Nesting boxes, Fleas & New Babies and baths

[SquirrellyGirl7]

Hi All,

There was a great site on either Facebook or online that sold nesting boxes that (of course) now I can't find. Suggestions?

Fleas - I have a 1 year old Gray and he does itch from time to time...but I never see any fleas on him. Should I treat him "prophylactically" with Revolution? He goes out into a hay lined, cement floored habitat during the day and comes in at night to play and sleep, so he does not "touch dirt". I live in Florida.

After a hurricane blew through we have a bunch of babies in need. I have a resident male squirrel that is not releasable. Can anyone give me guidance on whether he and the babies can be in the same spaces? For instance - could I put a portable cage for the babies in his giant habitat safely? Do I need to keep them completely separate? The babies are 7 weeks old. Although squirrels come to "visit" him and it doesn't seem to fuss him, he is my priority to keep happy and unfussed, so I appreciate any input from folks who have mixed rehab squirrels into homes with resident squirrels.

Bathing - how the heck is everyone bathing? Is there some secret I don't know about? Do folks use warm wet towels? I keep hearing folks talk about bathing...like under warm water bathing and I am fairly sure I would end up permanently disfigured if I tried that.

Thanks!

[DarkLies212]

squirrelsandmore.com sells nest boxes that are predator proof. I haven't bought any as I make my own, but many on here purchase their boxes from their site and can vouch for them!

You can give Revolution, but only a tiny drop. Have you tried using FOOD GRADE Diatomaceous Earth in his habitat? It's a natural bug killer as it's teeny tiny little granules that are harmless to us and animals (even ingested), but slice open the exoskeleton of bugs to kill them.

Unless your NR is very very very mild mannered, I wouldn't mix the two. Most squirrels don't get along very well and will fight. Last night I tried introducing a 6-7 weeker to a 10ish weeker, but the little one hated it and snarled and growled at the older one. You can introduce them to judge his reaction, but don't take your eyes off of them for a second.

As for bathing, I put a drop of dawn in a sink of hot water and run a washcloth over the squirrels. Seems to work best for me! I can't imagine submerging a squirrel...yikes..

[Nancy in New York]

Is this what you saw on FB?
Nuts About Squirrels/Lily's Mischief
http://www.nutsaboutsquirrels.net/

[TerriCompro]

Hi All,

There was a great site on either Facebook or online that sold nesting boxes that (of course) now I can't find. Suggestions?

Fleas - I have a 1 year old Gray and he does itch from time to time...but I never see any fleas on him. Should I treat him "prophylactically" with Revolution? He goes out into a hay lined, cement floored habitat during the day and comes in at night to play and sleep, so he does not "touch dirt". I live in Florida.

After a hurricane blew through we have a bunch of babies in need. I have a resident male squirrel that is not releasable. Can anyone give me guidance on whether he and the babies can be in the same spaces? For instance - could I put a portable cage for the babies in his giant habitat safely? Do I need to keep them completely separate? The babies are 7 weeks old. Although squirrels come to "visit" him and it doesn't seem to fuss him, he is my priority to keep happy and unfussed, so I appreciate any input from folks who have mixed rehab squirrels into homes with resident squirrels.

Bathing - how the heck is everyone bathing? Is there some secret I don't know about? Do folks use warm wet towels? I keep hearing folks talk about bathing...like under warm water bathing and I am fairly sure I would end up permanently disfigured if I tried that.

Thanks!

I bathe mine under warm running water, but just from the head down. They usually pee and poop when I do it, so I guess it literally scares the crap out of them. If they're especially stinky, I have a waterless "no-rinse" shampoo for dogs that dispenses as a foam. I rub it in, but then I rinse it off. I use it really just to deodorize them. I just can't stand the smell of them once they've wallowed in their own pee - which they do just about daily. They don't like it, but that's tough. It's a condition of living under my roof:gigg They don't mind the warm washcloth, which I use on their heads and after they've had a yogurt bath -- er, I mean, after they've eaten yogurt, just to keep that from souring on their fur.

[cava]

I just can't stand the smell of them once they've wallowed in their own pee - which they do just about daily. They don't like it, but that's tough.

So wait. If Frances ends up being a NR squirrel she will grow up and wallow in her own pee? Every day?




I keep hearing folks talk about bathing...like under warm water bathing and I am fairly sure I would end up permanently disfigured if I tried that.

Thanks!

LOL!

[RiverSong]

I've done submerged bathing and don't recommend it unless absolutely necessary... instead, island rehabber posted great advice in (I think) the Costa Rican Cruiser thread suggesting mixing the Dawn and warm water and just using a washcloth to rub it all over their body, then use fresh warm water and the washcloth to wipe them down to slowly "rinse" them until all of the soap is removed. Finally, be sure to dry them thoroughly so they don't get chilled - this is where mine really seem to enjoy being burrito-wrapped and getting full body rubs (prob feels like a massage!).

[TerriCompro]

So wait. If Frances ends up being a NR squirrel she will grow up and wallow in her own pee? Every day?

LOL!


Certainly Not! Or rather, not necessarily ... My Miss Click is far too refined for such behavior. :Love_Icon LOL. But that foursome that I have ... well, they're always piled up together and leaving the pile to pee isn't always a priority.

:gigg

[TerriCompro]

Is this what you saw on FB?
Nuts About Squirrels/Lily's Mischief
http://www.nutsaboutsquirrels.net/

Thanks for that, Nancy. I'd lost track of it.

[Daisey007]

Word of warning....

Due to linkage to cancer, try to avoid nesting boxes made of treated lumber. Also, if I understood correctly, 'arsenic' is one of many components used to treat the lumber. I once thought that cedar boxes, which helps to repel parasites such as fleas and ticks, were OK but it was recently pointed out that the pine oil that naturally occurs in cedar is also considered a carcinogen. And of course, many plastics contain vinyl chloride which has also been associated with cancer as well. I cut an oak tree on my property (top hit by lightening) and sent part of it to a local sawmill and had lumber cut from that, and I'm making boxes for my little ones from that.

[Garden71]

Is this what you saw on FB?
Nuts About Squirrels/Lily's Mischief
http://www.nutsaboutsquirrels.net/

I have ordered 7 boxes from him. His boxes are GREAT and he makes them fast.

[Nancy in New York]

I have ordered 7 boxes from him. His boxes are GREAT and he makes them fast.

I know and he does custom orders too.....and the prices are fair! :w00t

[DaSquirrelMom]

I though about putting diatomaceous earth in my outdoor squirrel boxes to kill fleas, but it causes respiratory silicosis with frequent exposure.

[Gardentoes11]

Ive got a posse of 5 7-weekers right now, 2 of whom are in the peeing myself phase....which means that everybody's stinky. I gave all 5 a bath the other day, right when I first brought them home, & I do submerge in a gladware container filled with warm water & a little oatmeal body wash, & we had a grand time! A couple struggled at first, but I had a good grip on them under the armpits, so they weren't going anywhere, & they each quickly relaxed & just got all groggy & let me do anything I needed to. I did do it right after feeding, counting on the effects of a full belly buzz. Then I rinse them off in the sink with warm water from the tap, & dry them off with a baby blanket. Haven't had any issues bathing squirrels this way, not with my previous babies either--didn't realize I was so brave (or crazy!) until this thread. Folks just talked about bathing their stinky squirrels, so I did! And boy are those some sweet-smelling, kissable bellies now!:blowkiss

[Daisey007]

I've always bathed my babies, and I bathed Daisy and Chewy after they became fully grown!

That said, there is a trick that I used to bathe Daisy and Chewy though...
Without even mentioning it to them, I'd prepare everything first!

For each squirrel...
I'd fill bathroom sink with warm water to bathe in, and then I'd fill a dish pan full of warm water to rinse in. Then I'd pour a puddle of Johnson's baby wash beside the sink, and have towels spread out on vanity. Then I'd light a single candle and set it somewhere BEHIND where I'd stand to bathe the squirrel, or to my back.

Then I get the squirrel. I always loved on and petted them a lot anyway, so they were used to that - and so I'd do that all the way to the bathroom. Once in the bathroom, I turned out the lights!!! They become very compliant in the dark! They simply can't see, at least not well, in the dark. And wasting no time, I'd just slowly submerge them into the water and quickly dabbed my finger tips in the baby wash, lathered quickly, then submerged into the sink water once again to rinse most of the baby wash off, and then into the second rinse - and then into a towel. By the time they process what's going on they're going into the second rinse and then into a dry towel! I'm also very quiet while doing this as loud and/or sudden noises... well, you know, causes them to panic and that's the last thing you need while bathing a fully grown squirrel! They loved being clean... :Love_Icon

[DarkLies212]

Interesting method Pam!! I never thought to do anything unpleasant like that in the dark :thumbsup Glad your arms survived the ordeal :grin3

[Daisey007]

Interesting method Pam!! I never thought to do anything unpleasant like that in the dark :thumbsup Glad your arms survived the ordeal :grin3


:laugh2

You have to move quickly!!

Besides, my squirrels are so used to being treated like human babies that I'm sure they fully expected to be bathed in the wild!:grin2

[TerriCompro]

I've always bathed my babies, and I bathed Daisy and Chewy after they became fully grown!

That said, there is a trick that I used to bathe Daisy and Chewy though...
Without even mentioning it to them, I'd prepare everything first!

For each squirrel...
I'd fill bathroom sink with warm water to bathe in, and then I'd fill a dish pan full of warm water to rinse in. Then I'd pour a puddle of Johnson's baby wash beside the sink, and have towels spread out on vanity. Then I'd light a single candle and set it somewhere BEHIND where I'd stand to bathe the squirrel, or to my back.

Then I get the squirrel. I always loved on and petted them a lot anyway, so they were used to that - and so I'd do that all the way to the bathroom. Once in the bathroom, I turned out the lights!!! They become very compliant in the dark! They simply can't see, at least not well, in the dark. And wasting no time, I'd just slowly submerge them into the water and quickly dabbed my finger tips in the baby wash, lathered quickly, then submerged into the sink water once again to rinse most of the baby wash off, and then into the second rinse - and then into a towel. By the time they process what's going on they're going into the second rinse and then into a dry towel! I'm also very quiet while doing this as loud and/or sudden noises... well, you know, causes them to panic and that's the last thing you need while bathing a fully grown squirrel! They loved being clean... :Love_Icon

I LOVE THIS METHOD! I'm sure it's much more pleasant for everybody than my method of holding them under running water. LOL Still, my method is a no-nonsense, get'er done approach. It's quick and it works, and it gets 'em pottied all at the same time :gigg. And I'm with you, I always feel like they feel great after their bath.

[Daisey007]

I LOVE THIS METHOD! I'm sure it's much more pleasant for everybody than my method of holding them under running water. LOL Still, my method is a no-nonsense, get'er done approach. It's quick and it works, and it gets 'em pottied all at the same time :gigg. And I'm with you, I always feel like they feel great after their bath.

:laugh2

Feeling better after a bath for a squirrel kind of reminded me of "it will feel better once it stops hurting"! lol...

[Jen413]

I bathe Sammy under warm running water from the neck down with a dab of dawn barely even noticeable and then rinse him off. Then in to a towel he goes and I rub him down. He just lays there and enjoys the warm water most of the time. I just have to make sure no sudden movements will put his head in the water. Then I wipe his face and head with a wet paper towel while the rest of him is wrapped in the towel. I think he's used to it now because I do it almost every other night. I'm sure he will get less cooperative as he gets older.

[Daisey007]

I bathe Sammy under warm running water from the neck down with a dab of dawn barely even noticeable and then rinse him off. Then in to a towel he goes and I rub him down. He just lays there and enjoys the warm water most of the time. I just have to make sure no sudden movements will put his head in the water. Then I wipe his face and head with a wet paper towel while the rest of him is wrapped in the towel. I think he's used to it now because I do it almost every other night. I'm sure he will get less cooperative as he gets older.

I had one, Chewy, that was a little more willing to appease me, or perhaps he found it amusing... maybe even dumbfounded by my audacity to even attempt such a thing but in either case he allowed it. Haha!