Release question

[kastillo]

What is the average acclimation time in a release cage before opening it and letting the squirrels go?
When you put squirrels in a release cage at first, do you let them stay out all night or do you bring them in for a few nights?

[pappy1264]

I always leave mine out once they are outside. It depends on the squirrel, some only need a week or two, but I usually do a month in the release cage, give or take.

[island rehabber]

I do a week to 10 days, typically. There have been a few times (last July, for instance) when I opened the portal after only 4 days because the weather was insane -- 106- 107* and no way for the squirrels inside the enclosure to truly cool off. I figured they were far better off up in the cool leaves of the trees than roasting in a hot cage and dying of heat stroke. HOWEVER....my release site has NO cars and NO cats or dogs, so it's safer than most for even a premature release. They can poop around on the ground like dummies when they first leave the enclosure, and no worries. (Just gotta worry about hawks, but that's a given.....:shakehead)

[kastillo]

I have large release cage I just built and 3 squirrels almost ready to move into it. 2 of the 3 are not quite weaned. I don't know if they'll ever be. They can it solids, they just love the nipple still.
Here's my release cage:

http://i1050.photobucket.com/albums/s418/KrissiStitt/7ddf05a3.jpg

[kastillo]

I do have a few feral cats that roam, but I have been keeping a lookout in the backyard and running them off. I just want the babies to get used to any danger before I put them out.

[nsquirrel]

If you don't mind saying how much did it cost you to build your cage? Where did you get the materials?

[kastillo]

It cost a little over 300 dollars. I got the materials from Home Depot. And I had a little hardware cloth left over, if I want to build a smaller transport cage (just need J clamps/clips and tool). I made it large (8 x 8 x 7.5 ft, because I buried the wire down a bit) and as permanent as I could, because I'm looking to get my rehab permit one day. I tried to read specifications on cage building from site www.ewildagain.org and build it as closely as possible, but they only have small cage instructions on there.
The nest box was made from some plywood I already had laying around, just had to get shellac and hardware for it. I used the plans for it off of this site: http://www.squirrel-rehab.org/misc/greysquirrelnestbox.html
If there are any suggestions for adding to or changing it in any way or something I am missing, please let me know. I want it to be just right before I put the babies in it.
I'm planning on keeping them there up to a month unless they seem ready to go sooner. I'm going to build an identical nest box for them to go in the large oak right beside the cage, or if they all move out at the same time, I might move the box from the cage to the tree. Any thoughts?

[kastillo]

You can see the full set of pictures of constructing of the cage at http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.461876380499916.101308.100000326732078&type=3.

[Milo's Mom]

Do you have a plan in regard to getting food and water into the cage for them daily without them escaping prematurely? When I built my cage, I made a "squirrel free" chamber with a feeding door. This way I could get IN the cage to refill the water, assess them, feed them, etc., without having them escape.

I did not see a portal (the hole they will use to come and go from the cage when it's time for them to be free. If you were planning on using the smaller door on the upper right side of the cage, I think it's WAY too big for a portal. The RC is a "safe" place for them when they are still trying to navigate through the big world on their own, so if they are being chased by a predator and they run home to the RC, the predator should not be able to gain access to their "safe" place. My portal is a circle (just like the opening on their nest boxes), which is 2 1/4" in diameter.

I am NOT saying what you did is wrong and I am NOT saying my way is the right way, I'm simply commenting on what I saw in the pic and the experiences I've had with my cage and my releases.

Also, did you say you put shellac on the nest box? In the future I would not do that. Shellac is full of chemicals and squirrel chew on wood, nest boxes are made from wood....

[kastillo]

Thanks so much for your input. It's my very first RC, so I haven't had the experience of trial and error yet. That's why I love TSB so much, you can draw from the experience of others without having to go through same problems.

[kastillo]

Do you have a plan in regard to getting food and water into the cage for them daily without them escaping prematurely? When I built my cage, I made a "squirrel free" chamber with a feeding door. This way I could get IN the cage to refill the water, assess them, feed them, etc., without having them escape.

I did not see a portal (the hole they will use to come and go from the cage when it's time for them to be free. If you were planning on using the smaller door on the upper right side of the cage, I think it's WAY too big for a portal. The RC is a "safe" place for them when they are still trying to navigate through the big world on their own, so if they are being chased by a predator and they run home to the RC, the predator should not be able to gain access to their "safe" place. My portal is a circle (just like the opening on their nest boxes), which is 2 1/4" in diameter.

I am NOT saying what you did is wrong and I am NOT saying my way is the right way, I'm simply commenting on what I saw in the pic and the experiences I've had with my cage and my releases.

Also, did you say you put shellac on the nest box? In the future I would not do that. Shellac is full of chemicals and squirrel chew on wood, nest boxes are made from wood....

Do you have a picture of your RC I can see?? With the portal and the double door? I wanna get an idea of how I can fix mine.

[Milo's Mom]

Do I have pics?! Now, that's funny!!! Yes, I have LOTS of pics and they are all in the thread of my first crew, The Fuzzy Five. Here is the link to the page where the RC pics start http://thesquirrelboard.com/forums/showthread.php?t=27541&page=9

Then on like page 13 or 14 or something like that there are about 30 pics of the squirrels using the portal. I think there's some video of them too, but the video's are more of the squirrels versus the RC.

[kastillo]

I will be improving my cage after this weekend. Already added a port (2 1/2 in. diameter) to one corner. Just gonna frame up another small "walk in" area with a door outside the small door at top right. That way I can go in, close door behind me, and give them food, etc. with no premature escapes. Thanks for your help with this!!

[kastillo]

OK! Now I believe the cage might be complete.
Here are the new pictures. I have a hanging bowl for food and I will attach a water bottle on the outside of the food door when they go out.
Hope I am not missing anything! Thanks so much for your help. I really appreciate it. Just wanted to get it right the first time.

Here is my squirrel free area
http://i1050.photobucket.com/albums/s418/KrissiStitt/937b487a.jpg

Here is the port
http://i1050.photobucket.com/albums/s418/KrissiStitt/ce60b6c3.jpg

[pappy1264]

Only thing I would add is over where the nest box is, I put plywood and rubbered it so they had a dry area when it rains. I also have pancaking shelves so they can lie out during the day. Will put my cage up brb.


Outside pre-release cage: http://thesquirrelboard.com/forums/showthread.php?t=28199&page=2&highlight=craziaks

Inside wintering over cage: http://thesquirrelboard.com/forums/showthread.php?t=26148&highlight=craziaks