Been raising baby male squirrel

[ocjoe32763]

I found a newborn squirrel in my back yard and took him in. He's about 12 weeks old now and already weened from bottle. I been bringing him out side the past few days and he started climbing trees. Today I let him out and he took of and climbed real high and don't wanna come back down. He looks like he's exploring and having fun but is he okay to leave outside? Is he ready to be released back into the wild? He is in the same tree I originally found him under. Will he reunite with his mom and siblings or will they reject him? PLease reply before I loose him. Thanks.

[CrazySquirrelLady]

I think he is probably not coming down! I would take him inside for the winter if it was me and let him go in the spring.... but sounds like you gonna have a hard time luring him back to you... I think he is free squirrel now.

Maybe he will find Mom and sisters and be okay.........

[daniellenc]

He won't find mom or sisters they won't even recognize each other at this point, and would probably fight. He's 12 weeks now and will probably come and go. Put your cage outside with a door or portal open for entry, provide food and water several times a day, and if he's in at night close the door or portal. He knows where home and food are trust me. My neighbor and I found 5 and her three have been out for a week. They are there in the morning to eat, frolic during the day around the neighborhood, and come back every evening to eat and go nighty night in their nest box. Some people over winter and some don't. If their over 12 weeks the choice is your's:)

[Skul]

Probability of return is fairly slim.
As Daniell mentioned, you can try placing his cage outdoors with food in it.
Being in Florida, I wouldn't worry too much about bringing him back in for over winter.
If by chance he does return to the cage in the evening, just close and secure the door.
In the morning, re-open the door to allow him to run.
He may return for several nights before he builds his first nest.
When that happens, you're job is pretty much finished, and with luck, you will continue to see him.
Sounds like you did a pretty good job raising the little one. :thumbsup

[ocjoe32763]

It's what I planned to do just not so soon. Will he survive?

I can still find him in the tree, he's been up there for 3 hrs now.

Will he be ok?????

[CrazySquirrelLady]

It's what I planned to do just not so soon. Will he survive?

I can still find him in the tree, he's been up there for 3 hrs now.

Will he be ok?????
If you wanna get him down, get him down! What didya think he was gonna do in a tree? :rotfl... CLIMB.. heehee.. j/k

[ocjoe32763]

The nest he fell from is still in the tree as well.

Earlier I looked up and he was in the Y of a big branch not moving!! I was scared he fell or got into a fight while I was inside signing up and posting this thread. But after a (what seemed like a long) while he started moving again. Thank God, and I prayed too! Even though I tried to keep human contact with him to a minimum I've still become very attached to him and love him very much. I have read stories about others who released theirs and they still get visited daily from their lil guy. I hope mine does the same but he is a male.

I want him to make friends with the other squirrels, hopefully his family. They should be able to sense he's blood related to them. But I don't think he's quite ready cause I can easily tell him from the other squirrels by his movements. He don't flow up and down the tress like them yet. I really hope he'll be okay and will come back to me. If I'd know he'd take off I'd done it different. Any more info would be majorly appreciated. Thank you.

[ocjoe32763]

If you wanna get him down, get him down! What didya think he was gonna do in a tree? :rotfl... CLIMB.. heehee.. j/k



THANKS!

[djarenspace9]

12 weeks is too young to just be set loose outside.
He really should have a release cage placed outside to acclimate before you let him go.
If you can get him back inside please try to do that instead.
What part of FL are you in....maybe we have an experienced member nearby to give you some guidance and help you release him. :dono

[djarenspace9]

Well...silly me...I kinda just figured out where you are cause of your user name :D
I'm right near you in Sanford and we have a couple of members in Orange City.
Soooo....please let us know if you can get him back in safely and one of us could help you further, ok?

I was going to private message you my phone number but your account is not fully active yet, so I will check back. :Welcome

[rainrshine]

Many years ago we raised two babies and we thought it was neat to let them out to climb too. Of course, back then we didn't have access to the internet or a board like this so we did what we thought was right.

We let them out one day and one did what yours did, climbed up the tree and would not come down. Finally, it got dark and we went to bed worried as to what would happen.

The next morning about 5 am we heard an awful sound that was the squirrel squealing and crying outside so we jumped up and there was Squirrely, standing at the front door crying to come back in. I guess he realized that the night was long and cold and he had food waiting on him inside!

I hope you are as lucky and if he does come home then do what the others said and over-winter him. They have lots of advice on how and I believe there's some archived threads about it.

Good Luck!

[sage4dylan]

awww.... well i bet he comes back for food by tomorrow. he will see it's not so easy! I would get him in his cage and do like they said to prepare him for release.

[ocjoe32763]

Well he finally came down around noon time and he's back in his lil bed/nest. Don't think he's ready for the wild at this time. Amazing how you don't realize how much you love something until it's gone (or you think it's gone). I hope to find some great advise on how to release the lil guy properly. Thank for all your help and kind words so far. I have lots of pictures and video I took of him slurping on his tiny bottle and growing up. He's so adorable he melted a 33 year old man's tough heart.

[rainrshine]

He's so adorable he melted a 33 year old man's tough heart.
:grouphug :Love_Icon :Love_Icon :Love_Icon :grouphug Awwwww!

[HRT4SQRLS]

So happy for you ocjoe. :thumbsup What's his name?

[ocjoe32763]

His name is Tiny. Here's a pic of him when I first found him in my back yard.

http://i1273.photobucket.com/albums/y407/ocjoe32763/IMG_1449_zps37f9c615.jpg

http://i1273.photobucket.com/albums/y407/ocjoe32763/IMG_1457_zpse360bcb7.jpg

[HRT4SQRLS]

:thumbsup Tiny :D
OK little man Tiny, stop worrying your Dad.

[rainrshine]

Just curious, what formula did you raise him on? How is he now with his veggies? He looks very healthy, great job!

[ocjoe32763]

Just curious, what formula did you raise him on? How is he now with his veggies? He looks very healthy, great job!

I started with Esbilac in the cans then switch to the powdered Esbilac toward the end that inadvertently helped to ween him off (it don't taste nowhere near as good and creamy as the canned formula does). Now he's on hamster food with his favorite acorns. I have plenty of oak trees in my yard and will never run out. I also give him some fruit. Not sure if that's the best diet for him but it's been keeping him very healthy. The pics above are when I first found him. He must have just fallen because he was healthy from the get go. I have some more recent pics of him I'll post below.

http://i1273.photobucket.com/albums/y407/ocjoe32763/IMG_1721_zps9ab7eeb2.jpg

http://i1273.photobucket.com/albums/y407/ocjoe32763/IMG_1716_zps6bf9d690.jpg

[rainrshine]

Yes, he does look healthy. I am no expert. I have raised a couple babies years ago before internet and all the nutritional guidelines and they did Ok. Therefore, I certainly won't preach.

However, I have seen a lot about the metabolic bone disease and there is quite a bit about it here. I believe it mainly affects older squirrels after they are off formula and is related to lack of calcium. One thing unanimous is that the babies need Henry's Healthy Blocks because it gives them the nutrients they need. However, mine don't like them and I made cookies from the blocks and the formula.

I am hearing that Mazuri blocks are better liked and has good nutrition. Just a little advice, don't let your baby boy get sick from poor diet and read what the people here have to say. They are experts and have seen it all. I have not seen the MBD personally but have read stories of squirrels suddenly in crisis. I mean, one day the baby is perfect and the next day near death. So, read up on it and try to follow nutritional guidelines but you will find your own variations.

Oh, make a baby page in the nursery. Everyone here loves pics and videos and enjoy watching the little guys grow! Great job you have done so far!

[ocjoe32763]

There's a very good mixture in the hamster/gerbil food. I figured it was made for other species in his class... but I realize now, maybe that's not the case and I'm more than willing to make sure he get's the right food for his diet. Thanks for the heads up. :)

[rainrshine]

I'd maybe compare the diet you have with the HHB's? Do a search here about tums too. Like I said, I'm no expert but I have seen a ton of wonderful advice here. You will just have to sift through all the advice and use your best judgement based on what you read. Everyone has their own variations based on what works best for them and their babies! If you combine all the advice you will see a common pattern. A lot of the diet depends on what is available to the specific area but it's all based on the nutrients the baby needs.
Here's a good link to start with

http://thesquirrelboard.com/forums/showthread.php?t=32218

[ocjoe32763]

I posted Tiny's story in The Nursery and will be adding more pics as time and he progresses. Here's the link:

http://thesquirrelboard.com/forums/showthread.php?p=806091#post806091