Rehab squirrel accidentally escaped

[Rose0815]

So I have been prepping our two rehab squirrels for release. My husband actually fixed up our utility room for them so that they would have plenty of room to run and climb. This is my first time rehabbing so it has definitely been a learning process! I knew that releasing them was a gradual process so to get them used to the outside sounds we have been leaving the utility room windows open. We live in an older home and we actually have the old school metal screens on our windows but unfortunately one of them was newer and our female, Cookie, chewed through the screen and escaped. I immediately panicked when I first saw the hole but when I started to look for her outside she was climbing all over the side of our house and roof. I tried to get her to come to me multiple times but she eventually jumped off the roof and ran across the road into the woods. That was on Sunday and we have not seen her since :( I'm concerned that we haven't seen her because we have two very large pecan trees in our yard. I have been leaving food for her on our porch but I am so worried that she has not had somewhere safe to sleep at night. Is there anything else I can do to help increase her chances of survival?

[cava]

How old and how big are they?

[TubeDriver]

Leave that window open with some treats just inside (but secure your other one) and she might return.

You could also make sure you have some nest boxes in your trees, you can even put a piece of their dirty fleece in it so it has their smell to make them feel at home.

[Javarat]

Odds are VERY high that she is, and will be, okay.
She probably had a nest built within 48 hours.
They typically do not have an urge to 'break out' and then wander that far until they are old enough to handle it.
I often see wild squirrel babies out exploring as early as 7-8 weeks old.
Also you are in Alabama, so the weather should not be a danger.
I am sure you will worry, but if you were preparing them for release she is already several weeks older than the wild baby squirrels that are out exploring.

None of this answers your question... how you can help her.
She is more likely to look for food at the window she broke out of than the front porch.
You may occasionally spot her on your roof.. they tend to explore outwards, and your roof would be the starting point of her universe.
You could walk around the woods.. freeze if you see a squirrel, wave food at them, and see if they approach.
A wild would probably not approach.. but she might. So then you would know she was okay.

[Rose0815]

How old and how big are they?

We figure they are around 3.5 to 4 months old. This is a recent picture of her.

[TubeDriver]

Looks good but a liitle bit younger then would be ideal for release. If you are somewhere with fairly mild winters, I would worry less!


We figure they are around 3.5 to 4 months old. This is a recent picture of her.

[Rose0815]

Odds are VERY high that she is, and will be, okay.
She probably had a nest built within 48 hours.
They typically do not have an urge to 'break out' and then wander that far until they are old enough to handle it.
I often see wild squirrel babies out exploring as early as 7-8 weeks old.
Also you are in Alabama, so the weather should not be a danger.
I am sure you will worry, but if you were preparing them for release she is already several weeks older than the wild baby squirrels that are out exploring.

None of this answers your question... how you can help her.
She is more likely to look for food at the window she broke out of than the front porch.
You may occasionally spot her on your roof.. they tend to explore outwards, and your roof would be the starting point of her universe.
You could walk around the woods.. freeze if you see a squirrel, wave food at them, and see if they approach.
A wild would probably not approach.. but she might. So then you would know she was okay.

Thank you! That really does ease my mind. I have tried so hard to make sure they are ready when we release them because I want them to have the best chance possible, that little stinker just had other plans lol. I had hoped to release them together and we actually went back and opened the window in the hopes that Wilbur might go ahead and venture out as well but was not interested what so ever. He has never acted as "wild" as Cookie but he was in much worse condition when we found him too so I do not know if that has something to do with it. What worries me even more, is that after Cookie left Wilbur changed drastically and it was pretty much instant. He doesn't really act wild at all, at first I thought he might just be sick but now I am not so sure what it could be. He is extremely clingy whenever I go into his room and acts more like a pet than a wild animals and he was NEVER like this before. DO you think he is ready for me to release him this year or should I wait until Spring? Didn't know if that would make it harder. I really do want to do whatever is best for them and gives him the best chance of survival. :)

[Javarat]

What worries me even more, is that after Cookie left Wilbur changed drastically and it was pretty much instant. He doesn't really act wild at all, at first I thought he might just be sick but now I am not so sure what it could be. He is extremely clingy whenever I go into his room and acts more like a pet than a wild animals and he was NEVER like this before. DO you think he is ready for me to release him this year or should I wait until Spring?Clingy behavior is to be expected. He had a constant companion and is now alone.

Squirrels are not communal animals. So he will become independent as he matures.

I would be worried that wintering him over (alone) might domesticate him too much. I'm not sure about your area of Alabama.. but in north Georgia we normally do not get bad freezes until February.

I think watching his behavior will tell you best... see if he starts become very interested in looking outside. He may even decide to self-release through a window screen like his sister.