two new babies

[juneandcash]

I've actually been on here before but it was a long time ago. I started bottle feeding and rehabbing wild animals when I was 16. That's when I found my first baby squirrel. Since I've raised opossums, raccoons, cotton tails, birds, and anything else that needs my help. I just received two baby squirrels last night and I'm so excited. They are my favorite to raise. I've always released all mine but I'm just curious how many of you keep them permanently? What has your experience been?

[Nancy in New York]

The only reason to keep them is if they are deemed non releasable.
A squirrel is meant for the wild, to live in nature, not in a cage in some
other room of the house, only to be given food and water daily.
To keep a non releasable happy is a full time job, to
keep a non releasable squirrel prisoner, is easy.
We have seen way too many horror stories on the board with perfectly
releasable squirrels who eventually turn nasty.
Actually nasty is too strong of a word. They want to do what squirrels were
born to do, live their life FREE in the wild.

Is your little one healthy?

[juneandcash]

Yes they are both doing great. I've seen personally how mean they can become and have been bitten many times. I still love the lil guys though. Last time I was on here I remember seeing numerous members who ended up keeping theirs. I actually had to keep one of mine who had severe neuro issues. I had him for about a year until he passed.

[juneandcash]

I don't necessarily disagree with people who choose to keep them. I was just curious how it went for them. I myself have several exotic pets. I've heard stories of people with pet raccoons and skunks as well. They claim they are good pets. I will get the occasional person who disagrees with some exotics I have such as my prairie dogs or micro mini pig. They say I shouldn't keep them and they should be outside. But all my pets have great lives and are very happy.

[juneandcash]

These are some of my other babies.

[stepnstone]

The only reason to keep them is if they are deemed non releasable.
A squirrel is meant for the wild, to live in nature, not in a cage in some
other room of the house, only to be given food and water daily.
To keep a non releasable happy is a full time job, to
keep a non releasable squirrel prisoner, is easy.
We have seen way too many horror stories on the board with perfectly
releasable squirrels who eventually turn nasty.
Actually nasty is too strong of a word. They want to do what squirrels were
born to do, live their life FREE in the wild.
Is your little one healthy?

:yeahthat:goodpost


Last time I was on here I remember seeing numerous members who ended up keeping theirs.

TSB does not advocate keeping healthy releasable squirrels as "pets," regardless of what some "members" lead one to believe. Add that to the list of the numerous people that come on here wanting to "rehome" their 1, 2 and 3 year old squirrels who are just being squirrels and not cute and cuddly anymore. Or they started biting or chewing furniture. Or their situation has changed, they can't afford it or have to move. Or their squirrel just being a squirrel got into a household danger and is now dying because the finder is in an illegal State and can't get it help. As Nancy indicated, unless there is a viable reason the squirrel is non-releasable a squirrel is meant for the wild, to live in nature. As nature intended it should be.

[LaurelLynn]

I'll say that even I struggled with if one of mine overwintering should maybe just stay with me. .. I actually wondered if he was all there because he was SO friendly.

In that time over the winter, I spent hours EVERY day collecting stuff from outside just to keep them entertained for an afternoon, I built a 6ft tall 4ftx8ft habitat (that barely was enough space for a few winter months) and almost every waking moment is dedicated to preventing them from going insane

They are like cute, furry, non criminal crack heads... Seriously :multi

He's still friendly BUT the best gift I can give him is the freedom to be crazy out in the big world. There's absolutely nothing I can do to replicate the space and stimulation his amped up body and brain needs ... it would be like if we were locked in closet with only redbull and coffee to drink and nothing to do

I raised six human children and let me tell you, keeping a squirrel entertained is a thousand times harder.

I absolutely love the little nuts but I'm not exaggerating how difficult it is to try and make them a pet. The few people who do succeed are owned every moment of every day by a squirrel and I can't imagine trying to do it while also having additional high maintenance exotics. I need a nap just thinking about it lol! :sleep

[Nancy in New York]

I'll say that even I struggled with if one of mine overwintering should maybe just stay with me. .. I actually wondered if he was all there because he was SO friendly.

In that time over the winter, I spent hours EVERY day collecting stuff from outside just to keep them entertained for an afternoon, I built a 6ft tall 4ftx8ft habitat (that barely was enough space for a few winter months) and almost every waking moment is dedicated to preventing them from going insane

They are like cute, furry, non criminal crack heads... Seriously :multi

He's still friendly BUT the best gift I can give him is the freedom to be crazy out in the big world. There's absolutely nothing I can do to replicate the space and stimulation his amped up body and brain needs ... it would be like if we were locked in closet with only redbull and coffee to drink and nothing to do

I raised six human children and let me tell you, keeping a squirrel entertained is a thousand times harder.

I absolutely love the little nuts but I'm not exaggerating how difficult it is to try and make them a pet. The few people who do succeed are owned every moment of every day by a squirrel and I can't imagine trying to do it while also having additional high maintenance exotics. I need a nap just thinking about it lol! :sleep

This is exactly what I'm talking about.
IF you take on a squirrel you have to put your squirrel FIRST.
As I said, anyone can "keep" a squirrel.
BUT to keep a squirrel, and keep them
happy takes WORK, COMMITMENT, TIME, DEDICATION, IMAGINATION, and UNSELFISHNESS.
Very very very few people will really/actually do that! :shakehead
I bet that most don't even spend 15 minutes daily with them, and that is just sad. :sadness

[LaurelLynn]

This is exactly what I'm talking about.
IF you take on a squirrel you have to put your squirrel FIRST.
As I said, anyone can "keep" a squirrel.
BUT to keep a squirrel, and keep them
happy takes WORK, COMMITMENT, TIME, DEDICATION, IMAGINATION, and UNSELFISHNESS.
Very very very few people will really/actually do that! :shakehead
I bet that most don't even spend 15 minutes daily with them, and that is just sad. :sadness

Definitely. I've had high maintenance elderly rescue animals with specific daily needs, I have a high maintenance parrot, I've had plenty of exotics from sugar gliders, reptiles, hedgehogs, ect, I had a house full of 10 opossum last summer and many other critters over the last 25-30yrs... none come close to the dedication a squirrel takes. No vacations, for that matter even going somewhere for an entire day takes planning on how to keep them occupied while you're gone. My friends even joke about how I'm a hermit since I started caring for squirrels and my husband says I love them more than him lol (luckily he loves them too or I'd be divorced). It's a running joke in our family :laugh2

I can't count the times I've declined invitations by saying 'i can't do that/go there because I have squirrels to take care of! '

I wouldn't trade a moment of it but boy do they take over your life :owned

[juneandcash]

Oh I definitely agree. They are very time consuming. I know my pets alone take up many hours a day. That's why I was curious to the people who do keep them as to how their experience was. I know a lot of the "wild" animals are now becoming the new exotic pet. It takes a very long time and years of breeding for an animal to become what people call domesticated. I know with the prairie dog trade a lot of them come from wild caught adults or even wild caught babies. They def don't meet the requirements of being domesticated. And a lot of large parrots are wild caught. So the line between wild and exotics is pretty blurred. Not to say some of these wild caught babies don't end up being great pets. When they reach sexual maturity during breeding session is usually when the problem begins. It's a hobby of mine to go into any exotic pet store I can find. The last one I was at even had a mongoose. They also had two different breeds of squirrels for sale. I'm always amazed at what I come across. There store also included monkeys, wallaby, coatimundi, and kinkajou. Very very difficult and demanding pets.

[LaurelLynn]

I forgot to say how adorable your critters are!

And as much as I enjoy seeing exotic critters that I don't usually see, whenever I do see them for sale, all I can think about is all the 'regular' pets like dogs and cats that so many people have a hard time caring for :tap

Or of course human children. .. we humans seem to have difficulty even raising our own species lol :sanp3 I know a few times I wished for a rehabber to 'rescue' my teens lol

[MollyBear361]

Omg a black tailed prarie dog!!! :grin3

[juneandcash]

Some more of my crew

[Chickenlegs]

Piiiiiiiiiiiiiiig!!! I love pigs! I have a big girl squirrel who is allllllllllmost releasable but has a weakness in one arm that could cost her should she miss a jump. I still wonder if I did the right thing keeping her in. Thank heavens Willimina has a porch to run on. I doubt she would be happy caged. Some squirrels find their cage a sanctuary and won't come out. I also have Grady--he's broken, and Peanut has a broken hand that set wrong. I'm saving to get her hand surgicled but even then, doubt she could jump well. She's a wiz in the squirrel room tho. When I go places I take my babies with me or have a caregiver stay here. Squirrels make lousy pets-- but amazing friends!

[MollyBear361]

Omg. You're in Texas. I'm in Texas. Being as TX is huge l, I hope you're on the other side of the state. Otherwise, I think I'm moving in.....
Yes, squees make rotten little pets....I'm down to six :grin3. But great buddies!

[Chickenlegs]

Omg. You're in Texas. I'm in Texas. Being as TX is huge l, I hope you're on the other side of the state. Otherwise, I think I'm moving in.....
Yes, squees make rotten little pets....I'm down to six :grin3. But great buddies!

Where in Texas. My son lives in Killeen. He LOVES squirrels too.