Looking for a Rehabber near Lakeland, FL.

[SquirrelysMom]

Keeping a partner for my 2-year-old NR, Squirrely wasn't a success. He doesn't care to have a squirrel friend, so I need a rehabber who can transition Gigi out into the wild. She's a 1-year-old Eastern Grey, 100% healthy, and not super tame. I would like to connect with someone in the next few weeks. (Gigi is currently the color blue, as she just destroyed another marker today, and that's not the reason I'm giving her up. I feel that it is just time for her to go, and keeping her would be cruel. Squirrely would much rather be an only child anyway. Thanks in advance for the help. Please send me a message or reply to this thread and I will be in contact ASAP.

[farrelli]

I'll ask an admin to maybe move this to an area where it will be seen better. Good luck!

[SammysMom]

Thanks Farrelli! I moved it to help needed. Hopefully we can find someone to take this girl. What has her diet been up until this point and has she been in a cage while you had her?

[SquirrelysMom]

Thanks so much!

Her diet has been widely varied and full of fruits, vegetables, seeds, nuts and any "people food" she can get her hands on. They get a hearty supply of acorns and hickory nuts that I collect in my neighborhood. She's not too fond of monkey biscuits or Zupreem fruits, but she loves the squirrel food from Henry's Healthy Pets. She is very physically and mentally healthy. She came to me with a broken tail when she was just about 2 months old, but it healed up perfectly and she has no physical issues. She has a cage that she sleeps in at night and goes in when no one is home, but both squirrels are out of the cage for the majority of the day. She will cuddle and snuggle, when she lets me catch her. She is actually beginning to become more tame now that she's getting older, but I don't want her to become too tame and never learn to be on her own. She also plays rough, and does bite my boyfriend from time to time, but she has never broken my skin with her teeth.

She knows how to make a nest out of papers and paper towels, and loves to chew on freshly cut branches that I bring in the house, but she just makes a nest in her ferret hammock in her cage. She would need time to learn how to figure out how to make a squirrel nest, if that's even possible at this point. I've had her for about 10 months now, and I estimate that she's pretty much exactly a year old.

[jbillings]

:wave123 You're a little far for me or I would say I would take her! I'm all the way in Vero Beach but if you would be willing to drive here, I would take her and get her ready for release. Charlie could always use a friend! Let me know :tilt

[SquirrelysMom]

:wave123 You're a little far for me or I would say I would take her! I'm all the way in Vero Beach but if you would be willing to drive here, I would take her and get her ready for release. Charlie could always use a friend! Let me know :tilt

Thank you so much for the offer. I will definitely keep you in mind in case I don't find anyone closer!

[jbillings]

OK! Good luck! I'll keep my eye on this thread just in case! :thumbsup

[SammysMom]

So she is eating Henry's Healthy Blocks daily?

[jbillings]

:bump

[djarenspace9]

SquerrlysMom...because you have kept her for so long, she needs special conditions for release.
If you do find a rehabber in your area please make sure they don't just release her after a few weeks in an outdoor cage.
She needs a transition (like porch then outdoors) and a longer period of time to adjust.
Ideally she should be with other squirrels preparing for release for socialization.
You need to slowly undo the conditioning to indoor "pet" life for it to be fair to her.

I am not quite near you, Sanford is 80 miles away, but would be willing to help if it's for release.
I actually just took in 3 squirrels that were pets and two of them will be candidates for release within 3-6 months.
I could try to integrate her with them.
If this is a good offer let me know by PM.
I am not able to post often, but can view messages and email with you or talk by phone.

:wave123

[SquirrelysMom]

So she is eating Henry's Healthy Blocks daily?

No she is not.

[SquirrelysMom]

No she is not.

She likes the blocks, but they are mostly wasted on her after the first 1/2 a block. She eats fresh food all day long, and I use several different recipes for "chop" like parrots eat, but with greater ratios of foods that her veterinarian has recommended for her rodent needs. Her chop is mixed in with her fresh fruit or fresh vegetable salad, and also sometimes in her nut bowl.

[SammysMom]

Did you see the post from DJ? That is a fantastic offer. She is a wonderful rehabber and if you can drive that far it would be well worth it!:Love_Icon

[SquirrelysMom]

Did you see the post from DJ? That is a fantastic offer. She is a wonderful rehabber and if you can drive that far it would be well worth it!:Love_Icon

Yes, I did, and I messaged her about it. It would be pretty sudden, even though I know it's the right decision, but I will be in Sanford on Monday helping someone get onto the Amtrak autotrain. I will have to get used to the idea immediately, but it's just too good of an offer to pass up.

Giving her up is going to be hard, as these squirrels are my babies and I spend all my time looking for new ways to improve their fitness, nutrition, comfort, and fun, but it's more fair to her to let her go. She will even have a chance to play with other squirrels who actually want to play with her, instead of Squirrely who just wants to cuddle with mommy, get brushed with his toothbrush/hairbrush, and save all the acorns for himself. My house just isn't big enough for her to run through like she wants to, and with Squirrely's handi-capable hind leg, he'd just as soon not have anyone around who wants to race and chase.

[SammysMom]

You are such a good squammy to consider doing this selfless thing for her!:grouphug:Love_Icon:grouphug

[SquirrelysMom]

You are such a good squammy to consider doing this selfless thing for her!:grouphug:Love_Icon:grouphug

Thanks. I just have to remember that she's getting to fulfill her "Squirrel Destiny". I always assumed she fell from her tree and broke her tail before she had any teeth because she was a naturally curious explorer and as soon as her eyes opened she just couldn't wait any longer.

I just need to remember that I would only be keeping her to make me happy, not her.

She will start her new life with Djarenspace9 on Monday afternoon. Thanks for the replies!

[Rhapsody]

While I am in Lakeland and I am sorry that I am late to the party..... but I am happy to read this little one found a place to go. :)

[SquirrelysMom]

While I am in Lakeland and I am sorry that I am late to the party..... but I am happy to read this little one found a place to go. :)

It's good to know you are around, Rhapsody! I will have to get some more info from you in case anyone else brings me babies! I am definitely looking for a local rehabbers that is either very involved with either *mainly* or *only* squirrels. I was working with someone else who does general wildlife rehab, but I feel like her team is a little overwhelmed with bigger creatures, at times.

I will be creating a thread for Gigi so that Karen (Djarenspace9) can keep us all updated on her progress.

Gigi didn't seem frightened at all when she got in her new cage! She went right to sniffing, digging around, and munching on the salad & snacks that were waiting for her! The other squirrels in the room seemed to make her very at ease. She was just longing for a community of others who would play with her and not just grump at her, like Mister Squirrely.

[djarenspace9]

Sorry I have not updated you...I meant to text you several times today and kept getting sidetracked. Gigi is doing great...loves the cube and busy observing the squirrel action all day long. She has devoured all her food including the pine cone! :thumbsup I will have time tomorrow to work on "introducing" her to her new crew.

[Jackie in Tampa]

Glad you were able to hook up with Karen... it would have been at least another month before I had space available...
GiGi is def in a sq circus at djars!!!:crazy Nice trees too!



I gotta ask...what is 'chop'?, details please, ty!