash in the mesh bar-floor of one of the platforms of my cage. Mom puts newspaper down so I don't get food everywhere, but I just move it so I can really mash the food in the bars good.

Today human gave me hugs and kisses and stuff because she found out that I used my litter box for potty and not hording my stash this week. I just didn't want to potty where I play, that's gross! Humans are silly, getting excited over silly things.

Well, gotta get back to building my nest. Human used twist ties and tied on a roll of paper-towels to my cage. I destroyed it beyond useability so she figured why not. She said she's impressed with my nest, but took my other nest to wash. Said sleepy bags are not the pace to eat. Said the food will get old and smelly and make me sick.

It's ACORN SEASON! She read up on here how to pick good acorns and how to store them for me for the winter in the freezer. I had a few, they are delicious. She limits me to one a day. I haven't had any for about a week because they were hard to find, but now they are EVERYWHERE!
:crazy

4skwerlz
09-13-2010, 05:10 AM
:thankyou for this delightful thread! :thumbsup

Ronda
09-13-2010, 03:24 PM
Hi and welcome Kalvyn... you must have a really awesome human-allowing you access to the computer and all!!! I can't let Scrat do that... she just pees on the keyboard :shakehead

You have a fun thread.. I am looking forward to reading more... and to pics!!

Ilovesquirrelballs
09-13-2010, 03:29 PM
Im so happy that your here Kalvyn!!! squirrel board is the acorn!!!

SquirrelsinSingapore
10-07-2010, 07:05 PM
I've seen pet squirrels like you have nails trimmed. It takes some patience for a human to clip it off. Depending on mood of that particular squirrel.

:Welcome to TSB Kalvyn
send us selfpics to let us get to know you alittle better, and not forgetting your selfmade nest. :thumbsup

virgo062
10-07-2010, 08:20 PM
:Welcome :wave123 :Welcome See jackie if you need a new computer keyboard Kalvyn....She keeps losing the keys of hers so her brood can't type

Ultra Peepi
10-09-2010, 11:35 AM
:Welcome hi!