8 week old: natural or veggies/fruits

[sharpknitter]

Cashew is a healthy 8 week old fox squirrel and I give her 2 henry's healthy blocks,(still not eatting all yet), formula(she is weaning herself off of) water avail.(not drinking tho) acorns,(loves) tree branches and leaves.

I want to release her in VA in Dec. and i KNOW there will not be veggies and fruit in the wild, and I know I will have to put food out every day for her, so wouldn't it be more natural to just continue with foods she will find here? Or am I wrong. I am not sure that I am doing the right thing. Help.

[Jackie in Tampa]

There will be no leaves on the trees or food...
release is not advised in dec anywhere!

Others will have more info...
I live in florida and use heaters during dec in my outside release cages that are occupied. I use moving pads as insulation and cover entire cages.
can you say OVERKILL!:D

We have mild winters in comparison and I still would never release when there is no food.
It is my job to try to simulate momma and teach as much as possible. Never intro dogs etc...
I am a big sq fan/lover...maybe I do things too overkill, but I want my sqs to do the best they can out there... It takes love, time and money to get them to release age and I devote too much of all to see the release be failure.
I am a true sq friend at heart, their welfare is what makes me complete...
:Love_Icon
:poke now where are those pics I have been asking for!:D

If you need help...we can find someone to take over, no problem. We have sq friends everywhere...I was kinda hoping you would hang around long time and become one:alright.gif ..I will snatch every opportunity to make a new sq lover! The sq really does all the work by stealing all the love it can from finder{you}!:D

[sharpknitter]

thx. I will not release till spring, but is it ok to keep her in a 3 ft high by 2 1/2x2 1/2 cage till then, with some time out of the cage in a bathroom perhaps? I do not put her with my dogs or cats, she is in her own room. Would it be better to put her in a detached garage in a larger cage thru the winter, it is not heated though. I'm not trying to get rid of her, I am trying to do the right thing for the release time.

[Anne]

I would keep her in her regular room until late spring when leaves are fully out and food is available. Your garage will be cold and dark, not good for young squirrels. I over winter inside, although I too am in Florida. Jackie is right about not releasing in December, and your garage will deprive her of needed sunlight! Make sure she gets lots of good fresh veggies and come spring you will have a healthy squirrel to release.