Its so anti-climatical

[mondotomhead]

So, I was given these 5 baby red squirrels found in the air cleaner of a car at work. This was the beginning of around the clock worry! For 3 weeks the babies came to work with me so I could feed them every 2 hours and the 3 hour commutes coming and going hoping I would not have an accident. Then the 3 weeks of the pre-release cage time where I wouldn't see them for 13 hours, wondering constantly how they were doing.

The day came to open the pre-release cage. Immediately all 5 ran out and up a tree and pretty much disappeared. Another 2 days of maybe seeing someone. Going out to the pre-release cage at night to see if any came back. Nothing.

Well its been 2 weeks now and I see the babies all the time! They all appear to be doing great, chittering, chasing other squirrels and chipmunks away from the sunflower seeds, running up trees, looking through the leaves for things to eat. The "boys" are getting redder every day. Last night was the first time I saw all 5 of them at the same time. I miss them terribly as the babies they were when I could pick them up and play with them. But I realize that this is what all the work and worry was for and everything I wanted for them from the beginning.

[TubeDriver]

It is incredibly time and emotionally draining raising little ones! So glad they found a committed person.:clap It sound like from your post they are currently 6 weeks old? If so, they really need more weeks inside to build up weight and strength, typically ~14 weeks old is about when they can be placed in an outdoor release cage. Not trying to criticize you as it sounds like they are doing well and you have clearly done a great job raising 5 squirrels!:great



So, I was given these 5 baby red squirrels found in the air cleaner of a car at work. This was the beginning of around the clock worry! For 3 weeks the babies came to work with me so I could feed them every 2 hours and the 3 hour commutes coming and going hoping I would not have an accident. Then the 3 weeks of the pre-release cage time where I wouldn't see them for 13 hours, wondering constantly how they were doing.

The day came to open the pre-release cage. Immediately all 5 ran out and up a tree and pretty much disappeared. Another 2 days of maybe seeing someone. Going out to the pre-release cage at night to see if any came back. Nothing.

Well its been 2 weeks now and I see the babies all the time! They all appear to be doing great, chittering, chasing other squirrels and chipmunks away from the sunflower seeds, running up trees, looking through the leaves for things to eat. The "boys" are getting redder every day. Last night was the first time I saw all 5 of them at the same time. I miss them terribly as the babies they were when I could pick them up and play with them. But I realize that this is what all the work and worry was for and everything I wanted for them from the beginning.

[mondotomhead]

It is incredibly time and emotionally draining raising little ones! So glad they found a committed person.:clap It sound like from your post they are currently 6 weeks old? If so, they really need more weeks inside to build up weight and strength, typically ~14 weeks old is about when they can be placed in an outdoor release cage. Not trying to criticize you as it sounds like they are doing well and you have clearly done a great job raising 5 squirrels!:great


They were "old" when found, I figured 4-5 weeks. Their eyes were already opened and they were moving around although sleeping a lot. When in the pre-release cage they were more than ready to come out. I think, maybe looking back, I should of kept them in the pre-release a week or 2 longer, another thing I worried about, but I am more than happy seeing my little guys eating and holding their own.

[TubeDriver]

That makes more sense! :grin2 I pictured 6 week old squirrels running around outside and thought: how do I break it to you that they need to be returned to a release cage for a while. :grin2 They probably still are a bit young at 11-12 weeks (?) to be released on their own but at this point (after 2 weeks outside which makes them closer to 14 weeks old) I would just continue to watch them closely and keep their release cage open during the day so they have a safe place to return to if they need food/water or if they get injured. Good job, successfully raising 5 squirrels is an accomplishment!:w00t




They were "old" when found, I figured 4-5 weeks.
Their eyes were already opened and they were moving around although sleeping a lot. When in the pre-release cage they were more than ready to come out. I think, maybe looking back, I should of kept them in the pre-release a week or 2 longer, another thing I worried about, but I am more than happy seeing my little guys eating and holding their own.

[Nancy in New York]

I think what happens with little reds is that they are SO hyper at
such an early age, some will mistake that for wanting release.
It's always better to hang onto them longer rather than shorter, just
for future reference.
You KNOW that once they find you, you will have more. :)

[Diggie's Friend]

Thirty-five days later she gives birth to a litter. About 70 days after that, the now-juvenile squirrels are already out on their own,

battling it out with other juveniles for vacant territories.

Squirrels that don't secure a domain and stockpile food inevitably die of starvation when winter comes around.


When it comes to Red squirrels in the most northern States of the US into Canada, where Winter comes earlier, wintering them over to Spring,

if their diet is supportive, will offer them the most support towards their long-term survival.

It will be needful though to provide each squirrel a separate enclosure as they become very territorial once weaned and will fight otherwise.

https://io9.gizmodo.com/stress-during-pregnancy-is-a-good-thing-if-youre-a-r-476384506

[Diggie's Friend]

http://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Tamiasciurus_hudsonicus/


Lactation occurs for the first 70 days. After that time, young are cast out to find their own territory. In some cases when the mother is in poor condition she will give part of her territory to her offspring. This increases the probability of survival for the offspring, increasing the overall fitness the mother. Young are active outside the nest in 7 weeks and fully independent shortly after weaning.

Good article on the Red Squirrel.

The information in this quote seems to imply that since the juvenile young are afforded access to her midden (her cache of seeds, nuts, & pinecones), as

it lies within her 30 M. of her nest. that is within her territory, or close to it. And since with the mother driving out intruders from her territory,

which she otherwise protects tenaciously, this affords her young more time to establish their own middens, and their own territories, and so supports

The survival of her young.

The survival percentage of Red squirrel young before they reach maturity is only 25 %, lower than it is for the E. Gray or E. Fox squirrel young.

No doubt this strategy would play greatly towards the survival of her young through the Winter.

[gunpackingrandma]

Thanks for sharing, very interesting article. Learn something new everyday...