Any advice on best way to release a 13-lined squirrel

[duder]

I had posted this in a older thread and on the advice of another member I'll post it here


After raising one of these guys the past two months I'm trying to decide where and how to release him as he seems to be getting anxious for freedom.
I wish there was more info about rehabbing these guys.I at times want to just keep him as a pet but I don't think its the right thing to do and I sense he wants freedom more everyday as he matures.

I've started to bring him out side the past week,at first I carried him in my hand and then in a small cage and in his plastic exercise ball.

I just want to find the right place to release him and its becoming difficult because I worry about how tame he is. Any tips on how to ease him in to freedom?
I won't be able to do it near me but I might have a spot at a empty farmsite that I can return to daily check up on him

here a pic from a couple weeks ago
http://i1187.photobucket.com/albums/z381/darbnoslo/ground%20squirrel/july2412.jpg

http://i1187.photobucket.com/albums/z381/darbnoslo/ground%20squirrel/july2413.jpg

[gs1]

adorable.... um....I"m not sure... i think they're sold as pets....

i'll see if i can find members that have experience with them ...i don't think we have many:grouphug

but just one thing i thought of ...are they social group animals? ..if so if you released him near a colony would they kill him? ....

[gs1]

http://thesquirrelboard.com/forums/showthread.php?t=29669

i'll pm lyddicleaveburrow for you she might have an idea...:grouphug

[Jackie in Tampa]

http://wildinstincts.wordpress.com/2011/07/21/thirteen-lined-ground-squirrels/
not sure where these peeps are...somewhere in wisconsin....

here's some other info i found
http://www.ewildagain.org/pubs/sqnathistory.htm

If you still need help...I will contact the few peeps I know of up there and try to get you some hands on help!
PS..when I was young, my GParents lived in Minn...yuck yuck, cold!
The Twin City zoo was awesome even when I was a kid!
Also saw the Green Giant, aunt lived in LeSeur{sp} cousin raised pigs that were soooo big...saw gorgeous horses, biggest ones ever!
My father was state champion fencing guy...a zillion years ago! Ha!!!

[pappy1264]

I am not sure if they are like prairie dogs and richardsons ground squirrels (although I would imagine they are) and releasing can be tricky, as they are very territorial and will kill an 'outsider'. So you would have to try to find an area that they could thrive/survive in that didn't already have an established group. A single is even harder, due to them not having a family unit in place.

Hopefully Heather will be on, I know she has more experience with them.

[LyddicleaveBurrow]

Hi,

I'm so sorry, but I am unable to give you advice releasing 13 lined Ground Squirrels because I have no experience of these beautiful creatures as wild animals. My experience is purely with 13 lined Ground Squirrels kept as pets.

I live in the UK and 13 lined Squirrels are only kept as captive animals here.

13 lined Ground Squirrels are primarily solitary animals. They have a high protien content to their diet as in the they eat insects, and will eat carrion, and bird's eggs, alongside seeds, cereals etc. I will try and find some information links for you as I found a couple of very good articles when I was researching the care of these beautiful squirrels.

I can give information on how my 13 lined Squirrels have been kept (diet etc), but none on how to release these animals into the wild.

I hope that somebody with relevant experience can help soon.

Heather.

[LyddicleaveBurrow]

Hi,

Here are some links on 13 lined Squirrels -

http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/account/information/Spermophilus_tridecemlineatus.html

http://www.museum-state.ilus/muslink/prairie/htmls/popups/mammals_grsquirrels.html

http://www.nsrl.ttu.edu/tmot1/spertrid.htm

Heather.

[LyddicleaveBurrow]

Hi,

The third link works. If you google animaldiversity and 13 lined Squirrels you should be able to find the article on 13 lined Squirrels on the Animal Diversity Web.

Heather.

[grinn75]

Sounds like these guys might be more like groundhogs if they are more solitary. You might be able to find more info on the internet for rehab and release of groundhogs. Since they are more solitary I would think it would be similar to releasing our tree squirrels. Transition to an outside cage, make sure he is eating wild foods and after a couple weeks release in an area that is suitable habitat.

[gs1]

i'm wondering if we have any rehabbers near minnasota....

could you let us know your city or pm or email me etc....

I'm not sure that releasing him will be so easy .... and there's no point not giving him every advantage:grouphug

[duder]

hello every and thank you for the replies.

When I originally got him I found a couple rehabbers and the minnesota rehab center in the twin cities.The problem was I live in southwestern mn and the center was about 140 miles away.I don't have a drivers license or reliable car so I don't dare to drive too far away from my town.

the center does have a volunteer driver but once I spoke with her she didn't want to make the 200 mile or so round trip to come to me and bring him to the center.I even offered to meet her part way.I then spoke with the closest rehabber which is about 100 miles away and being a busy rehabber at the time needed me to come there because she had other new babies.

Unable to find a way to get him there I decided to raise him myself and with a lot of sleepless nights the first few weeks,I now have had him for two months and is healthy and thriving.

I'm thinking of calling the closet rehabbing again and seeing if she can release him on her farm.If not I figure I'll have to ease him into being outside like releasing a tree squirrel ,using a cage at first and such.