Baby wants to play after feeding and not go back into cage

[Lighten-Up]

Being new to raising squirrels, I would like to know how to handle this one. I care about treating these squirrels with kindness and respect. They are wild, and I don't want to treat them like a domestic animal and yet, I don't know how or what to do when I am ready to do other things and they are not. I have never done this before and could really use insight on how others do this.

These are 8-9 week old squirrels.

In the evening they will feed and go to sleep right after, that makes putting them back easy.

In the morning, they feed and I give them a nice play time till they fall asleep, that used to be one hour of play, then it was two hours, as they grow and have more energy, their play time is growing to 3, 4, almost 5 hours.

Q1. How long an out of cage play time is good for squirrels to be well-adjusted? I want to do what is best for them.
Q2. How do you put a squirrel back into a cage that is having a lot of fun outside of it?

Thank you,
Lighten-Up

[Rhapsody]

If you cannot give the squirrels several hours of play at one time then break play time into mini play sessions through out the entire day. I am busy in the morning so my rehab babies do not get much out of cage time atm in the morning, but they are allowed out of their cage three other times from lunch until mid night for about two hours at a time. When I see they have worn themselves out I get then back on my body and walk them into the room where their cage is and place them back in the cage one by one...... some times having to recapture one or two them several times over, lol.

[Lighten-Up]

If you cannot give the squirrels several hours of play at one time then break play time into mini play sessions through out the entire day. I am busy in the morning so my rehab babies do not get much out of cage time atm in the morning, but they are allowed out of their cage three other times from lunch until mid night for about two hours at a time. When I see they have worn themselves out I get then back on my body and walk them into the room where their cage is and place them back in the cage one by one...... some times having to recapture one or two them several times over, lol.

How long does this "recapturing" take? If I put one squirrel in the cage, it might stay, the other one will jump back on me, and that will make the first one jump back on me. They are very fast jumpers and leapers and know how to stay out of hands reach behind my back like a game. That is why I have resorted to just waiting till they are worn out, but today it was 5 hours. I really do love playing with them, but there will be times when I must go somewhere, and so I am wondering how best to do this when timing is necessary. -Lighten-Up

[Rhapsody]

How long does this "recapturing" take?
Just a few minutes....... not long at all. :)
I keep my hands right there at the cage door.

[Lighten-Up]

Just a few minutes....... not long at all. :)
I keep my hands right there at the cage door.

Ok, so I can see I am missing a skill I need to aquire.:)
Thank you.

[Rhapsody]

Ok, so I can see I am missing a skill I need to aquire.:)
Thank you.
It takse time........ I have been at this for eight years now, guess I got SKILLS!!

:dance :w00t :dance