pre-release cage and Autumn release questions

[Oneillma]

Hi all,

My two boys, Kudzu and Oleander are 5 1/2 weeks old. They are 102 and 117 grams with eyes wide open.

I was looking at the pre-release cage on Henry's pets, the "Henry's House" - https://www.henryspets.com/henrys-house-exotic-pet-cage/
Is this a good option?

I'm thinking ahead to release time.
They will be 14 weeks old will on October 18th. I live in Atlanta, GA. Typically, is this an OK time to release them? If it is better to keep them over winter, I just need to make sure I'm prepared for that.

Thanks for any advice!
Margaret

[redwuff]

Hi Margret, it would be a good enough cage to house them in until they are ready for release. I don't know what they are in now but in a few more weeks they will become way more active and need room to play. I have permanent structures outside fm releasing so I have never used anything that small to put them outside in. Let me direct members here who have used similar caging for pre release.

If they are healthy boys I would put them out instead of over wintering. Both humans and adolescent squirrels hate overwintering.

[JoeysMom]

I've released from approximately that sized cage but that was release at the 5-6 month age, they did fine but they definitely need more room if for whatever reasons they need to be kept longer than that. I have a 7' x 7' x 4' enclosure outside. I put a hollow tree round in there then put a good sized tree limb inside that (instant tree), dig box and threw some seed in there to let it sprout so he has digging room to hide nuts. Ramps and branches to climb and lay on. Nesting box and of course his hammock. I also keep his food dish inside another dish that has water in it, it keeps the ants out. All of the wood to build it is untreated pine.

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[Oneillma]

@joeysmom, that is a super nice setup!!

I do really want to release them as soon as they are ready / weather permitting. I am loving the experience with these guys, but I want them to be wild squirrels and I'm not sure this is something I will ever do again.

Right now they are in a cat size pet carrier. They moved there last week from the plastic bin. They are still sleeping most of the day so they aren't too active yet.

I was hoping to keep them in the pet carrier till around 8 weeks, and then move them to the larger cage. I have a big screened-in porch, so I was going to move the cage out to the porch maybe around 10 weeks.

I don't mind spending some money to get the right set up for them, but I also don't want to go crazy on something that will only be used for a short time.

[JoeysMom]

It won't be much longer and they'll be everywhere :grin2 then the real fun begins. I love when their personalities develop!

[JoeysMom]

@joeysmom, that is a super nice setup!!

I do really want to release them as soon as they are ready / weather permitting. I am loving the experience with these guys, but I want them to be wild squirrels and I'm not sure this is something I will ever do again.

Right now they are in a cat size pet carrier. They moved there last week from the plastic bin. They are still sleeping most of the day so they aren't too active yet.

I was hoping to keep them in the pet carrier till around 8 weeks, and then move them to the larger cage. I have a big screened-in porch, so I was going to move the cage out to the porch maybe around 10 weeks.

I don't mind spending some money to get the right set up for them, but I also don't want to go crazy on something that will only be used for a short time.

There seems to be a saying that goes on around here, "Once one comes, the others follow!" :gigg I had 4 that were released, a few months later here comes Joey!