island rehabber
05-05-2016, 10:05 AM
It's been my method for years to feed my young squirrels through the bars of the cage whenever possible, as soon as they are at the age where they can safely be put in a "starter cage". The reasons for this are:
1. Minimize handling after the 8/9 week old mark. To raise squirrels who are wild enough to succeed in the wild, we really need to minimize handling, which includes holding them to feed. Up until that 8/9 week mark I love to hold babies on my lap, cuddle them afterward, feed them wrapped in fleece, etc. However, when it's time to introduce veggies and when they've gotten up to 27-30cc at one feeding, feeding through the bars is, IMHO, a better way to begin their gentle weaning AWAY from human contact.
2. It's quicker, and minimizes competition and anxiety for the kids. If you can do three or four syringes at a time (practice makes perfect :grin2) you enable everyone to eat at the same time so the ones waiting aren't killing each other while waiting their turns. You spend less time feeding. And again, you reduce their dependence on what YOU do.
There are times when this won't work: if you have more than four babies in a cage and can only do four (or fewer) syringes at one time. But, it has worked well for me and I thought I'd pass it along. Here are "The Russians", my three older kids, enjoying their breakfast :grin2
1. Minimize handling after the 8/9 week old mark. To raise squirrels who are wild enough to succeed in the wild, we really need to minimize handling, which includes holding them to feed. Up until that 8/9 week mark I love to hold babies on my lap, cuddle them afterward, feed them wrapped in fleece, etc. However, when it's time to introduce veggies and when they've gotten up to 27-30cc at one feeding, feeding through the bars is, IMHO, a better way to begin their gentle weaning AWAY from human contact.
2. It's quicker, and minimizes competition and anxiety for the kids. If you can do three or four syringes at a time (practice makes perfect :grin2) you enable everyone to eat at the same time so the ones waiting aren't killing each other while waiting their turns. You spend less time feeding. And again, you reduce their dependence on what YOU do.
There are times when this won't work: if you have more than four babies in a cage and can only do four (or fewer) syringes at one time. But, it has worked well for me and I thought I'd pass it along. Here are "The Russians", my three older kids, enjoying their breakfast :grin2