I think I am going to release Spock.

[chickenmom]

This tears me up so badly. I know I havn't been around much, life has been crazy...I guess I will start with my boyfriend moving out and why? Because the fight...the straw that broke the camels back, was a conversation about releasing Spock. He seemed to think that we could just let him go in the yard one day and everything will be fine! I tried explaining to him the slow release and if we do it wrong, he can get injured, sick and/or die. Don't get me wrong, he loves Spock as much as I do. We both agree that he needs to be in the trees, and hope for an indoor/outdoor squirrel situation. I am extremely worried about the release on my own property, because my lovely and sweet elderly, Colombian landlords (that live in our back house) are out in the yard constantly, doing the garden ect. I worry about Spock jumping from a tree and landing on them, scaling them...like he does with us. He is a very human friendly squirrel and he thinks I am his mom. I am not sure how to approach my landlords about this, let them know he might jump on them and they don't speak a lot of English.

Spock is also very strange with new people. He will stand off at first, then he will jump on them, sniff like crazy, scale them and if they act the slightest bit nervous, he will attack and bite. He NEVER does this with me, and since his recent growth spurt (he is HUGE now) he is so needy, insists on belly scratches in my hand while he nibbles on my fingers and if I don't do it long enough, he will literally get back in my hands and turn over on his back..."rub me more!".:D Of course...I am also constantly bleeding.:rotfl

Fast forward...Greg and I are back together, but living separate. Even though Greg stays here several nights a week, Spock has been very upset with him and now randomly attacks him...its BAD...and I've never seen Spock behave this way.....and deadbeat squirrel dad now has the worst gashes and wounds on his face.

Can I have a moment with yall now? :jump Thats what ya get for leavin!:wahoo :alright.gif :wahoo :jump Sheesh...that squirrel was a lot smarter than you thunk wasn't he?? Dumb @@S.

I feel like I need to release him because I work, I can only let him out of his cage for several hours every night. Sometimes he gets to nest in my closet, but I do not enjoy the *squirrel on face alarm clock* at 5 AM. He is out on weekends and wrecks everything. But the alterior is...he knows nothing different. This house is his kingdom, he spends his time hiding nuts and playing with me, we snuggle together and we have our routine. Is he even releasable?

He got out in the yard a few weeks ago. I didn't notice that my son left the back door open. It was dark, I think he must have been out there over an hour. I panicked. I stood at the back door for less than a minute...called him and sure enough, I heard a thump on the deck and he bolted back in the house, right past my feet! He clung to me the rest of the night. Poor thing.

I just don't know where to start with this. I am so traumatized by releasing my crow, then dealing with the injuries and vet bills after she was attacked in my front yard by a hawk. I obviously get WAY to emotionally involved with these critters. Here are some current pics...

162903

162904

Hope you all are doing well and I appologize for the long one!

PS....Did anyone notice how healthy and big and beautiful this SQ is? I owe thanks to all my friends on TSB and those Henry's squirrel blocks. YOU GUYS ARE THE BEST EVER!!!!!!:thankyou

[island rehabber]

He certainly is a gorgeous boy. BUT, he certainly is wilding up as well. Before your BF or someone else really gets bitten, I think you need to put a release plan together OFF SITE....not in your backyard. Do you know any rehabbers or even friends nearby who would allow you to put his cage, and later a nestbox in their backyards? I believe Spock is releasable, but he needs to cut the apron strings. :D

[Sweet Simon's Mommy]

He is beautiful!!
I think you have some release issues here though.
If you are serious about releasing him I think you should first surrender him to a rehabber that can properly acclimate him into the wild.
He needs to be with other releases so he can learn from them, if he is released alone , he most likely will get beat up by the other outside squirrels.
also he needs to learn not to trust people, right now he is just claiming you. If he goes up to a humane that does not know him, he will scare them and it could have some very bad circumstances.
Are you in a legal state??
Do you know of any rehabbers?

[island rehabber]

great minds think alike, SSM.....:beerchug

[stosh2010]

Good Luck with your decision. A people friendly squirrel shouldn't be released in a populated area, I feel.
My Rama Rota has attacked my hands and face a few times & I wouldn't ever want that pain to happen to a friend or a stranger. He is a DOLL-Baby with RamaMama and charges me at every opportunity.

[chickenmom]

I am not in a legal state. I need to find a way to acclimate him to our property. He was born in my tree, I want him to go back there. My friend Christiana is full right now and she's the only rehab I trust around here (So. Cal)...if I was to take him off property. Yes...I'm crazy about this boy and I can't let go. Unless someone here knows someone that I could talk to and get to know....a rehabber in my area that I can trust. I had terrible issues trying to find a rehabber for the crow. Because people just don't really care.:dono

I'm gonna fight for this one and I'm sorry if I sound selfish, but love has no boundries. Bottom line is I am trying to do the right thing. Right?

[Sweet Simon's Mommy]

great minds think alike, SSM.....:beerchug
yea but you type faster :D :D

[cuteascnb]

I do understand what you are saying about wanting to keep him close, but his behavior is him telling you he wants to go...This is a hard situation, I honestly dont know what to tell you to do :shakehead I wish you the best of luck...

[cindyrads]

This is what my boy is doing right now too. Starting to get possessive of me and his nuts. He is semi released at this point and is doing well. We live in the north east so it is cold up here, otherwise he would probably be out more.

This is how I did it and it worked for my yard and situation. We have half an acre of land and there is a large pound behind our house and a patch of woods. We have neighbors but I really don't have to worry about him running into them. Also, he is much more on the alert when he is outside compared to when he is in the house. I really don't see him running up to anyone other than me.

Anyway, what i did was just start taking him outside with me everyday and let him get used to it. I started this in the fall but intended to fully overwinter him because he was a fall baby. After awhile (before it got cold ) I had my husband make him a nest box and we attached it to a tree along with a food box. We showed it to him and he took to it right away. So I would let him out and sometimes he would be out all day and night and sometimes he would come in. Well I would make him come in if I thought it was too cold or rainy. Then winter came and I made him stay in more. On the nicer days I would allow him to go out. Sometimes he would be back before dark and sometimes not. But he always comes back sometime during the day to eat. I have him trained now to come in and out of the kitchen window. The whole thing was just a natural progression.

I'm not sure if he goes in his nest box or not but he does hang with the other squirrels and I think he and another one his age are using the box. There are also several nests around.

What you could also do is make an outside cage where you can keep him outside during the day and bring him in at night to start. Then start letting him out over night and eventually you can just leave the door open and let him come and go. Also during that time you can take him out of the cage and let him run around outside with you to get him familiar with the yard. Luckily you live in a warm climate you don't have to worry about him freezing.

[Sweet Simon's Mommy]

Wow if it were only that easy.....

Go on out to play now, come back tonight to eat and sleep. Yea I would love that.
If I lived in a perfect world

[chickenmom]

This is what my boy is doing right now too. Starting to get possessive of me and his nuts. He is semi released at this point and is doing well. We live in the north east so it is cold up here, otherwise he would probably be out more.

This is how I did it and it worked for my yard and situation. We have half an acre of land and there is a large pound behind our house and a patch of woods. We have neighbors but I really don't have to worry about him running into them. Also, he is much more on the alert when he is outside compared to when he is in the house. I really don't see him running up to anyone other than me.

Anyway, what i did was just start taking him outside with me everyday and let him get used to it. I started this in the fall but intended to fully overwinter him because he was a fall baby. After awhile (before it got cold ) I had my husband make him a nest box and we attached it to a tree along with a food box. We showed it to him and he took to it right away. So I would let him out and sometimes he would be out all day and night and sometimes he would come in. Well I would make him come in if I thought it was too cold or rainy. Then winter came and I made him stay in more. On the nicer days I would allow him to go out. Sometimes he would be back before dark and sometimes not. But he always comes back sometime during the day to eat. I have him trained now to come in and out of the kitchen window. The whole thing was just a natural progression.

I'm not sure if he goes in his nest box or not but he does hang with the other squirrels and I think he and another one his age are using the box. There are also several nests around.

What you could also do is make an outside cage where you can keep him outside during the day and bring him in at night to start. Then start letting him out over night and eventually you can just leave the door open and let him come and go. Also during that time you can take him out of the cage and let him run around outside with you to get him familiar with the yard. Luckily you live in a warm climate you don't have to worry about him freezing.

Hi Cindy! Your story is very inspiring, thank you! I think I need to educate my landlords on the process and maybe speak with thier daughter who is over here often to help them understand, because she speaks English. After that I will move his cage into the yard. I am leaving for Amsterdam for 10 days on the 1st of March, so I figure after I come home, we're gonna try this.

I think the best way is to tell them not to walk up to the cage and taunt him...just ignore him. He needs to see the yard and learn that it is communal property...not his own and there are other creatures and humans. He is currently so spoiled and ME ME ME squirrel (arn't they all? LOL) but he has never seen another animal. He does get in the windows and bark at things, but he has no clue.

One thing I have observed about Spock, and meeting new people, is he is fine so long as the person ignores him and does not get scared/nervous. I have 2 people (my sister and my friend Liz) that understand this. They will hang out, ignore SQ, continue regular conversation with me, while the SQ scales their body for 15 seconds then gets bored. Thats all it takes! A few sniffs and a bit of "I am the the KING and you are a lowly human and you BORE me".

But MOST of the time when he is uncaged and new people are around, as much as I tell them to be mellow...its almost as if he can feel thier heart race. And teeth start a chatterin...and tails start a fickin...:shakehead

[astra]

another difficult situation...

... well, whatever and however it will be done, I think, the key is gradual - it has to be very gradual, "soft" and it will be best if he could be released away from people (like Stosh said), given his reaction to people....

[Sweet Simon's Mommy]

Unknowing neighbors are not going to let him "climb all over them until he gets bored"
They will scream and try to kill him, thinking he is rabid or just crazy and dangerous, people don't like what they don't know.
You are going to have to back off and not interact with him, Plus the fact that he is a singleton he doesn't have any other squirrels to help him BE a proper squirrel.
This is why we are suggesting you pass him on to an EXPERIENCED rehabber who CAN get him ready to be released.
I know you want him with you, but is it the best scenario for him???

[astra]

Unknowing neighbors are not going to let him "climb all over them until he gets bored"
They will scream and try to kill him, thinking he is rabid or just crazy and dangerous, people don't like what they don't know.
You are going to have to back off and not interact with him, Plus the fact that he is a singleton he doesn't have any other squirrels to help him BE a proper squirrel.
This is why we are suggesting you pass him on to an EXPERIENCED rehabber who CAN get him ready to be released.
I know you want him with you, but is it the best scenario for him???
yes
another thing - since he is a squirrel and a male squirrel at that, he might end up relocating. Just because he will be released in your backyard does not mean he will stay there forever.
If he relocates and starts approaching people wherever he relocates, that will not end well.

That friend of yours who is full at the moment, and whom you trust, does she have a peopleless place to release? If so, could she take him when she is no longer full?
Also, even though she is full, maybe, if you could help her with building a release cage, one more squirrel would not hurt?... say, if you could help her set up everything outside for release and she could just monitor his wildling up process?
Just thinking...

BUt yes, he needs an experienced help with properly wilding up and preferably away from people.:grouphug

[cindyrads]

The one thing I have noticed with Moses is that his behavior in the house is different than when he is outside. He knows he is safe in the house and he is more relaxed. When he is outside he is more on alert. He will even run from me at first especially if he is back in the woods. If I see him and want him to come in I go out and call him and walk up to the tree. I put my arm out and he will usually jump down on me.

He slept out last night but was back this morning to eat. Its not too cold today and the sun is out so I have the window open a little so he can go in and out. He was hanging around in here for awhile then he found a walnut and wanted to take it out and bury it. He hasn't come back in yet and I suspect he will more than likely stay out for the rest of today.

Moses is a singleton and he had no trouble figuring things out on his own and interacting with the other squirrels. He had a safe haven to come back to while he was learning the ropes. The last two months he spent frantically burying acorns and hazelnuts all over outside. I have to be honest and say that part of the reason I let him out sooner than I had planned was because he was driving me crazy with the nut burying and always wanting to play with my hands. It was obvious he needed to burn off some energy. We are starting to get a nice routine now where we have our snuggle time but he can also go out and do squirrel things.

Each squirrel is different and you just need to take it one day at a time and see how things go. Adjust according to what is happening for your situation. As far as the neighbors I would just let them know what you are doing. I have a feeling he probably won't be trying to scale them. He will probably be more afraid than anything. But you won't know till you get to that point and it's not something that you need to worry about today.

[Uno's Mom]

yes
another thing - since he is a squirrel and a male squirrel at that, he might end up relocating. Just because he will be released in your backyard does not mean he will stay there forever.
If he relocates and starts approaching people wherever he relocates, that will not end well.

That friend of yours who is full at the moment, and whom you trust, does she have a peopleless place to release? If so, could she take him when she is no longer full?
Also, even though she is full, maybe, if you could help her with building a release cage, one more squirrel would not hurt?... say, if you could help her set up everything outside for release and she could just monitor his wildling up process?
Just thinking...

BUt yes, he needs an experienced help with properly wilding up and preferably away from people.:grouphug



Hi chickenmom,

It is so hard to let them go after you have raised them and loved them. Did you say how old he was? I probably missed it.

Even though he is very dependent on you now, that may change a great deal over the next several months especially as his "wilding up" continues with outside exposure and his male hormones start to kick in. That doesn't mean he won't still come back to you when he wants loving/company or needs help or is hurt.

My Chomper was a singleton and was released on my property in mid November 2010 (5 acres with oaks and other squirrels). He had a nest box high in a tree that he used for a while until a mother squirrel decided to raise babies in it. We built him a better nest box on the other side of the yard...."the summer house/with porch" :rotfl :rotfl and he used it for a few months.

He made it perfectly clear that he wanted to be outside and constantly moved around in his cage from an early age. The wilds here are not an easy room to work though and he had a difficult time being accepted. The females would chase him away from their nests and the males did not want another male in their territory. While he was still young he managed to survive with my help. He lost a hunk of ear and about an inch of tail on separate occasions but both healed well eventually.

By late spring time he would come home every other day or so for food and a good nap in the box. I had an extension ladder to the tree and used to take food up to him (can u say helicopter squirrel parent!!!). He still loved to be stroked, gave armage, and came down when called.

On Mother's Day 2011 I had not seen him for 2 days and he did not return for another 7. He was healthy when he reappeared but only stayed for an hour. I followed him across three pastures (not mine) and one dirt road (about 1/2 mile) until he stopped next to a fence along piece of property with very old oak trees. He ran back to me, let me scratch him, then took off.

He came home again twice in June and twice in July 2011, but I have not seen him since. I imagine he has probably gone farther by now and I hope he has found his "place" in the squirrel world--a patch of land where he is the dominant male. It is too much of a trek back to come home and too much time in between visits to remember why (pecans!) he came.
I sometimes wonder if he would have stayed if he had been a female....

Anyway, the point is that even the most dependent baby may grow into a very independent adult; there is just no way to tell and no way to guarantee that he will stay close by after release.

I can't say I don't still miss him or wish he'd come back; but these days I save my pleading for the squirrels and their safety and not my wants. It's not easy but sometimes the price we pay for loving something so deeply.

I hope Chomper's story will help you with your baby.

[grinn75]

I released many squirrels in my backyard and even though the squirrels I have released would jump on me they have never jumped on anybody else. Then again the only people these squirrels had ever seen were myself and my husband, no other visitors. I have had friends come over after the squirrels have been released and the squirrels do not approach us and in fact are quite alarmed when there are "strangers" in the backyard. I also have a neighbor 2 doors down that I visit and even though I've seen what I know to be "my squirrels" in her backyard they have not approached me because I'm not in the "right yard".
I think the key though is that they never see or interact with any other humans. And once they are released my contact becomes very limited. I do not encourage them to jump on me.

This is just my experience though. I don't know if others have had bad outcomes with releasing in neighborhoods.

[chickenmom]

Thanks so much everyone! Very encouraging stories!

I do except the fact that he may leave for good at some point, and I am willing to go through this process, for his good.

I really don't have any options as far as experienced rehabbers here. I'm in Los Angeles and peoples yards are not very big, if they have one at all.

My one rehabber friend has SO many animals and she has big cats now. I just don't really think that will work out doing a slow release over there. Right? I dunno.

Can someone point me to a place to get a nestbox for the tree? Baby steps...:thankyou

[mpetys]

Member JakesLittlePrincess has a site where he sells his beautiful nestboxes. www.nutsaboutsquirrels.net

My experience has been that when you do the soft release, even the most friendly squirrels will change. They start becoming more independent, don't want or need you to hold them, to pet them. Sometimes it is sad, you wonder where did the love go? But they are experiencing so much change with being outside, outdoor weather, rain, outdoor sounds. He may be scared at first and not want anything to do with you. That really is a good thing though. It hurts my feelings sometimes but I have learned not to take it personally but to embrace it as a good thing.

I put my guys out for 30 days for a soft release. If I was releasing a squirrel that was a pet squirrel, I would definitely do 30 days and if I felt he needed a bit more time, I would not hesitate to go an extra week or so. When I open the portal, I leave the portal open and do not force or trick anyone into coming out. One squirrel took a week before he would leave. He slept in his nestt box each night. He finally got brave enough to venture out. I put food out everyday in the release cage. It has been 2.5 months since my last release and it has just been in the last 2 months that I am seeing very little of the food being eaten.

We can walk you through this!

[chickenmom]

Thanks Michelle! I'm gonna need some hugs!:Love_Icon :Love_Icon

[mpetys]

Thanks Michelle! I'm gonna need some hugs!:Love_Icon :Love_Icon

Hugs and hand holding!

[Sweet Simon's Mommy]

I hope this works out for you.
I only know what I have read and yet I have a large back yard surrounded by trees...
I am hoping I can help out some little ones and maybe release some in my back yard.
I had thought before it couldn't be done without problems and issues.
Thank you so much for this thread , I am learning more every day because of TSB.
I think the definitive answer is that every squirrel and every situation is different.
Best of luck to you and your baby!!!
Keep us posted.:D

[chickenmom]

Hi everyone, thought I'd stop in and update! We are putting the cage out tomorrow morning. I was waiting for daylight savings, so I would be able to spend evenings outside with him while it's still sunny after work. I spoke with my landlords and they understand they need to ignore him and not go near the cage. For now, I'm putting it on my back deck, just outside my sliding glass door from the bedroom, and their backhouse is further away. I will be able to hear if any raccoons decide to cause problems, but its a large critter nation cage, I don't think they'd figure out the latch on that, but I may put a chain around it just in case. Ya never know with those raccoons!

I'm going to buy a nestbox from Jake and my landlord will help me put it up in the same giant tree that Spock was born in and fell from as a baby.:D The higher the better right?

Ok, so I have been hesitant to share this photo but I feel like I should, just so others can understand that even the sweetest baby squirrel that you hand feed and is so loving can change. Long story short for those of you whom havn't read my first posts here, Spock (foxer squirrel) fell from a tree and I found him at about 8 weeks old. Thanks to TSB and its wonderful members, I was able to save him and he is now huge and extremely healthy. My boyfriend Greg and I have given him equal amounts of love and attention, but for some reason, he hates Greg now. He started chattering around Greg about 2 months ago, and randomly biting, but nothing too serious. I recently traveled to Holland for work for 8 days and Greg was squirrel sitting. I asked Greg to be sure to let him out of the cage every day for a couple hours, which is what we normally do. After the 3rd day I was gone, Spock completely freaked out on Greg. He latched on to his hand and tore flesh off of 2 fingers, when Greg finally got Spock off of him, Spock launched back at him a second time and went for his face. He finally got the squirrel off of him, ran out the side door and grabbed his helmet and gloves that where on his scooter in the driveway...then managed to get him back in his cage. He spent the remaining time while I was gone in the cage....OK...please hit the back key now if you faint at the site of blood....


Really....I'm serious....helter squelter!



You



Have



Been



Warned................................

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On a side note....anyone know how to get blood stains out of carpet???

So I got home from my trip, expecting to deal with attack squirrel. I was a bit nervous, I must say. But no. I open the cage, he hops on me and wants kisses and belly rubs.:dono :shakehead He's never chattered at me or anything. I'm puzzled!

[Sweet Simon's Mommy]

sounds normal to me. same thing with Stosh's Rama.

[astra]

So I got home from my trip, expecting to deal with attack squirrel. I was a bit nervous, I must say. But no. I open the cage, he hops on me and wants kisses and belly rubs.:dono :shakehead He's never chattered at me or anything. I'm puzzled!
Kristal once shared an insightful observation: that like most animals, squirrels move on quickly and forgive each other quickly, too, they, usually, do not dwell on things like we do: e.g, they would get in a fight, then, shortly after would cuddle to sleep.

And it might be very similar to the way they interact with us: they bite one minute, but then, it's past and they are ready to cuddle again. And, sometimes, the problem and the challenge for us is to act the same way, instead of tensing up and acting out of fear - they feel the tension and start reacting to it, and the vicious circle begins.
She tried it once - one of her squirrels either bit her or scratched her badly, but then, came for cuddles shortly after. Instead of acting with much caution and apprehension, she tried (to the best of her ability) to be loving and cuddling, too, like nothing happened. And it worked for her.

This might not work with squirrels who are really on their way to wilding up, but it is certainly something worth to think about.

[CritterMom]

PLEASE do not put Spock out in the critter nation unless you wrap it with 1/2 hardware cloth (1/2" x 1/2" wire mesh). Even the 1/2 bar spacing is NOT good. You need no larger than 1/2 x 1/2 in holes. A predator WILL get hold through those bars and you will wake up to something that looks like your friend's hand, only it will be your baby. If they cannot pull the entire squirrel through the bars they will take PIECES.

I am sorry if this is a bit over the top but there isn't an experienced rehabber on here that would do this because they have either seen the results themselves or known someone who has. Please. Peace of mind is a trip to Home Depot away...

[astra]

PLEASE do not put Spock out in the critter nation unless you wrap it with 1/2 hardware cloth (1/2" x 1/2" wire mesh). Even the 1/2 bar spacing is NOT good. You need no larger than 1/2 x 1/2 in holes. A predator WILL get hold through those bars and you will wake up to something that looks like your friend's hand, only it will be your baby. If they cannot pull the entire squirrel through the bars they will take PIECES.

I am sorry if this is a bit over the top but there isn't an experienced rehabber on here that would do this because they have either seen the results themselves or known someone who has. Please. Peace of mind is a trip to Home Depot away...
:goodpost

[chickenmom]

PLEASE do not put Spock out in the critter nation unless you wrap it with 1/2 hardware cloth (1/2" x 1/2" wire mesh). Even the 1/2 bar spacing is NOT good. You need no larger than 1/2 x 1/2 in holes. A predator WILL get hold through those bars and you will wake up to something that looks like your friend's hand, only it will be your baby. If they cannot pull the entire squirrel through the bars they will take PIECES.

I am sorry if this is a bit over the top but there isn't an experienced rehabber on here that would do this because they have either seen the results themselves or known someone who has. Please. Peace of mind is a trip to Home Depot away...

Will do! I didn't even think about arms reaching in...are you speaking of raccoons? We only have raccoons, opossums and skunks here. We are in a Los Angeles suburb.

Thank you SO MUCH for the advice!! We will go first thing in the AM.

[CritterMom]

Will do! I didn't even think about arms reaching in...are you speaking of raccoons? We only have raccoons, opossums and skunks here. We are in a Los Angeles suburb.

Thank you SO MUCH for the advice!! We will go first thing in the AM.


ESPECIALLY raccoons. They are insanely smart and their hands are very dextrous and will figure out latches. You need a lock on any doors to the cage, too.

[SammysMom]

Just as an aside... We too had bloody Helter Squelter weeks ... :sanp3 They passed and Sammy is back to his very sweet self with both of us. Might this too pass? :dono

[chickenmom]

Yesterday we moved the cage out and prepped everything. I spent a lot of time out in the yard with him in the cage. He is on the back deck and we left the porch light on for him. This AM, I didn't want to open the cage to feed him, because I knew he would jump out on me and it would be difficult to get him back in. He is used to getting out daily and running around, hiding nuts in the house. He was sleeping thank goodness..and I quickly tossed a dish in his cage before work. He peeked his nose out of his sack and yawned. He seemed OK.

When I got home from work today, I rushed out back and he was hiding in his box, not normal. I was worried, so I opened the cage expecting him to jump on my hand. Nothing. He was so upset. I pulled him out and he just clung to me shaking, for 20 minutes. Then I offered him a walnut and he jumped off the deck and buried it in the dirt. His first dirt!!!! Then he jumped back on me, clung for awhile, then jumped on the patio umbrella where he could stand up and nibble on the leaves of the giant tree he was born in. He tried to jump on a branch, fell off, slid down the umbrella and I caught him....LOL.:rotfl Then he ran straight back in his cage!

I'm sure I should not have taken him out of the cage, but I was worried something was wrong by his behavior. I think he's just a mamas boy and this whole release thing is gonna be a bit of work. Suddenly my boy is such a fraidy cat. Is this normal release behavior? I'm sure he was frightened because of the birds in the yard....and all of the new sounds! I have 6 hens in the back half of the yard and those girls are yellers when they lay eggs! Not to mention the flocks of doves that congregate for the chicken feed and the flocks of extremely loud parrots...poor squizzlebug!!!

Honestly, if I was to be placed in a new environment...without a roof...endless sky...and flying things the same size as me, I would think the world was coming to an end!

[Orphan Mom]

Before I released Gus I went out with him every day (he had gotten aggressive with everyone but me). We walked out on the deck together, and he would hide in my hair or in my pocket. I would just sit down on the deck and read a book and let him look at his own pace. After a while he started playing on me, then he would take an acorn that I put just out of reach. All of our trips outside at first were with me holding him. After I got him a little more comfortable I left him for an hour or two at a time in his cage. And on and on we progressed.

And a word on the raccoons -- They will reach in a chicken coup and pull a chicken's head off through the wire.

[grinn75]

Each squirrel is different. I've had some that once they smell the outdoors they just want to run and never look back. Others are like your Spock, they need a little reassurance and coaxing. Don't worry about the holding and cuddling right now. He needs to be a confident and secure squirrel if he's going to make it in the wild and you can help him feel safe and secure even though he is in a new environment. Keep at it, he is just going to take some time after being with you so long.:grouphug

[chickenmom]

And a word on the raccoons -- They will reach in a chicken coup and pull a chicken's head off through the wire.

We learned all about that. We had originally built a chicken arc, from plans we found online and free ranged the girls during the day, then locked them in at night. A raccoon figured out how to undo the latch and lift up the giant door, reached in grabbed Sammy and my landlord found nothing but a wing the next day. It was then I invested in a beautiful custom built, predator proof coop and my girls and those eggs are worth it!

Update on Spock, came home today and he was once again, hiding and scared. My landlord came out and told me there was another squirrel jumping around on top of his cage...taunting him. He's in his sleep sack right now, I think I'll let him be tonight. I'm gonna sit here on the patio next to his cage for a couple hours.

Thanks for all the help and support guys!:grouphug :Love_Icon :Love_Icon

[Sweet Simon's Mommy]

Sounds like too much too soon.
Baby steps... Maybe he isnt as ready as you thought and needs a slower introduction to the outside.
Please keep us posted to your great work with him.
I know I am going to need all the help I can get when it my turn.

[spamrestricted]

Thanks Chickenmom, this is a great post and especially for me, since I'm getting ready to release my three squirrels. I'm finally starting my research :)
I started bringing them on the deck each day this week since the weather has been good in their critter nation, same as you :) The first day, they were so feaked out. Today was the 3rd day and much better. I'm so nervous too so it was really good to read this post.

I hope you keep us updated. My good wishes are with you and Spock :thumbsup

[cindyrads]

I would cover the top and back of the cage to make him feel more secure.