There was Four now there is Five ?

[Squirrely Steve]

Hi Friends

I have 11 eastern grey squirrels that are from the second baby squirrel season from last year of 2014
They came in young and by the time I got them big enough for release it was too late in the fall for release.
I made Oct 1 my cut off Fall release date.
If there not big enough in size by Oct 1 we Winter them over
I have some in individual cages and some in group cages.
I try to match them up as cage mates as I am raising them.

In my large outdoor cage I have four

Sphen - female - intake 9-7-2014
Tatiana - female - intake 8-13-2014
Timmoty - male - intake 8-13-2014
Dixie - female - intake 8-27-2014

The large Outdoor Cage they have branches and parts of trees and two wood squirrel nest boxes in the cage.
I have had these four in this group since they were young there Cages Mates.
The group wintered over good and they fur and heath have been good.

I like to release in the late spring when the tree leaves all pop out.
In Iowa this is usually the 3-4 week of May.
Last year I spring released 15 wintered over squirrels on May 26, 2014
I take them to a No Hunting 33 acre State Forest Preserve

With new 2015 spring babies coming in and getting older and more cage room is needed the push for releasing the 2014 Fall babies becomes more and more important.

This morning I was doing my rounds with the morning Breakfast feed.
And I fed the four in the Large Outdoor Cage and did a head count and got 5 squirrels.
What ?
I did a couple of more counts and got 5 ?
There was a small size squirrel in the cage too.
A baby about the size of my spring babies I am working with now about 9-10 weeks old.
I was going to do spring release in the next few days at the 33 acre State Forest Preserve
Now what do I do ?
Should I release them out of there cage at the Farm ?
There maybe is more babies not sure.
Am I keeping them to long before releasing ?
If I went to release a few more weeks or a month back the kid would have been real small.
There not suppose to have kids for a year or so ?
I am not sure if I am wintering them over right ?
I Cant just have females in one cages and males in other cages....kind of got to group as get along cage mates.
What do you guys think ?

Thanks
Squirrely Steve

[stepnstone]

Winter can be long and boring, I think they need more toys to play with... http://www.sherv.net/cm/emo/laughing/crying.gif

Steve this has happen with other's, it's not that you are doing anything wrong.
The old theroy they do not breed in captivity is out the window, some squirrels just mature faster then others.

I would be tempted to release the "family" on the farm so as to be able to watch over them.

[LaurelLynn]

I would guess if they felt happy and comfortable enough to breed in the enclosure, you must have set up a pretty perfect environment for them to overwinter in :serene

I would also want to see them grow up! I don't think I could resist releasing from the enclosure so I could watch :dance

[stosh2010]

Hi Steve,
No advice, but "Keep Up the Great Work"..
How are your BATS doing ??
Need an UP-DATE.

[Nancy in New York]

Hi Friends

I have 11 eastern grey squirrels that are from the second baby squirrel season from last year of 2014
They came in young and by the time I got them big enough for release it was too late in the fall for release.
I made Oct 1 my cut off Fall release date.
If there not big enough in size by Oct 1 we Winter them over
I have some in individual cages and some in group cages.
I try to match them up as cage mates as I am raising them.

In my large outdoor cage I have four

Sphen - female - intake 9-7-2014
Tatiana - female - intake 8-13-2014
Timmoty - male - intake 8-13-2014
Dixie - female - intake 8-27-2014

The large Outdoor Cage they have branches and parts of trees and two wood squirrel nest boxes in the cage.
I have had these four in this group since they were young there Cages Mates.
The group wintered over good and they fur and heath have been good.

I like to release in the late spring when the tree leaves all pop out.
In Iowa this is usually the 3-4 week of May.
Last year I spring released 15 wintered over squirrels on May 26, 2014
I take them to a No Hunting 33 acre State Forest Preserve

With new 2015 spring babies coming in and getting older and more cage room is needed the push for releasing the 2014 Fall babies becomes more and more important.

This morning I was doing my rounds with the morning Breakfast feed.
And I fed the four in the Large Outdoor Cage and did a head count and got 5 squirrels.
What ?
I did a couple of more counts and got 5 ?
There was a small size squirrel in the cage too.
A baby about the size of my spring babies I am working with now about 9-10 weeks old.
I was going to do spring release in the next few days at the 33 acre State Forest Preserve
Now what do I do ?
Should I release them out of there cage at the Farm ?
There maybe is more babies not sure.
Am I keeping them to long before releasing ?
If I went to release a few more weeks or a month back the kid would have been real small.
There not suppose to have kids for a year or so ?
I am not sure if I am wintering them over right ?
I Cant just have females in one cages and males in other cages....kind of got to group as get along cage mates.
What do you guys think ?

Thanks
Squirrely Steve

Personally I don't think you are keeping them too long. What good is overwintering, if you release with NO leaves.
This is NOT the first time that we have seen babies born in captivity. pappy had some a couple of years ago, with overwinters
which she had indoors.
I will write more later Steve, I have to thin about this one, as it seems you have a slight dilema, short of building another release cage, there has to be an answer.
Even in New York many rehabbers still have their overwinters. Like you, the trees are finally full with leaves.