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View Full Version : Dirt for grey squirrel


SammysMom
06-06-2011, 08:52 AM
This is probably one of the stupidest questions I have asked TSB so far but here goes...
What kind of dirt should I give Sammy in his outdoor cage? I know he loves to dig in my houseplants so I thought a nice big tray of dirt in his outdoor cage would give him a place to play and dig where no one was yelling "hey get out of that!!!" every 5 minutes. Should I just buy a bag of topsoil?
Yes, in this particular case I may be as dumb as the dirt I am questioning...lol:jump
scoobysnack
06-06-2011, 09:39 AM
I would like an answer to this as well. LOL
Jackie in Tampa
06-06-2011, 09:42 AM
bake organic top soil in the oven ...
my guess would be 350* for 30 minutes...but not real sure about temp or time...
CritterMom
06-06-2011, 09:46 AM
I would buy some good quality garden soil (nothing that has fertilizer or anything else added to it) and either microwave it until it is screaming hot or bake it in an oven to an internal temp of 185. And way you cook it, make sure you put a fan in the window to suck the smell out - cooking dirt STINKS.

That way, you will kill everything in it from bugs to tiny bacteria.

Of course the upside of cooking a big batch of dirt is to let family members see and smell what is going on - may be a good way to get someone to spring for dinner out...:D
SammysMom
06-06-2011, 02:07 PM
OMG you guys are killing me...lol I am going to have to time this so that hubby arrives while in process. He always goes out to the kitchen and opens the oven as soon as he gets home. That would be a great surprise for him. A big pan of DIRT :jump :jump :jump
rozdow
06-06-2011, 02:40 PM
Is Sammy going to be released into the wild? If so, is it necessary to sterilze the soil if he's going to be exposed to the microbe sooner or later? :dono
SammysMom
06-06-2011, 02:47 PM
Sammy does not seem to be interested in the "wild side". He is more of a lap squirrel according to my husband. It is not to say that he will NEVER be free roaming, but at this point it looks like he won't be. If he decides that is what he would like then he will be free to choose that. I think I better approach it as though he is a pet though.