Getting ready for prereleasetime

[JoanP]

Our boy DASH is getting close to the time that I will move him to the pre release cage. I have many questions now.
I currently close the window to the room he is in at night to avoid any possibility of raccoon getting in. DASH therefore never is in the colder temperatures overnight.
DASH still loves his nursing syringe 2x a day and does not drink well from a dish. He also will not try the water bottle that has been in his cage from the beginning of his stay with us. He does not drink water from a dish, but continues to turn the dish over.
He gets very little of the HH blocks into his tummy, but enjoys tearing them up and hiding them. I give these before he gets his formula and when I know he must be quite hungry.
DASH loves all lettuces and also eats green beans and a bit of zucchini. The amount seem negligible to me, except for the lettuce. He does not like asparagus or cabbage.
He eats some kale, sweet potatoe, 2 blueberries today, a piece of strawberry, and has eaten banana and apple. I give him more greens than fruit, and no nuts. He did love the baby and very fresh pine cone( in another post)).
My most important questions are about acclimating DASH to being outside alone, and how can he go when he is still nursing. He does love to chew different bark from the various branches he gets to have in his cage.
How wil I feed him outside when he is in the pre release cage. How do you all manage to get them to drink water( have tried putting honey on the tip of the bottle, as well as vanilla yogurt and just some formula.)
I am quite nervous about getting this release wrong and having DASH suffer for my ignorance.

[SammysMom]

How old is Dash? It sounds like a little more time wouldn't hurt him. When they are alone, it can be a bit difficult for them to be ready to go out into the big world.:Love_Icon

[JoanP]

DASH is going on 11 weeks, and I thought that at about 14 weeks these babies get released. I did however feel that since he is a " singleton" and has not had the benefit of learning from others, that I would not rush him. I have planned on letting him have his formula by syringe with Miracle nipple, for as long as he really wants it.
I have found that this has worked very well for the many kittens and puppies that I have fostered. Some baby animals, just as some children, take longer to mature.

Do you have any suggestions for getting him to drink from a water bottle, feeding him when he is in the release cage, and making sure that he gets the proper good start as a squirrel on his own in the trees?
Our dogs are never out without me, and our cats are indoors only. We have many squirrels who delight in our bird feeders and many bird baths for their drinks, and I have never seen a hawk or other flying predator taking a squirrel. The property is heavily wooded.
My main concern is getting DASH to eat enough and learn to drink water prior to release.
Truths told, I would not mind at all if he decided to return each evening to his outside cage 4x5x3 which is situated in a shed that opens completely in the front and will be closed at night. There will be a small opening, 4" as suggested, for him to leave and return.
We have built a nesting box for inside the cage, and another to place on one of the large trees in front of the shed.
All advice is greatly appreciated.

[SammysMom]

I don't put mine into the release cage until about 18 weeks and open the door at about 20 weeks. DASH has plenty of time to learn about the water bottle or even a shallow bowl of water. You can put some clean stones or marbles in it to keep him from putting his whole face in and help to keep it from tipping over.
All the rest will come with time. :Love_Icon

[Nancy in New York]

I don't put mine into the release cage until about 18 weeks and open the door at about 20 weeks. DASH has plenty of time to learn about the water bottle or even a shallow bowl of water. You can put some clean stones or marbles in it to keep him from putting his whole face in and help to keep it from tipping over.
All the rest will come with time. :Love_Icon

I totally agree about the age SammysMom.
The longer you keep them, the smarter and stronger they get.
Also by waiting longer, he will most likely miss the "mating" season
which can be very brutal for a young one to get caught up in. :shakehead

Oh and I totally agree with you JoanP about giving him formula. I too give it
as long as they want it. It's the best insurance against MBD.

[JoanP]

I don't put mine into the release cage until about 18 weeks and open the door at about 20 weeks. DASH has plenty of time to learn about the water bottle or even a shallow bowl of water. You can put some clean stones or marbles in it to keep him from putting his whole face in and help to keep it from tipping over.
All the rest will come with time. :Love_Icon

I have a clean rock in the water dish, but over it goes each time. Have tried several dishes and am now looking for a heavy old ashtray at thrift shops. I seem to remember that they were not only heavy, but shallow and untipable.
Until you are actually raising a baby squirrel, you cannot know all the questions that arise!! How do you feed your pre release babies when they are in the PRC? DASH will have to be drinking from a dish and bottle prior to release or he will get dehydrated.
Have you known of a singleton who never leaves, just goes and comes from the PRC?

[island rehabber]

Joan, hopefully other members will forgive me for repeating this but you would be AMAZED how quickly squirrels learn to drink from either a water bottle OR a bowl, once they're in the release pen. I release a lot of squirrels each season for other rehabbers, as release sites around NYC are very, very scarce and I am fortunate to be blessed with two. Nearly every rehabber except me says they don't use water bottles, how will their squirrels know what to do once they're in the pen to get water? (I don't use bowls in the pen -- they get dirty immediately and I don't like stepping into a closed space with squirrels who do NOT know me!). Every single time, I watch as everyone else's squirrels learn in about an hour that the tubey thing has water in it. They are so damn smart, we need to give them more credit. :grin3

[cava]

A ceramic cat/dog bowl with rocks on the bottom and a layer of water was untippable for my two, and I also offered a water bottle. They would use both. In their outside cage they got a bottle so I didn't have to deal with a dirty bowl.

I got all of my dishes at a thrift store. Also those white shallow souffle dishes were there by the dozens and they are great. You can also buy bird water dishes that actually screw onto cage bars too, but then you have a squirrel jumping on your head and face while you're trying to screw it back on. :grin2

Good luck with your little guy!