Need advice on release

[Little girls mom]

Hi I havnt been on in awhile but I am Little girls mom and she is 7 mths old now and I have decided I want to release her as bad as it hurts my heart. I need to put my feelings aside I know because she deserves the life she was intended to have. I have tons of trees with alot of other squirrels her size. I do have dogs and cats but she has never been around them or has never seen them. She in fact is still really cautious and skiddish.at times with me still. She is super quick and is very healthy. Never has been sick. I have a screened in front porch I have been letting her go out on. I took her critter nation cage out there and she is in it. She has only went out a few times so far and has been coming back inside and sleeping in her big cage. I need to know how to go about the slow release and then the release itself. I was wanting to place her nest box in one of the trees but don't know how high or what to put in it. I wish she would go out in the day and come back at night but I know that would only be in my dreams! She is still on fox valley and HHB'S and veggies. She has nuts here and there. And another thing is my oak trees have TONS of acorns everywhere. Old and new. Will she eat them and get sick?? I worry that she won't know any better. And when I do release I plan to make sure all animals are put up and that they can't see her getting released. Please any advice will be appreciated! Thank you!

[HRT4SQRLS]

LGM, as much as it breaks your heart to release her it truly is the 'right' decision. More than likely she (especially as a singleton) will hang around your yard for quite a while. I released a singleton a few years ago and she still visits me although she no longer lives in my yard.

There are several ways to release squirrels. The traditional way is to put them outside in a predator proof cage. Feed them for a week, 2 weeks, 4 weeks or whatever you deem to be an appropriate time. The reason I say 1,2,4 is because it depends on the situation. A fully grown, overwintered rehab that's going berserk in the cage (pacing, etc) might only need a week in the RC. A year old pet would need longer in the RC. An immature, scared rehab might have different needs.

What you are doing is a non-traditional release but I see no reason why it wouldn't work just fine. You could continue to give 'out of cage' porch time. At some point she will start climbing the screens and want to go outside. I would place a nest box in a tree. I hang them as high as I possibly can. I have a 12 feet extension ladder. I then will climb the tree a little higher. Yes, I'm going to kill myself one day. :tilt

I do have a problem with a CritterNation as a release cage. They are not predator proof. I have 2 CN doubles so I am very familiar with the way they are assembled. The panels fit together by a pin in slot. The top will lift off easily. I do believe that a CN could be MADE to be predator proof. You could take wire and wire the panels together so that they won't come apart. The door would also need to be wired onto the frame and an appropriate lock of some type would need to used.
While in a release cage, squirrels are vulnerable to raccoons or other predators. They try very hard to get into the cage. I just wanted you to know this so you could take the necessary precautions.

After spending the winter inside I'm sure your girl is anxious to go climb the trees. I know a lot of people dread it but I love watching them as the world they were designed to live in opens up to them. You will see the joy that they experience. They dig, climb, flip in the air and have a big time. It's then that you know you did the right thing. :grin2

Of course, you would continue to feed her when she's free. They love treats and it helps the transition to being totally independent.

You mentioned she still takes FV. I hope that's in a bowl. :tilt

[Shewhosweptforest]

Awww I know it's hard to release them also :( just worries us sick.....I don't see why keeping her in your critter nation on the front porch wouldn't work:dono that way she may still come in at night to sleep....and put the nestbox somewhere near the porch...if it's safe (no road) I would also put the nestbox some where on the porch for a little while before you open the door...that way she can get use to it as her own :great

I agree with HRT the critter nation alone does not offer her much protection from predators....but on your porch she will be able to figure out what's going on outside and still be safe :great I wouldn't let her out tho....I'd give her a few weeks as HRT stated...then take the nestbox she's been using on the porch...put it in a tree....and open the door :bliss

[Little girls mom]

Awww I know it's hard to release them also :( just worries us sick.....I don't see why keeping her in your critter nation on the front porch wouldn't work:dono that way she may still come in at night to sleep....and put the nestbox somewhere near the porch...if it's safe (no road) I would also put the nestbox some where on the porch for a little while before you open the door...that way she can get use to it as her own :great

I agree with HRT the critter nation alone does not offer her much protection from predators....but on your porch she will be able to figure out what's going on outside and still be safe :great I wouldn't let her out tho....I'd give her a few weeks as HRT stated...then take the nestbox she's been using on the porch...put it in a tree....and open the door :bliss

Oh how I would love for her to come back in and sleep! I would be able to sleep better knowing she is safe but I guess we will see. What do I give her to put in her nest box? I am going to put a predator guard on front of her box to help with anything trying to harm her and maybe it will keep rain out. I want her to be able to stay dry. Any ideas? She just loves sleeping in her cube from Henry's. I am going to just hate she won't be able to have that anymore unless she does decide to come back in. I will leave her critter nation cage out on the porch. So I guess when she does get released I would leave the screen door cracked so she could come back and get in her cage?? I will be a nervous wreck the day I release her for sure! She freaked out when I took her out on the porch last week for the first time. I carried her out on the porch to put her in the cage and she jumped from my arms and ran all around the porch in a big panic. I felt so bad for her. She hasn't been outside since last September. She finally ran and got back in the cage all by herself and I shut the door. Once she calmed down she started acting normal again and ate while she watched the birds and other squirrels. Thank you for your advice. And HRT also was of big help!!!!

[Little girls mom]

LGM, as much as it breaks your heart to release her it truly is the 'right' decision. More than likely she (especially as a singleton) will hang around your yard for quite a while. I released a singleton a few years ago and she still visits me although she no longer lives in my yard.

There are several ways to release squirrels. The traditional way is to put them outside in a predator proof cage. Feed them for a week, 2 weeks, 4 weeks or whatever you deem to be an appropriate time. The reason I say 1,2,4 is because it depends on the situation. A fully grown, overwintered rehab that's going berserk in the cage (pacing, etc) might only need a week in the RC. A year old pet would need longer in the RC. An immature, scared rehab might have different needs.

What you are doing is a non-traditional release but I see no reason why it wouldn't work just fine. You could continue to give 'out of cage' porch time. At some point she will start climbing the screens and want to go outside. I would place a nest box in a tree. I hang them as high as I possibly can. I have a 12 feet extension ladder. I then will climb the tree a little higher. Yes, I'm going to kill myself one day. :tilt

I do have a problem with a CritterNation as a release cage. They are not predator proof. I have 2 CN doubles so I am very familiar with the way they are assembled. The panels fit together by a pin in slot. The top will lift off easily. I do believe that a CN could be MADE to be predator proof. You could take wire and wire the panels together so that they won't come apart. The door would also need to be wired onto the frame and an appropriate lock of some type would need to used.
While in a release cage, squirrels are vulnerable to raccoons or other predators. They try very hard to get into the cage. I just wanted you to know this so you could take the necessary precautions.

After spending the winter inside I'm sure your girl is anxious to go climb the trees. I know a lot of people dread it but I love watching them as the world they were designed to live in opens up to them. You will see the joy that they experience. They dig, climb, flip in the air and have a big time. It's then that you know you did the right thing. :grin2

Of course, you would continue to feed her when she's free. They love treats and it helps the transition to being totally independent.

You mentioned she still takes FV. I hope that's in a bowl. :tilt
Thank you HRT for your advice!! Yes Little girl has been drinking from a saucer for several months now. She loves it! I will be keeping the critter nation cage out on the porch and it is screened in with petscreen. The door will Also be shut on the porch. Our yard also has a chain link fence around it although I know racoon can climb. I have never had a problem with any in our yard or havnt even seen any out here. I have seen rabbits. Once I do release her, I was thinking about leaving the screen door cracked so she could get back to her cage if she wanted. If she did try to come back up on the porch would it be in late evening? I just had to laugh when you talked about climbing the ladder and then climbing the tree even further! The things we do!! Lol So I will take her next box and put it on the porch for now and let her know that it's hers which she already knows because she has slept in it before she got her cube that she sleeps in now. What do I give her to put in her next box once released? I also want her to stay dry in her box. Any advice on how? Thank you so much for helping me! I know it's the right thing to do on releasing Little girl. If I could only tell my heart that!

[Spanky]

In one of your threads I believe I saw a nest box but it was not very deep and did not have external predator guards. Just fine for in the cage but these two elements are crucial outdoors. I prefer one that is at least 18 inches deep... think about trying to prevent a raccoon or even a cat from being able to reach down into the bottom of the box. External predator guards are also effective from keeping raccoons out. You can definitely make nest boxes way cheaper than you can buy them.

When I buy them, I will buy either this Coveside:
http://nutsaboutsquirrels.net/index.html#!/Squirrel-Condo-3/p/44631306 (shop around for best prices!) and I add external predator guards.... or buy ready to go boxes:
http://www.nutsaboutsquirrels.net/#!/Nesting-Boxes/c/9506014/inview=product36554336&offset=0&sort=normal (they have lots of options).

These should also provide ideas about building your own too. :thumbsup

No matter what you put in the box chances are they will throw it out and put their own material into it. My favorite was a blue plastic outdoor tablecloth backed with some "batting" (is that what it is called?)... I left it on the table for about a week before I realized my friends were tearing / chewing pieces off for their boxes. To this day I am still picking up little blue piece of this tablecloth and it gets really messy when one throws all the existing material out of the box to start over. :shakehead

[Little girls mom]

Do I start off by leaving her in her cage on screened in porch just for the day then take in at night? Or do I just start off by leaving her out there day and night until the release day? And I mentioned in my first post about our oak trees having tons of acorns on the ground. There are old ones from last year and this year. Will she know NOT to eat them so she won't get sick? And she should be safe in a critter nation cage on a pet screened in porch to leave out at night? Our yard is also fenced too. And lastly, when I do release her, I will have all other animals, dog and cats locked away to where they can't see her getting released but do you think she will stay on guard with them? She has never been allowed to see them or be around them since we have had her last September.

[Spanky]

Do I start off by leaving her in her cage on screened in porch just for the day then take in at night? Or do I just start off by leaving her out there day and night until the release day? And I mentioned in my first post about our oak trees having tons of acorns on the ground. There are old ones from last year and this year. Will she know NOT to eat them so she won't get sick? And she should be safe in a critter nation cage on a pet screened in porch to leave out at night? Our yard is also fenced too. And lastly, when I do release her, I will have all other animals, dog and cats locked away to where they can't see her getting released but do you think she will stay on guard with them? She has never been allowed to see them or be around them since we have had her last September.

Can you put the cage outdoors during the day and bring it into the porch at night? I hate the thought of a raccoon (or cat, or xxx) climbing all over that small cage at night terrorizing any squirrels inside.

[astra]

Can you put the cage outdoors during the day and bring it into the porch at night? I hate the thought of a raccoon (or cat, or xxx) climbing all over that small cage at night terrorizing any squirrels inside.

exactly. Probably the most important thing about release is to have a solid predator-proof release cage. Besides raccoons and cats, it could be snakes and who knows what other nocturnal creatures you may have there.

[Little girls mom]

exactly. Probably the most important thing about release is to have a solid predator-proof release cage. Besides raccoons and cats, it could be snakes and who knows what other nocturnal creatures you may have there.

Well i have it on the porch so no cats, dogs or snakes can get to her. I thought of just leaving it on the porch until the release. That critter nation cage is HEAVY. Does she need to come back in the house at night right now? And then eventually start leaving her out at night too? On the porch in the cage of course until the release day.

[Little girls mom]

Can you put the cage outdoors during the day and bring it into the porch at night? I hate the thought of a raccoon (or cat, or xxx) climbing all over that small cage at night terrorizing any squirrels inside.

Well I had planned to just let it stay on the porch so nothing could terrorize her or get in to her cage. I feel like her being. On the screened porch she would be alot safer. Plus that cage is HEAVY. Doesshe need to come back in the house at night and go out in the morning for now then eventually let her stay out there all day and night until the release day? And will she know NOT to eat all those acorns in my yard? Alot are old too. There's tons of acorns in my yard.

[HRT4SQRLS]

When you say the porch has 'pet' screens I'm assuming that these are a heavy grade screening and not typical window screen material. I looked that up and it said pet and hail resistant. I'm assuming that it would be resistant to predators like raccoons and feral cats also. I think she would be safe outside in the CN (at night also) as long as it's in the porch. I would NOT leave a CN outside in the yard at night.

Some might think I'm crazy but I think I would release from the porch. When the time comes I would start opening the cage door and the patio door and let her explore the yard. Of course, have her nest box in the tree. MOST of my releases do not return to the RC, except for maybe a day or two. They go up the tree, claim a nest box and they're home. :tilt

I feed my releases on top of the RC. With the cage on the porch that won't be possible unless she returns to the patio. You might want to build a feeding platform near the tree where her nest box is. A flat platform on a post would work fine where you could put her food and FoxValley :embar You don't want to feed her on the ground. They are vulnerable on the ground.

As far as acorns, there is nothing you can do about that. I have seen my squirrels dig up a black acorn and nibble it. I just have to believe that they know what to eat without us telling them. Squirrels live on buried acorns and other buried treasures so who am I to tell them what to eat. If 'bad' acorns were such a horrid threat to wild squirrels I think our yards would be littered with squirrel carcasses and clearly they are not. I would guess that occasionally a wild squirrel is killed due to aflatoxins in moldy acorns but I don't think it's common. Feeding 'captive' squirrels acorns is completely different. I think there are highly driven by instincts and they do know what to do.

In this same line but a bit off topic, I have 3 flyers. When they are tiny little things about 8 weeks old they will leap off of a ledge towards you. They immediately throw those little arms and legs out to open up their 'wings'. No one taught them to do this, they just KNOW. It's programmed in their DNA. You will just have to believe that God designed them to know how to survive and that includes what to eat.

[Shewhosweptforest]

Yes....I think they know what they can and can't eat...maybe the natural decay that happens on the ground helps stop bad mold (that we fear comes from being frozen) I have seen half eaten black acorns in my yard and woods recently...and no dead squirrels as HRT pointed out :great

Yes I think releasing from the porch...with her spending the day in the cage at first...then on the closed porch with her always locked in the critter nation at night:Love_Icon I really think that's the way to go:great if I had a screened porch I'd do that :grin3 and they usually go back to the nest at dusk.....my Sweet P would go sometimes right at dark....scared me to death :facepalm so you could keep the porch door ajar until after dark...then close it for the night :great she may not come back...but rest assured...she will have tucked herself in an empty drey or nestbox....they are sooo smart about that.:Love_Icon

[Little girls mom]

Thank you HRT and Shewhosweptforest for all your kind advice! I am so nervous about her release day! I just hope all goes well. So the nestbox that I put in the tree, do I put anything in it? And do you think that any of the other squirrels will claim it before my Little girl gets her chance to claim it? What would I do, put her nestbox in the tree the day before or day of the release? I just hope she can find it. I am a worried mom!! Geez, I was never this worried when my 2 daughters left home!! Lol It's crazy!!! I just want her safe and to be a happy squirrel! I love her so much!! She has stolen my heart! :Love_Icon

[HRT4SQRLS]

I wouldn't put anything in the box. They will put leaves in it. For my first releases, I put fleece in the box. I didn't know any better. The fleece absorbed moisture, the carpenter ants came and the box was abandoned. The fleece, their leaves and the ants were a real mess.

We used to put polyfill in the box but the fibers have caused limbs to be lost from a thin fiber being wrapped around baby arms. We don't recommend polyfill any more. It's warm now anyway so they don't need anything.

I would hang the box the day of release or a day before because other squirrels will claim the box.

[Shewhosweptforest]

:goodpost :grin3 yes if you can hang it the day you release I would....that's how I do it....and I throw some dry leaves in it...that's what I see my wild's doing...and I hope it gives them the idea:great

I know how hard it is...they really do steal our hearts and I've said many times...it's like having our hearts running wild through the trees :facepalm exciting and frightening all at the same time :squirrel3

[Little girls mom]

Have more questions about release for little girl.
1. How to know what tree to put nest box because all other squirrels are in every tree. It's big oaks and they all intertwine together at the top.
2. What direction of the box? I read to have it where sun will hit it But I know that they have heat strokes easy and in summer it would be brutal to have in sun in south east Georgia. And the sun moves from Summer to winter anyways and the sun will not be the same.
3. What do yall put on your nest boxes that is natural to seal it from the weather?
4. How do you keep Ants away from their feeding station and nestbox?
5. And when I do release her, how do I leave the door cracked for her so she can come back on porch if she wants too without any cats getting in also? Any tips on that I would be forever grateful.
6.And lastly how am I going to know which squirrel is my little girl after she is among other squirrels? There are some the same color and size. How do I tell her apart from the others?

I have been putting little girl out everyday until dark but still bring her in house to sleep. It is still cool here at night and call me crazy but I worry about her so much! And we have had some bad weather here too. I know I need to leave her out at night in her cage on the screen porch but haven't had the heart yet. How do yall do it? How do you make that first step of letting go?? I am so worried about her release day that I lay awake just panicking about it. I just want her to be able to find her nestbox and feeding station and to be safe from predators. I do have some cats but she has never been around them ever. I have dogs too but she has never been allowed to see them or be around them either. I am so scared for her. Please someone who has been through this can you give me some more advice on the day I go to release her? How to actually go about it. Step by step. Please. I am so scared and I don't want to fail little girl on her big day. Thank you all and Thank God for The Squirrel board!

[Shewhosweptforest]

Have more questions about release for little girl.
1. How to know what tree to put nest box because all other squirrels are in every tree. It's big oaks and they all intertwine together at the top.
2. What direction of the box? I read to have it where sun will hit it But I know that they have heat strokes easy and in summer it would be brutal to have in sun in south east Georgia. And the sun moves from Summer to winter anyways and the sun will not be the same.
3. What do yall put on your nest boxes that is natural to seal it from the weather?
4. How do you keep Ants away from their feeding station and nestbox?
5. And when I do release her, how do I leave the door cracked for her so she can come back on porch if she wants too without any cats getting in also? Any tips on that I would be forever grateful.
6.And lastly how am I going to know which squirrel is my little girl after she is among other squirrels? There are some the same color and size. How do I tell her apart from the others?

I have been putting little girl out everyday until dark but still bring her in house to sleep. It is still cool here at night and call me crazy but I worry about her so much! And we have had some bad weather here too. I know I need to leave her out at night in her cage on the screen porch but haven't had the heart yet. How do yall do it? How do you make that first step of letting go?? I am so worried about her release day that I lay awake just panicking about it. I just want her to be able to find her nestbox and feeding station and to be safe from predators. I do have some cats but she has never been around them ever. I have dogs too but she has never been allowed to see them or be around them either. I am so scared for her. Please someone who has been through this can you give me some more advice on the day I go to release her? How to actually go about it. Step by step. Please. I am so scared and I don't want to fail little girl on her big day. Thank you all and Thank God for The Squirrel board!

:hug It is absolutely heart wrenching until the big day.....then some excitement takes over....like giving your child the gift they always wanted....then it's fun watching them play and explore....and then of course, I'm not going to lie....it's worry..but if you're lucky...each day gets better when you see they are surviving...even thriving...then you're proud too :grin3

As far as your questions 1. I would check out the trees for dreys (leaf nests) I would watch to see if they are all being used...I wouldn't put it in a tree with little ones. If your squirrels are all cohabitating that close :dono then maybe they won't mind a new neighbor :grin3 I hang around at first..in the yard ...to make sure other squirrels keep their distance....most of the squirrels I released left after 3 days :( my two singletons ...which is what you have ...stayed :great I actually moved a nestbox "to" the tree I noticed my squirrel was going to at night...she ignored the two boxes we put up by the release cage :facepalm she chose a tree right by our front door that had an old drey about 60 feet up in the top of the tree :eek we put her nest box about 15 feet up in that tree...she started using it...she'd use both depending on the weather :great
2. I was told not to face the opening to the north :dono all mine face in a south to southwesterly direction....my trees are all deciduous....so they get sun in the winter and shade in the summer.
3. We did not worry about sealing it shut...in fact we put ventilation holes in them...small..it needs to breathe...Think of a leaf drey :dono basically they build a leaf drey in the box....so it is protected much more then anything in nature.
4. I don't have my boxes on any trees with ants...we have some very aggressive red ants that love to mess with rotting wood...and they attack anything :eek they are around a few of my feeding stations...it's a battle because I do not believe in insecticides...or any chemicals...I use diatomaceous earth....it's totally natural and I buy a 50 lb bag at tractor supply and sprinkle the base of the tree and ant trails "a lot" :facepalm
5. If I were you I would see if your husband would make a small round opening...like in a nestbox ...in the screen :eek he can reinforce it with wood or plastic...have a piece of wood leading up to it and out from it to the ground...that way she could come in when she wants too....and cats and predators can't :great
6. As far as recognizing:dono it is tough...I thought I'd recognize them easily...nope...the two that kept coming to me yes...cuz they came to me :grin3 so my others could still have been around...just not coming to me...I wouldn't have recognized them :( I have heard of people trimming the tip of their tail (the fur)....squaring it off....cutting it to a point ...or cutting a divet out of it :dono you don't want to put anything color wise....I worry that could make them targets for predators:(

It really is the hardest waiting and worrying...it gets easier once it's done...and you know you did the right thing when you see them happy:Love_Icon and if they aren't happy..and don't want to leave....well that happened with one of my singletons...and she lives with us :Love_Icon

On release day...I choose a weekend...so you can be around the first couple days..I let them out in the morning and hang around in the yard with them....when they go off...I went about my day..but kept checking to see if they were back ...and they would pop back :grin3 hopefully she will go back on the porch the first few nights...none of mine came back to the release cage :( but next morning I was out there with breakfast bright and early ...it became a routine with my Sweet P who stayed outside in the yard....she would come down and visit/eat every morning before I went to work and every afternoon when I got home...and every evening...just before she went to her nestbox or drey :serene

[Little girls mom]

:hug It is absolutely heart wrenching until the big day.....then some excitement takes over....like giving your child the gift they always wanted....then it's fun watching them play and explore....and then of course, I'm not going to lie....it's worry..but if you're lucky...each day gets better when you see they are surviving...even thriving...then you're proud too :grin3

As far as your questions 1. I would check out the trees for dreys (leaf nests) I would watch to see if they are all being used...I wouldn't put it in a tree with little ones. If your squirrels are all cohabitating that close :dono then maybe they won't mind a new neighbor :grin3 I hang around at first..in the yard ...to make sure other squirrels keep their distance....most of the squirrels I released left after 3 days :( my two singletons ...which is what you have ...stayed :great I actually moved a nestbox "to" the tree I noticed my squirrel was going to at night...she ignored the two boxes we put up by the release cage :facepalm she chose a tree right by our front door that had an old drey about 60 feet up in the top of the tree :eek we put her nest box about 15 feet up in that tree...she started using it...she'd use both depending on the weather :great
2. I was told not to face the opening to the north :dono all mine face in a south to southwesterly direction....my trees are all deciduous....so they get sun in the winter and shade in the summer.
3. We did not worry about sealing it shut...in fact we put ventilation holes in them...small..it needs to breathe...Think of a leaf drey :dono basically they build a leaf drey in the box....so it is protected much more then anything in nature.
4. I don't have my boxes on any trees with ants...we have some very aggressive red ants that love to mess with rotting wood...and they attack anything :eek they are around a few of my feeding stations...it's a battle because I do not believe in insecticides...or any chemicals...I use diatomaceous earth....it's totally natural and I buy a 50 lb bag at tractor supply and sprinkle the base of the tree and ant trails "a lot" :facepalm
5. If I were you I would see if your husband would make a small round opening...like in a nestbox ...in the screen :eek he can reinforce it with wood or plastic...have a piece of wood leading up to it and out from it to the ground...that way she could come in when she wants too....and cats and predators can't :great
6. As far as recognizing:dono it is tough...I thought I'd recognize them easily...nope...the two that kept coming to me yes...cuz they came to me :grin3 so my others could still have been around...just not coming to me...I wouldn't have recognized them :( I have heard of people trimming the tip of their tail (the fur)....squaring it off....cutting it to a point ...or cutting a divet out of it :dono you don't want to put anything color wise....I worry that could make them targets for predators:(

It really is the hardest waiting and worrying...it gets easier once it's done...and you know you did the right thing when you see them happy:Love_Icon and if they aren't happy..and don't want to leave....well that happened with one of my singletons...and she lives with us :Love_Icon

On release day...I choose a weekend...so you can be around the first couple days..I let them out in the morning and hang around in the yard with them....when they go off...I went about my day..but kept checking to see if they were back ...and they would pop back :grin3 hopefully she will go back on the porch the first few nights...none of mine came back to the release cage :( but next morning I was out there with breakfast bright and early ...it became a routine with my Sweet P who stayed outside in the yard....she would come down and visit/eat every morning before I went to work and every afternoon when I got home...and every evening...just before she went to her nestbox or drey :serene


Thank You so much for taking time to write me. I really appreciate it! Do you seal your nestboxes with any type of sealer that protects the wood? Like a natural sealer or stain?? I know the boxes need holes for ventilation but was wondering about a natural protectant for the box. Something that repels water. I think Spanky mentioned a natural sealer from a site called Nutsaboutsquirrels.com but i could not find the sealer on there. I dont do chemicals in my yard either and i have some diatomaceous earth also!! Thank You so much for your help!! I am a nervous wreck just thinking about release day!!! Oh, What do you put out for your squirrels to eat? I will feed little girl as usual but also wanted to know what you feed your yard squirrels. And what do you put out for their water source? Also one last question, do you think i need to start leaving little girl out all night in the cage on the porch and not bring her in the house at night? Thanks again so much!!!!

[Shewhosweptforest]

The first nest boxes we put up we did use a basic wood seater...clear...we didn't put it inside so we didn't use anything special...just something like Thompson's wood sealer :dono the last 4 we've put up we didn't use anything....my husband said by time the wood starts to rot...they'd need to be replaced anyway :dono

I feed my yard squirrels apples, and cut up sweet potatoes....they get unsalted roasted peanuts...because I put them out for the birds...and well I just throw extra now for the squirrels...peanuts are not the best...but I live in the middle of the woods...with tons of oak, hickory, and beech trees...so my guys really have more than they need of the good stuff :great I have a contraption I got from Lowe's to water birds and animals....but I also have ceramic bowls and stainless steel bowls throughout the yard that I fill each day when I feed....I really want to make sure everyone has access to water :great

I would start leaving her out overnight a few weeks before you're going to open the door....just so she can get use to the night sounds...and you can wait til the weather is nicer...there really isn't any huge hurry to let her go :grin3

[Little girls mom]

Thank You so much for taking time to write me. I really appreciate it! Do you seal your nestboxes with any type of sealer that protects the wood? Like a natural sealer or stain?? I know the boxes need holes for ventilation but was wondering about a natural protectant for the box. Something that repels water. I think Spanky mentioned a natural sealer from a site called Nutsaboutsquirrels.com but i could not find the sealer on there. I dont do chemicals in my yard either and i have some diatomaceous earth also!! Thank You so much for your help!! I am a nervous wreck just thinking about release day!!! Oh, What do you put out for your squirrels to eat? I will feed little girl as usual but also wanted to know what you feed your yard squirrels. And what do you put out for their water source? Also one last question, do you think i need to start leaving little girl out all night in the cage on the porch and not bring her in the house at night? Thanks again so much!!!!



Thank You so much! You have made me feel a little bit better about what will be one of the most Heartbreaking days of my life. That is until i see that she is ok and happy. :hug:Love_Icon