Will they ever figure out their nest box and other pre-release jitters.

[skarabrae]

I'm a BASKET CASE! I'm going to have a nervous breakdown, I swear.

I put the babies in their release cage today. That was good times, by the way. I only had one almost run-away.

They've eaten two meals and one formula feeding in their new outdoor cage, and that went well...

They've been in there for eight hours now, and they are still gathering on the highest ledge in their cage. They look scared and they don't know what to do. Every time I go out to check on them they start climbing on the hardware cloth in front of me... I feel like such a BAD MOMMY right now!

I put the ferret cube that they normally nest in beside the nest box, but they're not even going in that. :thinking :dono

It's going to get dark soon, and it's supposed to go down to 9 degrees. :shakehead The weather hasn't been cooperating at ALL for this. COME ON mother nature! :soapbox

Yes, yes, I know I need to post pictures. Sigh. I'm the worst at pictures.

Is this all normal?? Advice??

[pappy1264]

I have one that has been out over a week, and she sleeps on top of the nest box (even put her fleece on in too and she won't go in), but it is not 9 degrees here! I would take them back in tonight if they are not going in the nestbox with those temps personally. Maybe do a few days of in and out, so they adjust?

[Nancy in New York]

How old are they?
Wait, are these the little ones that were born the middle of March? If so they aren't even three months old yet,
way too early to be in a release cage at this age.
Pappy had a little one get quite ill when she put him out and the temps drop.
I would keep them inside for another month at the very least. JMO

[Sweet Simon's Mommy]

I started mine outside at 13 weeks, just a couple of hours at a time and I stayed with them, then slowly all day but still in at night, then started bringing them in after dark, now they are out all day and all night,they are about 16 weeks now but I have the opposite problem ..it was 98 degrees and felt like 200. I had fans on them and gave them
ice chips, frozen blueberries and cranberry and frozen yogurt.

I would bring them in. Too much too soon is making them scared I think.
Mine wont go in the nest box either, they lay all over it but not in it. They like their cube .

[skarabrae]

9 degrees celsius is about 50 degrees fahrenheit... forgot you guys don't do Celsius!

The little 'uns are somewhere between 11.5 and 12.5 weeks right now, depending on how old they were when I brought them in... Jackie in Tampa told me it would be fine to get them outside weeks ago... I held off because the release cage too forever and a day to build. Now, I don't know if she realizes the temperatures get a lot colder up here than in Florida, but the problem was they were going insane and bouncing off the walls in my indoor cage.

Also, the rehabber (Rideau Valley Wildlife) with whom I'm now fostering the babies suggests that they go into their release cages between 10 and 12 weeks.

At this point, I honestly don't know if I could even get them out of there safely and without anyone escaping. :dono

[skarabrae]

I have to ask, how are you guys able to pick them up and transport them in and out? I had my indoor cage right next to the outdoor cage and still trying to catch them and swap them into the other cage was almost impossible. Four of them rush me at the same time trying to get out, and the other one (Shorty) is almost impossible to catch. I'm really worried that someone is going to go AWOL. :shakehead

[skarabrae]

NEVER MIND!

I went out there to peak in on them and see if they'd ventured near the nest box (they hadn't)... on a whim I opened the release cage door and one by one they came over and I was able to grab each of them and put them back in their indoor cage. Even Shorty, and she HATES me, so she must have been REALLY anxious about the new cage to let me carry her out of there. :shakehead :Love_Icon

I just put in a big plate of fruit and avacado... Momma must feel REALLY guilty :D

I guess we'll try again tomorrow for a few more hours. As long as they're willing to let me transport them back and forth, I don't see why I shouldn't bring them in at night for a while yet.

Nancy, I'd like to know why you think 12 weeks is too early to put them outside though... from what I was told and have read, most people get them into their release cages around 12 weeks, keep them in there for four weeks and release at 16 weeks? Thoughts?

[Nancy in New York]

NEVER MIND!

I went out there to peak in on them and see if they'd ventured near the nest box (they hadn't)... on a whim I opened the release cage door and one by one they came over and I was able to grab each of them and put them back in their indoor cage. Even Shorty, and she HATES me, so she must have been REALLY anxious about the new cage to let me carry her out of there. :shakehead :Love_Icon

I just put in a big plate of fruit and avacado... Momma must feel REALLY guilty :D

I guess we'll try again tomorrow for a few more hours. As long as they're willing to let me transport them back and forth, I don't see why I shouldn't bring them in at night for a while yet.

Nancy, I'd like to know why you think 12 weeks is too early to put them outside though... from what I was told and have read, most people get them into their release cages around 12 weeks, keep them in there for four weeks and release at 16 weeks? Thoughts?

This is what I have learned a long time ago through a rehabber that I mentored under that has been doing it for over 40 years. The success rate is much higher in squirrels, the older they are when released. Typically the mom would not have them out of the nest until minimum of 10 weeks. When they are orphaned, they cannot learn from their moms, so to create a better possibility for survival, their brains must ALSO mature. It's not the size of the squirrel, and at the very least they MUST be able to crack a hard nut, but it is the maturity (age) that is one of the most important factors. Others may disagree, but my opinion is the older the better, you have nothing to lose.
When people that say their squirrels are so antsy to get out....they are. OUT of the cage, not necessarily outside. When I overwinter, and they have access to the whole garage, they are so much more content than in the cage. They may start to get antsy and want outside around March or April.
I believe that Jackie releases at no earlier than 6 months.
If you look around, how many little squirrels do you see the size of yours that are out and about?
I agree that they can go outside for some fresh air, but to me this is too young for a release cage...and this is just my opinion, that's all.:) :grouphug

[skarabrae]

Oh gosh, all the juvies in my area are all out, all over the freaking place, and giving me heart attacks constantly because of their sheer idiocy... climbing on screen windows, waltzing down the middle of the road, stopping to smell every flower... AIE!

My squirrels are even large compared to many of them... the Bedrock crew (Barney, Fred, Wilma and Betty) are 320-350 grams and Shorty is behind them at 260 (even though I'm fairly certain she's at least the same age... her top teeth came in almost a week before the others).

Well, I'm in no rush anyway. As long as they're released before August 2nd when we've scheduled our vacation, it's all good :D

[astra]

This is what I have learned a long time ago through a rehabber that I mentored under that has been doing it for over 40 years. The success rate is much higher in squirrels, the older they are when released. Typically the mom would not have them out of the nest until minimum of 10 weeks. When they are orphaned, they cannot learn from their moms, so to create a better possibility for survival, their brains must ALSO mature. It's not the size of the squirrel, and at the very least they MUST be able to crack a hard nut, but it is the maturity (age) that is one of the most important factors. Others may disagree, but my opinion is the older the better, you have nothing to lose.
When people that say their squirrels are so antsy to get out....they are. OUT of the cage, not necessarily outside. When I overwinter, and they have access to the whole garage, they are so much more content than in the cage. They may start to get antsy and want outside around March or April.
I believe that Jackie releases at no earlier than 6 months.
If you look around, how many little squirrels do you see the size of yours that are out and about?
I agree that they can go outside for some fresh air, but to me this is too young for a relase cage...and this is just my opinion, that's all.:) :grouphug :goodpost

[Nancy in New York]

Oh gosh, all the juvies in my area are all out, all over the freaking place, and giving me heart attacks constantly because of their sheer idiocy... climbing on screen windows, waltzing down the middle of the road, stopping to smell every flower... AIE!

My squirrels are even large compared to many of them... the Bedrock crew (Barney, Fred, Wilma and Betty) are 320-350 grams and Shorty is behind them at 260 (even though I'm fairly certain she's at least the same age... her top teeth came in almost a week before the others).

Well, I'm in no rush anyway. As long as they're released before August 2nd when we've scheduled our vacation, it's all good :D


Well lets hope they are released by August 2nd.:D OR I can squirrel sit for ya....:rotfl
I still have one that I am hoping will release himself by the end of July....he's been here since 2010, I kid you not. He's still making up his mind what he wants to do....174602.
When I told him WAY back that this is his decision, and to take all the time he needed for release...who knew that he would listen...:dono

[Sweet Simon's Mommy]

My Peaches is slow and fat, so it is easy to pick her up, she usually just jumps onto me and I put a pillow case around her and hold her and carry her inside to her inside cage.
ZuZu is sneaky and FAST I open the sliding door and coax her inside the house. Then she will go to her cage .

[skarabrae]

Okay, so I'm at a loss as to what to do...

I was under the impression they were overcrowded in my indoor cage and I needed to move them out. Maybe they'll be okay in there a little while longer?

It's 2.5x2.5x3.5 feet and there are five squirrels living in there.

I let them out for a half-hour a day to run around in their room, but I have three young human kids (not to mention a home daycare, a puppy and two cats) and I can't supervise them all the time... and believe me, the squees need to be supervised.

Well, I guess I can get them out during our good-weather days until they are for sure going into their nest box... and then once they are comfortable I can begin their 4 weeks of pre-release?

Sound reasonable?

[skarabrae]

Well lets hope they are released by August 2nd.:D OR I can squirrel sit for ya....:rotfl
I still have one that I am hoping will release himself by the end of July....he's been here since 2010, I kid you not. He's still making up his mind what he wants to do....174602.
When I told him WAY back that this is his decision, and to take all the time he needed for release...who knew that he would listen...:dono

Sounds like I'd better start making plans just in case the babies end up sticking around longer than I'd expected! :sanp3