Lynnmarie
05-17-2016, 07:40 PM
Hi Everyone! I am new to this website. I did read some of the other posts and was pleased to see there is a lot of help out there.
I am raising a baby squirrel, male and I believe about 8-10 weeks old. We live in the country area of the city and have many, many animals around us. We have a very diverse neighborhood of squirrels including Albino squirrels, black and grey. On April 18th, a Raven landed at the end of our yard with something in its beak but I thought it was either a mouse or mole. Our cat ran down and scared the Raven into the trees right there in the area, then our dog ran down who is always watching out for the cat. This Raven was huge and very, very mad! I still didn't realize what it was the bird had but the cat and dog were not touching it and just looking at it. When I walked down to see - there was the baby squirrel, frozen stiff & crying like a baby. I think he was
about 5 weeks since his eyes were open and he had plenty of fur. I picked my cat up and my husband held the squirrel to his chest to calm it and keep it warm.
Although we knew the area of woods he came from we did not know exactly what tree or where the nest was. the squirrel was so traumatized that all we could do is to keep warm in a box. We did try the next day to bring it to the area it came from but it was too scared to even come out of the box and it was very cold out.
I wish I found this site earlier because when I was researching about what to do it was so overwhelming. Many of the websites had contradicting information, some were not nice at all with their information, etc. We didn't want to call a rehab/rescue because the towns are far and we knew where he was from which is in our neighbors yard further back toward the wooded area.
From all the information I was able to grab bits and pieces here and there and fortunately we still have our squirrel. Actually, there were times he was showing me what to do. I have him in an old dog cage we had, I put tree branches in, some toys, a water bottle & a nice warm blanket that he had from the beginning.
I'm sorry I went on and on but I needed to explain the situation and what it is like where we live.
I am worried about releasing the squirrel (little Jim) named after my father-in-law, which the anniversary date of his passing was the same day we got Lil Jim, he loved squirrels and would feed them in his yard and they would come up to him all the time. Usually, we get baby birds, chipmunks & baby rabbits, never a squirrel. I am worried because we have foxes, coyotes, possums, raccoons, fisher cats, crows, ravens and hawks.
I cannot imagine at some point leaving him in a cage outside for the night. Plus with all the squirrels we have, I don't know what would happen. If I buy one of those nesting boxes and put it in the tree, how do you keep the other squirrels out of it? I am waiting for the weather to warm up so I can gradually bring him out in a smaller cage and sit with him. I have heard some horror stories of baby squirrels being released plus he is by himself.
Also, does anyone know if it is possible for them to find their family being that he is from the area, close by? I have kept my animals away from lil Jim so that he can still fear them once out on his own which is what I read, and he is in a room by himself. I am enjoying him and we play a lot but I know eventually that will not stay that way and my purpose was to release him once he was big enough.
I appreciate any help/advice anyone can give me.
Thank you so much!
LynnMarie
I am raising a baby squirrel, male and I believe about 8-10 weeks old. We live in the country area of the city and have many, many animals around us. We have a very diverse neighborhood of squirrels including Albino squirrels, black and grey. On April 18th, a Raven landed at the end of our yard with something in its beak but I thought it was either a mouse or mole. Our cat ran down and scared the Raven into the trees right there in the area, then our dog ran down who is always watching out for the cat. This Raven was huge and very, very mad! I still didn't realize what it was the bird had but the cat and dog were not touching it and just looking at it. When I walked down to see - there was the baby squirrel, frozen stiff & crying like a baby. I think he was
about 5 weeks since his eyes were open and he had plenty of fur. I picked my cat up and my husband held the squirrel to his chest to calm it and keep it warm.
Although we knew the area of woods he came from we did not know exactly what tree or where the nest was. the squirrel was so traumatized that all we could do is to keep warm in a box. We did try the next day to bring it to the area it came from but it was too scared to even come out of the box and it was very cold out.
I wish I found this site earlier because when I was researching about what to do it was so overwhelming. Many of the websites had contradicting information, some were not nice at all with their information, etc. We didn't want to call a rehab/rescue because the towns are far and we knew where he was from which is in our neighbors yard further back toward the wooded area.
From all the information I was able to grab bits and pieces here and there and fortunately we still have our squirrel. Actually, there were times he was showing me what to do. I have him in an old dog cage we had, I put tree branches in, some toys, a water bottle & a nice warm blanket that he had from the beginning.
I'm sorry I went on and on but I needed to explain the situation and what it is like where we live.
I am worried about releasing the squirrel (little Jim) named after my father-in-law, which the anniversary date of his passing was the same day we got Lil Jim, he loved squirrels and would feed them in his yard and they would come up to him all the time. Usually, we get baby birds, chipmunks & baby rabbits, never a squirrel. I am worried because we have foxes, coyotes, possums, raccoons, fisher cats, crows, ravens and hawks.
I cannot imagine at some point leaving him in a cage outside for the night. Plus with all the squirrels we have, I don't know what would happen. If I buy one of those nesting boxes and put it in the tree, how do you keep the other squirrels out of it? I am waiting for the weather to warm up so I can gradually bring him out in a smaller cage and sit with him. I have heard some horror stories of baby squirrels being released plus he is by himself.
Also, does anyone know if it is possible for them to find their family being that he is from the area, close by? I have kept my animals away from lil Jim so that he can still fear them once out on his own which is what I read, and he is in a room by himself. I am enjoying him and we play a lot but I know eventually that will not stay that way and my purpose was to release him once he was big enough.
I appreciate any help/advice anyone can give me.
Thank you so much!
LynnMarie