olorin19
07-21-2017, 01:00 PM
Nothing urgent here - just looking for advice on when to release a particular squirrel:
Amy came to me 5/23 and is now about 14 weeks old. We live in the northern mid Atlantic. Amy has been living mostly in A/C all summer, as in relatively cool dry air. She has both an indoor cage and an outdoor cage. The past few weeks, she has been spending some time in her outdoor cage either first thing in the morning (when still somewhat cooler) or early evening (by which point her cage is in the shade).
High temperatures over the next few weeks will be in the high 80s or occasional low 90s, and yes, it is fairly humid here as well.
Amy is a fairly independent squirrel, meaning she likes to play and engage with me when out of her cage inside, but never much of a cuddler. My guess is she will thrive outdoors. (We call her "Fierce Amy" - not because she bites, more because she is an intense and active physical presence. If she were on Game of Thrones, Amy would be Arya Stark.)
My plan is to move the main cage outside and use it as her release cage. It includes a nest box just built for her. The idea is that she will be in the release cage for a while, then the cage will be left open, then eventually the nest box will be set up near the cage in an appropriate spot.
So, why am I writing? Timing! I am trying to find that sweet spot that balances "not too hot" with "plenty of time to get ready for winter and master necessary squirrel skills" as her release date.
Comments, advice, or your own experiences most welcome!
Amy came to me 5/23 and is now about 14 weeks old. We live in the northern mid Atlantic. Amy has been living mostly in A/C all summer, as in relatively cool dry air. She has both an indoor cage and an outdoor cage. The past few weeks, she has been spending some time in her outdoor cage either first thing in the morning (when still somewhat cooler) or early evening (by which point her cage is in the shade).
High temperatures over the next few weeks will be in the high 80s or occasional low 90s, and yes, it is fairly humid here as well.
Amy is a fairly independent squirrel, meaning she likes to play and engage with me when out of her cage inside, but never much of a cuddler. My guess is she will thrive outdoors. (We call her "Fierce Amy" - not because she bites, more because she is an intense and active physical presence. If she were on Game of Thrones, Amy would be Arya Stark.)
My plan is to move the main cage outside and use it as her release cage. It includes a nest box just built for her. The idea is that she will be in the release cage for a while, then the cage will be left open, then eventually the nest box will be set up near the cage in an appropriate spot.
So, why am I writing? Timing! I am trying to find that sweet spot that balances "not too hot" with "plenty of time to get ready for winter and master necessary squirrel skills" as her release date.
Comments, advice, or your own experiences most welcome!