Question about squirrel sitting process

[BarbieJean]

Hello. I have a year old non release named Gimp. She is very spoiled and very attached to my hip. I've been avoiding this but my children are begging to go to the beach for a weekend this summer. My friend said he and his wife would come over and feed her. My concern is, even though Gimp is a cuddle bug with me she does not take kindly to strangers. She is so sweet and even affectionate with my other pets but when I have visitors she will puff herself up and charge at them. The beach is about 3 hours from here so my first thought was put her in a ferret carrier and take her but that's a long ride and she would be miserable even after we got to the hotel, probably chew a hole in it like she did the bottom of her cage when I had to go to the office for 2 weeks straight and she wasn't out of the cage as much! So I'm wondering if anyone has had experience introducing "squirrel sitters" and how well did that go? Best ways to do that? Any advice is greatly appreciated!!!!

[Spanky]

Hello. I have a year old non release named Gimp. She is very spoiled and very attached to my hip. I've been avoiding this but my children are begging to go to the beach for a weekend this summer. My friend said he and his wife would come over and feed her. My concern is, even though Gimp is a cuddle bug with me she does not take kindly to strangers. She is so sweet and even affectionate with my other pets but when I have visitors she will puff herself up and charge at them. The beach is about 3 hours from here so my first thought was put her in a ferret carrier and take her but that's a long ride and she would be miserable even after we got to the hotel, probably chew a hole in it like she did the bottom of her cage when I had to go to the office for 2 weeks straight and she wasn't out of the cage as much! So I'm wondering if anyone has had experience introducing "squirrel sitters" and how well did that go? Best ways to do that? Any advice is greatly appreciated!!!!

It is very nice of your friends to make the offer. It's always best to have an experienced sitter, but I understand that is not always possible. I am assuming these friends on visitors Gimp also charges?

Would Gimp be able to chew through his current cage? I'd think a squirrel used to having lots of free time out of his cage would indeed chew through again in your absence. :dono

PS I moved the thread for you! :thumbsup

[BarbieJean]

Thank you! :-) These friends are from work and they haven't been over just yet. I grew up with a million people running through our house so I went completely in the opposite direction! I rarely have friends over, it's mainly neighborhood kids that come over to ask my kids to play. I'm thinking since I don't have a lot of people over she has not been around many strangers and that probably plays a big role in it. The cage I have now is mostly wire sitting on top of wood, no more plastic to chew through, while my husband makes a bigger cage from wood that she can't chew through! They see her pics and videos and are just in love but I'm half afraid she will attack them, but I also talk myself in to "maybe she'll love them". I'll probably be sitting home instead of going lol!

[Baxied]

I had my Dad squirrel sit a very friendly squirrel for me that had no history of biting, and he was severely attacked. Now I trust no squirrel when it comes to anyone but me, so I built a cage with a separate compartment that the squirrels could be blocked from and a door to put the food in. Once the food is in and the door closed again the squirrels can be unblocked from that section to get to the food. How quickly can your husband build the new cage? :grin2

[Gardentoes11]

Thats a great idea, Baxied! I go on one week-long business trip per year, & it's very stressful on my hubby to have to deal with my squirrel as well as fame, hoping things are going ok at home. I think I could figure out an attachment to add to his cage for that time, like a mini-double-door setup like the release cage has..... You've got me thinking......

[Spanky]

Baxied's post about the attack is what we all worry about... and the suggestion about the new cage configuration sounds like a great idea! :thumbsup

Even very experienced folks have sometimes been attacked by their own squirrels. Something as innocent as changing shampoo brands can trigger aggression. My wife was attacked by a squirrel we had recently released outdoors; the squirrel had nothing in her history (with us) to suggest this would ever happen. :shakehead

I often wish I were located nearer other TSB members so we could help each other out.

[BarbieJean]

That's a great idea! I had never thought of that. Do you happen to have any pics, so I can get an idea of how it looks? I wish I was around someone experienced as well. I'm in the dog house with the nearest rescue, not that I would want them watching her anyway!

[DaSquirrelMom]

I bought a cage like this to use for my rehabbing larger squirrels when I'm cleaning their thick wire cage. I've had it for 2 years and adult squirrels haven't been able to chew through it. The door has to be wired shut, but other than that problem, it's safe for a squirrel to go on vacation with you. You could leave a "do not disturb" sign on your hotel room door and let your squirrel run around in the bathroom while you're out of your hotel room.....as long as you remove the shower curtain and it doesn't have wood cabinets and and and and....hehehe
https://www.chewy.com/ware-chew-proof-small-animal-cage-25/dp/128641?utm_source=google-product&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=hg&utm_content=Ware&utm_term=&gclid=Cj0KEQjwnv27BRCmuZqMg_Ddmt0BEiQAgeY1lyeXs51r 3JHDTL3S_DYaFuljxOnbhuaAwDIvtHbE3pMaAjn18P8HAQ

[PennyCash]

I love that double door for feeding idea. Would work for a weekend trip, although Gimp wouldn't love being locked up I'm sure.
Before I go into what's worked ok for me let me state that my girl seems to be quite laid back. She would normally rather hide than to charge, but absolutely has when cornered or scent changed.
I have a backup, I've been able to go away for two weeks and Resilie could have her out of cage time along with regular care. It gives me a bit of piece of mind to know that if something happens the girl will be cared for.
Here's what we've done.
Once a week my neighbor comes over so that her being around is somewhat normal. We talk and she will occasionally give a treat. She doesn't always give a treat so that there's no expectation to receive one unlike the 2 men I live with who are the drug dealers. They must go to the treat drawer when they enter her room.
Resilie gets a piece of nut to cage up and because it's a routine my backup can put it on the same shelf that I do and she will cage up.
My friend also has her own squirrel protective outfit so that she's not wearing mine. We've found that if Resilie just sees my suit she doesn't always notice the person wearing it and can get upset. However her clothes are washed with mine so that they smell the same. There was a angry little girl when my husband washed them and added fabric softener.
I will hold Resilie and my friend can pet her. Sometimes the silly squirrel will voluntarily go over to my neighbor just to say hello or pee on her. We're not at the lovey dove stage after a couple of years but it shows that she's accepting of the neighbor being in her domain.
This may not work for everyone but it's worked for me.
Good luck with your weekend and have fun

[BarbieJean]

Haha I love the and and and..it's soooo true! I'm going to check this out! Thank you!!!

UOTE=DaSquirrelMom;1167092]I bought a cage like this to use for my rehabbing larger squirrels when I'm cleaning their thick wire cage. I've had it for 2 years and adult squirrels haven't been able to chew through it. The door has to be wired shut, but other than that problem, it's safe for a squirrel to go on vacation with you. You could leave a "do not disturb" sign on your hotel room door and let your squirrel run around in the bathroom while you're out of your hotel room.....as long as you remove the shower curtain and it doesn't have wood cabinets and and and and....hehehe
https://www.chewy.com/ware-chew-proof-small-animal-cage-25/dp/128641?utm_source=google-product&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=hg&utm_content=Ware&utm_term=&gclid=Cj0KEQjwnv27BRCmuZqMg_Ddmt0BEiQAgeY1lyeXs51r 3JHDTL3S_DYaFuljxOnbhuaAwDIvtHbE3pMaAjn18P8HAQ[/QUOTE]

[BarbieJean]

Thank you so much! I'm thinking we could at least try this. She's great with my youngest 2 daughter's who helped me bottle feed and bathe her but of course they won't be around to take care of her if we go to the beach! She hates my husband lol, when she was tiny she would climb out of the Rubbermaid container and get right in our bed, after awhile of doing this she would charge at him or scratch him in the middle of the night, kind of like what are you doing here?? Lol it was cute until she got bigger. I work from home so all day she spends outside of the cage with me, but when I have to go in the office for training or a meeting she gets very moody and destructive! She's my first squirrel and it has been a roller coaster but we're learning!!! I'm going to have them come over and see how she reacts, I think I would have to leave the room thou since she doesn't really take to anyone being around me, which is kind of scary. Leaving them w a sweet, cuddly, big bad squirrel!
QUOTE=PennyCash;1167104]I love that double door for feeding idea. Would work for a weekend trip, although Gimp wouldn't love being locked up I'm sure.
Before I go into what's worked ok for me let me state that my girl seems to be quite laid back. She would normally rather hide than to charge, but absolutely has when cornered or scent changed.
I have a backup, I've been able to go away for two weeks and Resilie could have her out of cage time along with regular care. It gives me a bit of piece of mind to know that if something happens the girl will be cared for.
Here's what we've done.
Once a week my neighbor comes over so that her being around is somewhat normal. We talk and she will occasionally give a treat. She doesn't always give a treat so that there's no expectation to receive one unlike the 2 men I live with who are the drug dealers. They must go to the treat drawer when they enter her room.
Resilie gets a piece of nut to cage up and because it's a routine my backup can put it on the same shelf that I do and she will cage up.
My friend also has her own squirrel protective outfit so that she's not wearing mine. We've found that if Resilie just sees my suit she doesn't always notice the person wearing it and can get upset. However her clothes are washed with mine so that they smell the same. There was a angry little girl when my husband washed them and added fabric softener.
I will hold Resilie and my friend can pet her. Sometimes the silly squirrel will voluntarily go over to my neighbor just to say hello or pee on her. We're not at the lovey dove stage after a couple of years but it shows that she's accepting of the neighbor being in her domain.
This may not work for everyone but it's worked for me.
Good luck with your weekend and have fun[/QUOTE]