Am I expecting a miracle?

[Madamelipstick]

Hello everyone.
For those of you who have been following Fenwick as you may recall I found him outside my home and searched for a nest especially in the tree above my house. Well today a squirrel who often watches me through my kitchen window while I make my coffee caught our attention. We followed her with the binoculars and sure enough. She went to the end of a branch and just a few inches from the end of the branch was a knot hole. Guess what Fenwick has a sibling. The cutest little baby stuck their head out the hole. I have only seen one baby. Now I know even if I had been able to get him back to her at the time he would have died because she would not have been able to thaw him out like I was able to do. My question is has it been to long? Is there any way I can reunite him with his mother. Yes I would love to keep him for as long as he wants. His mother can teach him all the things that I can't. I guess I have a spot in my heart for the mother being a mother myself who has lost a child. So Am I being nuts or is there any way to reunite baby and mom safely.:crazy:dono:shakehead:thinking

[SammysMom]

Well, generally a couple of days is the longest that I have heard of. It is nice to know that if that is Fenwick's sibling, he is doing fine. Fenwick is now your baby...:Love_Icon

[Madamelipstick]

Ok more questions. Do both parents play a part in the raising of the young? There are both a male and female that seem to be going to the nest. The female does have teats and she looks thin and her tail is sparse. The male of course is big and fat and fluffy. This is the same squirrel who watches me make coffee. So today I opened the window and started talking softly to her and doing the sounds I do with Fenwick. She seemed very interested and not extremely fearful of me. So once she went up into the tree I went out side and I lined the privacy fence and post where she sits and watches me, with black walnuts that I gathered and dried myself. Maybe I can at least get this squirrel to not be fearful of me then maybe I can set up a release cage by this tree for the future. I may not be able to give him to her, but I would love for him to have an example to learn by. The babies will be the same age so maybe just maybe, they will accept him. At least they will also be young like him instead of introducing him to a bunch of adults. They can be mean, I have observed them . When the food gets sparse they become mean. So maybe if his squwammy provides lots of food for all, they might be more accepting. Call me an optimist. I just have seen a lot of things that people told me couldn't be done being done. I use to think. If all of those that think something can't be done, would get out of the way of those of us who are doing it. Wish me luck. Did I tell you that I originated from Missouri the Show Me State. lol just saying born and bred.:thankyou:goofwe:goofwe

[HRT4SQRLS]

OK Ms ShowMe! :poke :jump

In regard to your question, do both parents have a role in raising babies the answer is no. The males don't hang around for the 'work part' of parenting. The female actually breeds with multiple partners. I was just reading in a wildlife manual that the female starts weaning the babies between 8-10 weeks. I actually thought it was more like 12 weeks. :dono

It sounds like you're trying to create a happy little squirrel family there where everyone loves each other. :poke In nature it doesn't actually work that way. Squirrels are actually quite territorial and yes, they do fight to defend their territory. With that said, their normal behavior can be modified with food. I have attracted quite a crowd of squirrels in my yard by feeding them. So far, there isn't a lot of fighting going on. When the nut bag starts rattling in the afternoon, the trees come alive with squirrels traveling in for treats.

My releases didn't encounter a lot of resistance from the 'local' boys. I guess it was because it was their release that prompted me to start feeding. My singleton that was released a few months ago has not been accepted by the other releases. The three that were released together have remained close to each other. They still sleep together. This was my first experience releasing a singleton and to be honest with you, I would probably try to pair up any future singletons by getting another baby or by relinquishing the solo to a rehabber with other babies. They definitely do better when they have a friend. But hey, I understand, I couldn't let Susie go even when I did have the chance to place her with others.

I'm a little confused by what you said about the release cage. Are you going to release Fen or do you just want him to experience other squirrels in an outside cage? If you plan to keep Fen, you definitely don't want to put him outside. There are a few exceptions here with NR's that have an outside cage, but for the most part, you risk awakening that 'call of nature' to go to the trees and you would have a very unhappy 'pet' squirrel.

One thing that I will caution you about is having a release or wilds that are too 'people friendly'. I am having a problem with this right now. I have 4 releases in my yard that are way too friendly. They climb on me all the time. Here's the problem: they are quite happy to climb on anyone. I was talking to my neighbor in the yard yesterday. I saw Peter coming down the tree. I went closer to the tree and let him climb on me. I knew in my mind that he would jump on the neighbor. He climbed to the ground. I was crouched down trying to block him from jumping on her. He ran around me and ran up her body, as she was trying to get him off, he somersaulted off of her head. :eek Of course, he scratched her. She wasn't mad and took it well but now I know that I have a problem. I just wanted to tell you this so that you know that getting involved with your wild critters can cause problems. I absolute love having squirrels that climb on me in my yard but I didn't really think about the part where they climb the neighbors also. Oops!

[Nancy in New York]

I absolute love having squirrels that climb on me in my yard but I didn't really think about the part where they climb the neighbors also. Oops!

And God forbid if they ever jump on a child! :eek
We usually think they will ONLY come to us, or jump on us, but
not true. They will most likely go to anyone, especially if they are scared.
And can you imagine a squirrel jumping on a little child outside playing? :eek
You know the mother's would freak out and insist on having him tested for rabies,
so I wouldn't be too anxious to let anyone know that you are releasing a squirrel. :shakehead

[DarkLies212]

And God forbid if they ever jump on a child! :eek
We usually think they will ONLY come to us, or jump on us, but
not true. They will most likely go to anyone, especially if they are scared.
And can you imagine a squirrel jumping on a little child outside playing? :eek
You know the mother's would freak out and insist on having him tested for rabies,
so I wouldn't be too anxious to let anyone know that you are releasing a squirrel. :shakehead

I never thought this was common!
My first release was apparently too friendly and ran right up to my neighbor, waiting at his door to be let in! He had to go out the side door and shoo her out of his garage

[Madamelipstick]

Thank you Hrt4sqrls,I am sorry I didn't mean to confuse. I was discussing my options. I didn't know if it was possible to release him with other squirrels that will be coming out of the nest soon. I didn't know if connecting with the family would be a possibility. There is definitely a male squirrel hanging around the nest. So maybe this is why the mother looks so tired and skinny. I was just hoping if I made her less afraid of me I could slowly introduce him to them but I obviously need to research more. I figured this was an impossible thing. Fen is friendly with me, very friendly. I have keep him from my one dog, and three cats. I just want him to be happy. Since he is not an injured squirrel I figured he will probably want to live free and just visit occasionally. I will say the nuts I laid out for the mother twice have been gathered. I guess I really wont be able to join him with the rest of his siblings but I can help his mother with food. She looks like she needs nutrients. I wish I knew how many babies she has up in that hole. He is much more active then his nest mates. Must be the one on one feedings and the good formula, good conditions. I need to stop thinking like a human and start thinking like a squirrel.
Would you please clear this up for me because I believe I think I have been given some bad info. I was told by a supposedly rehabber that squirrels mate for life. She also wants my squirrel because she just has females and thinks a male would be perfect for her girls. I think this is a time when my instincts lead me correctly. I didn't relinquish my squirrel to her. This was BEFORE I found the lovely Squirrel Board.Thank you for this site sooooooooooooooo much. :thankyou:thankyou

[island rehabber]

Would you please clear this up for me because I believe I think I have been given some bad info. I was told by a supposedly rehabber that squirrels mate for life. She also wants my squirrel because she just has females and thinks a male would be perfect for her girls. I think this is a time when my instincts lead me correctly. I didn't relinquish my squirrel to her.


:eek :eek Mate for life???????? They don't even stay together for five minutes after the act!!!! :dono

Glad you didn't give your squirrel to that "rehabber" in name only.

[HRT4SQRLS]

Would you please clear this up for me because I believe I think I have been given some bad info. I was told by a supposedly rehabber that squirrels mate for life. She also wants my squirrel because she just has females and thinks a male would be perfect for her girls. I think this is a time when my instincts lead me correctly. I didn't relinquish my squirrel to her. This was BEFORE I found the lovely Squirrel Board.Thank you for this site sooooooooooooooo much. :thankyou:thankyou

:eek She doesn't know what she is talking about. Squirrels DO NOT mate for life. There will breed with any female that is in heat. They don't pair up like a family. :shakehead
Were her girls babies like Fen? Is she planning to release her girls? Very odd statement indeed.

I think it would be great for you to offer food to the nursing mama. She has been through a long cold winter and now has a house full of babies. Give mama some food. :tilt

Edit Just saw your post IR. I had the same reaction. :eek. :)

[Madamelipstick]

Thank you IR. I knew you would know the answer.:grin3

[Madamelipstick]

Hrt4sqrls, I am giving her black walnuts. I have tons of them because I harvested them. lol Is there something else I should give her? She has had a terrible winter. I would love to help this mother out. it sounds crazy but I have always said if you love the child you have to love the momma. Also the other lady she had 3 females. She had just lost one of her squirrels. He was around 5 years old. I don't know why I just felt that maybe she was going to try to bred. She seemed like a lovely woman and she did help me through those crucial first 24 hours before I found you guys. I don't think that squirrels are meant to be bred in captivity so a woman one can have a squirrel for a pet. Maybe I am all wrong about it.
I would like it if you guys could lead me to a rehabber in SW Michigan that I can TRUST. Maybe check out their facility. See what they can offer Fenwick or maybe they can give me some pointers. I know I sound confused. Not at all, I would love to keep him but that might not be what he needs or wants.

[farrelli]

Black walnuts take forever to open. Can you give her something more accessible? If she'll eat almonds, those would be great because their calcium is high. Henry's Wild Bites are the ideal. Perhaps you can get some cheaper blocks and doctor them up if she won;t eat them? Mothers are calcium deprived and can sometiems even die from it.

[Madamelipstick]

I am sorry to tell you that a female and a male were both killed today in front of my home. I am sick about it.. I know there are babies in the nest and I can not get to the nest. I even posted pictures hoping some one would have a solution. I guess it is a waiting game but the temp is dropping. It is over twenty feet higher than my roof. I posted a thread in the non life threating post. I never know where to post. I am computer illiterate. I cant even seem to find the place to find out about diet and safe trees and such. I don't know how I have come so far with Fenwick. He today is weighting 278 grams and I know I should be doing more but cant find the info section. He does occasionally eat the blocks but not enough to make a difference. He is now 7 weeks old. I wish there was a chat room, so that I could speak one on one with someone.

[Nancy in New York]

I am sorry to tell you that a female and a male were both killed today in front of my home. I am sick about it.. I know there are babies in the nest and I can not get to the nest. I even posted pictures hoping some one would have a solution. I guess it is a waiting game but the temp is dropping. It is over twenty feet higher than my roof. I posted a thread in the non life threating post. I never know where to post. I am computer illiterate. I cant even seem to find the place to find out about diet and safe trees and such. I don't know how I have come so far with Fenwick. He today is weighting 278 grams and I know I should be doing more but cant find the info section. He does occasionally eat the blocks but not enough to make a difference. He is now 7 weeks old. I wish there was a chat room, so that I could speak one on one with someone.

I will post you links to the nutrition section.
Whatever you want, just ask in this thread, people will absolutely help you out. :grouphug

http://thesquirrelboard.com/forums/showthread.php?44440-Healthy-Diet-for-Pet-Squirrels

Some of the most important information is in specific categories, like the emergency, non emergency, and so on.
Those that are extremely important are called stickies and they are always from the top of the page down.


Look at this first page.
http://thesquirrelboard.com/forums/forum.php

Then go to the first category: Emergency (Life Threatening) Help Needed. You will see little topics with a yellow
(stickie/post it) next to it. Those are threads that are never moved, they are always in the same
place so they can't get lost.