Need to Release Kai Soon, But It's Winter

[Adventurista]

Hello everyone! I haven't been on the board for ever---took a trip halfway around the world for a while and have been settling in.

Some of you may remember that I rescued Kai as a two-day old pinkie last summer---well, he's doing GREAT, but he's going bonkers right now. He did very well with my sister-in-law while we were gone, and he's still friendly and very sweet to everyone (has never bitten anyone) but he has started in the past couple of weeks pacing in his cage. It's getting really bad as of this week and it's breaking my heart.

He has a really big cage, but I think he's just ready. I've been putting new toys in it, a kleenex box full of nesting, a flowerpot of dirt, and a bunch of other stuff (which he seems to enjoy) but I think it's just time to do a soft release.

It's still winter where I am (Idaho) but we're having a ridiculously warm winter---in fact, no snow at all. The trees still don't have leaves in them, but we have several pine trees. I see the neighborhood squirrels out all the time. The only thing I'm worried about is water freezing at night, but I can help by changing it out a lot.

So, here's what I'm planning---putting his cage in the garage so he can start to acclimate. He has a fleece cube that he sleeps in but I'm going to get a nesting box today so he can start getting that ready. Then, next week start putting his cage out (it's huge, so it really needs to stay in one location---can't haul it around several times a day).

How long should I leave him in the cage outside before I open the door? He's been checking the outside out from the window (I leave the window open but the screen closed, so he hasn't been outside yet).

I'm planning to continue feeding him outside for as long as I need to.

Is this okay? The temps have been in the 50s during the day, and we're in for a long spell of sunny weather now (cloudy today though). It freezes at night still. Any thoughts? He's pacing like a wildman in his cage right now, so I'm going to let him out to play, but this is breaking my heart---I hate seeing him do this and I just think it's time.

[gs1]

bumping this up ...:grouphug

i wish i had an answer for you ... it is heartbreaking.:D

one thing though that makes it worse is if they hear/smell outside.... they just want to be out there... 'call of the wild' :)

[SammysMom]

I think maybe it is still to early to do the release. It is still potentially winter and you wouldn't want to put him at a disadvantage. No leaves etc is more the worry that the weather. I'm sure experts will be along soon!:grouphug

[Sweet Simon's Mommy]

Mr Groundhog says 6 more weeks of winter, it may not have hit yet
Feb and March could be brutal, it has happened in the past
I wouldn't trust that just because it has been so warm up till now it will stay that way

[Adventurista]

My husband will be very happy to hear this! LOL! He's in love with Kai!

Okay....so what can I do to keep him entertained? I bought all sorts of toys for his cage, but he's not interested in them. He does seem to like to bury his nuts and and things, but it doesn't keep him busy enough.

Again, he's staying really friendly and he just seems to want to be out of his cage and hanging out with me all day, but I can't get any work done at home (because he's jumping all over my computer) and then I leave for part of the day. I don't have a whole room I can dedicate to him. I saw some giant gerbil ball things at the pet store for chinchillas---would that work? Then I could let him run around a lot during the day while I'm at home. Right now he gets out for probably two hours---and like all night, he's been fine, but there are about 3 or 4 hours in the morning/early afternoon where he's just going bonkers.

Any chance that he'd calm down in a couple of weeks? I'm wondering if he's "in season" and his hormones are raging? He's a foxer, and from what I understand, they breed right now. Thoughts?

Here's a pic of him "helping" me work! LOL!


And thanks so much for your help. So appreciated! :thankyou

[jbtartell]

Hi I am a rehabber and I do not sugest putting him out. it is still too cold. it is 60s here during the day and 40s at night and I dont dare but my adult flyers out and there are 3 of them. Just stay strong show him lots of attention and in the spring put him outside for 2 weeks and then opn the doors. he will be safer this way. the reason I say it is too cold is because all he knows is inside and his body is not use to the out side temps. it is a proccess. please just hold of a little longer.. more play time will help also sam and my wild babies love for me to turn on a tv in there room the actualy watch it,, every some here can voug for that my babies have a small tv and watch cartoons.it helps with appeesing them..lol crazy but true. i have not had a squirrel yet or raccon who did not watch cartoons.

[jbtartell]

ohhh no gerbal ball very dangerous.. lol try the tv.. put it were he can see ffrom his cage and also [pull his blankets out of his bed.throw and hange them about his cage, he will have them put back by the time you get back soo funny..

[Adventurista]

I don't actually have a tv, but maybe I could play a video on the computer for him (my husband's computer, while I'm on my laptop).

Okay, I'll see what else I can do to keep him playing. He's getting much braver lately. He'll actually venture into other rooms now, although after a few minutes he comes running back to me in the office. It's pretty funny. He's such a sweetie, I just hate to see him pacing. It kills me. His cage is in the office (where we are 99% of the time when we're home) and I finally had to put a blanket on top of it this morning because I couldn't stand watching him anymore. I just want him to be happy. He doesn't actually seem unhappy, but is this behavior mentally dangerous for him? Or emotionally dangerous?

I'll try that with the blankets in his bed, too. He actually took his baby nest (little fleece thing) out of his cube yesterday and was wrestling with it. He has a little toy giraffe that he wrestles with, too. Maybe I should get him more toys like that, instead of hanging bird toy types of things?

[jbtartell]

yes that would work.lol and The computer will work I see he was all up on it..lol also if he is is the same room wih you he will pace to get out.. and he is smart he will know what to d o to get to you to open the door.. but I bet when no one is around he is sleep and saving that enery for you ehehe. also if he has a big cage an hour twice a day is plenty or once if you are busy.. and when you just want to get him out to play. sam got out before her surgery and hour a day and when ever I just wanted to play several times aday. I also dont let her roam free in the house it is way too dangerous with electric cords and toilets ect.. she has a spacific area for excersize and play. they do get more curious and it gets them into more dangerous situations..pm ne any time you need help I have alot of baby and juvinile experiance and a 6 year old grey named sam..:flash3

[jbtartell]

look over my typing I had surgery and they messed up my eye sight so it is hard for me to type and read.. typing is mainly from remembering where the keys are.. and reading is a nother story..lol my font is set at 150

[Adventurista]

Thanks, I will.

Okay--so one other question for you. He LOVES us. He's always wanting to come out and hang out with us, so I did leave the room today because I was wondering about that---that he's pacing to get me to take him out.

So, my husband thinks he is really habituated to us and can't live in the wild. From everything I've read here on the board, that's probably not true, but part of me wonders. How would I know? I wouldn't want him to think we were just throwing him out in the wild when we do the soft release, but from what I've read here, they're not really social animals anyway. But I've read about people where they squirrel doesn't want to leave.

How is the best way to handle that, and be loving to the animal without overbearing on his natural instincts? I realize this is probably a silly newbie question and I shouldn't put my personal feelings on the animal, but since the very beginning, I've just wanted to do the right thing for Kai. :)

[Sweet Simon's Mommy]

Hi!!
From what I have seen on here this is a question discussed over and over and argued a lot.
He will let you know.
One of the experts can guide you into the steps are far as release goes.
If he doesn't want to go, he is yours for life.

[Adventurista]

I guess what I'm wondering is, if the pacing is a sign that he wants to go? I've read some of the other stories where they "wild up" and start biting. He doesn't do that at all. He's also really friendly with everyone, not just one person. He's probably about six months old now. Just want this boy to be happy and healthy!

[Sweet Simon's Mommy]

My Simon is about the same age,he can not be released. I have two cages, one for sleeping and playing in the early morning and evening.
One for his daytime play, it is bigger, I call it his outside cage , I roll it out side for about 20 minutes a day for him to get some sun.It has branches and outside stuff in it and I change it around every other day so it is always different for him to explore, plus I get to get creative.
Same with his inside cage, he gets boxes to play in , a roll of toilet paper. box of Kleenex. He also has a little cat toys he loves and carries it around in him mouth.
When he paces he is bored. Since I started doing all this he doen't do
much

[Sweet Simon's Mommy]

of course he gets rides on Mommy and Daddy too

[jbtartell]

If he iss only 6 months he is fime. they usualy start favoring after a year. I can almost be sure he is paceing for attentiom. je loves you and want to be with you. just try to keep him not bored..lol oh and hanging parrot blocks are good sam loves to chew them..lol it keeps them cewing the teeth down... and it is hard to say if he can be realeased being so tame he might het hurt being sooo trusting.. but that would but your call. if you want to rekease him I can help you. I will pm you my number and you can call tomorrow.. .. I can help either way.. :0)

[island rehabber]

adventurista, if Kai is 6 mos old this could be due to him reaching puberty. Restlessness, agitation, etc. Jbtartell has given you excellent advice.
As for the pre-release stage, when you do move him outside in the cage to acclimate, you'll want to MINIMIZE CONTACT with him during the day. Hard-core rehabbers often do not put any fresh food in the cage during daylight hours, during this period: they put new food in at night while the squirrel is asleep. Slowly the squirrel stops associating people with food. You really have to learn to ignore him during that time.....this is what helps them to wild up. The sounds and smells and sights of the outdoors will trigger all his God-given instincts to survive; we humans just have to pull back on OUR influence over the squirrel, and give him a chance to be a squirrel. :)
BTW, Kai is adorable! But looking at his sleek fur, I wouldn't want to see him outdoors in below freezing weather right now. Check out the foxers in Peter and tomcics's threads; they are orange balls of plushy roundness....now that's a winter foxer :D. That's why he will need to get acclimated to the winter temps.

[SammysMom]

That orange tail is gorgeous Kai!!! Just not fluffy enough to keep you warm for the winter this year! :D

[Adventurista]

Thank you so much for all the advice! Sweet Simon's Mommy---I love both of your cages. Did you make the outdoor one? Where did you get the other one?

I did some experimenting today, and it did seem like he only paces if I'm in the room. Last night after reading all the responses I took him out of his cage and he's so sweet and cuddly. He's just a doll.

[niapet]

The Puberty point is a good one. Imp went INSANE his first spring. He ran around the house jumping on things running from window to window for weeks. We thought we would have to let him go too. Then, as soon as it came on, it went away. He still goes through this, to a lesser degree, every spring. It was not nearly as pronounced last year and he barley seemed to have that period this year (yet).

Anyway it is normal for squirrels to go a little nuts during mating season. Most likely he will calm down in a few weeks, I would wait till then to make any decisions.

P.S. are there even any of the type of squirrel he is in the country you have moved to? I would not release an animal in a land they are not native to, it can have negative consequences for the animal and the ecosystem.

[Adventurista]

Oh, no---we didn't move, we were just traveling! No, I wouldn't even release him in the forest where we live--totally different kind of squirrel than in the city. Sorry if I was confusing in my post! :rotfl :rotfl :rotfl

[cuteascnb]

Ssm got her cage from henrys pets...there really nice it they do.t sell that exact style anymore...i have the new one and they are beautiful!!!! I have the antique white and it links great in my living room....very reasonably priced $159.99 and comes with a stand....heavy duty!!!! As for kai sounds to me like he wants to be out and ahout with you!!! Aand yes right now is way to early to release him, he wknt have enough time to get adjusted to the outdoors if there would be a harsh cold front...i have a pic of my cage I will post later...kn the phone typing now...gotta do pics from computer.

[cuteascnb]

My Simon is about the same age,he can not be released. I have two cages, one for sleeping and playing in the early morning and evening.
One for his daytime play, it is bigger, I call it his outside cage , I roll it out side for about 20 minutes a day for him to get some sun.It has branches and outside stuff in it and I change it around every other day so it is always different for him to explore, plus I get to get creative.
Same with his inside cage, he gets boxes to play in , a roll of toilet paper. box of Kleenex. He also has a little cat toys he loves and carries it around in him mouth.
When he paces he is bored. Since I started doing all this he doen't do
much


Wow simobs big cage looks like a zoo exhibit...even I would want to live in there!!! Why would he ever want to leave he has everything he needs and doesn't have to worry about other Animals!!!