Family Emergency, Must Travel, Need Advice

[gunpackingrandma]

Due to unforeseen family emergency I need to travel for eight days and cannot take Ben with us. There are no Squirrel people in my region and no person I trust to help. Ben has a HUGE room he stays in with everything squirrel proofed so I'm not worried about his safety, but I am very worried about his food and behavior as he has never been left alone before. Anyone had this issue and could offer some advice??? I feel like such a bad mother but I have no choice...

[island rehabber]

Due to unforeseen family emergency I need to travel for eight days and cannot take Ben with us. There are no Squirrel people in my region and no person I trust to help. Ben has a HUGE room he stays in with everything squirrel proofed so I'm not worried about his safety, but I am very worried about his food and behavior as he has never been left alone before. Anyone had this issue and could offer some advice??? I feel like such a bad mother but I have no choice...

You will have to leave eight of everything, just in case.......eight bowls of water, eight different dishes of food, off the floor where ants etc. can't infest them. Some type of air circulation or temp control for the room....
Walk through the room, imagining every ridiculously impossible disaster that could occur with every object in the room. Then take steps to prevent that disaster.
You can freeze things and place them in a dish of ice -- like fresh fruit, for example. At least they'll stay fresh a bit longer. Hopefully Ben eats rodent blocks, because they stay very well unrefrigerated. The last few days he will only have dry foods to eat.
Are you sure there is nobody around who can peek in on him>?

[Lighten-Up]

Because he will be alone, boredom might creep in, could you leave him some new interesting things to chew, play with so as to distract his time in a good fashion? Fresh branches, something to explore, etc. Things that would not cause a safety issue.

[gunpackingrandma]

Thank you for the advice! We live in a very pro hunting environment with the mind set of only the strong survive. All of my neighbors and friends have made it very clear Ben should have died as a baby instead of saving his life. Honestly, I don't trust any of them to assist. There's also a 100% chance he would attack them if given the opportunity which would leave to Ben's death and more than likely a lawsuit. Bens main home is a double Critter Nation cage. I take him out to play for 1 to 1 1/2 hours twice a day. His play room is approx 18x30, it's also my master bathroom. All tile, no carpet. Huge walk-in shower, cast iron claw foot tub which is covered in multiple layers of fleece. Lots of cabinets, all the exposed edges are covered in multiple layers of clear tape. He doesn't bother the areas that I covered. Ben has found some places I missed and let me know about them.
Ben is very good about eating his Henrys blocks and Henrys peanut butter snack sticks. I will leave two bowls of fresh water, then freeze the other bowls of water with fruit and veggies. Any suggestions on what food will last the longest? Ben loves cherry tomatoes, usually I cut them into his salad but I will keep them whiole to stay fresh longer. They should last with no problem if I get some green ones. Ben's also loves grapes, I only give him one or two small ones a day but I know they freeze in water very well. What about leaving a whole sweet potato? Ben likes them and it would stay fresh longer. I will supply Ben with enough food and water to last ten days in case he binges the first day or two. What about nuts? How many?
Ben will have a fresh Pine tree put in the room as well as new safe play toys to keep him occupied. I was also thinking about leaving the TV or radio on for noise? Any thoughts?
I will be prepping Ben's frozen food tonight so any suggestions will be helpful. Also, any ideas to keep his mind busy. I will put toilet paper, paper towels and a Kleenex box out. As well as boxes and Toys. I know it's not the best situation but it's the best I can do to keep Ben safe while I'm away.

[Baxied]

Does Ben have a big water bottle? I worry about bowls being knocked over....and water would be one of my biggest concerns.

If you leave enough rodent block he will not starve. :grin2

I would think that sugar snap peas would last awhile as would blueberries in addition to the whole cherry tomatoes.

Safe travels!

[Nancy in New York]

If your leaving tomorrow it's probaly too late to order a wheel.
ALL of my reds spent hour upon hour on this wheel.

http://atticworx.com/

[Lighten-Up]

If you were to leave music on, which I don't have any pro or con about, consider having it on a timer, so it's silent at night and comes on in the morning.

[gunpackingrandma]

Ben already has a wheel, doesn't use it very often. It's big and spins easy. I put peanut butter on it to get him interested but doesn't seem to help.
Ben has a very large water bottle, lasts about two weeks. Plus he has a bolt on water bowl that can't spill out. I will also leave several weighted bowls of ice to melt. Snap peas and blueberries are great ideas! Ben loves his Henry's blocks so I know he will eat them with no problems...

[nchapman]

I know you said your neighbors are anti-squirrel, but how about a friend that you know? Personally, there's not the slightest chance I would leave an animal alone that can't fend for itself for over a eek without someone at least checking in on him. Anything can happen- Air conditioner goes out, power outage, burglary, etc.. Lord only knows what an unsupervised squee with do for 8 days alone. I know my boy will purposefully start to knock things over & cause mischief when I'm not in the room with him just so I'll come running. If he gets lonely enough or bored dry wall is nothing to these guys.

I would find someone that would at least make sure all is right in the house & can briefly check to make sure everything is ok with your guy. Too many variables and things that could potentially go wrong to just leave him to his own demise. If it were 1-2 days, it probably wouldn't be as questionable- but over a week ( and what if something goes wrong & your stay extends..) is way too long to leave a squee alone.

[Diggie's Friend]

I realize that a family emergency takes precidence.

We always had someone stay with our squirrel when we went on a trip. Block free fed would keep your squirrel going, yet water bottles can shift or become clogged. Having more than one would be needful, and then well secured so the squirrel cannot dislocate it if there is no one to check on him. Still there is that which is unpredicable that can happen to consider.

I have some anti squirrel neighbors too, yet you may want to at least inquire of a pet sitting service in your area; just don't tell them who or where you are till you hear what they have to say. We have some here in our State even so it is not a legal State. Where there is no competing species in areas that these animals have been introduced, some don't see this as a problem. Your area would qualify in that regard, as is the case in my area also.

You might contact the Adminstration on the board for a contact closer by in an adjacent State?

[Diggie's Friend]

Thought to add here: It is important to include with the instructions to a pet sitter, not touch or hand feed your pet, as they could be bitten in trying to do that.

Also let them know that your animal hasn't been in contact with any others for sometime to assure them, as this seems to be a topic of concern with rabies in western States.

If you have a food trap door that is small enough that your squirrel cannot easily get out if opened to put in food, that could help to prevent an escape when the food is given. Always tell the caregiver to close the door of the room behind them after entering; this just in case the pet should escape its cage.

[Milo's Mom]

Are you thinking of leaving him out in the bathroom while you're gone? If that's the case, do something about the toilet. Just putting the lid down is not going to be enough. Glue it closed or something! 8 days is a long time for a squee to get it a lot of trouble.

[Gray Squirrel]

I would feel very uneasy about leaving him for 8 days. Is there anyway you could take him with you. If you do be careful if you are going thought a state that does not allow a person to keep a squirrel. Some states will put the squirrel to death if they catch person with a squirrel.

[Scott]

She can not take Ben with her ... we will say cookiemonez,, prayers every day ... I think go back to IR's post, #2 on the thread ... Ben will not starve himself ... "Darwin" ... and as long as the house doesn't burn down, and Ben is safe from chewing an exit or chewing an electric wire. ..

he will be OK .... just provide him, with all identifiable options for food ..

I wouldn't do it (I would have a lady come in, who understands some of the nuances of squirrels) ..

but sounds like grandma is stuck ... we don't have anyone near her ???

[island rehabber]

Folks, she lives in Montana, the least populated state in the Union, I believe??? And we think there will be a nearby TSB member available to help? Maybe if you call Illinois "nearby"..... :shakehead

It's clear that you'll have to leave him, grandma, so just squirrel-proof that room as perfectly as you can and we'll all be praying until you get back. AND, if there is any way you can shorten that trip --- DO IT. :grin2

[UDoWhat]

I know you said your neighbors are anti-squirrel, but how about a friend that you know? Personally, there's not the slightest chance I would leave an animal alone that can't fend for itself for over a eek without someone at least checking in on him. Anything can happen- Air conditioner goes out, power outage, burglary, etc.. Lord only knows what an unsupervised squee with do for 8 days alone. I know my boy will purposefully start to knock things over & cause mischief when I'm not in the room with him just so I'll come running. If he gets lonely enough or bored dry wall is nothing to these guys.

I would find someone that would at least make sure all is right in the house & can briefly check to make sure everything is ok with your guy. Too many variables and things that could potentially go wrong to just leave him to his own demise. If it were 1-2 days, it probably wouldn't be as questionable- but over a week ( and what if something goes wrong & your stay extends..) is way too long to leave a squee alone.

I have to agree. The drywall question is a big concern. Any of my squirrels left alone for even a few minutes would chew the drywall and make a hole in it in no time. Can't tell you how many times I had the drywall repaired ! Lol
Another thought is that the Henry's block can mold after a few days. Henry's block needs refrigeration, rat block doesn't. I would leave some rat block so after a few days when the other food is gone or not fresh the rodent block will be available. Leave the rodent block even if your squirrel hasn't eaten it before. They will eat block rather than be hungry. :Love_Icon

[Snicker Bar]

My sympathies and best wishes , prayers to you... I know how you feel! I'm still stressing about our upcoming ten day trip, but it's not an emergency. I'm sure you're already in route, hopefully all will be well while you're away.

[gunpackingrandma]

Thank you for all you help! We leave tomorrow. Everything we could think of has been done. While I can't find anyone to actually come in the house I did convince a neighbor to look into the bathroom window everyday to check on Ben and my walls. The toilet is in a separate room so no worries about that. Ben has played in the master bath for seven months, twice a day, so he is very comfortable with the environment. His double Critter Nation is also there with his condo and Toys. Everything has been checked and double checked. Hope I'm smarter than Ben...fingers crossed! I have frozen blocks of ice to keep the water fresher longer. Also freezing food within the blocks to keep it fresher longer. We have lots of blocks and snack blocks. It's way overkill but I am leaving enough food for Ben to throw a party for a month! I know most will go bad but I want to be sure Ben has variety and some may not go bad before we return. I purchased both ripe and not yet ripe veggies and fruit to try and lengthen their life.
As far as the room and house. Ben has central air and a back up generator for power outages. We also have security services which monitor for fire, break-ins and floods. No electronics or electrical exposed. All corners, moulding, doors, window frames and all other wood has been covered. Ben has never tryed to eat tile or metal do hope they are safe. Not sure about the drywall. Ben has never once tryed to chew it. We do not have squared corners, ours our round so maybe thats the reason he have left them alone.
Ben is in perfect health, weighs a hefty 276 grams. Alittle chunck for a red. I have only fed him blocks for breakfast, then a salad for lunch. Blocks and salad for dinner. Two to three snacks which can include a grape, mango, Apple, peach or a piece of walnut. I believe Ben's diet is good. I am worried he may forget his good eating habits and eat all the snacks first...Oh, there are other items on his snack list but I got tired typing...long night packing.
Pray I covered everything... Will check for other suggestions before we leave tomorrow....

[island rehabber]

Ben has a brilliant mamma and a very very nice environment -- I think he's gonna be fine!

[Mel1959]

:yeahthat:yeahthat. It sounds like you have thought of everything. Have a safe trip! :blowkiss

[Lighten-Up]

I'm not sure if you left yesterday, or are still yet to leave, I'll write anyway.

I think you have done an amazing job, and I am praying and trusting all will be well. I totally understand that we all have to do things sometimes that are out of the norm. Life is full of them.

I was hopeful that your bathroom was floor to ceiling tile, but it sounds like you might have drywall in there?

I do want to second, or third the drywall concern. My squee lived 24/7 in a corner cage that I made in the corner of a room, because I could never let them out to play in the house because of house cats, so I made a large portion of a closed room for them so they could always run and stretch, and not have to wait for out of cage time, and so I went into their cage to see them while they overwintered. Two of their cage walls were house drywall, and the other two were hardware cloth. Because they were in there 24/7, not monitored by me, they learned really quickly to chew the flat drywall with their teeth, they seemed to love this, scared me silly because my old house probably had lead paint under the new latex. (I fed them so much cilantro - that pulls heavy metals from the body) So I had to cover the walls in thick cardboard. They would peel off the top layer of cardboard boxing, all held in place with tape, not pretty, but they weren't that interested in the corrugated stuff below the top layer. Every month or so, I had to replace the cardboard sections, until I released them.

Anyway, I'm not a panic maker, just a person that likes to head off possible issues.

If Ben were to try to chew the flat drywall, he could quickly chew through it into the wall sections.... I've heard many people say that their squee could chew a 7 foot swathe in a day.

Please follow your own instincts on this, I'm only asking that you consider covering all drywall with cardboard, or foil (but that might rip easy), wood panels, anything quick and easy for you, that would keep the drywall out of reach of little bored squee teeth.

Best to you,
I wish you peace on your journey, and safety and peace with Ben. :hug

[gunpackingrandma]

Thank you for the advice about drywall, unfortunately I didn't see it until now. I will pray Ben doesn't have that much fun. I don't have alot of drywall, most is wood cabinets and they have been protected. The Squirrel God is with us so far! Of all people, my security service offered to come check and feed Ben twice while we are gone!!! Yeah!!! They won't open the door but they will look thru the window for damage and monitor food and water. Also I have figured a way for Ben to get fresh food. Water is not a issue, Ben has so many bowls of water and ice he could drink for a year! We also purchased a large block of ice and put it in the shower for play, without worrying about drainage. I also froze fruit and veggies in big blocks of ice, wrapped partially in fleece to keep cooler longer. Why I don't know but my shower could easily hold six people and is tiled floor to ceiling. I put all of the food and fun play toys in the shower to try and keep Ben there...Hope it works!

[HRT4SQRLS]

Thank you for the advice about drywall, unfortunately I didn't see it until now. I will pray Ben doesn't have that much fun. I don't have alot of drywall, most is wood cabinets and they have been protected. The Squirrel God is with us so far! Of all people, my security service offered to come check and feed Ben twice while we are gone!!! Yeah!!! They won't open the door but they will look thru the window for damage and monitor food and water. Also I have figured a way for Ben to get fresh food. Water is not a issue, Ben has so many bowls of water and ice he could drink for a year! We also purchased a large block of ice and put it in the shower for play, without worrying about drainage. I also froze fruit and veggies in big blocks of ice, wrapped partially in fleece to keep cooler longer.
Why I don't know but my shower could easily hold six people and is tiled floor to ceiling. I put all of the food and fun play toys in the shower to try and keep Ben there...Hope it works!

I must have a warped sense of humor but that sure struck me funny. Shower party? :dono
I sure would hate to clean that sucker. :rotfl

[gunpackingrandma]

I know!!! Purchased the home already built. I always wondered why the contractor built such a large shower. The thing has four large shower heads, even has a HUGE one above your head so you think your in the rain forest...I wanted to keep Ben in there while we were gone for safety and clean up but my husband wanted Ben to have full run of the room. Hope he made the right decision...

[Jennefer]

Any updates on how Ben is doing? The suspense is killing me....I think about him often & was wondering how he did...and hoping you had a safe trip.

[Gray Squirrel]

I would be interested in knowing how Ben handled being left alone for 8 days. Could you let us know?

[gunpackingrandma]

So sorry I haven't updated, my husband had a heart issue on the way home and have been preoccupied with his medical needs. Ben did fine! We were lucky with our home security personnel. They checked on him every other day thru the window and fed him thru a opening. Ben had a blast with all the new toys and paper we left. He built new forts everywhere! I was a nervous wreak worring about him and my house....Thank goodness it turned out fine! Thank you for following and asking about Ben!!! I love how we care for each other and the welfare of our Squirrels...Thank you!!!

[Jennefer]

That is great news about Ben! So excited & relieved that he did well. :dance Sorry to hear about your hubby though. Hope all goes well with him too. Saying a prayer! :grouphug

[island rehabber]

Ben had a blast with all the new toys and paper we left. He built new forts everywhere!

:bliss This just makes me laugh so much -- just like a squirrel!! So glad everything worked out well, and special prayers for your hubby.

[Gray Squirrel]

Hope you husband is O.K.. I found it interesting that Ben made forts. What were they like what did he made them of and how many? Did they look like drays. I wonder what he would have done with levees and stick if you had left them instead of paper. I guess he was happy to see you when you got home.

[Gray Squirrel]

Hope you husband is O.K.. I found it interesting that Ben made forts. What were they like what did he made them of and how many? Did they look like drays. I wonder what he would have done with levees and stick if you had left them instead of paper. I guess he was happy to see you when you got home.Even when you use a spelling checker things seem to come out wrong it was Leaves and sticks not levees and stick in the second to last sentence. I do not know if I spelled drays right maybe it should be dreys not sure but , I was talking about house a squirrel makes out of sticks and leaves.

[Mel1959]

So glad to hear Ben did just fine while he was on his own! :w00t I hope all is well with your hubby. :grouphug

[gunpackingrandma]

Thank you for your well wishes!!! My husband finally had heart surgery and is on the road to recovery.. I need to register Ben as a emotional support animal. He has been my husband's saving grace thru some very difficult medical issues. Ben has been a shining star in what seemed like a black hole. Another major surgery is scheduled in a few months but I now know Ben has his back and heart....

On the lighter side, can you imagine a 269 gram Squirrel wearing a service animal vest???? LOL!!!

[HRT4SQRLS]

On the lighter side, can you imagine a 269 gram Squirrel wearing a service animal vest???? LOL!!!
I can't think of anything cuter. You need to make one. :grin2

Sorry to hear about your husband's health crisis. I'm glad he is getting better.
I'm sure Ben's antics have helped lift your spirit while walking through this difficult time.

[Mel1959]

I am happy to hear your husband is on the road to recovery. :hug. These little fuzzy munchkins have a wonderful way of turning full grown men into marshmallows! My husband has stated many times that since we have begun caring for these little guys he has become more nurturing and caring. :Love_Icon. He gets as much joy out of interacting with them as I do.

I'm glad you decided to keep Ben as an inside squirrel. I worried about him being released when you mentioned the number of predatory birds and other predators you had around your property. :w00t:grouphug

[gunpackingrandma]

I had no intention of ever keeping Ben indoors but I believe someone else did. We got the release cage all setup but didn't want to put him in until all our company left. Two days after they left I was playing with Ben, he jumped from the top cabinets to the ground, I think he planned on landing on my head. He landed on all four paws. I went to check if he was fine but when I got near he yelled at me to back off. After a couple of minutes he started to move with a slight limp. At that point Ben also started shaking his head. Took some time for me to contain him and look for injuries. Ben hit his face when he landed and got a bloody nose as well as a sprained front paw. I can't tell you how horrible I felt at that moment...

Ben was mad and scared of me. After a few weeks Ben has healed good but he no longer will jump more than three feet. Maybe after some time Ben will forget about his fall and move on. My husband pleaded with me not to release Ben this fall when he is at such a disadvantage. I had to agree. Life is hard for any wildlife in Montana, especially a Squirrel with issues. We still have alot of large raptors on the property that would love a meal...

I am now in the process of bringing the release cage in the house. Good thing we have a really big house! Lol!

[Mel1959]

I had no intention of ever keeping Ben indoors but I believe someone else did. We got the release cage all setup but didn't want to put him in until all our company left. Two days after they left I was playing with Ben, he jumped from the top cabinets to the ground, I think he planned on landing on my head. He landed on all four paws. I went to check if he was fine but when I got near he yelled at me to back off. After a couple of minutes he started to move with a slight limp. At that point Ben also started shaking his head. Took some time for me to contain him and look for injuries. Ben hit his face when he landed and got a bloody nose as well as a sprained front paw. I can't tell you how horrible I felt at that moment...

Ben was mad and scared of me. After a few weeks Ben has healed good but he no longer will jump more than three feet. Maybe after some time Ben will forget about his fall and move on. My husband pleaded with me not to release Ben this fall when he is at such a disadvantage. I had to agree. Life is hard for any wildlife in Montana, especially a Squirrel with issues. We still have alot of large raptors on the property that would love a meal...

I am now in the process of bringing the release cage in the house. Good thing we have a really big house! Lol!

I would have done the same thing. I do believe that not every squirrel longs for life in the trees. Some just seem to have a fearful personality that makes them scared to be outside to the point that they do something that harms them, either temporarily or permanently. Ben may not ever regain his ability to be in the trees, but you should be able to determine that after some time passes.

[HRT4SQRLS]

And, who knew that your husband would need a half pound therapy animal.

[stosh2010]

Long Distance Prayers---- for you, your hubby and for Ben.....
Live Long & Prosper...........................