Miles got outside...will he be okay?

[Jailguard925]

Hi, feel free to move this to the appropriate forum.

I took Miles, my 6 month old red squirrel to work with me today like I always do. I work inside the house, and let him run around the house free during the day. I always make sure doors and windows are shut and there's no way he can get out or into anything bad. I went to run errands and left him in there like I have always done. When I came back, he was gone. There is a vent on the dryer that goes outside and somehow the hose was pulled off...I think he got out through there. I am a mess, I've walked the property looking for him and there's no sign of him. Lots of trees around too. I feel incredibly stupid and I'm so mad for even bringing him today.

Is there anything I can do? I was overwintering him and planned to release in the spring. It's been snowing all day and in the 30's. Supposed to be 19 here tonight, with a huge snowstorm on wednesday. I feel like he is so unprepared for all this snow and cold and I'm worried he's not going to make it. :(

[farrelli]

It's good that he's older, but you must do everything that you can to get him back in. He is totally unprepared, has no home, and has no pantry built up, as reds do. Reds are very territorial, so you have a very limited time to try to get him back before he runs off.

Just stay out there looking for him. If he knows the sound of a treat jar or something, keep making that noise. Put his nest outside so that maybe he can find it, especially come sundown. Leave treats for him. And keep your door cracked. One person's squirrel came back a day or more later, I think, after she intentionally left the door cracked open (and yes, it was winter).

[Nancy in New York]

Did you see any tracks in the snow from his escape?
Usually if they are going to come back it is before dark, just around dusk.
Is there any other spot in the house that he could be? Are the toilets closed?
How about any closets?
Is this a furnished house or one that you are just working on?
I'm confused by the house, you said you work in, but is that construction or something else?

[Jailguard925]

Thanks for the quick responses.

I work for my dad, I use his house as my "office" haha. Its fully furnished. The doors to the upstairs were shut, all closet and bathroom doors were shut. He had the run of the kitchen, dining room, laundry room and living room. I've torn through the house. There were no tracks, but it had just started snowing when I got back. I'll leave a door open tonight. I really hope I can find him before then. Thank you!

[Nancy in New York]

Thanks for the quick responses.

I work for my dad, I use his house as my "office" haha. Its fully furnished. The doors to the upstairs were shut, all closet and bathroom doors were shut. He had the run of the kitchen, dining room, laundry room and living room. I've torn through the house. There were no tracks, but it had just started snowing when I got back. I'll leave a door open tonight. I really hope I can find him before then. Thank you!

If there is a gap on any of the doors at the bottom approximalely 1/2" or more, they can squeeze through.
Double check all of the rooms, he may be in there. Oh and closets too.
Trust me, I used to have a little red intentionally loose in my house.:tilt
They can get in between cabinets, and actually into cabinets if there is no wood above
the kick plate.
Check behind the refrigerator and ANY obscure place you can think of.
We have a thread on the board telling what places to be aware of, let me find the link
and I will post it here.

edit: I found the link.
http://thesquirrelboard.com/forums/showthread.php?33486-KITCHEN-DANGERS-Cabinet-Nightmares-This-Is-for-YOU-!!!!

[Jailguard925]

Thank you, I'll go through the house again and check all the places in that link. Usually he would come running when he hears me. This sucks. I hope he shows up soon.

[farrelli]

If he comes to you, just keep walking around your house and calling. Bring treats. Be vigilant and don't give up. He's counting on you for his life.

[Nancy in New York]

Please keep us posted.

[SammysMom]

Many prayers for his safe return...:grouphug:Love_Icon:grouphug

[lukaslolamaus]

Praying for Miles safe return:grouphug

[SQUIRRELSAREME]

Keep looking I know when Tillie goes missing she is just sleeping someplace(for hours) then she just reappears . Good luck

[Jailguard925]

thanks guys.

I found tracks at least! And I thought i heard a squirrel squeaking, traced it to the other side of the property to a large section of pine trees but couldn't find him. I had to stop searching, I can't see a thing. I'm going to pick up again tomorrow as soon as its light. I left his bed and his food outside where he got out...there's a lot of buildings on the property so hopefully he will be able to find someplace warm in them for the night. It's going to be a long night for me :(

[California Squirrel Lover]

Praying Miles returns safely :grouphug:grouphug

[SammysMom]

You have got to go back out and look for him. I should have said listen for him. He is a baby and he needs you when it is so cold out.

[Nancy in New York]

You have got to go back out and look for him. I should have said listen for him. He is a baby and he needs you when it is so cold out.

I think you're are Gayle.
I have had releases return at night.
They seem to feel it's safer, but then again, I don't have
lots of woods around me either, and if there is an owl out there,
and he comes when you call him......................that could be a
real disaster. UGH!

Did you leave food and water in the house as well, in case he isn't outside?

[stepnstone]

Tomorrow could be too late...
Cold, scared, unprotected! :shakehead

[lukaslolamaus]

Poor baby!!! I hope he is hiding somewhere in the house!
Praying for his safety !!!!
Please look for him some more

[Fireweed]

Part of me thinks you should try to find him at night, part of me thinks you shouldn't - there's risks both ways. If you think he'll come to you when called even if it's dark out, then it's worth a shot. Maybe stand/walk around outside listening for him. You might be able to locate exactly where he is - reds make tiny peeps when they are nervous/scared, and you'd have to listen for them, so just standing in different places, calling out and then being really quiet for a long while might help to locate him.
But definitely be up and out looking for him *before* it gets light out - as the light is coming up - so when he moves from his night time hiding spot it's because he's heard your voice. Don't give him a chance to move before you even get there!

Good luck. And please leave some kind of door open to that house so he can find his way in if he goes there when you aren't there.
And when you are searching/calling, try to stay calm - he might sense fear or worry in your voice and hesitate to come to your call. Pretend you are just calling him like you usually do in the house - for a treat, or for a little game or whatever. Act like there is nothing wrong and this is a normal, every day thing.
:grouphug

[Sweet Simon's Mommy]

I would stay out on the porch with the light on and call all night.

[Jailguard925]

Thanks guys. Went out before light this morning and called as called. once it got light i saw there are a TON of tracks outside everywhere. He got into the food I left! Unfortunately couldn't hear or see him at all, but I think he's okay. It's a big property, so we might just be missing each other :/ I came home real quick just to feed my other animals then I'll go back to the search.

My dad has a small have-a-heart trap.....do you think i could catch him in that?

[Nancy in New York]

Thanks guys. Went out before light this morning and called as called. once it got light i saw there are a TON of tracks outside everywhere. He got into the food I left! Unfortunately couldn't hear or see him at all, but I think he's okay. It's a big property, so we might just be missing each other :/ I came home real quick just to feed my other animals then I'll go back to the search.

My dad has a small have-a-heart trap.....do you think i could catch him in that?

Yes you could catch him in that. You mean the real small ones? Is the bar spacing minimum of 1 x 1 or smaller? The only problem is that you have to check it often. Not sure where you live, but you don't want him stuck in a small space with no warmth. Where would you put the trap?
Remember the tracks that you see could also be mice.
Good Luck to you.

[Charley Chuckles]

Thanks guys. Went out before light this morning and called as called. once it got light i saw there are a TON of tracks outside everywhere. He got into the food I left! Unfortunately couldn't hear or see him at all, but I think he's okay. It's a big property, so we might just be missing each other :/ I came home real quick just to feed my other animals then I'll go back to the search.

My dad has a small have-a-heart trap.....do you think i could catch him in that?

Yes try the trap, put in something even a stuffy he would recognize the sent....sending BIG prayers...and this almost happened to 2 other members here just last week, guess it is never safe as we think, I am so sorry you had this happen and hoping for a good outcome

[Fireweed]

It's good to hear you are seeing tracks and he has been eating some food! Please don't give up! It may take him a day or two to realize he's not ready to be adventuring outside yet!
Will he come to you if you see him, do you think? If you're going to be around the house all day, I'd definitely try the Hav-a-Hart with some of his favourite food in it. Maybe put it around where he was eating and don't leave any other food there except a tiny trail to the trap and most at the back of the trap... Oh, and make sure he can't get to the food through the bars of the trap. :thumbsup

[Jailguard925]

Thanks for all your support guys! Yes I will be here all day. Nothing new to report, the trap is set with his favorite food and i've been going out every half hour or so looking for him. The whole place is pretty busy/noisy today so I imagine he's laying low. The suns out at least! Hopefully he will venture out this afternoon once things quiet down. :/

[squirrelmommy22]

Praying for Miles to return home safe and sound.

[Nancy in New York]

Thanks for all your support guys! Yes I will be here all day. Nothing new to report, the trap is set with his favorite food and i've been going out every half hour or so looking for him. The whole place is pretty busy/noisy today so I imagine he's laying low. The suns out at least! Hopefully he will venture out this afternoon once things quiet down. :/

Yes that will be the time, right a little before dusk when things are quieter, he may venture down.
IF you don't get him today, DO NOT leave the trap outside tonight. (I know you wouldn't)

[Fireweed]

I'm hoping he comes home today! :grouphug

[sid'smommy]

DO NOT USE THE DRYER! He may be sneaking back in that way at night.

[Jailguard925]

Thankfully my dad's on vacation so the dryer wont be used! I'm leaving it open incase he finds his way back in. Slight update...heard some scratching and running sounds in the ceiling! Sounded like he got into the ceiling from outside...its an old house and i know my dad's heard squirrels in the walls before. Its been quiet since, so maybe he got back outside. Its making me feel a bit better because he at least has somewhere warm! I think I'm going to stay here overnight and leave the trap out...checking every hour. Snow's supposed to start at midnight so i hope i find him!!!

[SammysMom]

Is there an attic that you can access? Do you have any idea where the problem squirrels were?

[Nancy in New York]

Oh Lord, my Jeffrey did this, and we know that he also got into the ceiling.
We had a tiny hole in the closet he slept in. I was unaware of it, but after the fact, hubby said he knew it was there.
It was the size of a dime at the time.
Well, we heard crying one morning, and I couldn't find Jeffrey.
Somehow he had gotten out of his cage that night. (This was prior to him having the run of the house.)
SO we followed the sound, and it came from the closet.
We called and he responded.
Rich started making a small hole on the back bottom of the sheetrock, and we could see his
nose. He was trying to dig out as Rich was trying to gently dig in.
When we finally got him, he had evidentally fallen somehow during his escape into the closet and hurt his back end.
His tail was drooping etc.
HOWEVER, the night before I even brought Rich up to listen to the sound I was hearing in the ceiling!:eek
Rich dismissed it to mice. (I still want them out)
However, we never heard it before or after Jeffrey's escape.
We know Jeffrey was in the ceiling, so if your little one is in the ceiling, he could be
anywhere in the house as well.
I wished you knew where to make a hole in the sheetrock, because that's how Jeffrey got in,
and how we got him out.

[sid'smommy]

You must be in my area... we are expecting a snowstorm too. Ive been watching all the wilds insulating their dreys all day... and filling their bellies too. I hope he comes home soon!

[SammysMom]

Are you possibly near any of us who could help you to locate him? If you are in New England we are expecting a big mess!

[JLM27]

Definitely try the trap. You don't know what got the food you left out. Best case, you catch him. Still good, you catch a competitor or predator.

[lukaslolamaus]

Praying the little guy will find his way back to you!!!
Or you find him.
Either way sending positive vibes and prayers your and Miles way :grouphug:Love_Icon

[Jailguard925]

I'm located in MA. It's a mess here today. No sign of him :( the traps back out, I did leave some food out which was eaten but I don't know if it actually was him. Im very frustrated.

So sorry to hear about that Nancy, they can really get into trouble huh!

[Nancy in New York]

I'm so sorry that this is happening.
We are getting hammered with snow today, you are too
correct?
Are you hearing anything else in the attic?

[Nancy in New York]

This is a 20 second video showing where Jeffrey found a spot for nest building in the bathroom.
I want to show you how they can find the strangest places. UGH :shakehead
I didn't even know there was an opening there!
http://i673.photobucket.com/albums/vv95/nancym518/th_MVI_2154.jpg (http://i673.photobucket.com/albums/vv95/nancym518/MVI_2154.mp4)

This is an end table.
I didn't even know that if Jeffrey jumped up under the table, he
could grab the back of the drawer and crawl up inside the drawer! That's exactly what he did
to build yet another nest.

http://i673.photobucket.com/albums/vv95/nancym518/IMG_6736.jpg (http://s673.photobucket.com/user/nancym518/media/IMG_6736.jpg.html)

A closet door was cracked open, Jeffrey found a spot to make yet another nest

VIDEO
http://i673.photobucket.com/albums/vv95/nancym518/th_MVI_2385.jpg (http://i673.photobucket.com/albums/vv95/nancym518/MVI_2385.mp4)

Jeffrey found yet another spot for a nest, my hamper, so I cut up fleece squares so
he didn't have to drag them from downstairs.

VIDEO

http://i673.photobucket.com/albums/vv95/nancym518/th_November232009007.jpg (http://i673.photobucket.com/albums/vv95/nancym518/November232009007.mp4)

AND yet another hiding spot.

VIDEO
http://i673.photobucket.com/albums/vv95/nancym518/th_November62009006.jpg (http://i673.photobucket.com/albums/vv95/nancym518/November62009006.mp4)

I have at least 50 more video's of Jeffrey's hiding spots.
My point being too is that Jeffrey was the same age as your little one. Can you see
the curiosity and how there is NO hesitation in doing much of anything. Oye, these reds will give you grey hairs.

I just found this one. Jeffrey escaping his cage.
I knew he had gotten out, and that's when he had his accident in the walls, I just
didn't know how. Then I saw him one day, very interested in one corner of the cage.
Yup, that's how he did it, with doors closed, he found one tiny bar that was barely
bent, yet his body could fit through.
This is what your up against.:grin2 :shakehead

VIDEO

http://i673.photobucket.com/albums/vv95/nancym518/Baby%20Jeffrey%202009-20011/th_November222009015.jpg (http://i673.photobucket.com/albums/vv95/nancym518/Baby%20Jeffrey%202009-20011/November222009015.mp4)

[SammysMom]

Any more noises in the ceiling?

[Jailguard925]

No more noises :(

[Jailguard925]

Scratch that! He's living in the ceiling! How do I get him out!

[SammysMom]

Is there a closet or another area that is out of sight that your dad would be okay with you cutting a hole in? Or is it possible to get into the attic in the area where you are hearing him?

[Nancy in New York]

Scratch that! He's living in the ceiling! How do I get him out!


I'm sooooooooooooooooo happy.
Are you SURE it's him and not something else?

[Duckman]

If it was me, I would just cut a hole and get him. Holes can be patched, Reds can't!

[SammysMom]

Can you access the attic?

[stepnstone]

Is the ceiling between floors?
If so, you are either going to have to find an opening, cut an opening,
or in some cases if there is a ceiling fixture you can drop that to provide an opening.

[Fireweed]

Is there a crawl space at all? Any way to put the Hav-a-Hart up there? And then listen for it to be set? If he has no food up there he'd likely enter the trap to get some...

I hope you can get him!

[MJS]

ANY POSSIBILITY THAT HE'S IN THE DUCT WORK? IN SOME OLDER HOMES THE COLD AIR RETURN VENTS HAVE LARGE ENOUGH SPACING FOR A RED SQ TO ENTER. I LOST A HAMSTER FOR A DAY THAT WAY...HEARD HIM RUNNING AROUND THE NEXT DAY IN THE DUCT THAT RUNS ACROSS THE BASEMENT CEILING. I UNSCREWED THE END PIECE AND THERE HE WAS. HE LOOKED LIKE A HUGE DUST BUNNY!!!

[Jailguard925]

Its between floors. There is a very small hole in the corner of the cieling where wires were ran through to get to the room upstairs...i've put food down there and shone a light but i'm not sure if he can get to that spot. There's no tracks outside after all this snow so hopefully he's laying low. I'm trying to convince my dad to cut a hole currently...in the meantime I'm going to take the light fixture off and see if that will be a big enough hole to find him.

[Nancy in New York]

Its between floors. There is a very small hole in the corner of the cieling where wires were ran through to get to the room upstairs...i've put food down there and shone a light but i'm not sure if he can get to that spot. There's no tracks outside after all this snow so hopefully he's laying low. I'm trying to convince my dad to cut a hole currently...in the meantime I'm going to take the light fixture off and see if that will be a big enough hole to find him.


I know that I don't have to tell you this, but TIME is of the essence, you have no time to convince your dad.
You really need to call him (the squirrel) and try to locate his positon and JUST DO IT.
I cannot stress to you the importance of not delaying this. They need water more than they do food.
But he will be terribly dehydrated and his body will not be able to function.
I know this is NOT ideal, but you have NO choice.
Can you hear him at all?

[lukaslolamaus]

Are there any news on Miles?

[Jailguard925]

I'm at the point now where I will just rip open the ceiling. But I've been in there all day and there's not a peep. I'm not even sure if he's in there anymore. And there's no tracks outside either :(

[Nancy in New York]

I'm at the point now where I will just rip open the ceiling. But I've been in there all day and there's not a peep. I'm not even sure if he's in there anymore. And there's no tracks outside either :(

Place some flour around where he got out, or where you think he may have gotten out from. (Place this
flour inside of course, I would imagine flour on the snow would be difficult to see. :rolf)
Just a light layer of flour anywhere you can think of, and see if there are tracks in it tomorrow.
OMG I sure hope he turns up soon!
:grouphug

[SammysMom]

The snow has such a hard crust that you might not see tracks. Is this a house or apartment? Maybe he has one into the upstairs attic?

[lukaslolamaus]

Are there any news on Miles?

[NewMommy]

No news? No follow up?

[Nancy in New York]

I've heard nothing. :( :shakehead

[TubeDriver]

:(

[stepnstone]

I've heard nothing. :( :shakehead

This is the way at least 90% of these oh no my squirrel got out cases go.
They just fade away because they never get them back.

[Fireweed]

Problem is, these stories don't fade away with US because we lose sleep thinking about these little squirrels and whatever happened to them!
I know most of us can name MANY squirrels we can't stop thinking about - going back years! - who's hoomin didn't get back to us after an emergency thread was started. My heart is filled with that horrible 'unknowing' of the fate of too many... :(

[TubeDriver]

Problem is, these stories don't fade away with US because we lose sleep thinking about these little squirrels and whatever happened to them!
I know most of us can name MANY squirrels we can't stop thinking about - going back years! - who's hoomin didn't get back to us after an emergency thread was started. My heart is filled with that horrible 'unknowing' of the fate of too many... :(

:( :grouphug

[mommasbaby]

wish his mommy would let us know something praying that he is safe and sound.

[stepnstone]

Problem is, these stories don't fade away with US because we lose sleep thinking about these little squirrels and whatever happened to them!

Yep! And for me personaly, it makes it hard to comment when they do come
back on wanting to be all excited because they got another one.
Knowing **** happens don't make it any eaiser...