Is this mating behavior?

[cava]

For the past week Frances has been pacing in the cage and when out she is pacing the room, mostly around the windows. I thought she just wanted out. Then I saw her wiping her face and body on things. And finally backing up to and sliding under Basil who doesn't seem to understand but who recently got larger testicles that are not cute and furry anymore but losing hair and bulging. I actually spied Frances standing in front of the small table fan I have with her tail to the side getting a fanny fanning.

Frances is 6.5 months. Basil is 7 ish. She is not swollen, excessively grooming her junk or bleeding.

1. If she is in heat--is it like a dog and they go out of it after a week or so and cycle every 6 months, or like a cat who repeatedly goes into heat every few weeks until she conceives?

2. Aaaaaaaand say she does get pregnant before she's out of human jail...how long is estrus? And wth?

I don't know if this matters but we've had a very mild winter so far. Tomorrow is supposed to be in the 60's. But like every year this happens, Jan-Mar is a gray, overcast arctic.

Thanks in advance for reading and helping!:Love_Icon

[island rehabber]

Late Dec thru Jan is definitely squirrel mating season. My Owena has not been her sweet self lately, either. :shark1

[Anne]

Thank heavens Basil doesn't mature (usually) until a year old!!!!

[cava]

I guess that makes Frances "Mrs. Robinson". Oh Frances!

Thanks for the info both of you:blowkiss

[Scott]

This is such a good subject. My squirrel Pinkie is around 6 months old. I would think there is not a real defined period of time for the age that a squirrel can become pregnant but I don't know.

Is it the season (Spring or Fall) once a squirrel gets to a certain age, is it the age of the squirrel it self and can happen no matter the season. What happens when the squirrel is transported to a different locale with different time for its seasons? (ie; grew up in New York and now lives in Florida?)

[cava]

Scott, all good questions. I look forward to hearing from the experts!

[farm mom]

Many rehabbers have had babies with their overwinters. So separate males and females if you can. Especially siblings.

[cava]

They are not siblings, he is from two hours away so I'd be mixing the inbred local gene pool.:grin2

But I hear what you're saying. I'll have to consider if that's gonna be possible. Thanks for the advice.

[redwuff]

Cava :grouphug

If Frances does get pregnant, you would have to separate them as sweet Frances would go into evil destroy mode. Basil would not be safe.

Most over winters do not have a problem with this but it is always a possibility. UDoWhat had rehabbed large numbers of squirrels for 15 years. She believed what the books said until....Ralf, who managed to get his two girl cage mates pregnant.

But 99.9% do not get pregnant. Gestation for a squirrel is 45 days. Here in Maryland, it is hard to release until mid April. Probably be the same for Kentucky . Let us know if we can help in any way.

Trysh

[cava]

LOL!

Thanks so much. Today she is acting like a little, playful wild child. None of the things I described earlier. Both are competing over everything and are going stir crazy. I may have to separate them anyway. :tap

I'll keep you guys posted if I see any hanky panky.