Angel's odd behavior

[Pennys dad]

Hi All
Angel is a full grown female that we raised from an infant. We released her to the trees after 24 weeks and after she spent 2 weeks outside, and she promptly disappeared for two weeks. Now she came back to our yard and lanai. She has free roam and does not seem interested in the outside. She paces at the sliders and wants to come in the house. I take her down to the trees and she comes back to the house. We have raised and released more than eighteen and this is the first one to exhibit this behavior and I'm not sure what course of action to take. Any ideas?
Thanks Pennys dad

[Nancy in New York]

Is there any way that you can bring her back inside?
This would kill me to see one of my releases doing this.
What would happen if you gave her a nut? Would she stay
around, or go off and bury it?
How old is she now, and how long has she been released?
Is it 4 weeks?
It would be curious to see if she were in a cage how she
would react.
I really believe that squirrels tell us what they want,
and it's up to us to listen.

[TubeDriver]

You could open her outdoor release cage and see if she returns to it? If the cage has a small portal (2-3”), open that and place some food in it and show it to her. Maybe she recently lost or was kicked out of her drey and she temporarily does not have a nest?

[SophieSquirrel]

Most released squirrels adapt to a life in the trees - some do not and are frightened of the outdoors. She could have lost her nest but most squirrels just find a new territory and build a new one. Angel wants to come back home to her family.

[Pennys dad]

Thanks for the responses
Angel is now at about 28 wks she appeared after we were out feeding all of our other wilds in the evening. She came back in the AM and decided to come up to the house and in the lanai which we put and opening in just for the squirrels that come up for treats. She stayed all day and wanted to come in and we let her. She acted like she had never left. I went and got her release cage seeing that it was getting dark and she had no intentions of going back to the trees. She was fine with that and settled down in her ferret cube. We moved her inside and let her stay for the night and then moved her cage to the lanai along with another squirrel that will be released in a few weeks. This is now the the fourth day she she still wants our attention. She eats some veggies that I put in her cage and gets hazel nuts and HHB's. Yes it makes me sad to see that she acts this way and I want only the best for her she paces at the door as I'm typing now.Kind of at a loss here as to what course of action to take
Pennys dad

[Grinderhead]

I want only the best for her she paces at the door as I'm typing now.

I know of a boy that was released and did not want nothing to do with the outside built his nest on the floor at the door he wanted to get back in the house. He was brought back in and lived eight wonderful years with his mama. That's what he wanted he did not want nothing to do with the outside. I would bring her back in watch her she'll tell you if she wants to go back out.

[TubeDriver]

She just might need some extra time in order to wild up? I currently have a fall release that moved back into and is now living in her outside soft release cage. I hope she will find her own nests in the trees in the spring but she is welcome to stay in the release cage as long as she wants it. She gets breakfast and dinner daily but other than that, she acts more like a wild.

I would try to get her to stay outside but in the release cage to give her more time to wild up and adapt to the outside. You can give her meals but keep the social interaction to a minimum. If she continues to stick around and does not move out, she could be one of those rare squirrels that prefers to be inside. You know how big of a committment that is so plan accordingly!



Thanks for the responses
Angel is now at about 28 wks she appeared after we were out feeding all of our other wilds in the evening. She came back in the AM and decided to come up to the house and in the lanai which we put and opening in just for the squirrels that come up for treats. She stayed all day and wanted to come in and we let her. She acted like she had never left. I went and got her release cage seeing that it was getting dark and she had no intentions of going back to the trees. She was fine with that and settled down in her ferret cube. We moved her inside and let her stay for the night and then moved her cage to the lanai along with another squirrel that will be released in a few weeks. This is now the the fourth day she she still wants our attention. She eats some veggies that I put in her cage and gets hazel nuts and HHB's. Yes it makes me sad to see that she acts this way and I want only the best for her she paces at the door as I'm typing now.Kind of at a loss here as to what course of action to take
Pennys dad

[SophieSquirrel]

I know of a boy that was released and did not want nothing to do with the outside built his nest on the floor at the door he wanted to get back in the house. He was brought back in and lived eight wonderful years with his mama. That's what he wanted he did not want nothing to do with the outside. I would bring her back in watch her she'll tell you if she wants to go back out.

I agree with this course of action. Unfortunately my NR's don't have a choice due to disabilities save for one who was raised with a well intentioned family but spent too much time in captivity. Kami has no interest in the outdoors whatsoever and lives the life of Riley.

"Kami" receiving a belly scratch

298551

[Pennys dad]

Thank you all
I should also say that her being in our care was due to her mother rejecting her and her sister and they were dropped out of their nest in front of me. We did the reuniting thing but to no avail. We have learned that her sister is a non release due to a assumed head injury... head tilt and balance. They were raised together and separated at about 15 weeks knowing that Angel would be released. She is most welcome back after thing we wouldn't see her again. We are firm believers that those who can be outside should be outside. I'll just wait and see what she does..currently napping on the roll up in the lanai
Pennys dad

[SophieSquirrel]

Great that you are open to keeping her! That information changes the dynamic. There is some issue that the mother sensed and through the process of natural selection nature would have taken ti's course. Mothers never abandon healthy squirrels and defend their nests with their own lives. She might have a slight neurological issue and a mother squirrels senses are highly tuned. It's good you are taking her in and her sister will have a companion. You might want to house separately at first and let the re-introduce outside the cage environment. Also check for parasites and fleas. She's probably just happy to have a safe warm bed and her favorite foods as well as being back with her family. Squirrels being highly intelligent animals have emotions and feeling just like we do. Even my lone adult male with the severe mouth injury cuddles up with me at night when I watch TV. Males are supposed to be unmanageable in captivity - it's all about understanding sqrl behavior and adapting to it.